UK Portrait Artist John Payne

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American Pit Bull Terrier

Buying a Puppy from a breeder

If buying a puppy the best place always to buy is directly from a reputable breeder.

The advantages of buying from a reputable breeder is that breeding has usually been carefully planned and thought through with regard to producing robust, healthy dogs of good temperament. Many breeders will also offer some form of guarantee contracting to take the dog back if not suitable. Unfortunately the same cannot always be said for puppies sold in pet shops or those that have come from "puppy farms" where dogs are bred in mass numbers for the pet market.

Many breeders of pedigree dogs also show their dogs and so breed towards producing a good healthy show dog with a view to keeping one or two themselves so quality and temperament is of vital importance when planning the breeding.

Although breeders of show dogs specialise in breeding pedigree dogs, there are also owners who have bred their pet dogs and produce cross breed or pedigree puppies. These may be the result of a planned or unplanned pregnancy but the pups have usually been well cared for and brought up in a family environment and so most often make very suitable pets and will be less expensive to purchase than a pedigree show dog.

Buying a dog direct from the breeder means that there is the opportunity to see the parents and know the date of birth of the puppy that it is intended to purchase.

American Pit Bull Terrier

Dog Rescue  Dog Rescue Resources

Finding a rescue centre

'All-breed' dog-rescue centres throughout the UK and Ireland can be found here grouped by area at Dog Pages with breed-rescues listed separately according to breed. Nearly one thousand contacts areincluded so thereshould be one near you.

While the larger charities are well known, there are many smaller rescue organisations,  operating on small budgets but still doing a fantastic job. Not all these organisations have websites but these have been included where available. The larger charities, the Dogs Trust (formerly NCDL - National Canine Defence League), Battersea Dogs Home, the RSPCA and the Scottish SPCA, all have new online sites.

American Pit Bull Terrier

Dog Breeding Books

The Joy of Breeding Your Own Show Dog

Synopsis

Now back in print by popular demand-the only breeding book endorsed by top breeders

The bible of quality dog breeding, this guide is a must-have for novice and veteran breeders alike, covering everything from developing a viable breeding program based on pedigrees and genetics to whelping, raising, and socializing puppies. Now back in print with a new foreword by AKC Breeder of the Year Wendall Sammett, this book has long been the reference of choice for successful dog breeders.

Ann Seranne cobred and/or owned sixty-two Yorkshire Terrier champions, six Standard Poodle champions, and two Shih Tzu champions.

Explains the fundamentals of genetics, modern breeding systems, care of puppies and pregnant dogs, and how to evaluate young dogs according to breeding standards.

American Pit Bull Terrier

American Pit Bull Terrier