How to avoid backyard breeders

Responsible dog breeders will be registered with Dogs Australia (Formally Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC)). Registration is voluntary and can be expensive, it proves responsible breeders are not just in it for the money and that they’re willing to go the extra mile to ensure they are the best dog breeder they can be. Click here to read more about the importance of ANKC registration.

Puppy mills and back yard breeders may have a kennel license or non ANKC registration, but this is given out by the local government and only provides permission to own more dogs than what is allowed in that city or area. Don’t take these too seriously if this is the only proof offered of legitimacy.

“Vaccinated and wormed” was once the gold standard when shopping for a healthy puppy, but these days this is not enough. A responsible breeder will have health certificates for the parents of the puppies. Each breed (and mixed-bred dogs too) has its own particular hereditary problems and Golden Retrievers are no exception. Failure to screen for these problems before breeding is irresponsible and takes unnecessary risks for genetic disease and often leads to heartache. DNA tests, eye examinations, heart examinations and x-rays are expected of responsible breeders before they breed their dogs. 

You’ll often find that with puppy mills and irresponsible backyard breeders say puppies have been “health tested”, this usually just means the puppies have been examined by a vet for obvious conditions. This increases the chances that they will come with various health problems and shows the breeder doesn’t care about the animal’s health.

A responsible breeder takes the time to learn everything they can about a breed before they start producing puppies. Find some basic and more advanced questions to ask someone to find out how much they know about the breed. 

Here are some examples of things a breeder should know about their dogs: 

• Personality traits 
• Energy level 
• Intelligence 
• Expected lifespan. 
• Common genetic problems in the breed 
• Average height and weight of adult animals 

If you feel like someone doesn’t know much about the breed, consider this a red flag and keep going through the other items on this list to determine if they’re a responsible breeder or a puppy mill.

One question you should always ask that can quickly determine if you’re talking with a puppy mill or a responsible breeder is “How many dog breeds do you have?” 

Because of the amount of time and care that responsible breeders put into each breed, it’s rare to find a breeder that is breeding more than one or two types of dogs at once. The vast majority only have one breed they choose to focus on. 

If someone is breeding multiple dog breeds or has a number of “designer dogs” available, this is a huge red flag. Responsible breeders view so called “designer dogs” such as Groodles (Golden Retrievers crossed with Poodles) to be no different than any other mixed breed of dog.  These crosses damage the welfare of the golden retriever.

Something else you’ll want to ask about and look for when visiting a breeder is the level of care and human interaction the dogs are receiving. A responsible breeder does more than make sure their puppies are fed and clean. They also raise their puppies in an enriched environment with huge amounts of age appropriate mental and physical stimulation.

A responsible breeder keeps the mother and litter mates together until the puppies are ready for their new homes. A puppy that has left its mother and the rest of his littermates too early will lack the social skills taught to the litter at this critical age. This can result in some serious behaviour and social challenges later in life. A responsible breeder will not let a puppy leave before the 8-week mark.

If you still have any doubts about the reputability of a breeder at this point, don’t be afraid to contact the GRCWA Inc. and ask them about the individual you’re considering buying a puppy from.