Designing/creating an infographic on BYB vs reputable breeders and could use some help!

[Wolffie]

So I'm an interactive designer/web developer and I'm always taking on little side projects along with my daily work and freelance work. I created/run one of the Facebook "virtual yard sale" pages for Cape Cod, but instead of it being a yard sale group, it's a group dedicated to selling pet supplies and rehoming/looking for animals in need of adoption. It's about 4,000 strong and growing every day, which means the drama grows too.

The number one cause of drama on the page always revolves around people trying to sell litters of puppies for ridiculous prices without doing proper health checks, clearances, tests, etc. I actually have a rule that prevents back yard breeders from posting multiple litters on my page - they basically get one post, since those puppies obviously deserve homes and I can't make assumptions, but if they breed yet again, they're not allowed to post the new litter and use my page as an outlet to find buyers, since I do not support BYBs. It's a good amount of work dealing with the drama and trying to find a healthy balance between finding all puppies homes while keeping away the BYB's, but it's over a year old and things have been working pretty well so far.

With that being said, I am always posting PSA's regarding the differences between BYB and reputable breeders. I post articles, write up posts, talk about designer dog fads, etc. so the members of the group are constantly educated and understand what one should look for when purchasing a puppy from a breeder if that is the route they choose. It's amazing how many people do not know about tests and health clearances and how easy it is for BYB's to make their money off of uneducated puppy buyers.

So I just came up with the idea of doing an infographic that clearly shows the differences between BYB's and reputable breeders, but in a fun and engaging way. I want to be ale to use it in the facebook group as well as on my personal blog, my website, and any other animal related site that will help spread the awareness.

While I'm pretty well-versed in the differences between the two and have a base-line for the content I'll be using, I know this site is full of reliable sources, information, members, and reputable breeders themselves who I would love additional input from. I'm sure there are things I'd miss and a discussion on its own is always a great source of info, so anything is appreciated!

Here are a few main points to help keep on topic. Feel free to elaborate or correct me if I'm wrong:

- A reputable breeder tests BOTH parents for health and genetic issues like hips, elbows, eyes, EIC, CNM, multiple DNA tests, and tests specific to the breed they’re producing. If one or both of the parents are found to have problems with any of theses tests, the litter will no longer be planned and the effected parent(s) is immediately spayed or neutered to make sure they do not pass any of these health issues on at all. A reputable breeder will be very willing to talk about and show you proof that they’ve done such tests. BYB's don't do testing.

- While reputable breeders register their litters with AKC (and other organizations based on location), they understand papers do NOT ALWAYS mean good quality, nor do they always mean purebred, and DO NOT highlight the fact that their litters "have papers" as their number one "selling point" like a BYB does. A dog can have registration papers, yet still not be purebred. I could use some clarification on this, since I've only gathered this info through other people and know things change as well: registries, such as the AKC, rely solely on the honor system - they do not come to each and every house that just had a litter of puppies to check and make sure they are purebred. Breeders (or "breeders") simply fill out a form and a check, mail it to the AKC, and receive their registration papers for each puppy in the litter to give to the new owners.

- Reputable breeders, if placing a puppy with you that is not of show quality and to be used for breeding, require you spay/neuter the puppy (but not until around 2(?) years of age). BYB's do not care.

- A good breeder will ask you a LOT of question, maybe require a home check, ask about your income and kids and other pets, etc. They want to ensure their puppies are going to FOREVER homes.

- Reputable breeders have contracts with all of their puppies that stat In the rare case where a puppy doesn’t work out in its new home, the breeder will have stated, in the contact they gave to the new owner, that they require you return the puppy to THEM and not a shelter or someone else. BYB do not generally care about the puppy after it has been sold.

- BYB's use terms, such as "hypoallergenic" or "mini" (ex mini Australian shepherd) or color specific "breeds" (ex silver labrador). These are just a few of the many marketing techniques back yard breeders use to make these puppies look/sound more appealing to prospective buyers. To make the puppies seem "rare" and "exotic."

Feel free to add on!

[doubledip1]

I would add that a reputable breeder will call your vet for a reference. A reputable breeder will only have one litter every year or two. A reputable breeder will also only sell you a puppy on a limited registration (most likely your Facebook people aren't showing).

A reputable breeder will NEVER sell a puppy earlier than 8 weeks, or let you visit before they are a certain age to prevent Parvo!

And adding on to the marketing terms... a BYB will charge more for a "rare" or "special" color.

[JenC]

Some of the items above may be true. I don't call people's vets. Many reputable breeders have 1-2 litters every year depending on how many dogs they manage. I would stick to items like Will take the dog back at any time for any reason, will be there for support throughout the lifetime of the dog, are active in either showing or performance events, do clearances and are up to date on the current health issues for that particular breed....things like that.

This is a good link: Backyard Breeder vs Reputable Breeder

[Halcyon]

I skimmed through the post so I might have repeated.

A reputable breeder will be open to and encourage questions. I remember asking about 15 questions in my first email, thinking I was an annoyance! In fact, she turned out to be very appreciative that I had done my homework and research on the breed beforehand.

A reputable breeder will be available for support throughout the lifetime of the dog and require you to return the dog no questions asked if something goes wrong and you can no longer keep him/her. Additionally, will encourage frequent updates, especially when dog is sick.

A reputable breeder will often choose the puppy for you! They carefully evaluate and question what you want out of the dog and match the right puppy with the right temperament to you based on your response and lifestyle.

A reputable breeder will often have a contract. This details what happens in the event of illness, a guarantee, re-homing, etc. In addition, a reputable breeder will screen all buyers through an application process.

A reputable breeder is registered with the governing body and abide by a code of ethics. In addition, they aim to better the breed and are not looking for profit. Although puppies are often much more expensive, they cover the cost of breeding (e.g. stud fee) and the resources used to raise said puppy in the right environment.

A reputable breeder has begun the socialisation process. For example, with kids, horses, etc. Additionally, all pups are microchipped, vacinated and given a clean bill of health. In addition, the breeder's dogs are often part of the family and most likely live indoors.

A reputable breeder will not shy away from the negatives of the breed! For example, the shedding and generally high energy level in Labs. A reputable breeder is also not in a hurry to "get rid" of their pups.

A reputable breeder is happy to provide references and encourage visits to the dam and sire (although often not on site but willing to provide contact details for you to organise a visit). The environment, pups and adults are clean, healthy and happy.

Sire and dam will have all health clearances to stack the odds in your favour for a healthy pup as much as possible. A reputable breeder will be very willing to give you copies of health clearances and pedigree as well as, discuss any faults. Both parents are also proven in a venue and pedigree should reflect such.

In short, reputable breeders are knowledgeable about the breed and genuinely care about their pups/dogs regardless of how old they are. They care about who they are going to and not just who rocks up with the most cash in hand. They are looking for a FOREVER HOME not someone looking to surprise the kids with a Christmas puppy and later dump it at the shelther because they weren't prepared. The pairings are planned with intentions and not just the random purebred down the street. They are often looking for a pup to keep! Some offer boarding and pups often come with a "puppy pack."

To add onto BYB, they often charge extra for "pick of the litter." Some breed for out-of-standard and charge extra. For example, silver and charcoals in Labs, over-sized, designer breeds, etc. BYB will often promote taking two or even three pups at a time in order to get rid of them earlier. Many also sell them at 6 weeks.

[windycanyon]

I'm pretty sure Woody saved the stickies. I'd go read them. I'd also read the one about how NOT to find a Breeder as it may give you some insights.

A lot of your initial points are very simplistic. Sure, there are registries that register non-purebreds. That is not the intent of the AKC, but I know it happens w/ unscrupulous people. There are many more red flags to show who is and isn't a straight shooter. With any chilled or frozen semen breedings, your chances of parenthood being what is claimed are very high since DNA testing is required. The BYB doesn't have to do this until they've bred their dog (male) several times. And then they could just lie about who the daddy was anyhow.

And honestly, most people wouldn't even catch that I (or other breeders) was getting info from them. As chat goes on (emails, phone, etc) people reveal a lot more info about them than what I could get by ASKING specific questions.

From my standpoint, I personally see far too many people BUYING dogs that shouldn't. Maybe it's because I do rescue, but I've sure had my share of young parents who are wanting/needing to give up out of control pups (often claimed to be aggressive) when in reality the problem was staring themselves back in the mirror because THEY FAILED THE DOG by not training it. Or people wanting XYZ in a rescue (specify age, color, breeding "type", training, etc) because now they realize they just want instant gratification due to lack of time. And then there are the ones that want a fully trained, healthy wonderfully perfect dog for $200. But then don't have the money to pay for the vet bills when they pop up... you get the drift.

If you can figure out how to successfully educate people BEFORE they go look at the first litter, I applaud you. I'm thinking most people are from a different planet these days, but that's beyond the scope of this post,....

[voodoo]

from a buyers point of view: I decided I was ready for the commitment and started shopping around. I used the internet to search locally. nothing local available so I widened the search. found a pic of a puppy that looked perfect on the internet(broker). asked a few questions via email/phone. bought the puppy and had flown to me. The whole process was quick and easy without leaving my internet connection. My point is that I am not alone in my buying experience and IF a local reputable breeder had litters available, that would obviously been my 1st choice, but I didnt want to wait a year for something that may not happen(like a male chocolate). I received full breeding rights, but since I never met the breeders, have no idea if they were BYB or not. Another example from a buyer pov, my mom just walked into pet store and bought a puggle. no questions and she just paid alot more than I would of (close to 3k in NY state). the point is she wanted a puppy and went to the store and just bought one. she is 70 years old. so convenience is a huge selling point. good luck with your site.

[windycanyon]

from a buyers point of view: I decided I was ready for the commitment and started shopping around. I used the internet to search locally. nothing local available so I widened the search. found a pic of a puppy that looked perfect on the internet(broker). asked a few questions via email/phone. bought the puppy and had flown to me. The whole process was quick and easy without leaving my internet connection. My point is that I am not alone in my buying experience and IF a local reputable breeder had litters available, that would obviously been my 1st choice, but I didnt want to wait a year for something that may not happen(like a male chocolate). I received full breeding rights, but since I never met the breeders, have no idea if they were BYB or not. Another example from a buyer pov, my mom just walked into pet store and bought a puggle. no questions and she just paid alot more than I would of (close to 3k in NY state). the point is she wanted a puppy and went to the store and just bought one. she is 70 years old. so convenience is a huge selling point. good luck with your site.

And these are really good examples of how NOT to buy a dog. Brokers and pet shops are the 2 worst places! Even some BYBs will often give you some support. Here is the best way to eliminate chances of any relationship and seriously set yourself up for problems. No one who is ethical will sell thru a broker or pet store.

Anytime someone contacts me w/ a "timeline", my antennae goes up. Some people think (for some reason) that the first 2 mos are the hardest. NO WAY!!! It's from ~6 mos - 18 mos when you'd best have a lot of extra time on your hands to train, exercise, etc.

It's that instant gratification thing. Gosh how I wish I could click my fingers right now and have my 2 girls ready to breed RIGHT NOW because the late fall is a much better time for me to whelp and raise the pups. Instead darn, spring time when I want to train and compete, will be taken instead by puppies. So I sure don't feel sorry for the instant gratification seekers. That is life. Good things come to those who wait.

Do buyers even know to look at the pedigree anymore? To look up/ verify health clearances? If those aren't important, why not go the rescue route?

I don't get it, but can't tell you how many times I've had the emails consisting of "Do you have any puppies and if so, how much?". Very rarely do any of these people end up being serious.

[windycanyon]

I bet if you go to some of the breed club sites, you can find some good informational articles too. Here is the one from my club: Puget Sound Labrador Retriever Association

[voodoo]

And these are really good examples of how NOT to buy a dog.

I agree, but its the way that happens alot more than the other way around imo. just shared it so maybe it could get addresses on OP's website/blog.

[Labradorks]

How about -- reputable breeders of purebred dogs should belong to their local breed club and adhere to the club's code of ethics.