The following provides some clarification about some common terms used in advertising, etc on the types of breeders. Please see the link to the ANKC (Australian National Kennel Council) for their definition of Breeder Terms
Terms which describe Breeders
1. Registered Breeders - There are a number of categories of "advertised" Registered Breeders. It is important that when a breeder advertises that they are "registered" that you get clarification from them as to whether they are registered with their Council or the State Controlling body for purebred dogs.
i) Registered breeders of Pure Bred Pedigree dogs - describes breeders who are a member of their state controlling body (ie: Dogs Queensland, Dogs NSW, etc) and they also have a registered "prefix" which is the name of their kennel which is also registered with their state controlling body. You can ask to see the breeders membership card which shows their membership number and their prefix "kennel" name. (See more information on the "Registered Breeders and Registered Puppies page").
Responsible Registered breeders usually breed primarily for their own needs and then sell the rest of the litter to selected homes. They conduct the necessary health testing, extensive pedigree research and analysis to go through a detailed process of breed mate selection and do everything possible to breed puppies as healthy as possible and sound in both temperament and structure.
ii) Registered Breeders (with their Local Council) - describes breeders who advertise as Registered Breeders, who are registered with their local/regional council to be able to breed within their council boundary. They may be breeding purebred unregistered dogs or crossbred dogs. Breeders who use their council registration in their advertising most likely cannot sell you a purebred pedigree puppy as they are not a member of a State Controlling body (ie: DOGS QUEENSLAND) and/or they have not bred from purebred pedigree parents for the litter.
iii) Registered Breeders (with an online registration database) - describes breeders who advertise as Registered Breeders, who are registered with an online registration database. They may be breeding purebred unregistered dogs or crossbred dogs. Breeders who use this type of registration in their advertising most likely cannot sell you a purebred pedigree puppy as they are not a member of a State Controlling body and/or they do not have purebred pedigree parents for the litter. They are often just registered with a body who can produce similar documents to a pedigree. These bodies do not have any quality control ie: not requiring any compliance or health testing of any of the registered members.
iv) Queensland new legislation 2017 - Queensland Dog Breeders Register - Queensland Government (Department of Agriculture & Fisheries {DAF}) introduced laws to promote responsible breeding of dogs, these laws apply to any dog born on or after 26 May 2017 in Queensland. A person who sells, advertises or gives away a dog, must have a Supply Number. The Supply Number (commonly known as a BIN) allows the person who bred a dog to be contacted.
To get a supply number you need to register.
The Supply Number can be a:
• breeder identification number,
• breeder exemption number,
• accreditation number (from an approved entity), or
• unique number that identifies a person as a recognised interstate breeder.
Breeders who advertise a Supply Number or a BIN number are registered with the DAF Queensland Dog Breeders Register.
This Register is not owned or managed by the State Controlling Body for purebred registered pedigree dogs - Dogs Queensland. Any breeder who advertises that they are registered with Dogs Queensland must be able to produce a Dogs Queensland registration as per the Cateogory detailed at i) above.
2. Backyard Breeders - a couple of scenarios
i) this term could be used to describe the family who has a bitch who hasn't been desexed, comes into season and unfortunately either gets out of her yard or a dog gets into her yard and an accidental mating occurs and the bitch has a litter of crossbred puppies. Even if the bitch is a registered purebred dog, these puppies cannot be called purebred nor can they be registered or come with papers.
ii) this term also describes a backyard breeder who may decide to breed their bitch to a dog of their choice, so not an accidental mating, but a planned mating of two dogs who are not purebred and/or pedigreed dogs or even of the same breed.
3. Puppy Farmers - This is a derogatory term which is used to describe breeders who have many bitches who are put into whelp many times during their lifetime and the breeder often has many litters in the year from a number of different bitches.
Unfortunately many, if not all, in this category, do not do health testing, extensive pedigree analysis or make any effort to breed quality healthy puppies.
Often the breed mate selection includes the bitch and the dog being different breeds.
4. Crossbreed (Designer) breeders - This is a term to describe a group of breeders who are making a concerted plan to breed one breed with another breed, giving it a fancy name (usually a combination name of the two breeds) "designer breed" name and in many situations, advertise falsely to the public that these are "purebred" and are "registered" and may come with "papers". Please see the page on this site which provides information about what a "registration certificate" looks like.
Please do not be hoodwinked into believing the old tale that has been around for many, many years that the pup will cost additional money to have the papers. THIS IS NOT CORRECT.
To pay for a puppy and receive papers, you must be purchasing a purebred puppy from a registered breeder (registered with their State Controlling body). An ethical breeder may have a different price for a "pet quality" puppy to a "show quality" puppy but the papers should always be produced for that puppy once the litter is registered with their Controlling body. All pups in the litter must be registered and therefore all pups will have "papers" accompany them to be registered in their new owners name.
Whichever breeder you are considering purchasing your puppy from, it is extremely important to do your homework and research to ensure that you are buying your puppy from an ethical responsible breeder as unfortunately there are people of unscrupulous and questionable ethics in all walks of life and dog breeding is no exception.
Terms which describe Breeders
1. Registered Breeders - There are a number of categories of "advertised" Registered Breeders. It is important that when a breeder advertises that they are "registered" that you get clarification from them as to whether they are registered with their Council or the State Controlling body for purebred dogs.
i) Registered breeders of Pure Bred Pedigree dogs - describes breeders who are a member of their state controlling body (ie: Dogs Queensland, Dogs NSW, etc) and they also have a registered "prefix" which is the name of their kennel which is also registered with their state controlling body. You can ask to see the breeders membership card which shows their membership number and their prefix "kennel" name. (See more information on the "Registered Breeders and Registered Puppies page").
Responsible Registered breeders usually breed primarily for their own needs and then sell the rest of the litter to selected homes. They conduct the necessary health testing, extensive pedigree research and analysis to go through a detailed process of breed mate selection and do everything possible to breed puppies as healthy as possible and sound in both temperament and structure.
ii) Registered Breeders (with their Local Council) - describes breeders who advertise as Registered Breeders, who are registered with their local/regional council to be able to breed within their council boundary. They may be breeding purebred unregistered dogs or crossbred dogs. Breeders who use their council registration in their advertising most likely cannot sell you a purebred pedigree puppy as they are not a member of a State Controlling body (ie: DOGS QUEENSLAND) and/or they have not bred from purebred pedigree parents for the litter.
iii) Registered Breeders (with an online registration database) - describes breeders who advertise as Registered Breeders, who are registered with an online registration database. They may be breeding purebred unregistered dogs or crossbred dogs. Breeders who use this type of registration in their advertising most likely cannot sell you a purebred pedigree puppy as they are not a member of a State Controlling body and/or they do not have purebred pedigree parents for the litter. They are often just registered with a body who can produce similar documents to a pedigree. These bodies do not have any quality control ie: not requiring any compliance or health testing of any of the registered members.
iv) Queensland new legislation 2017 - Queensland Dog Breeders Register - Queensland Government (Department of Agriculture & Fisheries {DAF}) introduced laws to promote responsible breeding of dogs, these laws apply to any dog born on or after 26 May 2017 in Queensland. A person who sells, advertises or gives away a dog, must have a Supply Number. The Supply Number (commonly known as a BIN) allows the person who bred a dog to be contacted.
To get a supply number you need to register.
The Supply Number can be a:
• breeder identification number,
• breeder exemption number,
• accreditation number (from an approved entity), or
• unique number that identifies a person as a recognised interstate breeder.
Breeders who advertise a Supply Number or a BIN number are registered with the DAF Queensland Dog Breeders Register.
This Register is not owned or managed by the State Controlling Body for purebred registered pedigree dogs - Dogs Queensland. Any breeder who advertises that they are registered with Dogs Queensland must be able to produce a Dogs Queensland registration as per the Cateogory detailed at i) above.
2. Backyard Breeders - a couple of scenarios
i) this term could be used to describe the family who has a bitch who hasn't been desexed, comes into season and unfortunately either gets out of her yard or a dog gets into her yard and an accidental mating occurs and the bitch has a litter of crossbred puppies. Even if the bitch is a registered purebred dog, these puppies cannot be called purebred nor can they be registered or come with papers.
ii) this term also describes a backyard breeder who may decide to breed their bitch to a dog of their choice, so not an accidental mating, but a planned mating of two dogs who are not purebred and/or pedigreed dogs or even of the same breed.
3. Puppy Farmers - This is a derogatory term which is used to describe breeders who have many bitches who are put into whelp many times during their lifetime and the breeder often has many litters in the year from a number of different bitches.
Unfortunately many, if not all, in this category, do not do health testing, extensive pedigree analysis or make any effort to breed quality healthy puppies.
Often the breed mate selection includes the bitch and the dog being different breeds.
4. Crossbreed (Designer) breeders - This is a term to describe a group of breeders who are making a concerted plan to breed one breed with another breed, giving it a fancy name (usually a combination name of the two breeds) "designer breed" name and in many situations, advertise falsely to the public that these are "purebred" and are "registered" and may come with "papers". Please see the page on this site which provides information about what a "registration certificate" looks like.
Please do not be hoodwinked into believing the old tale that has been around for many, many years that the pup will cost additional money to have the papers. THIS IS NOT CORRECT.
To pay for a puppy and receive papers, you must be purchasing a purebred puppy from a registered breeder (registered with their State Controlling body). An ethical breeder may have a different price for a "pet quality" puppy to a "show quality" puppy but the papers should always be produced for that puppy once the litter is registered with their Controlling body. All pups in the litter must be registered and therefore all pups will have "papers" accompany them to be registered in their new owners name.
Whichever breeder you are considering purchasing your puppy from, it is extremely important to do your homework and research to ensure that you are buying your puppy from an ethical responsible breeder as unfortunately there are people of unscrupulous and questionable ethics in all walks of life and dog breeding is no exception.