Choosing a Dog

Choosing a Dog

Choosing a dog for you and your family is a serious task, and QualityDogs.com offers much information to help you in your decision. By clicking "Breed Profiles" from the Main Page, you can see the Breed Profile page for each recognized dog breed. That page will contain a breed picture, plenty of information about the breed, common health issues for the breed, and links to breed clubs and/or other information. For a quick summary of each breed, important facts are shown at the top of the page, and these will help in choosing a dog. However, for more detailed information, there follows a complete textual description of the breed.

If you find one or more breeds you are interested in, each Breed Profile page lists recommended books that can help you in choosing a dog.

Once you have selected one or more breeds that you are interested in, you will want to find a breeder that is knowledeable, responsible, and ethical. QualityDogs.com makes every effort to promote responsible breeding practices, but of course we cannot screen each member personally. Therefore, you should take the time to get to know as much as possible about each breeder and choose one you feel comfortable with.

Some questions to ask when choosing a dog from a breeder:

• Why do you breed?
• What are your goals as a breeder?
• What health screening do you do for your breeding adults?
• What health guarantee do you offer with your pups?
• How many years have you been breeding?
• Can you give me references from people who have pups you've raised?
• What is your policy if I am, for some reason, unable to keep my puppy/dog?
• What breed organization(s) do you belong to?
• How frequently do you breed your adult females?

These are just the beginning... remember, if a breeder is not helpful and communicative now, it's doubtful they will be helpful or communicative after you get a puppy.