Purebred Rescue Societies: Breed rescuers are people who love a particular breed so much that they often house 20 dogs at a time. The goal of breed rescue is to find homes for dogs that for some reason or other did not work out in their first home. Most of the time, these dogs were simply chosen by uneducated people. Usually, the rescuer keeps the dog long enough to get to know it very well, and can give you a very detailed analysis of the dog's temperament. Rescue societies are often the best references for finding a reputable breeder; they are familiar with the best and the worst of an area. Sometimes responsible breeders are also rescuers. Call a rescue society person up -- they love to talk about their breed and are very honest about its shortcomings.  Comprehensive list of breed rescue societies. 

Local and National Breed Clubs: Often, the best place to start to look for a particular breed is to contact the national breed club. They usually will send objective information on the breed and should have a list of breeders in the local area who have registered with the national breed club. There may even be a local chapter of the breed club. See the General Breed Traits Page or the Links Page for more information.   Be sure to make sure you still know how to select a responsible breeder. 

Online references:  There are several online references that have taken the time to screen breeders for potential dog owners.   One such reference is . 

S.P.C.A., Humane, and Animal Protection Societies: These organizations are, most often, privately funded. Many, screen all dogs for medical problems like heartworm and behavioral problems like aggression.  Dogs at many privately funded shelters are given their first set of shots, dewormed, de-fleaed, and spayed or neutered if they are old enough. All of this is often included in your adoption fee and the dog comes with a health guarantee. (See                              Humane Links)

Animal Shelters: Each city usually has its "animal shelter" that is funded by taxpayer dollars exclusively. With a few exceptions, most of these shelters only hold an animal in order for it to be reclaimed for a period of 5 days. They do not give the animals shots or screen them for heartworms. If you adopt a dog from a shelter like this, bring it to a vet immediately for a heartworm test. Heartworm is treatable, but the treatment is very expensive and can be very hard on a dog, depending on how extensive the infection is. Shots, deworming, and de-fleaing should also be done on shelter dogs immediately. Remember to perform a temperament test before choosing a dog from a shelter.

Dogs from "down the street" or from the newspaper: Use the Hallmarks of a Responsible Breeder to screen these sources of dogs. Often, getting a mixed breed from the newspaper or from a neighbor is much less risky than getting a pure-bred dog from the same source. Temperament test these dogs and find out as much as possible about the mother.