i have a question how do u know a great breeder or a bad breeder - Page 2

To answer the question, in my opinion:
 
Good breeder- will use health screened dogs (preferably titled) with good, health screened and proven pedigree that you can verify. Will gladly provide references or any certificates upon request. Won't be annoyed by your questions, will answer them all in detail. In return, he will ask a lot of questions about YOU, YOUR experience with GSDs, YOUR life conditions, etc. Will want to meet YOU (if possible) before accepting a deposit. If the meeting is not possible, he will ask YOU for YOUR references and check them before shipping you a puppy. He will ask about YOUR expectations towards the puppy, the things YOU want to do with the puppy, etc. He will want to find out as much about YOU as possible to steer you towards the right puppy. Breeders who spend a lot of time with their pups know their personalities and often can tell if there is a good fit. Don't be offended if the breeder tells you that the puppy you fell in love with at the first sight is not right for YOU... Don't be offended if the breeder tells you that the type of dogs he is breeding may not be right for YOU... Every puppy will come with sale contract/warranties included in the price. Breeder won't offer price reduction if you resign from contract/warranty and will accept their dogs back anytime for any reason and re-home them. Good breeder will stay in touch and try to help you if you have any issues.
 
Bad breeder- will ask you to send deposit/money and ship you a dog before asking you any questions about YOURSELF... Will say things that won't check out.
 
 
Please make an educated choice. Ask questions, always check and verify. Visit several breeders, look at different litters. Do it unless you are sure that you want a pup from this particular breeding/ pedigree or this particular breeder comes with great references from several people you know. However, even then, ask questions, check and verify...  Don't buy the puppy only because he looks soooooooooo cute in the picture... Cute puppies grow up within few months and turn into adults. If you want to know what to expect in the future - look at the pedigree - not only parents. Probably that's the reason why GSD breed has so many 'lines'. Every 'line' has its own specific characteristics, so please think what YOU want/like in a GSD first, then research the lines and see which one is the right for you. Parents from unknown background/pedigree rarely replicate themselves... Some health issues, like HD likes to skip a generation... etc. etc. etc...
 
And please remember that puppies are living beings. Even the best planned breeding can go south... Each puppy is a big unknown, its growth and developments depends on many things, genetic and environmental alike. Good breeders give puppy as good of a start as they can.  However, there are many things that can creep up as a time goes by, and it may not be related to the genetics at all.
 

Niesia, Great post! You included a lot of good things I did not say.
GSDguy08, I too don't think the OP is stupid, I am lamenting the obvious negative impact of technology.

markobytes, I never said they are, nor did I say you said they are. I knew what you meant. :)

Good breeders are knowledgable about the breed and their dogs. Good breeders breed GSD to be functional working dogs. Good breeders are honest about things like HD, even if their dogs are certified. Good breeders are not infallible and do not promote false expectations, and fully explain the pros and cons of the dogs they are breeding. Good breeders tell a person that want a passive dog that this is not the breed for them, unless they are breeding pets which automatically makes them NOT a good breeder.JMO

It's a crap shoot. You won't know until you try to get your money back on a worthless contract for a defective dog they bred.

LOL, maybe parents need to take away the equipment so kids learn how to spell "you", "because" "probably"?  Do kids have human parents anymore? BTW, it's not just kids who use puter lingo. I know some 50 year olds who do.

I didn't read the op's entire post, I don't really care about anything anyone has to say if he or she can't write complete words. Others have done a good job of answering the questions posed. Happy to know that not everyone is as crabby as I am.

Gustav,
I couldn't not to answer your post.... I really want to understand what you meant...
 
"Good breeders tell a person that want a passive dog that this is not the breed for them, unless they are breeding pets which automatically makes them NOT a good breeder.JMO"
 
Majority of GSDs, even from your 'working lines' are sold as PETS. If all the other sibling of your 'working dog' have been sold to pet homes - does it automatically mean that the breeder you bought your dog from is a BAD breeder?...

Gustav,
I have to say that I agree with everything you said until your last sentence.

I see that you are currently advertising puppies for sale.  Your add says... "Mother and Sire have excellent hip history and superb temperament. Excellent for sport or family dogs." Well, aren't family dogs - PETS? As I interpret what you stated in your post, wouldn't that make you a bad breeder?...
 
What percentage of GSDs around the world are primarily working dogs? I actually believe that the majority of all GSD puppies become pets.

I do not judge the breeder by the fact that they are selling their dogs to pet homes. Good, health and great temperament are as important in pets as in working dogs. Assuming that the majority of dogs are pets, it is even more important for breeders to make sure that they produce good dogs. Pets, are the dogs that you see around. Pets are the animals who live in homes with real families with children, etc. - the real representation of the breed to the general public.

RE: as you state in your post about explaining pros and cons of the dogs you have;
In  the few years I have been breeding, I have seen several first hand examples of 'good breeders' of real 'working dogs' sell their puppies to the general public without asking the purchasers if they know what they are getting into, or even if they have any experience with large, high drive, working dogs like GSDs... Why do you think you see so many adds "one year old, purebred GSD, free to a good home" (or worse - dumped in shelters)... The people in that position, whom I have spoken to, were simply just unable to handle that much dog... And it should have not been sold to them in the first place!

ok thank u for those of u that answered about my comment about good and bad breeders. The ones that are really being rude and not very nice IT WASN'T my fault that the breeder did what she did to me if u read my other thread on here u would know and realize everything that women had done to me. NO im not gonna get used to it either it is very rong and disrepectful to do to ppl and always as breed dogs that have hip problems i am not gonna sit there and take that i love dogs and i hate the stupid ppl that breed and dont' know how to do it and just care more about money then their dogs i would put them before me honestly bcs that is how i am and no i am not a little kid i am an adult yea sry i missed spelled some things u don't have to be rude and not caring i am only writting how i feel and how i was mislead and honestly i don't want to make that same mistake again. If u dont' like what i am posting then keep ur thoughts and stuff to ur self please im not fighting with anyone on here all i am doing is just saying people shouldn't be being rude when i said nothing rong all i am doing is trying to figure out who is a good breeder and who is bad and what exactly i ahve to watch for.

thank u Niesia for everyhting u wrote ur absolutly right on that i will make sure now i keep that in mind and dont' make the same again. and thank u so so much for the ones that gave me nice comments and hellped me out as well i really apperciate it and i will keep all of ur advice for next time. Thank u all for ur help i greatly apperciate it

Niesla, there is a difference in selling a dog to pet home and BREEDING for pets.