WHY NOT A PET SHOP WHEATEN?

Wheatens in pet shops come from commercial dog breeders and brokers, identified most accurately by a US Department of Agriculture license. USDA licensing is not an endorsement of the quality of a puppy or a breeder. Licensed facilities are subject to USDA inspection, hence the claim by pet shops that their stock comes from USDA inspected kennels. The requirements for animal care are minimal, often less than those required for farm livestock. Inspections are infrequent and violations common. There are no requirements for socialization with humans.  Licensed Pet Dealers may legally sell puppies and adult dogs to research facilities for use in experimentation.

In recent years pet shops selling puppies have become less common.  Those who produced puppies to sell to pet shops in the past now often sell directly to the public via internet marketing.  This business model does not require USDA licensing, so most are not subject to even the minimal animal care requirements or inspections of the USDA.  They often have beautiful websites with pictures of happy adults in green open spaces and cute puppies in fresh clean baskets which may belie the conditions in which the puppies and breeding stock are actually kept. They have puppies readily available most of the time or can provide one in the next few weeks.  They are willing to ship a puppy across the country or meet in a public place to deliver your puppy.  This will be framed as a convenience for you, but it prevents you from seeing where the pups are raised.  They will resist your efforts to visit their kennel.

WHAT IS A KENNEL, ANYWAY?

Traditionally, a kennel is any area where dogs are kept and bred. A hobby breeder with two Wheatens is a kennel. So is one in which several hundred breeding pairs are kept to supply pups for commercial sale. Pet stores often call themselves “kennels” although their puppies are from commercial establishments which breed for resale. Some kennels are large-scale retailers who breed and sell their own stock. It is best to visit the kennel yourself in order to determine which type you are dealing with.

WHAT IS A HOBBY BREEDER?

For quality hobby breeders, breeding is a serious avocation, not a business.  They are dedicated to their breed and have devoted many years to the study of the breed and its history, purpose, and characteristics.  They have an abundance of knowledge about the health and temperament of the breed, as well as the individual dogs in their care. Dogs being bred undergo careful evaluation and medical screening.  Breedings are carefully planned, taking into consideration the characteristics and temperament of the individuals, as well as those of their ancestors.  Puppies are expertly cared for, carefully socialized, and bonded to humans before leaving the breeder’s home.  Quality hobby breeders feel an abiding responsibility for all the dogs they produce for as long as the dogs live, and will be a resource for the pup’s family throughout its life.

WHY DOESN’T SCWTCA RECOMMEND BACKYARD BREEDERS?

A backyard breeder may have one or two Wheatens, who are usually family pets.  Some may breed just one litter, erroneously thinking that their female should have a litter to be fulfilled, or that a litter would be a good way for their children to experience the miracle of birth.  Others may have a male and one or two females and have occasional litters to supplement their income.  Breeding dogs, while considered a hobby, is also a great deal of work and requires a great deal of knowledge. It involves an investment of time and money that a casual owner, just looking to have a litter, will not invest. Typically, important health testing will not have been done, and the health and temperament of ancestors is not well known.  In most cases, their Wheaten was not purchased from a reputable breeder because reputable breeders do not support casual, ill-informed breeding.  While backyard breeders love their dogs and may be interested in the future well-being of the pup, they frequently lack the knowledge to be a helpful resource to the new family.

WHY DOESN’T SCWTCA RECOMMEND COMMERCIAL KENNELS?

Commercial dog breeders and brokers have dogs solely as a source of income and produce puppies for sale.  Most are subject to licensing by the USDA, but those care and inspection requirements are minimal, and often violated.  Puppies are sold with little consideration for their well-being or concern about where they will end up.  Most commercial kennels do not register their dogs with the American Kennel Club and therefore are not subject to AKC inspections or regulations.  In most instances, important pre-breeding health checks have not been done.  SCWTCA does not believe a commercial kennel provides the right environment for any dog and should not be supported. Finally, you as a new owner will not receive the appropriate support.

SHOULD I BE ABLE TO SEE THE PARENTS?

Generally, you’ll want to see the mother of your puppy (the dam) to reassure yourself you’re not dealing with a broker or other commercial source. However, sometimes a reputable hobby breeder won’t have the mother when you see a puppy. A breeder may have received a puppy back from another reputable breeder. Typically, this is the case when the individual owns the father (sire) of the litter or sold the dam to the breeder of the litter. Part of their agreement is that the person will receive a puppy back when the litter is born. Sometimes a breeder will have sold a bitch and instead of the owner whelping and raising a litter, the breeder will do so. In these instances, the dam will usually go back to her owner when the puppies are several weeks old and have been weaned, which may be done before you see the puppies. To know if this is the case, ask where the mother is and get the name, address, and phone number. Also, the breeder should be able to show you AKC documents to help explain the situation. They should typically be shown as the owner or co-owner of the sire or dam of the litter.

Because most quality hobby breeders keep only a few dogs who live in their homes as companions, it is not typical that both the sire and dam would be present when you see the puppies.  Often, the dogs in a hobby breeder’s home are closely related and therefore not ideally suited to be bred together.  A quality hobby breeder researches pedigrees and health and searches nationwide (and beyond) for the best mate for the dam, to ensure the pups will be as good or better quality than the parents.  The breeder will likely have seen the sire and/or some of his offspring or other relatives and be able to tell you why he was selected as a mate for the dam.  If both the sire and dam are present, and especially if they’ve produced other litters together, the breeder should be able to specify why they were selected for mating.  Beware if the explanation is vague or based on convenience.

HOW DO I KNOW THAT THE PARENTS HAVE BEEN CLEARED OF INHERITED HEALTH PROBLEMS?

A reputable breeder will provide documentation of health clearances. Hips are certified free of hip dysplasia via x-rays evaluated by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) or PennHip. Eyes are examined by a Veterinary Ophthalmologist and certified by the Companion Animal Eye Registry (CAER). You can read more about these tests, and check the parents’ certification by visiting the websites:

• OFA — Orthopedic Foundation for Animals
• CAER — Companion Animal Eye Registry
• PennHIP — University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program

Enter the sire or dam by name or AKC# and the breed into their search engines and you’ll see if the dog has been certified. You can also use this to learn a bit more about the breeder’s practices. Just enter the breeder’s kennel name and breed into the search engine and see what comes back. If they don’t do OFA or CERF, there won’t be recent entries and you should beware.

Additional recommendations by SCWTCA include DNA testing for variant alleles for protein losing nephropathy (PLN), microphthalmia (MO), degenerative myelopathy (DM), and paroxysmal dyskinesia (PxD), as well as annual blood testing and urinalysis, including testing to determine proteinuria, such as the Microalbuminuria (MA) test, or the urine protein/creatinine ratio (U P/C).  For more information about these conditions and the most current testing recommendations, go to the SCWTCA, Inc. website.

The Wheaten is a generally healthy breed, and with proper care and annual visits to the veterinarian will live a long and active life.  All breeds, however, have certain health issues and the Wheaten is no exception.  Reputable breeders will be able to discuss these health conditions and explain how their breeding program is designed to minimize occurrence.  They will encourage, and maybe even require, you to obtain regular and on-going veterinary health checks for your pup throughout his life.

WHY DO I HAVE TO BE ON A WAITING LIST, OR WAIT SEVERAL MONTHS FOR A PUPPY?

For quality hobby breeders, breeding is a serious avocation, not a business.  They breed only when they can produce sound, healthy puppies of correct temperament, and have the resources to care for them properly.  They do not breed solely to supply the pet market or to supplement their income.  Most have family responsibilities, and many have full-time jobs, in addition to the demands of their dog activities.  They usually breed one or two litters a year, so don’t have puppies readily available all the time.  A quality hobby breeder will be able to tell you about future breeding plans and provide a rough estimate of when pups are likely to be available.  You may be put on a waiting list or asked to call back in a few months.  A quality hobby breeder who does not have a litter planned will refer you to another reputable hobby breeder.  The best source for a happy, healthy Wheaten puppy is the Breeder’s List on the SCWTCA website:  www.scwtca.org

WHAT IS A PEDIGREE

A dog’s pedigree is his family tree; it lists his ancestors, usually five generations. It shows relationships among the dogs listed. Breeders use a kennel name and a dog’s registered name will include this name. As a result, a pedigree can identify who bred the dogs listed and the lines they are from. In planning a litter, quality breeders carefully study the pedigrees of the dogs involved. A detailed pedigree also reflects their accomplishments:

• CH and GCH before a dog’s name indicates that the dog is an AKC Champion and Grand Champion.
• CD, CDX and UD following a dog’s name indicate Obedience Titles — Companion Dog, Companion Dog Excellent and Utility Dog.
• There are also titles representing various levels of achievement in Agility, Rally, Tracking, Herding, and many other areas.
• ROM as a suffix means Register of Merit Top Producer, an award bestowed by SCWTCA on males producing 15 or more champions and bitches producing 8 or more champions.

WHAT DOES AKC REGISTRATION MEAN?

The American Kennel Club is a registration body and does not sell puppies or license, endorse or register breeders.  AKC registration means the puppy’s sire and dam are both pure bred, of the same breed, and have full AKC registration. Thus, the pup is eligible for AKC registration. AKC registration does not imply quality. The owner or lessee of the dam is the breeder of record. The owners of both the sire (father) and the dam (mother) must be in good standing with the AKC in order to register a litter. A conviction for cruelty to animals or failure to keep proper records of dogs owned and bred may result in loss of AKC privileges including right to register dogs.

WHEN ARE THE PUPPIES REGISTERED?  WHO REGISTERS THEM?

After a litter is born (whelped), the breeder applies to the AKC to register the litter. This application requires the signatures of the owners of both sire and dam and declares the number & sex of puppies in the litter. Litters must be registered within six months from date of birth.

Once registered, the AKC issues a litter number and the breeder receives individual registration applications for each puppy. Each registration provides a unique number, date of birth, and details regarding the sire and dam:  AKC registration numbers, registered names, and OFA/CHIC numbers of the sire and dam. The form also includes the name and address of the breeder.  A puppy cannot be AKC registered without this application.

The breeder or new owner submits the individual registration application to the AKC with the registration fee. If a pedigree has not been provided by the breeder/seller, one can be obtained at this time from the AKC for a fee. The puppy is now AKC registered and carries its own AKC number. Dogs must be registered within one year of the date of issue of the AKC Dog Registration Application.

WHAT ARE “PAPERS”?

The most important paper is the application for AKC registration. According to AKC policy, there should not be a price differential between a dog with papers or a dog without papers. The information on the AKC Dog Registration Application should also be on the bill of sale. If a pup is sold without this application the contract/bill of sale should clearly state how and in whose name the puppy will be registered and how the registration will be transferred to the new owner. Many ethical breeders withhold registration papers or register the dog in their own names until the conditions of the contract have been met. Others use AKC’s limited registration option described below. A dog may be designated as such by checking the limited registration box on the application. In some cases, the breeder will list himself on the application as co-owner. All terms of sale should be in writing. The buyer should also receive a four-generation pedigree and medical records listing vaccinations and dates. These records should provide name and address of the examining veterinarian.

WHAT IS LIMITED REGISTRATION?

A breeder has the option to register a pup under a limited registration. This means that, although the pup is a purebred AKC registered dog, no offspring of the dog may be registered with the AKC. Limited registration allows a breeder to control the dogs from his or her line being bred. It may be rescinded BY THE BREEDER ONLY. A dog registered in this manner may not compete in conformation at dog shows but may compete in obedience, rally, agility and other performance events.

HOW DO I KNOW THE PAPERS ARE GOOD?

Many commercial kennels have been boycotting American Kennel Club registration because of certain requirements imposed on all breeders to insure the validity of the registry. Instead, they have established brand-new, highly unregulated registries with similar sounding names. Make sure your new puppy can be registered with the American Kennel Club. Some things to look for:

• Sire and dam should have Registration Numbers beginning with RA, RB, RM, or RN and followed by 6-8 numbers.
• Address on the registration documents should be The American Kennel Club, 5580 Centerview Drive, Raleigh, NC 27606.
• The pedigree is a dog’s family tree and can be certified by the breeder alone as true and correct. Unless it is an AKC Certified Pedigree, bearing the AKC address and seal, it does NOT prove AKC registration.

If you’re still not sure, write down the sire and dam’s Registration Number and puppy’s date of birth. Call AKC Customer Care at 919-233-9767 to confirm the parents’ registration and if there is a litter application on file.