Research: look at the breeders profiles not just a breeder page but personal pages, look how they live personally, do they post family photos, are they clean, do they care and take care of them selfs, do they post family stuff or just nice expensive things to show off? Why is all this important? It can help determine how well the breeder takes care of their animals or if they are just all about sales. 

Dogs well-being: Look how the dogs are being raised, are the dogs in kennels all the time? This is easily noticed by kennel sores on their elbows, paws, balding tails and have long nails. Do the dogs get along with one another? Are their dog bowls clean, are they drinking out of clean water bowls or nasty buckets? Are the dogs raised and sleep outside in dirt and mud all day long or raised inside? How do sure their coats look are they always dirty with bald spots, allergies issues or do they have nice shiny coats all the time? 

Pedigree: How consistent is the bloodlines behind the dog(s)? This can be sometimes difficult for some to figure out. The more consistent the pedigree is behind the dog(s) the more purebred the dog will be, the healthier the dog will be and the least genetic problems will develop. How do you read pedigrees? Well, look for the same bloodlines within ones pedigree at least 3 generations back of consistency is what you want, the further back with the same bloodlines the better. What’s a bloodline? A bloodline to make it most simple is basically the producers name of the kennel that goes in front of the dogs name, the more times you see this name the more consistent the pedigree is. Now sometimes it can be confusing as the way this works is when a breeder produces a litter, one buys a pup from that breeder and breeds that dog when grown to another dog from the same breeder those offsprings are now that breeders productions so they get credit of their kennel name before the dogs name. When doing your research look at each dog and where it originated from as some dogs like said above can have a different kennel name in-front but actually is the same bloodline. Most importantly look for scattered bloodlines behind the parents, the more scattered the more genetic variation of health issues will occur means lots of expensive vet bills, less years of life of the dog and so forth this is why pedigrees are so important. 

DNA genetic profiling: Is the parents of the puppy you’re interested in DNA profiled? Meaning is the mom and dad of the offspring actually who the breeder says they are? DNA profiling is a process done through a dog registry like UKC  who sends a DNA sample from both parents to a lab like UC Davis. This DNA testing profiles the dog’s genetic chromosomes which tells us the offsprings from the said Dam and Sire are proven to be from them both. Why is this important? Because many breeders hang papers. What’s hanging papers? This is when one breeds a desired Stud to a Dam to add color, size, bone, etc this happens very often in all breeds and most the time is a completely different breed of the other dog being bred, the breeding is then promoted using a different said stud whom they say is the father but isn’t. Sadly theirs no way to find out who the true father is if they have not been DNA profiled. This is very important for the over all longevity health of the offspring(s) and for you to not spend your hard earned money. 

DNA health testing: This is also very important tool especially for breeders to know if the dog has any genetic health concerns. Any dog with 2 copies of a trait should not be bred to another dog whom has 1+ copies of that same trait. More than 2 copies of a trait makes it dominant and it will pass over to the offsprings. What’s a good health testing lab to use? Wisdom Panel Optimal Selection is our choice amongst others as they have the most accurate results offering 270+ genetic testing making them the highest genetic testing lab on the market for breeders. 

Social media marketing: Is the breeder you’re interested in getting a pup from open to allowing you to see the dogs in person? Do they post videos or just photos? This is all important factors as there are many scammers out there with amazing photoshop skills who don’t want you to see the dogs in person for multiple reason like high rears, splayed feet, easty / westy, under / over bites, scars, poor coats and so forth. The quote don’t believe everything you see on tv goes for breeders as well, many breeders not only are amazing with camera tricks but also use famous people to real in your attention. Remember to use all above factors when looking for your future furry friend. 

Red Flags:   Be cautious if a breeder always has puppies available or is willing to sell multiple breeds. No pressure to Buy, a reputable breeder will never rush you into purchasing a puppy. They want to ensure their puppies are going to the right homes and will often ask you questions to determine if you’re a suitable match to purchase a puppy from them.

Sadly the breeding industry with all breed types is all over the place, lots of hype, false advertisement, poor quality breedings and many scammers. We want to help future dog owners on what to look for before making a long term commitment and purchase. 

By adhering to these guidelines, prospective dog owners can better navigate the breeding industry and ensure they are making a responsible and informed choice, leading to a healthy and happy life for their new canine companion.

  We hope this information has helped you with things you would never think to look or ask for so you can have a much better experience with finding your future furry friend / family member, as we say here at Sin City Pits,

"it’s all about the dogs not about us".