Before You Purchase a Puppy, Get the Facts

BEFORE YOU PURCHASE A PUPPY:
GET THE FACTS

A Personal Perspective on Responsible Breeding, Pedigrees
and the Preservation of Purebred Dogs

By Lesley Weeks Salson

Breeder for 47 Years and Lifetime Member of The Canadian Kennel Club

Consumer Education Article

Author’s Statement

The opinions expressed in this article are my own. They have been formed through 50 years of experience as a breeder, my professional lifetime working with dogs, and my longstanding involvement in the preservation and responsible breeding of purebred dogs.

I am a Lifetime Member of The Canadian Kennel Club, an honour awarded in recognition of many years of dedicated service to purebred dogs. I mention this distinction not to suggest that the opinions expressed in this article represent those of The Canadian Kennel Club, but to provide readers with an understanding of the background, experience and commitment from which my views have developed.

The Canadian Kennel Club requirements and scientific research referenced throughout this article are presented as independently verifiable information. The interpretations, observations and opinions arising from that information are mine alone.

Purchasing a Puppy Is a Long-Term Decision

Purchasing a puppy should never be an impulsive decision based upon a photograph, an appealing name, a fashionable trend or clever advertising.

A dog may become a member of a family for twelve, fifteen or even more years. Before making that commitment, prospective owners should understand precisely what they are purchasing, where that puppy came from, what is known about its ancestry, what health information exists regarding its parents and what responsibility the breeder accepts for the life that he or she has deliberately produced.

After 47 years as a breeder, I have reached a firm conclusion:

The public needs far more education about responsible breeding.

I believe prospective dog owners should be encouraged to investigate established purebred breeds and, when a purebred dog is appropriate for their circumstances, purchase from a reputable and accountable breeder working within the established Canadian purebred system.

I do not support the deliberate crossing of established breeds for the purpose of producing commercially marketable mixed-breed puppies.

That is my personal position, developed through decades of breeding, grooming and observing changes within the dog population.

My objection is not—and must never be—to the resulting dogs.

Every dog, regardless of ancestry, deserves excellent care, kindness, veterinary attention, appropriate grooming, training and a responsible permanent home.

My concern is with human breeding decisions and breeder accountability.

What Does Responsible Breeding Actually Mean?

There is an enormous difference between producing puppies and maintaining a responsible breeding program.

A serious breeder studies ancestry.

A serious breeder studies structure, temperament, health, hereditary conditions and the strengths and weaknesses occurring within generations of a bloodline.

Breeding decisions should not be made simply because two dogs are attractive, available or capable of producing puppies that can command a substantial selling price.

The Canadian Kennel Club establishes standards governing responsible breeding by its members. Its breeding principles emphasize healthy and sound dogs, appropriate selection of breeding stock, accurate records, responsible placement of puppies and the preservation of recognized breeds for future generations.

Within the Canadian Kennel Club system, responsible breeders are expected to maintain proper records and registrations and to understand the characteristics, structure, temperament and health concerns of the breed with which they are working.

Responsible breeding begins long before two dogs are ever mated.

A Pedigree Is Not Just a Piece of Paper

I have often heard prospective owners say:

“I don’t need papers. I’m not going to show the dog. I only want a pet.”

That statement reflects a misunderstanding of the importance of pedigree documentation.

A pedigree is not merely a document required for participation in a dog show.

It is a record of ancestry.

For the conscientious breeder, those generations provide valuable information.

Who were the parents?

Who were the grandparents and great-grandparents?

What did previous generations produce?

What physical characteristics repeatedly appeared?

What temperaments occurred within the bloodline?

What hereditary problems have been identified?

What strengths have consistently appeared?

Which breeding combinations produced desirable characteristics?

Which combinations should never be repeated?

A pedigree does not guarantee that a puppy will never experience a health problem. Nor does Canadian Kennel Club registration, by itself, guarantee that someone is an excellent breeder.

Responsible breeding requires much more.

But documented pedigrees provide something critically important: traceability.

Without reliable ancestry and accurate breeding records, valuable information that has been accumulated over generations can disappear.

A breeder cannot intelligently evaluate generations of inherited characteristics without knowing what those generations were.

The Canadian Kennel Club and Responsible Breeding

The Canadian Kennel Club has established expectations for its member breeders designed to promote responsible breeding and the preservation of recognized purebred dogs.

Among the principles and responsibilities expected within a responsible CKC breeding program are:

maintaining accurate breeding, registration and sales records;

registering eligible litters and dogs;

properly transferring ownership and registration;

providing appropriate housing, nutrition, health care and exercise;

understanding the structure, movement, temperament and characteristics of the breed;

understanding congenital and hereditary health conditions known within the breed;

using breeding animals of sound health and stable temperament;

appropriately selecting sires and dams;

undertaking relevant health and genetic screening where appropriate;

maintaining documentation concerning breeding and registration;

properly identifying puppies;

screening prospective purchasers;

providing purchasers with appropriate documentation and information;

using written sales agreements and guarantees;

and working toward the preservation and improvement of the breed.

Responsible breeding is a planned, documented and accountable process.

It is not simply the production and sale of puppies.

Health Testing Matters

Modern breeders have access to health information that previous generations of breeders could only dream of having.

Depending upon the breed, responsible health screening may include examinations for hereditary eye disorders, hip and elbow abnormalities, cardiac disease, patellar conditions and breed-specific genetic disorders.

The appropriate testing varies considerably between breeds.

That is precisely why prospective puppy owners should ask questions.

Do not simply ask: “Has the dog been vet checked?”

That is not the same thing as comprehensive breeding health screening.

Ask: What health tests were performed on the sire and dam before they were bred?

Then ask to see the documentation.

An experienced and conscientious breeder should welcome informed questions.

The Shelter DNA Research Every Puppy Buyer Should Know About

One particular scientific study should cause every prospective puppy purchaser to stop and think.

In 2018, researchers Lisa M. Gunter, Rebecca T. Barber and Clive D. L. Wynne published a peer-reviewed study entitled A Canine Identity Crisis: Genetic Breed Heritage Testing of Shelter Dogs.

Researchers genetically tested 919 shelter dogs from the Arizona Animal Welfare League & SPCA and the San Diego Humane Society & SPCA.

The research used Wisdom Panel genetic testing technology developed by Mars Veterinary, which also provided financial support for the study. According to the published research, Mars Veterinary did not control the study design, data collection, analysis, publication decision or preparation of the manuscript.

The findings were extraordinary.

Only 4.9% of the 919 shelter dogs tested were genetically identified as purebred.

Approximately 95.1% were not identified as purebred.

Forty-five of the 919 dogs were genetically identified as purebred.

Only a very small proportion appeared simply to be the offspring of two purebred dogs of different breeds.

Most of the remaining dogs possessed considerably more complicated mixed ancestry extending across multiple generations and multiple breeds.

Researchers identified genetic signatures representing 125 different breeds within the dogs studied.

These findings deserve serious consideration.

They do not prove that deliberate crossbreeding caused every one of these dogs to enter a shelter.

The researchers did not establish the individual breeding history of every dog, and it would be scientifically incorrect to claim otherwise.

What the research does demonstrate is that the shelter population examined was overwhelmingly composed of dogs that were not genetically identified as purebred.

As a breeder, I find that profoundly concerning.

Looks Can Be Deceiving

The study revealed another important fact.

Even experienced shelter personnel could not reliably determine the complete breed ancestry of mixed-breed dogs simply by looking at them.

At least one breed found through DNA testing was correctly identified by shelter staff in a majority of cases.

However, when people attempted to identify multiple breeds within a dog's ancestry, agreement with the DNA findings dropped dramatically.

That should teach us something important.

Once several breeds and generations become genetically combined, visual appearance alone cannot reliably tell us what is present.

A dog may resemble one breed while possessing genetic contributions from several others.

This is one of the reasons documented ancestry matters.

What I Have Witnessed During My Career

Scientific research and personal observation are not the same thing, and they should never be presented as though they are.

The 95.1% figure belongs to the published shelter DNA study.

What follows is my personal observation.

During my professional lifetime as a breeder and groomer, I have watched the composition of the pet dog population change dramatically.

Years ago, professional grooming salons routinely saw large numbers of recognizable purebred dogs whose breed characteristics, coat type, structure and grooming requirements were well established.

Today, in my own professional experience, the number of crossbred dogs entering grooming salons has grown enormously and now substantially outnumbers the traditional purebred population we once routinely served.

I find that development deeply concerning.

Not because those individual dogs are somehow less worthy.

They are not.

The concern is that society appears to be losing its understanding of why established breeds exist and why generations of responsible breeders have worked so hard to preserve them.

A Breed Is More Than an Appearance

A breed is not simply a particular-looking dog.

Many recognized breeds were developed over generations—sometimes centuries—to perform particular functions.

Dogs were selectively developed to herd livestock, retrieve game, protect property, guard livestock, hunt, track, control vermin, work alongside humans and provide companionship.

Those purposes influenced:

• body structure;
• size;
• movement;
• coat;
• temperament;
• intelligence;
• working instinct;
• endurance;
• and behaviour.

Breed standards were developed to preserve those defining characteristics.

Responsible preservation breeding attempts to maintain these characteristics while continually addressing health, temperament and genetic diversity.

These breeds did not appear accidentally.

Human beings deliberately created and preserved them through generations of selective breeding and documented ancestry.

The Preservation of Purebred Dogs

My concern extends beyond the individual puppy being purchased today.

Purebred breeds survive only when responsible breeders continue preserving them.

When the population of an established breed falls, fewer appropriate breeding animals remain available.

As the breeding population becomes smaller, maintaining genetic diversity while avoiding excessive concentration of particular bloodlines becomes progressively more challenging.

If responsible breeders disappear and public demand moves increasingly toward commercially promoted crosses, some established breeds may eventually become endangered because too few dedicated breeders remain to preserve them.

I believe that would represent an enormous loss.

We would risk losing generations of genetic history.

We would lose carefully developed working characteristics.

We would lose distinctive coat types.

We would lose established structures and temperaments.

Most importantly, we would lose part of the remarkable history of the relationship between human beings and dogs.

The preservation of purebred dogs is about preserving living genetic history.

Registration Alone Is Not Enough

I strongly encourage purchasers interested in a purebred puppy to seek a reputable breeder within The Canadian Kennel Club system.

A registration certificate alone does not make someone a responsible breeder.

Prospective purchasers still need to investigate.

Ask about experience.

Ask about the bloodline.

Ask about health testing.

Ask to meet the mother whenever reasonably possible.

Ask why this particular sire and dam were selected.

Ask about temperament.

Ask about longevity.

Ask what problems have previously occurred within the line.

Ask what the breeder is attempting to preserve or improve.

Responsible breeders should be able to discuss both the strengths and the weaknesses within their breeding programs.

No bloodline is perfect.

Anyone suggesting otherwise should immediately concern an informed purchaser.

Before You Hand Over Your Money, Ask Questions

The puppy purchaser has enormous power.

Consumer demand influences breeding practices.

When buyers purchase puppies without asking questions, poor breeding practices can continue.

Before purchasing any puppy, ask:

• Who bred this puppy?
• Why was this litter produced?
• Are the parents registered?
• Can I see the pedigree?
• What health testing has been performed?
• Can I see the results?
• What hereditary problems are known within this family of dogs?
• What is known about the temperament of previous generations?
• How long have dogs within this bloodline typically lived?
• How were the puppies raised and socialized?
• How does the breeder decide which home receives each puppy?
• Does the breeder remain available after the sale?
• What happens if I can no longer keep this dog several years from now?

What are you trying to preserve or improve by producing this litter?

A serious breeder should have a meaningful answer.

A Breeder’s Responsibility Should Last Beyond the Sale

I believe breeding creates an ethical responsibility.

When a person deliberately brings puppies into the world, responsibility should not end when money changes hands.

An accountable breeder should care where those puppies go.

The breeder should screen prospective owners.

The breeder should be available to answer questions.

The breeder should maintain records.

The breeder should care what happens to the dog years later.

I personally believe responsible breeders should remain concerned about every animal they deliberately produce throughout that dog's lifetime.

Breeding should be about stewardship—not simply sales.

My Position After 45 Years

After 45 years as a breeder, my position is unequivocal.

I believe in the responsible preservation of established purebred dogs.

I believe in documented ancestry.

I believe in pedigrees.

I believe in health testing.

I believe in careful selection of breeding stock.

I believe in maintaining accurate breeding records.

I believe breeders must understand the characteristics and hereditary concerns of the breeds they produce.

I believe purchasers should be encouraged to research recognized breeds and select a dog whose temperament, size, activity level, coat, grooming requirements and characteristics are compatible with their lives.

And when someone chooses to purchase a purebred puppy, I strongly encourage that purchaser to seek a reputable, accountable breeder working within The Canadian Kennel Club system.

I oppose deliberate crossbreeding.

That is my personal opinion, formed through 45 years of breeding experience and decades of professional involvement with dogs.

It should not be interpreted as an official position of The Canadian Kennel Club.

But I believe strongly that society must begin having a serious conversation about the long-term consequences of losing responsible purebred breeding programs.

The Dog Is Never to Blame

There is one distinction I consider essential.

Criticism of a breeding practice must never become criticism of an individual dog.

No animal chooses the circumstances of its birth.

Every dog deserves humane treatment.

Every dog deserves proper veterinary care.

Every dog deserves appropriate grooming and training.

Every dog deserves security.

Every dog deserves companionship.

And every dog deserves a responsible home.

My criticism is directed entirely toward the decisions human beings make before puppies are produced.

Before You Purchase a Puppy: Get the Facts

There will always be puppies capable of capturing our hearts.

That is precisely why purchasers must use their heads before allowing their hearts to make the decision.

Do your research.

Learn about established breeds.

Investigate the breeder.

Study the pedigree.

Ask about health testing.

Understand the temperament.

Know the history.

Ask what guarantees are provided.

Ask what responsibility the breeder accepts after the puppy leaves.

And ask yourself whether you are supporting a breeding program dedicated to the long-term health and preservation of dogs—or simply purchasing a puppy that has been produced because someone believed there was a market for it.

Before you purchase a puppy, get the facts.

Know the breed.

Know the breeder.

Know the pedigree.

Know the health history.

Know the commitment.

Know who will still answer the telephone years after the puppy has been sold.

Responsible breeding is not simply about producing puppies. It is about accepting responsibility for generations.

About the Author

Lesley has been a breeder for 45 years and is a Lifetime Member of The Canadian Kennel Club, an honour awarded in recognition of her many years of dedicated service to purebred dogs.

Her perspective has been shaped through decades of breeding, professional grooming, education and direct involvement with purebred dogs.

The opinions expressed in Before You Purchase a Puppy: Get the Facts are solely Lesley's personal opinions. They should not be interpreted as representing the official policies, opinions or positions of The Canadian Kennel Club.

References to Canadian Kennel Club breeding standards and requirements, together with the published shelter DNA research involving Mars Veterinary's Wisdom Panel technology, are included as factual information and are distinguished from the author's personal observations and conclusions.

Selected References

The Canadian Kennel Club. Member Code of Ethics and Code of Practice for CKC Member Breeders.

The Canadian Kennel Club. By-laws and breed-registration requirements.

Gunter, L. M., Barber, R. T., & Wynne, C. D. L. (2018). A Canine Identity Crisis: Genetic Breed Heritage Testing of Shelter Dogs. PLOS ONE, 13(8), e0202633.

Wisdom Panel / Mars Veterinary genetic breed heritage testing technology, as described in the published study.