watching out for unethical breeders
Puppy mills are growing rife in the UK & we are seeing an increase in fraudulent sales of incorrect pups or unethically bred spitz. We are working hard to combat this and doing all we can to educate prospective owners on the warning signs to watch out for.
Investigating a “breeding source”
Visiting the puppy
Asking the right questions
Get Recommendations
INVESTIGATION
Look into the profile of the breeder and be as stringent and as detailed as possible in researching them. Remember your future dog will be with you for up to 16 years and breeding can impact its health and temperament for life.
How - How often do they advertise on their online profile, how often are they breeding, how many dogs/breeds are they selling?
Photos - Do they show puppies in a home environment, or are they with their mother? Are photos cropped tight with no idea of the environment or clean living space?
Ask - Ask other owners of the breed if they know this breeder and their experience.
Price - a particularly low price or the high price could be suspicious and it’s worth asking why this is?
Online presence - Most reputable Japanese Spitz breeders are part of UK breed society clubs with highlighted ethics, they will be proactive at shows or even have KC registration.
2. VISITING
Puppy mills are getting increasingly smart with their ways of covering up tracks, they will usually rent Airbnbs or fake locations to sell puppies and move locations.
Before visiting things to ask
Animal Welfare or Local council registered breeding number/licensed address
Confirmation of contact details, address, and written contracts upon sale or return
The puppies’ first vet visit - address and where
Who owns the stud - if not viewable and if you are able to contact them
Kennel Club affix and or registration - Will these puppies be registered? If not ask why
Parents’ health scores - as set out by the Japanese Spitz Breed Societies
What will my puppy go home with - Vaccinations, KC paperwork, first health check, 1-month insurance, bed, etc
Parents’ lineage - KC Registered dogs can show up to 11 generations online, make sure to ask for both parent’s KC names
With lineage online you can also check inbreeding scores
When visiting
The puppies’ mother should always be present & you should be able to view the puppies with siblings in their natural environment
Consider the cleanliness, smell, appearance of the puppies. Puppies should be active and responsive
The puppies mother will be interacting with you, her personality will play a vital role in how your puppies deal with the world
The environment - a reputable breeder will have crates, comfortable spaces, warmth, and lamps, toys, etc
Detailed answers about their personality, breeding of each puppy and parents
Usually when visiting puppies at 6 weeks to make your choice and collection at 8-10 weeks. Never pick up a puppy and pay on first visit
3. Asking the right questions
A few examples of questions to ask
Can I return the dog if our situation changes?
Can we contact you if we need help or advice?
Do you provide the paperwork, insurance, vaccinations etc
What are the parents personalities like, why did you choose to breed them?
How many litters has the mother had, or will have, what age do you retire them?
How do you prepare puppies for future homes, exposures, sounds (children)?
What health checks do you do on the parents?
Remember a breeder should have a vested interest in the future of their pups and will usually interview you too!
4. recommendaTIONS
It helps to ask other Japanese Spitz owners regarding their experience with breeders, they can offer years of knowledge.
If other owners haven’t heard of your breeder before or they show no historical data of breeding or lineage it could be a sign of puppy mills or illegal imports and we recommend asking the Breed Societies for more information.
We also recommend visiting or joining in our group meet ups around London to gain a perspective and overview of the breed, training, personalities and opinions from other owners.