Call the CKC and find the breed club. Or go to the Selecting A Breed page.

Responsible breeders often advertise in dog magazines, have a websites, can always provide a reference or give you their vet's phone number.

A good breeder should also show their breeding stock. Shows are not just a beauty pageants. Conformation is about the independent assessment of how much a dog looks like its breed, and how closely its temperament matches that which its breed is supposed to have.

Can you visit the kennel?

Should the pup be registered?

It's against the law in Canada to sell unregistered dogs as purebred. All dogs are tattooed or have a microchip and are registered with the Canadian Kennel Club

The Canadian Kennel Club doesn't allow breeders to charge more for "papers".

Many unreputable kennels hide their dogs' pedigrees to hide their breeding practices. They also do not post them on their site to hide the fact their dogs were bought from puppy brokers.

Pedigrees are posted on their site or they will provide a copy at your request. You will find information such as titles, lineage, longevity and health clearances some might even have COI (Coefficient of Inbreeding) or (Canine-Genetics)

The majority of kennels do not last longer than 5 to 6 years. Will they be there when you need help?

Responsible breeders will not let them go before seven to eight weeks of age or more for smaller breeds.

Never breed dogs that don't have the temperament and health test required by their breed clubs' Ethics Committee. If the breeder does not or cannot produce hard copies of health testing carried out on the parents of a puppy you're considering, don't buy from this person.

Dogs health clearances are often done by:

• Certified Ophthalmologists.
• D.V.M.
• D.V.Sc.,
• Dip. A.C.V.I.M. Cardiology

All purebred registered dogs are identified by a tattooed or a microchip before leaving the breeders' premises.

All pet pups should be neutered/spayed. Show quality pups should be tested prior to breeding. Caring breeders should have fines set up for breaking their contracts.

On top of the CKC non-breeding contract, most breeders will have their own private contracts and will insist that you neuter the dog or contact them if you no longer want the dog.

A good breeder will pursue legal action when their contracts are broken. This can be enough of a deterrent for puppy brokers.

Do they have the puppies on a pre-training schedule? Feeding schedule?

Will they give you their vet's name and phone number? Have reference willing to and will ask you for references.

Sometimes, the breeders are looking for the best match for their dogs and have gone afar for the right match so the Sire will not always be on-site.  However, they should be prepared to supply you with adequate information if the Sire is not available.

You should be able to visit them prior to giving your deposit.

They must spend hours everyday observing the reaction of the pups to different situations.

One temperament test is often not accurate. 

The prices charged by reputable breeders reflects the time, money and health testing invested in producing a healthy litter of puppies that are "almost" free of genetically inheritable conditions.

A lot depends on supply and demand and other factors such as: how rare a breed is or the cost of breeding certain breeds. (Ex. English Bulldogs).

With a good breeder prices can vary between $900 to $3000.