Choosing a Breeder

Buyer Beware: Responsible Breeder vs Puppy Supplier

I truly hope you take the time to read this page as I feel it’s one of the most important things you will read as a potential Bloodhound puppy owner. I apologize if it may seem long but I feel the information is extremely important. Man people truly don’t know this information.

Do You Want a Healthy Pet?

In starting I want to say that everyone has heard the term puppy mill and we can imagine what that is. But what about the term backyard breeder? Doesn’t sound so bad to some that think they just want a pet. But let me ask you, do you want a healthy pet? No-one ever says no to this question but why do so many not research before they buy? There is no magical wand or guarantee to ensure a long healthy life of a dog. Genetics and environment play a role in predictability of this outcome. And what is a health guarantee? I will get into that later.

There is more to being a responsible breeder than just taking good care of your dogs.

It takes more than a one-year health guarantee to produce healthy dogs. It takes a lot more than knowing both the sire and dam to predict the outcome of a breeding. Someone can take good care of their animals, sell to what they feel are approved homes on contract, give a health guarantee and still be doing a big disservice to the breed by breeding incorrectly. And sadly, the new puppy owners sometimes suffer the consequences.

What is a breed standard?

First off, the written breed standard is essentially the blueprint for each breed of dog, including the Bloodhound. It describes in detail exactly how the dog is supposed to look and move and also the temperament it should have. The breed standard also describes the dog for the original purpose it was created for. Understanding the breed standard is paramount to breeding. Just as important as following the blueprint when building a home, you must follow proper codes, use correct materials and have the skills to do so. Breeding dogs is similar, but we are dealing with living, breathing companions and our judgements can be clouded by our hearts.

Health Clearances

You may not be aware of the recommended health clearances for Bloodhounds in almost every National Club. They are Cardiac, Hips, Elbows, Eye Certification, DM and possibly thyroid. All breeding dogs should be tested! There are only three reasons why a breeder does not do health clearances:

They don’t care to know what they have, and they think they can tell by looking at the dog
They don’t want to spend the money
But the biggest reason is because potential buyers don’t ask or demand them when searching for a puppy

Would you pay a couple hundred dollars less for an uncertified vehicle with no warranty or history on the vehicle? I’d hope not and a puppy is not even comparable to a car. The bond between man and dog is like no other. This potential puppy will be a family member that will hopefully live a long and wonderful life and even decades after they are gone, they will be fondly remembered and missed. So why do so many buyers not research properly? I am all for rescue but I am so frustrated with people paying top dollar for puppies that were bred without much thought or care.

Health Clearance Costs

OFA xrays of hips and elbows * potentially more if dog needs to be sedated	$400
Fee to submit xrays to OFA OFA is a public database, searchable by anyone	$40
Cardiac clearance, auscultation performed by a board certified Cardiologist	$50-85
Cardiac echocardiogram (if needed) performed by a board certified Cardiologist	$300
Eye certification performed by a board certified veterinary Ophthalmologist	$40-65
Degenerative myelopathy (DM) test simple swab test you do yourself and mail in for evaluation	$25-80

Add It Up!

So realistically the price of one puppy pays for these tests on nearly both parents. Wake up people! There is no good reason why they aren’t done, especially when the breeders are producing 2-5 litters per year!

Why Showing is Important

So many people do not see the value in showing because they simply want a pet. I want to explain the value of showing so that even if you never step foot in a ring you will understand why it’s important. First off showing is simple. The purpose of showing is judging dogs against the written breed standard; breed type, structure, movement, temperament and performance. The original purpose was to evaluate breeding stock.

Even though many of us understand the breed standard, we can all have different interpretations. When emotions are tied to an animal, we cannot always be the best ones to critique our own dogs. A common misconception about showing is what you win. We don’t win money showing! It’s a huge expense so its very easy to see why so many don’t want to participate, especially when it holds no merit to buyers and cuts into the breeder’s profit.

With dog shows also come National breed clubs. The Canadian Bloodhound Club (CBC) consists of members who all follow a code of ethics. The CBC holds the breed standard. We also fundraiser for rescue, health research and always look out for the best interest of the breed.

One of the biggest misunderstandings is that breeders who show their dogs, want all their puppies shown. This is simply not true. Most of my puppies go to wonderful companion homes. Certainly, many possess the qualities to be shown but it’s not a requirement at all.

The Value of Mentors

Having mentors in the breed is so important. The most valuable and interesting things to learn about Bloodhounds are from old time breeders. For those with a desire to learn, the breeders have knowledge of kennels, pedigrees, health issues, breeding practices and breed history to pass on. There are many things google and books cannot tell us. Good breed mentors are the cornerstones to any successful breeding program in any breed.

Breed Clubs & Trials

People who are actively breeding and do not get involved with breed clubs, shows or working trials should put up a very big red flag for any buyer. It clearly shows a lack of wanting to learn, lack of giving back to the breed itself and indicates they are only in it for the money. If they aren’t, then why is a CKC registered puppy from a line of no Champions, with no health clearances on the parents or even in the pedigree, only a couple hundred dollars less?

Now in the times of Covid and everyone wanting a puppy, I have seen poor quality pups, and even mixes, being sold for upwards of $500 more than what a responsible breeder would charge. Can you honestly say those people aren’t in it for the money?

Evaluating Puppies

Designating puppies to owners before the age of seven weeks is a huge red flag! Any breeder doing so is doing a disservice to the owners and to themselves. Puppies need to be studied and evaluated and placed accordingly, matching the owner’s needs, expectations and lifestyle. The temperament of each puppy is unique, and each puppy will have physical and mental strengths and weaknesses. All should be considered, and the breeder should match each puppy to a suitable buyer. It should not be who sends their deposit in first! I rarely even take deposits and am not comfortable designating a puppy to an owner until the puppies have been evaluated and seen by my vet.

Let's Talk About Pedigrees

Knowledge of pedigrees is just as important as health tests. The reason my dogs have passed their tests isn’t based on luck. It’s the breeders before me who tested, bred the best dogs to go forward with and well documented any health issues. Breeders from the late 80s excluded many dogs in breeding programs due to insufficient health certification. Dogs who didn’t pass weren’t bred. Dogs with slight variations in tests results were not bred to a dog with the same issue. It certainly takes many breeders to keep a breed going.

How About Health Guarantees?

But now knowing the above information, does it not seem like a one-year health guarantee may be an empty promise? Although certain genetic health conditions can emerge before one year of age many, many others will only surface after 12 months. When certifying hips and elbows, OFA will not even give a final grade or rating on hips and elbows until after 24 months! And does it not seem odd for someone to give a health guarantee on puppies when they have never tested their breeding stock, nor were the ancestors of their breeding dogs tested? Also, if someone has no documented knowledge of past ancestors, how can they know what genetic issue may arise in their puppies?

Questions to Ask Yourself

My last thought for you is this, what kind of breeder do you want to support? What kind of breeder do you want lifetime support from? Someone knowledgeable? Someone that utilizes the tools available to make every effort at producing healthy dogs? Someone that is involved in the breed and gives back to the breed by supporting health research and rescue? Someone is who taking the time and money to show their dogs to ensure their dogs meet the breed standard?