When shopping for dog breeders, it's important to remember that they're not all the same.

Unfortunately, new and excited potential dog owners simply do not take time to learn information about dog breeders and end up purchasing a puppy from a backyard breeder or one of many puppy mills. Although this is not always the case, there are a handful of breeders that do not care about the standards for the American Kennel Club or with the health of the dog, but are instead more interested in making money.

What can come from this is a puppy that grows into an adult dog having health problems or, even worse, behavioral issues. This type of unethical breeding is becoming extremely common in small dog breeders, because of the growing popularity of small dogs like the Yorkshire Terrier, or yorkie, and teacup dogs like the Chihuahua.

To avoid the pitfalls of a bad breeder, it is best to try and remain as level headed as possible about the purchase of your new pooch and follow your instincts about the breeder. Keep in mind some of the following tips when searching for a reputable dog breeder:

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