Most people looking for a dog have the right instincts: they want to avoid puppy mills, they want a healthy dog, they want a breeder who cares. The problem is that bad actors know this and have gotten very good at looking like responsible breeders. Professional websites, staged photos, and scripted answers about "health testing" are all easy to manufacture.
This guide is about the parts that cannot be faked: public health databases, verifiable registry records, and the specific questions that separate someone who understands their breed from someone reading from a script. It is written for buyers who want to do this right.
1. Where to Start Your Search
The most reliable starting point is your breed's national parent club. Every AKC-recognized breed has a parent club (the Golden Retriever Club of America, the Labrador Retriever Club, the German Shepherd Dog Club of America, and so on), and most maintain a breeder referral list of members who have signed a code of ethics. These breeders have committed, at minimum, to following the club's health testing guidelines and not selling to pet stores or brokers. That is not a guarantee of quality, but it screens out the worst actors.
Start at the AKC parent club website for your breed. If you are looking at a UKC-recognized breed or a breed outside AKC recognition, find the primary breed club in the US. Search for "your breed + parent club" or go directly to akc.org and navigate to the breed page, which will link you to the parent club.
From the breeder referral list, identify breeders within reasonable distance or who ship to your region, and then do your own verification work. A club membership is a starting point, not an endorsement.
Searching on BreederHQ
BreederHQ is a marketplace built specifically for breeders who maintain documented records. You can filter by breed and see profiles backed by actual health test data, pedigrees, and breeding history, not just a self-written ad. Browse dog breeders on BreederHQ alongside your breed club search.
Other reasonable sources include word of mouth from local dog training clubs, breed-specific Facebook groups (with the caveat that these require verification work), and platforms that publish breeder health testing records directly. Avoid Craigslist, general classified sites, and any marketplace where breeders do not post documented health records.
2. Understanding Health Testing
"Health tested" and "vet checked" are not the same thing. A vet check is a routine physical examination. Health testing means having specific diagnostic evaluations performed to assess genetic risk for heritable diseases in that breed, usually before breeding, and reporting those results to a public database.
The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) maintains the most comprehensive public database of dog health test results in the United States. Results are searchable at ofa.org. The OFA also runs the Canine Health Information Center (CHIC), which defines the minimum health testing requirements the parent club recommends for each breed.
What the common tests mean
OFA Hip Evaluation
Hip dysplasia is one of the most common heritable orthopedic problems in dogs. OFA hip evaluations involve radiographs submitted to three OFA-approved veterinary radiologists who grade the hip conformation. Results are Excellent, Good, Fair (all passing), Borderline, Mild, Moderate, or Severe. Responsible breeders use only dogs with Excellent or Good hips, and sometimes Fair, depending on the breed. A dog used for breeding should have OFA-certified hips, not just a normal-looking x-ray from a local vet that was never submitted to OFA.
PennHIP
PennHIP is an alternative hip evaluation method that measures hip laxity using a distraction index (DI). A lower DI is better. PennHIP evaluations can be done as early as 16 weeks of age and are considered by many specialists to be more predictive of later dysplasia than OFA. Results are not publicly searchable the way OFA results are, but the breeder can show you the report and the DI number. Ask what the breed's average DI is and how the parents compare.
OFA Elbow Evaluation
Elbow dysplasia covers several developmental conditions affecting the elbow joint. OFA elbow evaluations are graded Normal (passing), Grade I, Grade II, or Grade III. For large breeds prone to elbow dysplasia (Labradors, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, Rottweilers, and many others), responsible breeders test both parents. OFA elbow results are publicly searchable.
OFA Cardiac Evaluation
Heritable cardiac disease is significant in breeds like Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (Mitral Valve Disease), Boxers (Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy), Dobermans (DCM), and many others. An OFA cardiac evaluation requires examination by a board-certified cardiologist. A general vet listening to the heart is not an OFA cardiac evaluation.
CAER Eye Certification
Previously called CERF, the CAER (Companion Animal Eye Registry) exam is performed by a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist and screens for heritable eye diseases. Results must be renewed annually because some conditions develop with age. Breeds with significant eye disease history include Collies (Collie Eye Anomaly), Cocker Spaniels (progressive retinal atrophy), and many others.
Genetic Panel Testing
DNA-based genetic tests identify carriers and affected dogs for specific mutations. Embark Vet and Wisdom Panel are the most common providers. Parent clubs define which tests are required for CHIC compliance. Examples: MDR1 (drug sensitivity gene in herding breeds), DM (degenerative myelopathy in many breeds), Exercise-Induced Collapse in Labradors, Hereditary Nasal Parakeratosis in Labradors, Progressive Retinal Atrophy in many breeds. The results identify whether each dog is Clear (no copies of the mutation), Carrier (one copy, unaffected but can pass on), or Affected (two copies). Carrier-to-Clear pairings are acceptable; Carrier-to-Carrier are not, because they risk producing Affected offspring.
To find the specific tests recommended for your breed, go to the OFA CHIC website and search for your breed. The CHIC page will list each required and recommended test. Any breeder claiming to "health test" without doing the tests on the CHIC list for their breed is using the phrase loosely.
3. How to Verify What a Breeder Claims
The most important verification step is searching the OFA database directly. Go to ofa.org and search by the dog's registered name or the breeder's kennel name. OFA results are public and searchable. If a breeder tells you they OFA-tested their dogs but the dogs do not appear in the database, either the tests were not submitted to OFA (meaning you have no independent validation) or the breeder is misrepresenting the testing. Ask for the dog's registered AKC or UKC name and search it yourself.
How to search OFA
- 1. Go to ofa.org
- 2. Click "OFA Database" in the top navigation
- 3. Search by the dog's registered name, registration number, or breeder/kennel name
- 4. Look at the results column: Excellent/Good/Fair for hips, Normal for elbows and cardiac
- 5. Check the date — results should be recent (most valid for breeding-age dogs)
For genetic panel testing, Embark results can be shared via a direct link from Embark's platform. Ask the breeder to share the Embark profile link for both the sire and dam. You can view the results directly on Embark's website without creating an account. If a breeder offers only a screenshot of results rather than a shareable link, be more cautious.
AKC registration can be verified by searching AKC.org for the dog's registered name or registration number. For breeders on BreederHQ, the platform performs registry passthrough checks that confirm the registration number matches the OFA or breed registry database, and links you to the source record directly.
4. What to Look for When You Visit (or Video Call)
Any responsible breeder should be willing to let you visit or, for out-of-state buyers, do a live video call that shows you the dam and the environment where the puppies are being raised. If a breeder refuses both, that is a significant red flag.
What to look for in person or on video
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The dam is present and accessible
You should be able to see the mother of the litter. If the breeder says she is unavailable, at the vet, or otherwise absent every time you try to visit, be very cautious. Seeing the dam's temperament and physical condition is one of the most useful pieces of information you can gather.
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Puppies are raised in the home or a clean, enriched kennel
Early socialization happens in the environment where the puppy is raised. Puppies in a home grow up with normal household sounds and human contact. Puppies raised in an isolated outdoor kennel or barn with no human interaction develop differently. Ask where the puppies sleep and spend their time.
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The environment is clean but not sterile
A clean environment shows care for the animals. But some mess and play is normal and healthy. A facility that looks like a showroom may have puppies that are kept away from normal contact for presentation purposes.
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The breeder asks you questions too
A responsible breeder is placing a puppy they care about. They will want to know where you live, your lifestyle, whether you have other pets or children, your experience with dogs, and whether you have a plan for training and veterinary care. A breeder who takes any buyer without screening is not protecting the dogs.
What to be cautious about
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The breeder meets you in a parking lot rather than their home or facility
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They cannot produce the dam and say she is "at another location"
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Multiple different breeds are visible, especially with large numbers of dogs
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The puppies show signs of poor socialization: extreme fear responses, cowering from normal sounds or movement, unusual aggression for their age
5. Questions to Ask Any Breeder
These questions are not a gotcha exercise. They are a genuine filter for knowledge and commitment. A responsible breeder will not be offended by any of them. They will answer enthusiastically, because this is the conversation they want to have.
"What health tests do you do on the sire and dam before breeding, and can you show me the results?"
The answer should name specific tests (OFA hips, OFA elbows, cardiac, CAER, specific genetic panels) and they should either give you the dog's registered name to look up in OFA yourself, or show you the OFA certificate and an Embark/genetic test link. "We do a vet check before every litter" is not health testing.
"Will you take this dog back at any age if I can no longer keep them?"
A responsible breeder's answer is always yes, without hesitation. This is the single clearest indicator of whether a breeder takes responsibility for the animals they produce. A breeder who qualifies this, hedges on it, or says "it depends" is telling you something important about their priorities.
"How many litters do you breed per year, and how many breeds do you work with?"
There is no universal right number, but the answer tells you about scale and focus. One or two breeds, a small number of litters per year, and a real waiting list is the pattern of someone breeding because they care about the breed. A high number of litters, multiple breeds, and always-available puppies points toward volume production.
"What does your contract cover, and what are the conditions that void the health guarantee?"
Ask for a copy of the contract before you pay any deposit. Read the voiding conditions carefully: some contracts are voided by using a food not approved by the breeder, by spaying or neutering outside a specific age window, or by missing a vet visit within a short window after pickup. Know what you are signing. See our guide to puppy health guarantees for a full teardown of what these contracts usually say.
"Are you involved with your breed club, and do you show or compete with your dogs?"
Not every responsible breeder shows, but breed club participation and competition are meaningful signals of engagement with the breed community. Breeders who show or compete get external evaluation of their dogs against the breed standard, which is a form of accountability that backyard breeders and commercial producers typically do not have.
6. Red Flags That Should Make You Walk Away
Most of these are not ambiguous. A breeder who hits several of these is almost certainly not someone you want to buy from, no matter how good the puppies look in the photos.
Puppies always available
A responsible breeder has a waiting list. If there are always puppies ready to go, the breeder is producing more litters than their waiting list requires, which is a sign of commercial-scale production.
No health tests, or only "vet checked"
A vet check is not health testing. If the breeder cannot name the OFA evaluation, the cardiologist who did the cardiac exam, or the specific genetic panel results, they are not health testing to the standard their breed requires.
Cannot or will not show you the dam
The mother of the litter should be present and accessible. A breeder who cannot produce her, says she is "with another family" or "at a different location," is likely a broker or a farm that acquired her from elsewhere.
Pressure to decide immediately or lose the puppy
A responsible breeder has a waiting list and a screening process. They are not going to push you to commit before you are ready. Urgency is a sales tactic.
Will not answer questions about health testing
If a breeder deflects, changes the subject, or gives vague answers when you ask for specific test results, take that seriously. A breeder who does proper health testing wants to talk about it.
Multiple breeds, many litters, professional-looking shipping operation
This is the commercial model. Some large operations produce quality dogs, but the pattern of many breeds, continuous availability, and broker-style shipping is the signature of volume production rather than a breeding program focused on a single breed's health and improvement.
No contract, or a contract that only goes one way
No written agreement means no protection for you. A one-sided contract that protects only the breeder's interests (no refunds, no returns, buyer assumes all risk) is worse than no contract because it formalizes a bad deal.
Insists you must visit before the litter is whelped to "get in line"
Legitimate breeders take applications on a rolling basis and place buyers when appropriate. Some breeders have early application lists, which is fine. "Visit now or lose your spot" before any puppies exist is a sales tactic, not a breeding program policy.
7. Before You Sign Anything
Read the entire contract before paying a deposit. This sounds obvious but most buyers skim it. The sections that matter most are the health guarantee coverage and exclusions, the voiding conditions, the remedy (replacement puppy vs. partial refund vs. vet-cost contribution, and whether return of the dog is required), and the spay/neuter requirements.
Pay specific attention to voiding conditions. Common ones include: failing the initial vet check within 72 hours, missing required vaccinations on a specific schedule, feeding a protein or brand not approved by the breeder, allowing the dog to become overweight, spaying or neutering outside a defined window, and transferring the dog to another person. Any of these can end your coverage regardless of whether the condition they are supposed to cover has anything to do with food, weight, or transfer.
For a detailed teardown of what these contracts usually contain and what they usually exclude, see our guide: Puppy Health Guarantee: What It Actually Covers.
Also see: Puppy Deposit Refund Rules by State -- before you pay a non-refundable deposit, know what your state's law says about it.
8. What a Real Wait Means
The most common frustration buyers have with responsible breeders is the waiting list. Six to eighteen months is a common range. Some breeds from highly regarded breeders have waits measured in years.
The wait exists because a responsible breeder does not breed more often than their waiting list requires. They breed when they have the right pairing, a dam who is physically ready and not being over-bred, and a list of buyers they have screened and approved. They are not producing puppies on a schedule and then finding buyers for them. The puppies come first in the breeding decision, and the list fills from there.
If you are not willing to wait, you are going to end up buying from someone who can produce a puppy on demand, and the reason they can do that is almost always that they are producing more than their waiting list requires. That is not a responsible breeding operation.
The wait is worth it. The dog you bring home will be with you for 10 to 15 years. Six months on a waiting list is a very small fraction of that.
Find dog breeders with real health records
Browse responsible dog breeders on BreederHQ. Every profile is published from the same software breeders use to run their program, so what you see is grounded in their actual records.
Browse Dog BreedersRelated Reading
How to Evaluate Breeders
A step-by-step process for evaluating any breeder you find.
Understanding Health Testing
A deeper look at what health tests actually mean and how to read them.
Red Flags to Avoid
Warning signs that should stop you from buying from a breeder.
Puppy Health Guarantee: What It Covers
A teardown of what these contracts actually protect and what they exclude.