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I'm looking into buying a beagle for the first time. What do I need to look for in a good breeder? What questions do I need to ask? What warning signs do I need to watch out for?

>>I'm looking into buying a beagle for the first time. What do I need to look for in a good breeder? What questions do I need to ask? What warning signs do I need to watch out for?

You want a breeder who is proving the dogs in some significant way before deciding to breed them. Beagles have performance events that breeders can use to prove their breeding dogs have the instinct and trainability for the task they were bred to do. Dog shows are open to registered Beagles so their breeders can prove they have the proper conformation and reasonable temperament (to the extent it can be seen in the show ring--it eliminates some dogs) to be bred.

I don't recall what genetic problems need to be watched for in Beagles, but part of your homework needs to be to discover that. You're looking for a breeder who watches for genetic problems and removes dogs carrying those problems from the breeding pool.

Check the American Kennel Club's website, www.akc.org. Read the breed standard for the Beagle, and click on the web page for the Beagle's national breed club. You'll find a lot about the breed there. Either there or on the AKC website or both places, you'll find listings for the breeder referral and rescue contact people. The breeder referral person can help you find a breeder who is a member of the national breed club (and therefore has at least some measure of accountability) to talk to about getting a dog. The rescue person can be a good resource, too, even if you want a registered puppy rather than an adult rescue dog. Rescue people know a LOT about the breed, including what breeders don't behave responsibly, and what problems cause people to give up their Beagles (noise is one).

One thing you want to see in a responsible breeder is that they will want the dog back if you ever decide not to keep it. A responsible breeder will want to have some say in whether or not you're going to breed that dog. A spay/neuter clause in the contract is a good sign, unless the breeder is going to remain involved and direct any breeding that gets done. In that case, you might be getting the dog on a limited registration that can be modified later, or on a co-ownership with the breeder. Breeding is a big job, a big responsibility, and a big expense, so don't commit to such an arrangement unless you're really sure it's what you want. Having your dog spayed/neutered makes life a lot easier.

A good breeder is placing puppies that have been carefully produced, and will not be making a profit, even if the pups are $800 to $1000 apiece. The breeder will interview prospective families very carefully. If the breeder only cares about getting the money and getting the dog out the door, find another breeder.

A good breeder places dogs personally directly from their first home, and does not send puppies through the pet shop system. A good breeder would never entrust the selection of homes for the puppies to a dog broker or pet shop.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series at www.veterinaryforum.com

On petfinder.com there are 450 beagles listed Nationally.

www.petfinder.org/pet.cgi

out of the 450, 379 of them are listed as "baby"

www.petfinder.org/pet.cgi?action=1&display=&preview=1&SessionID=3ef5f7c61f7e3b2a-app1&row=25&pet.Animal=Dog&pet.Breed=Beagle&pet.Age=Baby&pet.Size=&pet.Sex=&location=01950&pet.options=&scope=0&exact=&pet.options2=&pet.options6=&pet.Name=

These dogs desperately need homes, adopting a dog can be the most rewarding thing in the whole world.
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Alicia, who is so glad to have a husband Chris, Avari (my Shiba Inu), Muzie gato (big kitty), Mr Grobbles (ferral kitty) 2 firebelly frogs and a newt