Rat Terrier Puppymills
The Rat Terriers recent recognition by the United Kennel Club has caused much interest in the breed I love. With increased popularity comes increased breeding. As with any breed there is a risk that backyard breeders and puppymills will taint our stock.
Pet Stores buy from Brokers. Brokers buy dogs from puppymills. They will also buy from backyard breeders. Pet stores want you to believe that because they have the papers or the breeder information that they have taken all the right steps to insure that purchasing a puppy from them is okay. IT IS NOT OK! Do not support the puppymills and backyard breeders. Stay away from Pet Stores that sell puppies. Even in a state like Washington which prides itself on a modern "ethical" approach to consumer protection, you can purchase a Rat Terrier that was bred by a backyard breeder or a puppymill facility.
Do Not Believe everything that someone says on a web page. As with any breed, there are people who try to represent themselves as reputable Rat Terriers breeders BUT are in reality puppy mills. A great web page does not equal a great breeder, it just means they are good at HTML or have hired someone to design it for them. BE VERY CAREFUL of newspaper advertisements. A reputable breeder rarely resorts to advertising in the newspaper. People wanting puppies should research the breeder thoroughly. Once they are satisfied that they have found a good breeder, ask to be on a waiting list if they do not have available puppies.
Remember you are not buying a "cute puppy"~ you are buying the genetic makeup of the mother and father. You can tell more about a puppy by researching its background then by looking at a puppy picture. Get pictures of its mother, father and grandparents. Study its Pedigree. A reputable breeder should always be able to provide you with these things or have a reasonable explanation for why they cannot. A reputable breeder should also provide you with references to the owners of puppies they have previously produced and will encourage you to contact those owners.
Reputable breeders are interested in producing sound healthy dogs. They have devoted much time determining which dogs to use to produce the best possible offspring. They continue to produce the finest quality Rat Terriers possible and are more concerned with structure, size, pedigree and most importantly - disposition. Breeding is expensive. Reputable breeders are not in it for the money. They are in it for the love of the breed.
Before deciding on a puppy think about adopting a rescue rat terrier. These are mostly adult dogs have come from a variety of places and circumstances.
Here are some places to start your research before purchasing a Rat Terrier puppy:
3) Learn about Patellar Luxation and ask your breeder if they screen for it with the OFA.
4) Learn about CERF testing - eliminating inherited eye disorders in purebred dogs.
5) Ask what organizations your breeders belong to. NRTA, ARTA and RTCA each have different goals, ideas and standards, some which conflict with each other.
Poochville Puppies are registered with United Kennel Club and the National Rat Terrier Assoc. Please checkout what both of these organizations think about puppymills. NRTA UKC
Please spread the word about puppy mills and backyard breeders. Feel free to link to this page, the address is
http://poochville.homestead.com/puppymills.html
The page was written by Julia Kleutsch with Cherie Rhoad Editing.
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