Ready to buy a dog from a breeder? There are certain expectations that accompany dog breeders and the majority of them certainly live up to those expectations. It takes a lot of hard work to professionally breed high-quality dogs, but once you understand the reasons, you can fully appreciate the end results. Here are those results described as pros and cons. Study them carefully and consider them before buying a dog.

Pros of Buying a Dog From a Breeder

When you want to buy a dog from a breeder, you can feel pretty confident that you’re buying a pure bred canine. We say, “pretty much” because the purity of a dog is directly related to the professional and ethical practices of a dog’s breeder. Professional breeders can’t afford the risk of mixing breeds (else they won’t stay in business very long!). And ethical breeders don’t want to mislead their patrons into thinking they’re getting something that they’re not.

Another bonus that you get from patronizing a breeder is a sociable dog. Having been raised in an environment with other dogs and people, breeder pups learn from birth how to (1) get along with other dogs (even if they’re their own brothers and sisters), and (2) how to get along with people who raise them and the people who come to see them. This is a tremendous benefit considering that your pup too, will come into contact with other dogs and people. And it’s a tremendous advantage in that they won’t be prone to attack on sight simply because they don’t know what these things are.

Professional breeders also provide free initial health care with the paperwork to prove it. This crucial step in pet care removes any doubt you may have about the litter you’re thinking of buying from. Without having this knowledge beforehand, you risk buying a pup that’s sick or that will develop a rehabilitating illness in the future.

As an extra perk, a breeder’s litter may already be potty trained by the time you discover it. Many breeders raise their litters at home -- making potty-training an utmost necessity from the time the litter learns to walk!

Cons of Buying a Dog From a Breeder

It’s a fact that breeders charge a high price for their litters, but after you consider all the hard work that they do, you can see that their costs are justified. Breeders after all, pay for food, shelter, and medical expenses for not only one dog, but anywhere from six to twelve all at once!

Another con is the seemingly invasiveness of the adoption process. A breeder for example may ask a lot of questions about your lifestyle that you may not feel comfortable answering. They may ask if you have small children. They may ask about the size of your home and yard. They may ask what you plan on doing with the dog, or they may ask for a tour of your home. While these requests are certainly unacceptable from a car dealer, they’re not too off the mark from the folks who care for and love these animals as much as you do.

If that weren’t enough, you may also have to contend with a long waiting period. Unless a breeder has an available litter of age-appropriate puppies, you may have to wait until the litter is older before you can take home one of its puppies. You may also have to wait before the breeder’s dam is ready to mate again. Since responsible breeders restrict mating to only once a year, you could wait up to six months or more!