Miniature Schnauzer - Buying/rehoming

[2ducks2ducklings]

We're looking for a dog to join our family. After researching breeds, I believe that a Miniature Schnauzer would fit us best. So I have been trawling the internet, trying to find our new companion, but my god it's hard going!
How do you make sure you don't end up supporting a puppy far? As I can imagine these people hide this well. Is it a case of, if the dog is cheap, it's been born on a puppy farm? Because I know if I agree to go and view a puppy/dog and it ends up being in a puppy farm, I'll end up bringing it home anyway to 'save it' and will have supported this trade anyway!
Ideally we would like a young dog about 1 year old, rather than a puppy. Why are these impossible to find? I'm taking it as a really positive sign that so few are being rehomed, they must make great pets!
Can anyone suggest anywhere I could look for an older puppy or a young adult dog? I've checked well known rescue centres and they don't have any, plus I know they'd refuse us as we have young children.
Any help or advise would be appreciated.
Many thanks

Have you tried contacting the breed rescues? www.thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/findarescue/Default.aspx?breed=4096 Many Tears also sometimes has them, but they can tend to look for homes with a pre-existing stable dog.

There's a lot more to spotting a puppy farm than price - you should be seeing the puppy on several occasions, with mum (not a fake mum), in the breeding environment (no "we'll come to you", and beware of fake homes set up to sell puppies from). You should be quizzed by the breeder as much as you are quizzing them, if not more. Expect a lengthy waiting list; any puppy of popular breed that can be bought at short notice is almost certainly puppy farmed.

Wolfie usually says 80% of puppies in the UK come from puppy farms. I've no idea where the stat comes from, or how accurate it is, but I wouldn't be surprised to hear that stat was in the right ballpark. Every single person who either buys a puppy without proper research, or buys them to "save" them perpetuates the awful trade. No puppy is saved in this manner; all that happens is that another one replaces it. The only way we'll ever defeat this cruel trade is if people walk away from such sales without making a purchase.

We have a giant schnauzer. Our breeder also has minis and they are kennel club registered and well known in the schnauzer community and breed champions etc. They have more than one bitch but have had a litter this year so you will likely need to go in a waiting list we did. The kennel club page is the best place to look there are great breediers of minis in Dunfermline, Doncaster and Morcamb.

Sorry I was wrong Midlothian not Dunfermline.

www.thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/acbr/Default.aspx?breed=Miniature+Schnauzer

www.max-the-schnauzer.com/uk-schnauzer-rescue.html

@AvocadosBeforeMortgages
Thank you for the info!
I'll make sure we visit any potential puppy a number of times and that we always see mom. I knew to ensure we see mom with the puppy but had no idea that fake mothers were used!
We're fully prepared for a grilling by the owners and welcome it, we all need to be sure the puppy is going to the right home.
It's a bit of a minefield isn't it?
@geekone thank you for the websites, I'll look into them now.

Yes, a complete minefield - and even more so when you're looking for a popular breed like a mini schnauzer. It's one of many reasons why I prefer to rescue - the stress of trying to avoid dodgy breeders just doesn't exist!

@AvocadosBeforeMortgages I completely agree, I would much prefer to get a rescue dog but I have researched a lot into what sort of dog breed would suit us and the Miniature Schnauzer breed seem as though it would be a perfect fit. I don't want to get a dog which will not suit us or we won't suit it as we'd all be unhappy. There just don't seem to be any Schnauzer's at all on rescue sites. In fact, there don't seem to be any on selling sites/kc website either! The second issue is that when I've looked on rescue sites in the past, the vast majority won't rehome to families with young children (I think most say children under 10).
Another question though, can a licensed breeder still be a puppy farm?

I hate to be negative, but there will be many more dogs than that one breed suited to your family!

But Schnauzers are ace . If your looking from a puppy from a good breeder you will need to wait we were on a waiting list for about 4 months before a puppy was born there are waiting lists up to a year. Have a look at ferncliff schnauzers, maybe look for standard schnauzers too less popular not too much bigger less breeders but because they are less popular they are generally show dogs and litters are not so sought after that the waiting list for good breeders are very long so you might be luck and get one in 6 months or so.
Stick with the Schnauzer idea though they are ace.

Sorry about no punctuation.