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Finding
The Right Breeder!
You’ve
researched the Akita breed in books and on the Internet, and perhaps even visited
adult Akitas and their breeders in your area, and possibly attended dog
shows. You’re ready to move to the next step—finding the Akita puppy that is right for your
household!
The
following questions will help you determine if a breeder is a responsible,
dedicated, knowledgeable guardian of the breed, or someone who produces
puppies indiscriminately and/or for profit. Your goal is to find a healthy,
well-tempered puppy from a breeder who will provide you with accurate
information, support and assistance throughout your Akita’s lifetime. The breeder you
select should be a person you trust—a person of integrity who strives
to maintain sound temperaments, good health, correct conformation, and
longevity in every Akita they produce.
None of
these questions, standing alone, should be the sole basis for determining
whether or not to purchase a puppy from a particular breeder. These
questions are intended to provide a framework for conversations with
breeders, and as a springboard for acquiring additional information about a
breeder’s practices.
By selecting
a reputable breeder, you maximize your chances of getting a healthy, happy
puppy. They will also be a support network. Akitas can present unexpected
challenges to the first-time owner so it’s important to select a
breeder who is both willing to help you and knowledgeable enough to do so
effectively.
An Important Note!
Responsible breeders never sell their puppies to pet shops or
commercial brokers. Akita puppies that are
for sale in pet shops are produced for profit, and without regard to health
or temperament or appropriate placement. The breeders of these puppies are
not available as a resource for new owners,
neither is the ancestry of the puppy, or their health background, and
responsible breeders can provide much better and more accurate
breed-specific advice than the staff of a pet shop. Also, an Akita puppy from a pet
shop often costs far more than a companion puppy from a responsible
breeder.
The Questions:
1 - How long have you been involved with Akitas?
A person who
begins to breed Akitas immediately after acquiring their first dogs may not
have the background knowledge to evaluate pedigrees for health and temperament
issues, and may lack sufficient experience with the breed to provide
accurate, on-going advice to puppy buyers.
2 - Do you show your dogs in conformation or participate in
other activities (obedience, agility, etc.) with your dog?
Breeders who
show or participate in performance events have many opportunities to
compare Akitas of their breeding with Akitas bred by others. They are more
likely to be in the loop regarding important health information, and to be
serious, life-long students of the breed.
3 - Do you health test the Akitas you’re breeding?
Responsible
breeders are aware of all health problems affecting Akitas, and strive not
to produce these problems in their puppies. They utilize the best health
testing methods available to screen their breeding dogs, and can provide
evidence to back up their testing claims. Hip and eye results can be
verified on the OFA web site, www. offa.org, but a responsible breeder
volunteers documented evidence of the health tests they perform. Health
testing on a routine basis can be expensive—some breeders who produce
puppies primarily for profit cut corners on health testing to save money.
They also may avoid health testing to avoid any ‘bad news’ about their dogs’ health and
soundness.
A breeder who is concerned about the
long-term welfare of the breed will health test for the
following conditions, especially
before breeding:
Hip dysplasia—dogs will have an
OFA certification of fair, good or excellent
Inherited eye diseases—dogs will
have CERF certification
Thyroid disease—thyroid blood
panel to determine if thyroid function is low, or normal
4 - What specific health concerns are behind the sire and dam of
your litter? What can you tell me about the siblings and other relatives?
Serious
breeders talk openly about health issues they’ve encountered in their
years of breeding, and will be able to tell you how they are working to
avoid problems in the future.
Some of the
most frightening auto immune disease affecting Akitas— Sebaceous Adenitis,
VKH, Pemphigus— can occur later in life, and even careful,
knowledgeable breeders may encounter them. At present, there are no DNA marker tests for these conditions in
Akitas. SA is known to be a simple recessive, meaning if one of the parents
is diagnosed with the disease, all of the offspring are carriers. Every dog
afflicted with SA has two parents either affected or carriers. VKH on the
other hand does not have a known mode of inheritance,
The best chance to avoid hereditary health problems is to ensure the
breeder you deal with is honest, and that they never intentionally breed to
known carriers. Disease can surface
unexpectedly in any breeder’s carefully planned litter, but to
purposely breed a dog, or to a dog, that has produced one of these diseases,
or is the offspring of a diseased parent, and is therefore at least a
carrier, is a red flag showing blatant disrespect for the puppies they are
producing, and the owners they will hope to entice.
5 - How do you select a sire or dam for a litter? Do you
consider Akitas from other breeders, or Akitas that do not reside with you?
Breeders
will occasionally breed a male Akita that resides with them to a female
that resides with them. But if a breeder never selects mates other than those
that reside in their household, it is possible that the breeder is:
–
trying to avoid paying stud fees
–
doesn't understand the importance of selecting mates that are a good match
genetically and physically
– not
well-regarded by other breeders and therefore doesn’t have access to
a broader range of breeding choices
6 - How many litters do you breed per year?
There are
circumstances when responsible breeders may produce more than two litters
per year. Properly caring for and socializing a litter of Akita puppies is
time consuming work and a breeder who routinely produces multiple litters
per year in their own home may produce puppies for profit rather than to
improve the breed. A responsible breeder who is producing multiple litters
will be willing to discuss their breeding strategy with you.
7 - Do you have a waiting list for your upcoming litter?
Breeders
begin looking for good homes for their puppies as soon as they decide to
produce a litter. It takes time to interview prospective owners (they need
to check you out, just as need to evaluate them). A breeder who does not
have a waiting list, or who waits until the pups are born to begin looking
for homes, may not be taking the responsibilities of breeding seriously, or
may not be putting enough time and effort into selecting good homes.
8 - How long do you keep puppies with their siblings and dam?
Akita puppies are simply not ready to go home with their new
owners until they are eight weeks of age, or older. Breeders who send
puppies home prior to age eight weeks may not be aware of the importance of
spending time with siblings and dam, learning canine communication skills,
and appropriate ways to interact with people. Puppies that are separated
from their dam and siblings too soon can develop behavior problems later in
life, can be difficult to house train, and may lack bite inhibition.
9 - How do you socialize your puppies?
Akitas
require a lot of early, positive experiences with new people, places and
animals in order to be well-adjusted adults. The breeder should be able to
tell you, in detail, how they socialize their puppies, and what you can do
to continue the socialization process once you take your puppy home.
10 - Do you screen prospective buyers? Will my entire
family/household need to visit before we can be added to your waiting list?
Most breeders who care about their puppies, and the breed,
will not place a puppy with a person they have never met, or at least
corresponded with extensively. Expect to be asked for
references—including from your landlord if you rent. Expect to be
asked to visit the breeder’s home if you are within a reasonable
distance, and anticipate that all members of your household (children,
anyone else residing in the household) will be asked to attend.
When a personal
visit isn’t possible, expect that a breeder will want to
speak/correspond with you at length to ensure that you and your puppy will
be a good match. Along with references, expect to provide proof of a
securely fenced yard, as well as of your home. A breeder who will sell/ship
a puppy without references and a thorough screening process should be cause
for concern.
11 - What are your spay or neuter requirements?
Responsible
breeders realize that breeding Akitas properly takes a great deal of time,
effort and experience. They do not want dogs they’ve produced to be
bred indiscriminately, adding to the pet over-population problem. Requiring
companion puppies to be spayed or neutered indicates that a breeder is
conscientious, dedicated to maintaining the integrity of the breed, and
concerned about the welfare of each puppy they produce. Responsible
breeders also have first hand experience with some of the demands of living
with intact dogs—they understand that a person who is looking for an Akita as a companion isn’t likely to
want to face these challenges.
12 - Do you sell all of your puppies on written contracts, with AKC registration?
Responsible
breeders sell their puppies on written contracts. A contract will protect you,
the puppy buyer, and clearly state the seller’s expectations. A
responsible breeder’s contract will contain health guarantees and
include a provision to take the puppy back at anytime during its life (even
in old age) if you can no longer care for it.
Akitas are
an AKC-registered breed. U.S. breeders do not need to use other
U.S.-based registries. Many of these alternative registries were created to
provide papers for dogs that are not eligible for AKC registration. The integrity of some
alternative registries is suspect—particularly if the breed is
recognized by the AKC—and the pedigree you’re given may not be
accurate.
13 - How much do you charge for a puppy?
Akita breeders in the U.S. usually charge between $500 and $850
for a companion puppy on a spay/neuter contract. There can be legitimate
reasons for charging more or less. However, a breeder who is selling
companion puppies for significantly more or less in your geographic area
should have good reasons for doing so. A breeder whose fee is significantly
below market rate may be producing too many litters and have a need to sell
quickly. A breeder who sells at an inflated price may be seeking to line
his/her pocketbook at your expense.
14 - Can you provide me with references from other puppy buyers
and Akita breeders?
A
responsible breeder will have a long list of puppy buyers and fellow
breeders who can vouch for their credibility, sincerity, and knowledge.
They will not hesitate to provide you with references and will encourage
you to contact them. Follow up on the references you receive—a
disreputable person may give out names of well-known breeders in the hope
that you will never bother to contact those individuals. Take the time to
call or e-mail every reference you receive.
We
hope these guidelines help you in your search. And remember, a good relationship with a
breeder is a two-way street. If you find a breeder you feel good about, and
you find the puppy of your dreams, don’t promise anything you
don’t intend to do. Don’t sign a contract that you will keep in
touch and provide photos and updates of your puppy, if you have no
intention of doing so. Don’t promise a certain kind of food, care
and/or training, if you aren’t planning to follow through. There is nothing more heartbreaking for a
breeder than having something they brought into this world, lovingly raised
and tearfully parted with, disappear without a trace. That sort of
disappointment will not usually result in a good, trusting relationship
should you ever need that breeder in the future.
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