Selecting a Breeder

Pandemic Puppy Podcast

Kayla speaks to Amber Quann of Summit Dog Training and Megan Wallace of Dogs Deciphered about picking a breeder for your next puppy.

There’s not really a right and wrong way to do this, but we’ll cover our top tips for you.

1. One litter at a time
2. Parents on site and available for meet-and-greets
3. Puppies raised indoors
4. Puppy raising program like Puppy Culture, Avidog, or ENS
5. Working closely with the breeder to select the puppy (not just based on color or “which do you want?")
6. Parents over 2 years old
7. Puppies not available until 8 weeks
8. Health testing
9. Not afraid of lots of questions
10. Waiting lists, pricing, and deposits
11. Only deal in 1 or 2 breeds (or purpose/mixes)
12. Willing to take the puppy back
13. Eager to provide guidance
14. Proven lines for your goals

This podcast is supported by Journey Dog Training and our Puppy Raising Blueprint course. The full course covers topics ranging from common problem behaviors and socialization to the humane hierarchy of dog training. It’s all taught by yours truly, Kayla Fratt. If you need more personalized training support, check out journeydogtraining.com - we have a variety of courses, e-books, and remote training services available. Just check out your options in the menu above.

This podcast is also supported by our members on Patreon. For as little as $3 per month, you can support this podcast and get perks like submitting questions for us to tackle at the end of each episode. Sign up over at patreon.com/pandemicpuppy.

Over the next few episodes, we’ll cover how to pick a puppy from a breeder, selecting a shelter and shelter puppy, and how to prepare for your new puppy!

For Further Reading:

• How to Find a Good Dog Breeder (written by Kayla)
• Dog Adoption Guide (written by Kayla)
• Kayla's dog selection spreadsheet (view only)
• Functional Dog Collaborative