Finding Dogs with Full Breeding Rights

Q: I would like to become a quality breeder but I cannot find a breeder that will sell me a puppy with full registration or breeding rights. Every time I message a breeder, I always get denied automatically and it’s frustrating because I only want to breed healthy dogs from reputable breeders. What is the appropriate way to email another breeder about buying a puppy for future breeding?

A: I understand how tough it is to break into the Dog World. I remember when I first started and no one wanted to talk to me about buying a dog either, it was not fun. 

It is my experience that most responsible breeders are leery of someone ‘simply wanting to breed’ without having any kind of a relationship with them, as most breeders want to mentor or guide that individual. Most breeders have spent decades working on their lines, improving the health of their dogs, and getting the temperament that is important to them embedded in their breeding stock, and they don’t want to see those efforts lessened.

What you have not said in your question, is what your breeding experience is? Have you bred other breeds in addition to the one you are inquiring about? In the breed that you are interested in, are you willing to co-own a dog and possibly work to put some titles on the dogs? All of these things are important to long-time breeders when someone asks them to share a dog.

I would encourage you to be politely persistent, to go to dog shows, to join the national club, as well as your local all-breed or breed club so that people can see that you are serious about being a good dog owner, competitor and breeder.

To get the quality that I presume you are looking for, I would approach a breeder and ask to be mentored. Often a breeder will take the risk of co-owning a dog with you so that they can share their breeding practices and knowledge of their lines with you. This can be invaluable, as every breeder needs to study pedigrees, and know the traits of the breed, and how those traits might be transmitted through the pedigree. It is also important to understand the health issues and nuances that each breed has, and a good mentor will help you walk through that minefield, too.

Since the breeder who is mentoring you is putting a lot of time and effort into you, think about what you can bring to the table. 

• Respect. Above all, bring respect to the relationship--respect for the breeder’s time, history, lines, dogs, and your contracts. As excited as you may be about getting started on breeding, do not ask for more of the breeder’s time than they have available. Don’t violate your mentor’s trust.
• Pitch in. If your mentor is open to it, offer to help out, even if it is inconvenient for you. Assisting at dog shows, around the kennel, and assistance during litters is often welcomed. If you are a total novice, you can’t bring knowledge so offer to pick up poop, haul gear, or bring food. As you gain some knowledge, you might also be able to help with bathing dogs, photographing dogs and puppy sitting. If you don’t live nearby, be willing to travel, or look for other skills you have that are helpful, like making website updates.
• Have a student mindset. Listen closely and take notes so your mentor doesn’t have to repeat information over and over. Then study and review those notes. Create files. Read and read more about your breed, dogs, genetics, animal husbandry, animal behavior, and more. But don’t use that reading to challenge your mentor. Book learning is important but it cannot replace the value of years of hands-on experience.
• Look for nuance. Breeding is a complex activity so seeking the nuances in a successful breeding program is essential. At the same time, don’t overdo it and expect your mentor to explain every decision process or possible conflicting decisions. Breeders must often make decisions on the fly, which in hindsight may not be fully consistent with their other actions. 
• Don’t expect the mentor to do your work. Your mentor is one of your important teachers in your breeding career, but most don’t sign up for a full-time commitment to their co-owners. It may be easier to just ask your mentor, but you’ll learn more by researching before you respectfully ask your breeder’s input.

I remember when I started out, back in the dinosaur ages, and I thought I would never ever get a nice dog to start with, but I put in the time and did the work to earn the trust of some wonderful breeders who took a chance on me.