FINDING A REPUTABLE BREEDER

Those of you who have purchased puppies from a reputable breeder - how did you find said breeder? Once my friend Tiffany gets her stuff moved back here from San Diego she wants to get a Boxer puppy and is asking me for advice. We both looked into the local rescue and that is an option, but I also want to be able to guide her into finding a reputable breeder if she decides to go that route. Please help! Thank you

This was over 10 years ago and I don't know if this is a "proper" route or what, but we wrote to the Pug Dog Club of American (and may have paid a small fee) and got a list of their breeders. It had about 40 names on it. And then we started calling. It took some work. Some were disconnected, some weren't breeding anymore, some didn't have any litters that year, and some just didn't like getting cold calls. I finally stumbled onto one wonderful woman who showed pugs and she told me she didn't have any litters but her friend used one of her studs and was expecting a litter. Then it took several more phone calls and 2 trips out to Riverside (about 60 miles from our home at the time) to meet our first pug and bring him home about 3 months later.

So maybe there is a Boxer Club of America you can contact?

Our best wishes to Tiffany!

Here's the advice I give people. First, go to the local breed club and find out who is a breeder registered with them. Then find out if they are still showing their dogs. Then do the research about this breeder--ask questions, find out how many breeds they are breeding--I'm suspicious of any one breeding more than two breeds. Find out how big their operation is--I tend to shy away from large kennel operations. Find out how often they breed their bitches--how old when they start breeding and how old when they stop. If they breed their bitches more than once a year--run. I prefer breeders who only breed every two years.
Go to some dog shows and talk to the folks there who have boxers.

Ask what their contract says--do they have a spay/neuter clause? Do they accept responsibility for the dogs for the rest of that dog's life?

I've never bought a dog from a breeder with the exception of my border collies--but that's a whole different deal since I was looking for working stock and not show stock.

I concur with everything that has been said by Kendie and Blanche. I would have Tiffany go to some dogs shows in Nashville (and I'll gladly come along). If you can find a list on the Boxer Club site and see about matching those names up with real people. Lola's doggie therapist shows Boxers (she's shown pugs in the past) and is known all over the SE for agility and obedience. We will see her next month and I'll ask her for some names too. Just let Tiffany know that it is not going to be an overnight process, but hopefully by working to find a reputable breeder and the right puppy for her that it will all be worth it.

I'd also go to a big dog show and find out approximately when the Boxers are being shown and head off. Dog showing world wide is pretty much the same, so I'd say things would be shown alphabetically so Boxers would be on early (I'd check with the show organisers first though!!). I think you'll find that there's a number of shows EVERY weekend all over the place, so a little research will help. Phone the AKC for a list of shows close-by.

When you get to the show, don't even LOOK at the exhibitors until AFTER the classes (they'll be too busy getting ready) and then approach the winners and place-getters, looking for the people with multiple dogs, they'll likely be the breeders. Breeders like it when people approach them at shows (the nice ones, anyway!) as it shows you are really working to do it right. And any breeder who is showing, is working hard to better the breed.

Wonderful advice!! Thank you all so much.

Jana that would be awesome! I'm gonna talk to Tiffany a bit more when she gets all settled in and see if she has decided on rescue vs breeder and then we will go from there. I just wanted to let her know what the right way to do it is - I think sadly most people here go backyard breeder if they don't just head straight to the pet store Thankfully Tiff knows better than that.