I’ve previously gone over key points to look for in a reputable breeder. I thought it may also be helpful to know of some red flag terms or phrases that are widely known to be associated with backyard breeders or mills along with some photo examples.
Red flag terms/phrases/policies
Champion bloodlines
Teacup or micro
Rare/exotic
Oldstyle, straightback
Miniatures in breeds that don’t have size variations
Vet checked as opposed to health tested
Out of standard coat types- Ex. wooly huskies
Non recognized colors/not naturally occurring colors- Ex. silver labradors, merle poodles
Charging more for specific colors or sexes
Oversized breeding-King, Giant, Euro, Warlock
Puppies leave before 8 weeks
Required to purchase MLM products- Ex. NuVet
ConKC registration
No contract or vetting of buyers
No return clause on contract
Designer mixes-pomsky, -doodles
Breeding multiple breeds(there are exceptions)
Multiple litters on the ground constantly
Sire/dam not registered or were on limited registration usually followed by “we breed pets, not show dogs”
“Wormed” instead of the correct “dewormed”
Breeding before maturity
Misspelling of breed name- sheppard
Full blooded, pure blood, pure bread
Outrageous prices with no health testing or proven parents
Seeing any of these is a sign that you should dig deeper into their breeding program and ask more questions.
If you have any questions regarding any of the above listed or have an additional item you consider a red flag, please comment!