NOW THAT I HAVE DECIDED TO GET A BEAGLE, HOW DO I FIND A GOOD BREEDER?

Buy from this breeder:

1. The breeder that is selling the puppy on how wonderful this puppy is & not on how awful some other breeder's puppies are or is "bad-mouthing" another breeder.

2. The breeder that talks a great deal about temperament. Don't be impressed by "fancy" show titles or accomplishments unless the adult dogs that you observe in the breeder's house, are of sweet temperament. No matter how beautiful a dog is, if you cannot live with him, he is "good for nothing!"

3. A good breeder is trying to breed puppies that are, at least, as good as it's mother or, ideally, better because if the breeder does not get at least as good as the bitch that he started with, what has this breeding added to the breed?

4. The only thing a good breeder does not breed to improve is TEMPERAMENT because if a dog or bitch does not have good temperament, then it should stop right there! A dog or bitch with bad temperament should NEVER be bred!

5..Are at least, one of the parents a conformation champion? Good breeders show their breeding stock because the title of conformation champion on a dog, actually means that the breeder has taken the steps to prove that the dog or bitch does conform to the standard & therefore should contribute to the gene pool of the breed. (A performance title on a non-champion, shows that the dog has proven it has reason to contribute to the gene pool of the breed, besides having the ability to reproduce.)

6.Are the puppies happy to see you? If they are afraid of you, this will mean they have not been socialized! They should be delighted to see you & be "begging" to be picked up! If the puppies are quiet & not interested in you & the breeder tells you they are "just tired" because they have been very active all day, ask to come back another time so you can observe them when they are not so tired.

7. The mother of the litter may be very guarded, with her puppies. However, if she is "a raving maniac" about you observing (not touching) her puppies I would question this temperament. I would also avoid getting a puppy from a mother that is afraid of you. There is little worse than "a fear biter" Yes, temperament is inherited.

8. The mother of the litter may not "look her best!" Make allowances for her because raising a litter has been exhausting to her.

9..Does the breeder have Breed Club affiliation of any kind? Although this will not guarantee that the breeder is truly reputable it does give you a body of people to complain to, should you have a problem. Being kicked out of a club would cause a breeder to be greatly embarrassed among his/her peers & could hurt the sale of any future puppies.

10. Ask the breeder why he/she is breeding. A good breeder does this for the protection & preservation of the breed. She is insuring that 10 years from now, the Beagle will still look & act the same. She is doing this by breeding Beagles that conform to the standard & have good temperaments & do not have health problems.

11. If a breeder says she bred her bitch so her children could learn about the miracle of birth, do not buy her puppy! There are millions of dogs destroyed, each year, at Animal Shelters because of people who do this kind of haphazard breeding. (I wish they would consider showing their children the "miracle" of death by taking them to the Animal Shelter to see what happens to the puppies that have been bred for the sole (& soulless) reason that children can witness the miracle of birth!

12. Understand that you are buying a breeder, as well as a puppy. Is this the person you want to go to with your questions? Will you feel comfortable phoning this person for advice? Will this breeder be there, when you need advice? Does this give written instructions on the care of the puppy? Has she had the puppies checked by a Veterinarian? Will the puppy come with a health certificate? What are the guarantee's this breeder offers? Have you carefully read her contract?

13. ALL REPUTABLE BREEDERS SELL PET QUALITY PUPPIES WITH SPAY/NEUTER CONTRACTS!

14. Does the puppy come with a "Return to Breeder Clause" in the contract? This shows that the Breeder will always be interested in the welfare of the puppy that he is responsible for bringing into the world.

15 Observe the adult dogs in the house. Do you like their looks & temperaments? This is what your puppy will mature to look like and act like. The part of the brain that chooses the puppy is not located near the part of the brain that stores logic so make your choice on liking the adults, not the puppies! All puppis are cute & loveable.!

16. . And last, but not least, ask yourself "If I were a dog, would I want this person as an owner or if I were a puppy, would I want to live in this house?

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