Here are some additional tips from The Humane Society of the United States:

Look for a breeder who:

Keeps dogs in the home as part of the family -- not exclusively outdoors in kennels;

*Has dogs who appear happy and healthy, are excited to meet new people, and don't shy away from visitors;

*Shows you where the dogs spend most of their time; the area should be clean and well maintained;

*Encourages you to spend time with the puppy's parents-- at a minimum, the pup’s mother -- when you visit;

*Only breeds one or two types of dogs and is knowledgeable about what are called "breed standards" (the desired characteristics of the breed, such as size, proportion, coat, color and temperament);

*Has a strong relationship with a local veterinarian and shows you records of veterinary visits for the puppies and explains the puppies' medical history and what vaccinations your new puppy will need;

*Explains in detail the potential genetic problems inherent in the breed (every breed has specific genetic predispositions) and provides documentation, through organizations such as the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA), that the puppy's parents and grandparents have been tested to ensure that they are free of these genetic problems;

*Offers guidance for caring for and training your puppy and is available for assistance after you take your puppy home;

*Provides references from other families who have purchased puppies;

*Feeds high quality "premium" brand pet food;

*Doesn't always have puppies available but rather will keep a list of interested people for the next available litter;

*Is actively involved with local, state, and national clubs that specialize in the specific breed; good breeders may also compete the dogs in conformation trials (which judge how closely dogs match their “breed standard”), obedience trials (which judge how well dogs perform specific sets of tasks on command), or tracking and agility trials;

*Encourages multiple visits and wants your entire family to meet the puppy;

*Provides you with a written contract and health guarantee and allows plenty of time for you to read it thoroughly;

*Does not allow puppies to leave their litter before they are a minimum of 8-weeks old.

In addition, you'll want a breeder who requires some things of you, too. The breeder should require you to:

*Explain why you want a dog, and why you are interested in this breed in particular;

*Explain who in your family will be responsible for the pup's daily care, who will attend training classes, where the dog will spend most of his or her time, and what “rules” have been decided upon for the puppy---for example, whether or not the dog will be allowed on furniture;

*Provide a veterinary reference;

*Provide proof from your landlord or condominium board (if you rent or live in a condominium complex) that you are allowed to have a dog;

*Sign a contract that you will spay or neuter the dog unless you will be actively involved in showing him or her (which applies to show-quality dogs only);

*Sign a contract stating that you will return the dog to the breeder should you be unable to keep the dog at any point in the dog's life.

If the breeder you're working with doesn't meet all of these minimum criteria, the Humane Society of the United States advises you to walk away. Remember, your dog will likely live 10 to 20 years, so it's well worth investing some time now to be sure you're working with a reputable breeder who breeds healthy, happy dogs. You can find reputable breeders by asking for referrals from your veterinarian or from trusted friends, contacting local breed clubs, or visiting dog shows.

Here's what you need to know if the breeder or store tells you the puppy is "registered."

Q. What is a registry?

A. Simply put, dog registries keep records about dogs, including the dog's official name, breed, color, sex, and owner. The information is tracked with a registration number. These records should also include a pedigree (the breeder/kennel, the dog's parents, grandparents, etc.) and any titles earned by any of the dogs involved. DNA records may also be a part of the registry.

Q. What does it mean for a dog to be registered with the AKC?

A. The AKC is the oldest and most prestigious kennel club in the USA. It has rigorous accountability standards that breeders must follow, including requiring stud dogs to have a DNA profile on record with the AKC. The AKC can and will disqualify an entire litter if only one puppy’s DNA is found to not match the sire. A sire dog can only have two such instances on his record before being permanently disqualified from registration with the AKC, which would also disqualify any subsequent litters. Because of this, breeders take great care to ensure that the females are bred only to specific eligible males and those records are carefully kept.

Q. Is there a different between registry with the American Kennel Club (AKC) and other registries like America’s Pet registry (APRI), Continental pet Club (CKC), American Canine Registry (ACR)?

A. These organizations (and others) are pet registries. One big difference between pet registries and the AKC is that pet registries have "voluntary compliance" with breeding standards. DNA testing is not required, so a breeder can mate a female with several males but list only one sire. In fact, the breeder can list any male dog, even if he was not mated to the female because there’s no proof required. Lax rules and lack of accountability can lead to poor quality dogs, congenital defects and dogs that are not in fact purebreds. Many of the so-called “designer dogs” such as Labradoodles (Labrador/poodle crosses) and Puggles (Pug/Beagle crosses) can be registered with the pet registries. These dogs cannot be registered with the AKC because they are not purebred breeds.

Pet registries are referred to as "breeder friendly" because of the lack of accountability required. Hobby breeders, backyard breeders and puppy mills use pet registries and sometimes register the same dog under different names with different registries. Reputable breeders who truly care about breed standards and healthy dogs with good temperaments will register their dogs with the AKC only. The AKC will not allow multiple registrations.

For additional information go to the Web sites for The Humane Society of the United States and the The American Kennel Club.