How do you find a reputable breeder?

[toadstool32]

Just that! Thank you. This is all brand new for us so please arm me with information about how to find a reputable breeder.

1. You decide what you think counts as reputable (health tests, number of litters per year, reasons for breeding etc). I'd never touch anyone who always had puppies on the ground, and I'd be very wary of somebody who claimed the puppies were pure-bred, but who didn't register them. If I found a litter with a low COI and a health-tested stud being bred from a family pet because the owners planned to keep one, I'd have a chat to guage their competence - I wouldn't just write them off as evil BYBs, because I've known some responsible people produce lovely litters that way.

1. You do your due diligence. You check out their website or FB page. You look at their record with their dogs if they trial or show or do agility. You chat to them and expect to be asked some probing questions. You see if you can find people who own puppies from the same stud or dam (via breed FB pages, maybe - our youngest dog's stud's owner is active on FB and you easily see what sort of a life that dog leads).

I could go on for a long time on this topic.

There's some good advice here:
www.dogstrust.org.uk/help-advice/buyer-advice/

Definitely read up on the difference between health tests and health checks. And look up what health tests are recommended for whichever breed you are considering, a good reputable breeder will have done these tests and be happy, even proud, to show their good results.

Which breed?

Labradoodle

Uh oh, watch out mentioning Poodle crosses on here.

Labradoodles are going to be 90% puppy farmed right now. No reputable Labrador or Poodle breeder makes designer crosses.

Is there any reason you want a Doodle? They’re not hypoallergenic and can end up very large, excitable dogs with a range of coats from very moulty Labrador straight coats to quite wiry coats, not soft like a pedigree Poodle.

Basically, what does a Labradoodle have that a pedigree Standard Poodle or Labrador doesn’t?

Adopt don't shop ! Loads of gorgeous dogs waiting for their chance their family

I have no issues with doodles as breeds but you are going to seriously struggle to find a reputable breeder of labradoodles. They are a puppy farmers wet dream.

What do you want out of a labradoodle that you can't get out of a poodle or a labrador?

As per pp, if you're wanting a crossbreed with a poodle (which a labradoodle is) don't be mistaken in thinking they are hypoallergenic, many people seem to want poodle crosses because they think they are hypoallergenic. They will only be hypoallergenic if that's the dominant gene... they could just as easily be curly but not hypoallergenic because they got the non hypoallergenic gene from the Labrador or whatever the other dog is.

Also, as per pp, as they are not an official breed (they are a mongrel with a fancy name) they are eligible to be KC registered so it can be difficult to get proper records of their background and breeding.

But good breeders will want to know all about you. They will allow you to see and visit pups often before you buy. When you see pups with mum, look out for if they have a good attachment to mum, is mum interested in them (puppy farmers sometimes put pups with a fake mum when showing to potential buyers).
If they offer to bring the pup to you or meet you somewhere rather than you going to their home to collect, this is a massive red flag... it basically screens puppy farmers. Be aware that puppy farmers aren't stupid. One the outside they will appear to be lovely people breeding puppies in a home environment.

Sorry... typing on phone... that should have read they are NOT eligible to be KC registered