08/13/2026
A little breeder PSA:
Your breeder should be your first resource when you have questions about the dog you purchased from them.
Questions about raising the puppy, training, hunting development, health, behavior, or troubleshooting should generally start with the person who bred or sold you the dog. That's part of what reputable breeders provide to their puppy buyers.
What can be frustrating is when someone has researched multiple breeders, knows what they offer, and intentionally chooses another breeder because the puppy is cheaper, available sooner, or more convenient sometimes even knowing they're getting fewer benefits or less support and then comes back expecting another breeder to provide that support anyway.
Breeders invest an enormous amount of time and money into their programs. Land, birds, equipment, training, health testing, titles, facilities, education, and years of experience don't come for free. Neither does the time spent answering question after question or helping someone develop a dog.
That support is part of the value of purchasing from a breeder who offers it.
And there is a difference between someone offering outside training, lessons, boarding, or seminars and someone being expected to provide those things informally to people who purchased elsewhere.
If a breeder offers those services to the public, that's completely different they've chosen to make their time and resources available as a service.
But asking a breeder, “I bought my dog somewhere else will you help me train it?”
can be a pretty unfair question, particularly when you knew about that breeder and their program beforehand and simply chose not to purchase from them.
No reputable breeder should want a dog or owner to fail, and most are going to help when they genuinely can. But there is a difference between being willing to help and being responsible for providing another breeder's puppy buyers with the support their own breeder should be providing.
I absolutely believe that, as breeders, we should support our community as a whole. Sharing knowledge, helping each other, and wanting to see dogs and owners succeed is part of being a good member of the community.
If someone has a question, needs a little direction, or genuinely needs help, I don't think breeders should automatically turn them away simply because they didn't purchase from us.
But there is a difference between answering a question and being expected to provide ongoing training, development, troubleshooting, access to birds and equipment, or hours of personal guidance.
I also think there is a difference between supporting your community and giving away your time and resources.
I'm talking about the, “I didn't come to you because you were too expensive, I wanted a puppy sooner, I didn't want to travel, I didn't want to wait, or I chose another option for whatever reason but I see the success of your dogs and I don't want to do all of this work myself. Will you help me? “
I'm talking about the situations where someone intentionally chooses a backyard breeder or a less established program because they want to skip the price, the wait, the application process, the distance, or the work involved in finding and investing in a reputable program but they want the benefit of a reputable breeder for free.
And that's where I think there needs to be some perspective.
So when choosing a breeder, don't just compare puppy prices, availability, or how quickly you can get a dog.
Ask what happens after the puppy goes home.
Who will be there when you have questions?
Who will help you develop the dog?
Who stands behind what they produce?
What support is actually included?
Because you're not just buying a puppy.
You're choosing the breeder and the relationship that comes with that puppy.
Breeding isn't successful simply because someone produces puppies. A successful breeding program requires time invested in the dogs themselves.
Time to train them.
Time to hunt them.
Time to title them.
Time to health test them.
Time to evaluate them.
Time to develop young dogs properly.
Time to build relationships with puppy buyers and support the dogs that have been produced.
If you are drawn to another breeder because of their success, knowledge, experience, dogs, or accomplishments, then invest in it.
Don't just expect the benefit of everything they've spent years building. Support the program that produced the knowledge and success you're drawn to.
