Sometimes the easiest way to distinguish between a good breeder and a bad one is to listen to how often each makes use of a single word: "no."
For the pet buyer, it's worth the effort to listen and to work toward a "yes" from a responsible breeder instead of heading for the other kind. When the responsible breeder says "no," there's a reason.
Responsible breeders first say "no" to poorly bred animals by passing on many -- if not most -- opportunities to breed their animals. When they do breed, they carefully consider each match, looking and testing for good health, conformation and temperament beforehand. When the babies are born, responsible breeders spend time training and socializing them so they can become ideal pets.
The other kind of breeder hardly plans at all, with either ignorant or deliberate disregard for the genetic problems so rampant in many pedigreed animals, and for the amount of time and effort it takes to raise puppies and kittens to be good pets. For them, having a purebred is as good a reason as any to say "yes" to breeding -- and one puppy buyer is pretty much the same as another.
Not so for responsible breeders.
I was talking to a breeder of toy dogs recently, a woman who has shared her home with the same delicate breed for many years. She gets calls for puppies often, especially now that her breed, the Chihuahua, figures prominently in some clever national advertising. Because of the sudden burst of fame, she's getting calls from people who want a companion for small children, a job that she doesn't think tiny puppies are up to.
The woman decided that she would place her pups with children only under extremely rare circumstances. Many breeders are pretty firm on such things. Many cat breeders, for example, won't sell to people who won't keep the animal indoors, while few breeders of large dogs would place a puppy in a home with no yard. Other breeders have a pretty good idea of what kind of owner is suited to their breed -- an active family with a high-energy breed, a quiet family with a fragile one -- and refuse to place one of their dogs with people who don't seem a good "match."
I hear often from people turned away by such breeders, irate and insulted at such "snobbery." Who does the breeder think she is to decide who's suitable for what pet?
While it's true a lot of responsible breeders aren't going to get any awards for graciousness and tact, you have to give them credit for caring so much about the animals they've brought into the world. They are trying to ensure the best life possible for those animals. Stick with them, and they will provide you with not only a pet, but also the benefit of their considerable expertise. After they get to know you and are comfortable with your level of commitment, that "no" can change to a "yes."
Is it worth the effort to work with a responsible breeder? Indeed it is, considering that the alternative is picking up a puppy or kitten from a questionable breeder, a pet with a higher potential for health and temperament problems. And it's better, too, than bringing home an animal who might not fit in, leading to the saddest "no" of all:
"No, it's not working out. We can't keep him anymore."
Pets on the Web: More than 20 years gone and still fondly remembered, the tortoise we had when I was growing up was one of the most pleasant critters I've ever been around. Timothy was a dignified presence, a muncher of bedding plants who loved to stretch out his neck for a scratch.
Thinking of him, I enjoyed digging around on the Web for some sites for turtle and tortoise fans. A good place to start is the Herp Internet Resources FAQ (http://fovea.retina.net/(tilde)gecko/herps/misc/net-resources.shtml), which offers links as well as information on news groups and e-mail lists.
Just as informative and a little more fun is the California Turtle and Tortoise Club site (www.tortoise.org). Not to be missed on the CTTA site is the sound-file collection of tortoise mating calls.
Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies" and "Cats for Dummies," and is the editorial director of the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or e-mail to Giori(at)aol.com.
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