Vetting Breeders
We have started the search for a new puppy and plan on vetting any breeder thoroughly. Problem I am having is no matter how I search I cannot seem to find any info. Meeting them and visiting their f...
Forum Discussion
BCSnob wrote:
If I were looking for a springer I would be looking for breeders who breed for hunting (even if I were not going to hunt with the dog). Someone who is going to invest the time to train a gun dog will want to be as sure as possible they get a pup that will have a long healthy life (bred for work and health). To find one of these breeders I would start with the parent breed club or a hunting/field trial association.
Here is a good question for breeders:
“How many pups are you keeping from this litter?”
If the answer is none you have a better sense of why they produce this litter.
We don't want a field springer for various reasons. The same qualities you present for hunting dogs could be said for someone who is going to train for agility or other purposes. IMHO a good breeder is more concerned with home life than purpose unless they are breeding for a specific purpose only. We are very familiar with both types of breeding and those that do both. Also, having a SIL who breeds labs has helped me. I don't consider how many pups are kept as a criteria-there are many reasons why even a reputable breeder will not keep pups at any given time.
