What to Consider While Searching for a Puppy

Bringing a puppy into your home is a life-changing decision, one that comes with plenty of joy and responsibility. If you're considering adding a furry friend to your family, searching for the right puppy and breeder can feel overwhelming and exhausting, with the puppy world being unstructured and no proper laws certifying a breeder as ethical in Canada. Oh, wait! But what makes a breeder “ethical”? We will discuss this and other factors to look for to ensure the health and well-being of your new furry friend. 

If you love dogs and are interested in truly supporting the future of dogs in Canada, choosing an ethical breeder is one of the most impactful decisions you can make.  Here's a guide to help you navigate the process with thoughtful intentions.

1. Understanding the Breeding World

Before committing to a puppy, it’s essential to understand the breeding world. This will help you recognize the difference between an ethical breeder and someone who may not have the puppy’s best interest at heart.

Ethical breeding can feel like a “gray area” because there isn't a universally accepted definition. While many assume unethical breeding is just about online scams or stolen deposits, it runs much deeper than that. 

Unethical breeding refers to practices where dogs are bred irresponsibly, often resulting in health problems, poor living conditions, and lack of proper care.

Conflicts also arise between purebred versus mixed breeding advocates and those who breed to show standards versus functional traits like temperament. 

Additionally, disagreements over the level of regulation and certification needed, along with the rise of social media trends and misinformation, further complicate the landscape for prospective pet owners.

Here are some key considerations in the ethics of breeding:

• Breeding practices standards

• The best breeders are responsible for their planning, intentions to breed a litter and deep understanding of the science behind breeding.

• Pup health

• Just like humans, a healthy dog is both physically and mentally healthy. Good breeders try to provide their pups with nutritious food and prioritize high-quality nutrition during pregnancy. Vaccinations and parasite prevention are important, as is proper documentation from the pups’ veterinarian.

• Pup parent policies & screening

• A responsible rehoming involves a commitment upfront from both the pup's parents and the providers. Good breeders spent a lot of time asking questions and screening new homes. Research shows that pup parents who are committed and long term-focused are the most educated on the decision before they plunge into pup parenthood.

2. Finding a Breeder

When searching for a puppy, the breeder you choose plays a significant role in the dog's health, temperament, and overall well-being. Not all breeders hold the same values,, so looking for a reputable, ethical breeder is essential. 

Good and Reputable Breeders

Good and reputable breeders prioritize their dog’s health, genetic testing, and welfare above profit. They provide clean, safe environments, ensure regular veterinary care, and breed only healthy dogs with good temperaments. Start by checking breeder reviews, visiting the breeder in person (if possible), and asking for references from previous customers.

When adopting a puppy—whether from a shelter, rescue, or breeder—the journey to becoming a responsible pup parent should always begin with educating yourself. Understanding the needs of your future pet and the responsibilities that come with pet ownership is crucial to ensuring that you and your puppy thrive in your new relationship.

Before making any decisions, you must educate yourself on different aspects of dog ownership, including breed traits, health requirements, training, and the ethical considerations behind adoption or buying from a breeder. By doing your own research, you can make informed choices that align with your lifestyle, home environment, and long-term commitments.

Paction has many tools to help you assess your decision-making throughout the process.  Try Paction’s Ultimate Cost Calculator or Dog Breed Matchmaker to help you decide on your long-term lifestyle commitment to dog ownership.

If you’re interested in diving deeper into breeding practices, one standout educational platform is Empowered Breeder, which emphasizes ethical practices and well-rounded puppy rearing. The platform educates breeders and prospective owners on how to raise and select puppies in a way that promotes strong health, temperament, and behavioral stability. 

3. Questions to Ask a Breeder

Before choosing a breeder, ask plenty of questions to ensure they’re ethical and transparent. Some important ones include:

• How long have you been breeding dogs, and why did you start?

• How many litters do you produce each year?

• Is the mother on site?

• If you run a guardianship program, how does it work?

• Can I visit your home to see where the puppies are raised?

• What genetic testing do you perform on your damns and sires?

• What kind of socialization do the puppies receive before they leave for their new homes?

• Do you have a contract, and what are your policies if I can no longer keep the puppy?

• Can I see the vet records of the parents and puppies?

These questions will help you understand the breeder’s dedication to their dogs and breeding program. 

 4. Backyard Breeders, Puppy Mills, Puppy Brokers and Scammers

When searching for a puppy, you may come across terms like backyard breeders, puppy mills, and puppy brokers. These are all red flags to avoid. But don’t expect that they’ll be calling themselves by those names, so be mindful of their common characteristics outlined below.

Backyard breeders often breed dogs for profit without knowledge of proper breeding practices. They may have good intentions but typically lack the expertise to ensure healthy puppies.

Puppy mills are large-scale breeding operations that prioritize quantity over quality. The dogs are often kept in poor conditions with little regard for their health or well-being.

Puppy brokers act as middlemen, sourcing puppies from mills or backyard breeders and selling them for profit. They often mask the origin of the puppies and may mislead buyers about their health or genetics.

Fraudulent scams in the puppy industry have become a major issue because of engaging in deceptive online behavior. Fraudsters exploit potential pet owners through fake websites, misleading advertisements, and false promises. These scams often involve sellers offering nonexistent puppies at attractive prices, asking for deposits or payment in advance, only to disappear once they’ve received the money. Victims often realize too late that they’ve been duped, receiving no puppy or an animal from unregulated sources.

However, on Paction, such scams are virtually impossible due to the platform's use of verified IDs. Every breeder and buyer on Paction undergoes a thorough verification process, ensuring that only legitimate, traceable individuals can engage in transactions. The system also builds trust within the community by holding breeders accountable and providing transparency throughout the buying process. Paction is focused on creating a more reliable review process, where feedback from verified buyers plays a key role. You can also leave feedback or add a reply even after a significant time, verifying whether the initial feedback is good to date.

In addition to this, Paction is committed to educating the public on how to avoid puppy scams. By providing resources and guidelines, we empower users with the knowledge to make informed decisions and spot red flags while searching for a new pet. 

5. Considering Shelter/Rescue Homes

When adopting a puppy from a shelter or rescue, it's essential to ensure that you’re making the right decision for your home and lifestyle. Here are the key points to consider:

• The history of shelter puppies is often unclear.  This unpredictable past can make for an unpredictable future as a pup parent. It is particularly important to consider if you have other vulnerable beings in your home, such as small children.

• While not always, sometimes rescue puppies may have behavioral problems stemming from neglect, improper socialization, or past abuse, which might require extra time, patience, and resources to address through training.

• While shelters typically provide vet care, puppies may still come with undiagnosed health problems, such as genetic conditions or diseases that manifest later. This can result in unforeseen medical expenses.

6. Kennel Club Registration and Breed Standards

Many breeders advertise that their dogs are registered with the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) or other organizations. While CKC registration can be a good sign, it’s important to understand what it means. It does not mean that the breeder is licensed and does not mean that they have a thoughtful breeding program.CKC registration means the breeder follows certain guidelines but doesn’t necessarily guarantee ethical practices. 

The CKC only recognizes purebred dogs, focusing on maintaining breed standards and preserving the historical traits of specific breeds. This means mixed or designer breeds, which have become popular recently, are not eligible for registration or participation in CKC events like confirmation shows. 

The CKC's emphasis on purebreds aims to ensure the consistency of traits, temperament, and appearance within breeds. Still, it also contributes to debates within the breeding community, especially regarding health and genetic diversity, as some argue that prioritizing purebred dogs can perpetuate breed-related health issues.

Being "recognized" by the CKC means the dog fits the description of its breed, but it’s just one piece of the puzzle when assessing a breeder.

7. What Makes a Good Breeding Program?

A good breeding program focuses on quality rather than quantity; their breeding programs are thoughtful and intentional. Ethical breeders typically breed only one or two litters a year and carefully select which dogs to breed based on health, temperament, and genetic diversity.

In addition to this, a good breeder will:

• Keep breeding dogs in the home as part of the family or part of a guardianship program

• Ensure puppies are well-socialized before going to their new homes.

• Provide detailed medical records, including vaccination history and health clearances.

• Be willing to take back the puppy if things don’t work out, as they won’t want one of their pups going to a shelter or rescue.

 For more details on Paction’s standards for Pup Providers, read Paction’s Provider Standards.

Legislation: Bill 159 in Ontario

Ontario has made some initial strides toward legislation of dog breeding. In 2024, Bill 159 was passed, aiming to address the issue of puppy mills and unethical breeding practices. The legislation aims to create stricter breeder regulations, ensuring better living conditions and dog care. Animal Justice, an organization advocating for animal rights in Canada, continues pushing for stronger dog welfare through legislation. We will have to wait longer for better laws to come into practice, but they are on the way! 

Here are some of the future plans that would bring about significant changes:

• Implement breeder licensing with limits on the number of animals, mandatory welfare plans, record-keeping requirements, and pre-licensing inspections.

• Establish strict animal welfare standards, including adequate space, exercise, proper nutrition, veterinary care, humane handling, socialization, cleanliness, and bans on practices like ear cropping and tail docking.

• Mandate regular unannounced inspections at breeding facilities to ensure compliance and transparency, with inspection reports made available to the public.

• Impose limits on breeding operations, capping the number of animals a breeder can keep and the number of litters a dog can produce, preventing lifelong breeding exploitation.

• Prohibit the sale of animals in pet stores and on platforms like Kijiji and Craigslist, encouraging stores to partner with shelters to rehome adoptable animals.

• Raise public awareness about the risks of dog breeding and promote adoption from shelters and rescues instead of purchasing from breeders.

Searching for a puppy is a huge responsibility, but with the proper knowledge, you can find an ethical breeder who prioritizes the health and well-being of their dogs. By researching, asking the right questions, and being patient, you’ll find a happy, healthy puppy who will bring joy to your life for years to come. Check out this blog post about a puppy search experience with different breeders. Remember, you can use Paction’s breeder verifier tool if you have questions!