Unfortunately our beloved husky, Toka, recently passed away and we are, as you can imagine, devastated.  We are looking to try and find a husky pup to help fill the hole that has been left in our famiy, but as we are due to have a 2 week holiday in April we are looking for a breeder who would have a litter planned to be born in early march, for homing in early may.  I would be grateful for any advice on where i can get information on breeders who might be planning any litters then, or if not, possible places i could contact to obtain that sort of information.  We live in Northumberland so would prefer to look in the North east, but would go further afield to find a good breeder.

Hi,

Have you thought about a rescue instead of a puppy. Unfortunately, the Siberian Husky has become the victim of the puppy farmer/backyard breeders, who are churning out pups like there's no tomorrow and selling them to naive and ill-prepared new owners. As a result, within a short period, the owners can't cope and the dogs come into rescue. Since we started the Siberian Husky Welfare Association (UK) in February 2007, we have taken in and rehomed over 250 unwanted Siberians, male and female, aged from 8 weeks to 12 years.
If you are interested in a rescue, send me a private message and I will start the process rolling.

If you do have your heart set on a puppy, please be extremely careful. Bad breeders outnumber the good ones tenfold. These are some of the indicators you can use to check breeders out. Firstly, are the dogs being bred Kennel Club registered and are the pups KC registered?  KC registration is not a 100% guarantee, but it is a strong indication that the pedigree of your dog is accurate and honest. If sire, dam or the pups are not KC registered beat a hasty retreat at that point. 

Do they work and/or show their dogs. If not, why are they breeding? Most breeders breed litters to improve their stock for the show ring or the trail. If they are doing neither you have to assume that their main motivation is cash! - not the best reason for breeding dogs.

Secondly, how easy do they make it to buy a puppy? If you don't get the (friendly) third degree about your knowledge of the breed, the security of your garden & house etc. it is unlikely that they are a responsible breeder. Will they let you see the mum and dad and all their other dogs? You can learn a lot from the condition and temperament of the adult dogs in a breeder's kennel. On many occasions the breeder will have gone 'outside' for a mating so they won't actually own the stud dog, but they should be able to show you pictures, pedigree and health certification. Although as a breed, the Siberian Husky is very healthy, all responsible breeders will screen their dogs for hereditary defects. In particular, they should be checked for hip and eye defects. Ask if the parents of the puppies are tested and ask to see the results.

Will they expect you to sign a puppy contract in which you undertake to return the dog direct to the breeder if for any reason you cannot keep it? All responsible breeders will insist on this. So - that is what you look for when you find a breeder, but how do you find one?

One of the best ways is to visit large Championship Dog Shows and find the Siberian Husky benches. Here you will find a wide variety of Siberians, their owners and breeders. You will also be able to see loads of dogs and decide what 'type' of dog you would like. If you buy a catalogue you will have access to the addresses of all the owners at the show.
Similarly in the winter you can visit some of the racing events which happen all over the country.

You may have to wait to get the puppy you want as most reputable breeders only breed occasionally - If you are properly prepared, the wait will be worth it.

As I said, you do need to be extremely careful when choosing a breeder. The biggest safeguard you can have is doing your homework thoroughly before even approaching a breeder. The fact that a breeder may be a member of the Siberian Husky Club of Great Britain or the Scottish Siberian Husky Club is no guarantee that the breeder is ethical. Nor is membership of the Kennel Club accredited breeder scheme. Over the years, we have come across some appalling puppy farmers who have been members.

Good Luck

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