I just can’t stand how cute Alice is, and I just LOVE the name.
I only adopt, so I haven’t had the problem, but I know many people who have and will never go through a breeder again.
Being that I am so passionate about pit bulls is the reason I will not get a dog from a breeder. I use the term breeder loosely as most pit bull breeders out there are nothing but backyard breeders (BYBS) trying to make a quick buck. There are too many homeless pit bulls, a lot due to the overbreeding of the dog, that need homes.
I just don’t trust any breeders, unless I have done my research and know for a fact that the breeder is reputable, genetic tests ALL their dogs, and breeds to further the APBT.
Good breeders will always provide proof of the claims they make. This might be in the form of a pedigree, test results, contracts, etc. BYBS can also create these documents, so you have to be careful. REAL breeders will provide you with proof of genetic testing on the puppy and the parents. Some of the common tests breeder do are the OFA (for hips), CERF (for eyes), Penn-HIP (for hips), and BAER (for hearing) just to name a few. These will also be up to date, the CERF testing, for example, has to be done every year. Probably the most distinguishable aspect of a good breeder is that they stay in contact with those that they have sold their puppies to. They are more than willing to provide grooming, training, and medical advice if needed. They will also take the dog back no matter how old, if the owner can no longer take care of him.
Backyard breeders do none of that. They breed over and over until the females are exhausted and in terrible shape, only to further their addiction to the money. They kill the females or dump them in shelters when they can no longer produce. We see it at our shelter often. It isn’t cheap to raise dogs, so how else will they afford it? Keep breeding more and more. They usually inbreed dogs, so you end up with a dog who will more than likely have temperamental and medical issues as he ages. BYBS are very scary!
I can only hope that you made the right decision and found a true breeder!
