Puppies : Possible Signs of a Puppy Mill

Click here for an excellent article about breeder websites on the internet.

Please Note: The following information is strictly our personal opinion. We hope you find it useful in your search for a Leonberger breeder. If some of the following applies to the breeder you are talking to, that does not necessarily mean that he/she is a puppy mill breeder. You need to ask several more questions and do your own research to make sure that you are dealing with a breeder you will be comfortable with for the rest of your dog's lifetime.

• Not a member of the breed's national breed club(s):
  The founding club for the Leonberger in the United States is the Leonberger Club of America (LCA). National breed clubs always have a strict Code of Ethics that each member breeder is required to abide by.
  
  
• Does not participate in any canine activities:
  Most breeders participate in conformation shows in order to have their breedable dogs impartially evaluated by judges experienced in the breed. This ensures that the dogs they breed are good examples of the breed, have sound temperaments, and do not have major disqualifying faults. Many also participate in other working activities, such as obedience, Rally, agility, water work, and more.
  
  
• Number of litters per year:
  Having more than about three or, at the most, four Leonberger litters per year should be a warning sign to buyers. An ethical breeder generally will not have the time or means to properly raise and socialize more than that in any given year. Also, be wary of a breeder who has more than two litters of puppies available to choose from at any given time, for the same reasons - it is too difficult to properly socialize more than two average-sized litters of Leo puppies at the same time.
  
  
• Age of dogs being bred:
  Ethical breeders will only breed their females after the age of 2, after all health tests have been conducted, and only breed every other heat cycle for the welfare of the dog.
  
  
• Does not test for health issues common to the breed:
  At a minimum, Leonbergers need to be tested for clear hips, elbows, eyes, and thyroid. Proof of this is easily available online at the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals database which is the official registry for these tests. Simply search for the dog's registered kennel name and all OFA tests conducted on the dog will be listed.
  
  
• On-site sire/male:
  Many puppy mill breeders will have an on-site male and several females. Every single litter they produce will be out of the same male and one of the females they own. Most ethical breeders who own both intact males and females will usually not exclusively use their own males for every single litter they have.
  
  
• Performs repeat breedings (same sire/dam) multiple times without putting much thought into it: Ethical breeders will perform a repeat breeding if they feel that the initial breeding had some outstanding qualities about it. Generally, this will be after the puppies from the initial litter are old enough to be health-tested clear (around the age of 2), so that the breeder knows how the puppies from the first litter are doing. If the litter you are considering getting a puppy from is a repeat breeding, ask the breeder what exceptional qualities were present in the initial litter which made them decide to perform the same breeding again. If your breeder has carefully thought out the reasons why they want to repeat a breeding, then that is a great sign.
  
  
• Issues pedigree papers from an unrecognized registry:
  At present, the Leonberger Club of America is the national parent club registry in the United States and issues official LCA pedigrees for each registered Leonberger. Do more research if your breeder offers pedigrees from not very well known registries. Visit the following site for more:
  Reading Between the Puppy Ad Lines
  
  
• Provides an unenforceable health guarantee:
  An ethical breeder's health guarantee should clearly spell out what refunds you will receive in case your dog develops serious health problems, and within what kind of time-frame. The guarantee should not require that you jump through unreasonable hoops in order to get the breeder to honor their end of the contract. Obtaining a second opinion on a serious health issue is common practice among all ethical breeders.
  
  
• Will ship puppies, no questions asked:
  All ethical breeders will want to know a lot about you, your family, and your home, before shipping you a puppy without meeting you in person first. Most Leonberger breeders do not ship puppies at all, requiring buyers to come and pick up their puppy in person, to make sure they get a feel for the new owners.
  
  
• Sale price significantly higher/lower than breed average:
  Well-bred Leonberger puppies sell for between $1500 and $1800. If you are quoted a price significantly higher or lower than this, ask why.
  
  
• Does not encourage you to visit the premises:
  Most puppy mill breeders will not encourage you to visit the site where the puppies are born, due to their deplorable conditions. You should always be welcomed to visit the breeder's home and look for overall cleanliness, health of the mother and puppies, and friendly, social, unafraid temperaments. Ideally, puppies will be raised inside of a home, or in temperature-controlled surroundings, with plenty of socialization with people.
  
  
• Kansas, Missouri, and Iowa have huge puppy mill industries, so do your research before purchasing a Leonberger puppy from those states.