As of the start of this month, I have had four unfortunate encounters with pure bred dogs. Not the type of adverse interactions that usually come to mind. None of these dogs have a bite history, two of them were super young puppies, and two of them have been a clients for almost two years. No, these meetings and the unhappy nature of them occurred because it gave me a glimpse into the state of dog breeding in 2025. Starting with the eldest of the three is a miniature Dachshund, the perfect looking little blond sausage with long hair. He has now gone blind on one eye, the owners tell me. He is not two yet. No medical explanation except bad breeding standards (read into what you may, I see inbreeding). Following closely by a pure bred Labrador Retriever who is not even a year old and needs to have a full hip replacement. The next one is a Doodle, 4 months old that is scared of her own shadow, will refuse to go outside and runs away from anything that is new. The last one of the quartet is a Giant Schnauzer, also 4 months old and the owner has spent more on medical bills (already) then on what she paid for the dog. If these stories cause you chills then you are absolutely, positively right. We should all, as a society, be embarrassed at the state of “purebred” dog sales in this country.
I am not one of those people that is against one buying a dog. If that is what makes you happy, by all means, get that dog that you always dreamed of. The look, the personality, the dog you have always desired. Do that. It is your right as an adult. Even if one can always counter that purebred dogs (of any breed) can be found in shelters and in breed specific rescues. One can also point out that buying a dog from a breeder does not guarantee you that the dog you get will be that dog that you always fantasied about. But I digress. If, having a puppy that is a specific breed, a specific looking style of dog has always been one’s dream, then who are we to say otherwise? However, buying a dog from a breeder, no matter how many AKC papers that breeder has, DOES NOT GUARANTEE A HEALTHY DOG! It does not. Maybe in the past it did, but in 2025 and for several years to come, unless proper legislation is enacted, if you desire a purebred dog here are three tips to STRONGLY consider before dolling out the cash.
- Do not buy a puppy at the mall, shipped from another state, at a store or any other places where the dogs are kept in a pen, glass window or are otherwise used a window dressing. This is a red flag. Before buying a puppy one should always, ALWAYS, check out where these puppies live. Who are their parents? Where have they been kept and socialized? What is the temperament of the entire pack and other dogs kept in and around the kennel. If one were to adopt a child, wouldn’t that same person want to know where that child is coming from? Their history, background, backstory? If dogs truly are the new kids, then why are we having them shipped from a different state like a new tech gadget? What happened to checking our sources? Even if one has to wait, meeting the puppies parent’s allows us to check ancestral temperament. Checking out where they are being reared allows us to see what type of environment are they being kept in. It also has the added benefit of meeting the breeders and getting to know them better.
- Do not expect or accept getting a puppy that is less then 4 months old. In nature, canines do not leave their dens if they had a litter until the pups are, at least, four months old. Breeders that are allowing or even pushing the pups to leave before that age care not about the socialization and wellbeing of the pups. Their primary care, if they are engaging in these types of practices, is their bottom line. It is not cheap or easy to feed, vaccinated, rear and socialize a litter of puppies. But that is the nature of the business for a responsible breeder. Trying to get rid off the puppies as soon as they can is a major red flag. Not having the pups dully vaccinated is another one. Check with your veterinary to see the proper schedule of vaccinations for puppies and adult dogs.
- Purebred dogs have a higher tendency of having health issues. It is simple math; it takes a lot of inbreeding to achieve specifics characteristics wanted for these dogs. Therefore the health issues “common” to certain breed exist because of the incessant inbreeding that occurred for many years in order for us to get a dog that looked like the one you always wanted. Be prepared to invest money in their healthcare. Not a little money, the Labrador Retriever that is not even a year old is getting a complete hip replacement for $15,000. The Giant Schnauzer has been diagnosed with everything from Giardia to Addison’s Disease. The tests were never ending. The costs always pilling up. One of the biggest advantages of having mutts is their general resilience. They survived mixed breeding, they can survive a lot.
I hope, with all my heart, that this blog is not misunderstood by you or by breeders as me being anti purebred dogs. I grew up with Dalmatians, Great Danes and ChowChows. My first experience with owning a mutt came at 27 years old. I love, love to analyze and watch the Westminster Dogs Show. I would love to own a Cane Corso or a Great Pyrenees, I think they are magnificent looking dogs. Nevertheless what I have been witnessing this year with the myriad of dogs that I come in contact with is a complete disaster in terms of responsible breeding. It is our responsibility as dog lovers to insure that dogs are bred and kept in a responsible and loving way. These beings are not a commodity that should be shipped from out of state simply because we like the way they look. That is not fair to them or to the responsible breeders out there. If you want to buy a purebred make sure to go and meet the owners of the parents, meet the parents, tour the place where these dogs are living in. Get a feel for the place, the people and the dogs. Due diligence will always trump looks. That will ensure you have a better understanding of where your new pup is coming from, create a relationship with the breeder and meet the parents of your new family member. It is a win for everyone.
If all this sound like too much work for a dog, then be prepared to surrender to what you get even if you paid big bucks for you dog. The price of the dog will not guarantee a healthy or balanced puppy. One can always go to shelter and meet a dog that maybe, just maybe, doesn’t look like the one that they always wanted, but acts in a way that captures one’s heart. Rescuing or adopting a dog may not come with the pedigree or papers, it may not even come with fancy booklets of ancestry and purebred certifications. But it definitely will thwart expectations of no health issues and breaks of trust and hearts. These client’s of mine are heart broken and at a loss. Trying to figure out what they did wrong or what they could have done differently. It is not their fault that they were duped. But now they know, and so do us all.
