Dog Adoption Application Word Document Form: Fill & Download for Free

For a bit of a twist, I was a Canadian customs (and then immigration officer) at both the busiest car entry (Windsor-Detroit tunnel) and then Canada’s busiest airport (Toronto) when I was going through law school. I remember quite vividly during my very first shift, having a US plated car pull up to my booth with the music blaring. When I asked the driver to turn down the music, he turned it down a bit in a huff and then said, “I’m in a hurry. I don’t have to answer any of your damn questions…I’m just going to plead the fifth anyway”.Obviously not a fellow reader of Dale CarnegieI was intrigued to find out exactly what method of influence and persuasion he was attempting.Without saying a word in response, I took out my trusted little pink slip pad, made some notations and then slipped it under his wiper. He stared at me in bewilderment. I simply pointed to the Secondary Inspection area. He squealed out of the booth and drove over to secondary. As luck would have it, a moment or two later I rotated from the primary booth to Secondary. So guess who got to pull that pink slip off of Mr. Charming’s wiper and do the secondary inspection? He was really steaming at this point, as he had been delayed from whatever his “important meeting” had been.Before approaching his car, I alerted the area supervisor that this was a “CAA” (i.e. Class A A..hole) and to listen in. Adopting an overly courteous but unhurried manner, I approached the gentleman and made the following speech:You may NOT be aware, but as a non-Canadian you are seeking MY DISCRETION to allow you and your vehicle into Canada today.You may also NOT be aware that under international law, border officials such as myself have extraordinary unlimited search and seizure powers that unlike domestic law enforcement officials DO NOT require any prior warrants.You may also NOT be aware that along with NOT exercising my discretion to allow you into Canada, since you have chosen to attempt entry into Canada with a vehicle, I still have the power to seize this “means of conveyance”. This means you go back but the car stays.You may also NOT be aware that in Canada, we have a Charter of Rights and Freedoms which governs our interaction. The “Fifth Amendment” which you previously mentioned is part of the US Bill of Rights. It is NOT applicable on this side of the border and is going to be meaningless in the discussion we are about to have.Putting on my biggest smile, I then said:Therefore as I was about to ask you a few moments ago, what documentation do you have to prove your citizenship and what is the purpose of your proposed entry into Canada today?Mr. Tough Guy became Mr. Meek and Mild. He gave me his ID; answered all of my questions quietly; and didn’t say a word when I popped the trunk (it was empty) and then proceeded to have “Ralph the Sniffer Dog” do a once over. At the end of this I did a pregnant pause and concluded with “That wasn’t so hard was it?….Welcome to Canada”For more of my border stories read:David S. Lesperance's answer to Why are Canadian border agents mean and disrespectful?

At the most basic level, Yoruba is a Volta-Congo language. Thus, the initial stage of the language starts with the hypothetical Proto-Volta-Congo language, which was likely spoken in the savannah regions of Central West Africa. While very little is known on what this language would have been like, particularly since it has historically been thought of as the foremost subset of the somewhat speculative Niger-Congo family, what can be ascertained is that the language had a fully functional noun classification system likely with concord and a set of extensional affixes that would affect the valency of a verb (aka verb extensions).Consequently, it was an agglutinative language. Additionally, it must have been an SVO language. Most words, especially nouns, also seem to have been mainly of a -CVCV format, but were likely preceded by a noun class affix of the form CV-. Additionally, sets of unique consonants were likely present or were to soon evolve, such as labial-velar consonants (/kp/, /gb/, etc.) and prenasalized consonants, which appears to have lasted even to the latest stages of its modern daughter languages. Advanced Tongue Root (ATR) vowel harmony may have also been present, such that ATR+ (o, e, u, i, etc.) and ATR- (ɔ, ɛ, ʊ, ɪ, etc.) vowels can only coexist with other vowels of the same quality in the same word. It was also likely a tonal language with, at minimum, two contrasting tones (rising and falling).As for reconstructed words from this “Proto-Volta-Congo” period, those are sorely lacking. However, there are provisionally reconstructed words for Proto-Niger-Congo, which, while, again, constituting words from a speculative language, have so many common reflexes throughout the supposed familial domain (including Volta-Congo) even at reconstructed lower stages in the tree that there must be significant validity to these forms.Below are some preliminary/pseudo-reconstructions mostly by linguist Konstantin Pozdniakov of “Proto-Niger-Congo” and Westermann of “Proto-Western Sudanic” that may be useful in seeing the evolution of words into Yoruba.Pozdniakov reconstructions: [1][1][1][1][2][2][2][2]#di → “eat” [3]#ni/nu → “person”This form may have originally ended in a voiceless dental plosive (/-t/). [4]#nai/naγi → “four”#buha → “dog”#pu → white#niŋ → “tooth”#di → “is”Westermann Reconstructions: [5][5][5][5]#ba/bo → “to be”#bya → “come”#ba? → they (human 3rd person plural)#kua → “kill”#gu → “die”#nama → “animal” [6]#nu → “mouth”#min- → “swallow”#mi → “I/me” [7]#pina → “squeeze”#kual-/kuan- → “cough”#-ta-/-taN → “bow”Extensional suffixes (verb extensions): [8][8][8][8][9][9][9][9]#-de → applicative suffix#-ci → causative suffixNote 1: The “#” refers to pseudo or preliminary reconstructions, and is used to differentiate it from “* ,” which shows fully or largely acceptable reconstructions. The original sources marked most of the reconstructions above with *, but since these are meant to be representative of a language that is speculative, I chose to use “#.”When ignoring noun classifications marking and concord, the possibility of verbal extensions, tonality, along with other yet-to-be-identified grammatical features, but bearing in mind that the constituent word order was likely SVO, and that determiners likely followed the noun, one may infer some contrived statements:[Contrived PNC Phrase]→ buha mi kua-de mi /\-nama /\-pu /\-naγi.# → buha(1) mi(2) kua(3)-de(4) mi(5) /\-nama(6) /\-pu(7) /\-naγi(8)lit., dog my kill-for me /\-animal /\-white /\-four“my dog kills four white animals for me.”[Yoruba Phrase]→ Ajá(1) mí(2) pa(3) àwọn ẹ̀ran(6) funfun (7) mẹ́rin(8) fún mí(5)[Contrived PNC Phrase]→ ba di-ci -ni /\-ni-# → ba(1) di(2)-ci(3) /\-ni-(4) /\-ni-(5)lit., they eat-make person elephant“they make the person eat the elephant.”[Yoruba Phrase]→ Àwọn(1) jẹ́ kí ẹnì(4) jẹ(2) erin(5)Note 2: The numbers in the PNC contrived reconstruction correspond to the numbers in the modern Yoruba numbers. If any numbers are missing, then the word and/or extensional affix has been lost.Note 3: The symbol “/\” represents a yet-to-be-identified noun class marker that also coded for concord and number. An example would be in Swahili:Swahili: Vitabu vikubwa vilianguka (“vi-” → plural of the noun class marker “ki-”)lit., “/\-books /\-big /\-they fell”→ “the big books fell”Later, Volta-Congo would split, with one branch becoming the East Volta-Congo. This branch is also known as “Benue-Kwa,” or “Proto-Potou-Akanic-Bantu,” though, for the latter, far less commonly so and usually with regard to the reconstruction of the proto-language. While little is also known about Benue-Kwa, it is thought to have been spoken originally roughly 7,000 years old in the savannah of Central West Africa, but soon began moving southward into the rainforests following a shift toward a drier, less hospitable climate and the desiccation of the Sahara about 6,500 years ago. [10][10][10][10] Prior to this, the Sahara went through a “green” phase with higher rainfall and much more vegetation. This also apparently coincides with the presence of people who used polished stone axes to clear land for the sake of growing yams and oil palms, which was a sign of incipient agriculture.[11][11][11][11]Above: West African oil palms after harvesting. [12][12][12][12]Some words in the language have been reconstructed based on both modern and reconstructed constituent Benue-Kwa languages. Below are some examples from this proto-language: [13][13][13][13]#mi → *mɪ — (“me/I”)#di → *ɗi — (“eat”)#nu → -nʊ — (“mouth”)#nai/naγi → *nā — (“four”)#mina → *mɪlɪ — (“swallow”)#gu → *kʷu — (“die”)#pina → *pīnī — (“to squeeze”)#kual-/kuan- → *kʷapi/*kʷapɪ — (“cough”)#-ta-/-taN → *-ɗa — (“bow”)#ni/nu → *n(V)tV → (“person”)This form isn’t as well reconstructed as the ones above and is reconstructed by a different linguist. [14]It then diversified into a dialect continuum, but with a portion of the language varieties developing, to varying degrees, what are called Kwa-type features, such as monosyllabic word roots of the form “CV,” a weakened noun classification system, and analytic verbal morphology. However, these features arose amongst its descent languages due to a sprachbund/areal contact. Some linguists suggest that some of these features, especially the analytic verbal morphology and noun class weakening, may have arisen from contact with unrelated substrate languages south of the savannah. [15][15][15][15]With the development of analytic verbal morphology, monosyllabic root development, and weakened noun classification system, a variety of this ancient dialect continuum ancestral to Yoruba became what is called “Proto-Yoruboid.” Proto-Yoruboid was spoken in the northeast of what is now Yorubaland, [16][16][16][16] and was spoken about 500 BCE and is the ancestor of the Yoruba, Igala, and Itṣekiri in all their varieties. [17][17][17][17]Above: Migration of various language groups, including Yoruba in the upper left-hand corner. [18][18][18][18]We have many, many more words from the Proto-Yoruboid stage, many of which appear to descend from the canonical words in the PNC quasi-reconstructions and the Proto-Benue-Kwa reconstructions where applicable: [19][19][19][19][20][20][20][20]#buha →→ *a-byá (“dog”)#nama →→ *-lã (“meat/animal”)#di → *ɗi → *jɛ (“eat”) [Full IPA: d͡ʒɛ]#ni/nu → -*n(V)tV→ *o-ni (“person”)This form may have originally ended in a voiceless dental plosive (/-t/).#mi→ *mɪ → *mi (“I/me”)Note: Attested in “èmi (1st person singular) and “mi (first person singular object)Other forms are “mo (subject)” and “ŋ” (1st person singular negative).#kua →→ *kpa (“kill”)#gu→ *kʷu→ *kú (“die”)#min → *mɪlɪ → *mí/*mĩ (“swallow”)#bya/ba →→ *wá/*ɓá (“come”)#ba →→ *à-ɓã (“they”)#niŋ →→ *ɲĩ́ (“tooth”)#pu →→ *fũ (“white”)#pina → *pīnī → *fʊ̃́ (“squeeze”) [21][22][23]This reflex is only a possible one. Since the vowel change doesn't seem regular in this case, there’s still some questionability as to whether or not *fʊ̃́ came from *pīnī.#-ta-/-taN → *-ɗa → *ta (“shoot (an arrow, catapult)”)Note 4: “→→” is provided when there is no intermediary Proto-Benue-Kwa form, but a link between the preliminary PNC reconstruction and the form in Proto-Yoruboid.During the time that Proto-Yoruboid was spoken, the loss of verbal extensions also appears to have been completed by this point, and some new phonological changes appeared, such as vowel nasalization, palatalization of /d/ to /d͡ʒ/, the incipient de-labialization of /b/ to /w/, and the fricativization of /p/ to /f/.By the time one gets to Yoruba, there are further phonological changes: [24][24][24][24] [25][25][25][25]*a-byá → a-d͡ʒá — [aja]“dog”*ɛ̀-byɛ → ɛ̀-d͡ʒɛ — [ẹ̀jẹ̀]“blood”*e-lã → e-rã — [eran]“meat/animal”*o-ni → e-ni/o-ni — [eni/oni]“person”*wá/*ɓá → wá — [wa]“come”*à-ɓã → a-wõ — [àwò̩n]“they”*ɛ̀-gʷà → ɛ̀wa — [ẹ̀wà]“beans”*ó-gʷũ → ogũ — [ogun]“war”*kʷapi/*kʷapɪ → ikɔ — [ikọ]“cough”*kú → -kú — ikú [ikú]“die/death”*ta → ta [ta] (“to shoot an arrow”)e.g., “láti ta ọfà” = to shoot an arrowSo, to sum it up, some of the phonological changes seen are noted below:Palatalization of /by (bʲ)/ to /d͡ʒ//gʷ/ and /kʷ/ becoming /w/, or become delabialized to /k/ and /g//b/ɓ/ becoming /w//l/ becoming /r/This was accompanied by the full weakening of the noun class system to the point where it’s only vestigial in Yoruba. Some of its relatives, such as Itṣekiri, retained distinctions in the noun class that were lost in Yoruba, such as the difference in the human singular and plural:Itṣekiri (Yoruboid): [26]o-birẹn “woman”e-birẹn “women”Yoruba (Yoruboid): [27]o-binrinàwọn o-bìnrin (lit., “they woman”)Note 5: “o-” is derived from an old human singular noun class marker.There does, however, exist a distinct holdover with the Volta-Congo noun class system. That holdover is in the form of the distinction between the two kinds of “what” words. When referring to human nouns, the word “ta” or tani” refers to “who,” but “what” for words refer to non-humans, it becomes “ki” or “kini.” [28][28][28][28]Example: “Tani ọ? *Kini ọ?… ki l’ò nwa? Ki l’o nfẹ?” [29][29][29][29]“Who are you? What are you? What are you looking for? What do you want?”Additionally, ATR vowel harmony, which was at one point fully functional, has become rather limited. So, high-mid vowel [e, o] cannot coexist with a low-mid vowel [ɛ, ɔ] in the same word. [30][30][30][30][31][31][31][31]Over the last several hundred years, Yoruba-speaking peoples came into contact with the Islamic world, which resulted in the Islamization of a significant minority of the Yoruba-speaking population, particularly in what is now Nigeria. Consequentially, some words in common use in Yoruba have an Arabic origin, such as the ones below that I listed in a previous answer:Kelechi Wachuku's answer to What are some Arab influences in Nigerian culture?“Àdúrà” → PrayerFrom Arabic “al-Du‘a” (الدعاء), which means “prayer, supplication.”Example: “Gbo àdúrà mi, Olúwa”→ “Hear my prayer, O Lord”“Wàásù” → PreachFrom Arabic “wa’z” ( وعظ), which means “sermon, preaching.”Example: “ ó sì wí fùnwọnpé , ẹ jẹ kí á lọ sì ìlú mírànkí èmi ó le Wàásù nibẹ pẹlú”→ “And he said to them; let us go onto the next towns that I may preach there also”“Ẹṣin”→ HorseFrom Arabic “ḥiṣān” (حصان), which means “horse.”“Wakati” → Time; hourFrom Arabic “waqt” (وقت), which means “time.”“Àrá” → ThunderFrom Arabic “al ra’ed” (ت الرعد), which means “thunder.”The name of the language also changed.Specifically, the name “Yoruba” is derived from an old Hausa word “Yarriba,” which was used to refer to those under the Alafinate of Ọ̀yọ́, who were a Yoruba-speaking people in the latter part of the last millennium. It is important to bear in mind that Yoruba-speaking peoples were not always a unified group, so there was no all-encompassing name for the language. [32][32][32][32][33][33][33][33] However, the name eventually gained acceptance across the speakers. So, the word “Yoruba” was an exonym that became an endonym.This isn’t entirely uncommon, however, as some places came to adopt the name that a foreign group had for them. Take, for example, Japanese. The name of the country is “日本 (“ni hon/nippon”),” which is wholly of Chinese origin literally means “sun origin,” and was a reference to the eastern position of Japan relative to China.As for the words above where there is neither a preliminary Proto-Benue-Kwa or Proto-Yoruboid form provided, the relationship of the proposed preliminary PNC words to modern Yoruba words are seen below:#ba/bo (“to be”) → wa (e.g., “Ó wà… (“there exists/is”)”) [34][35]Finally, to once again highlight that Yoruba doesn’t exist in a linguistic vacuum, there have been modern influences from English and French due to colonization. It is very common for speakers of Yoruba to code-switch effortlessly between the two aforesaid languages, and some words have been borrowed into Yoruba. Below, for example, are words that have entered Yoruba from English: [36][36][36][36]tòmátì/tòmátò → “tomato”rìsíìtì → “receipt”ọfiisi → “office”Bear in mind, however, that many speakers would not immediately recognize these as true Yoruba words of English origin, but rather simply as English words that just happen to pepper their speech. There are many more things I can mention, but I believe that’s enough for now.Footnotes[1] https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-01375776/document[1] https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-01375776/document[1] https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-01375776/document[1] https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-01375776/document[2] Konstantin POZDNIAKOV[2] Konstantin POZDNIAKOV[2] Konstantin POZDNIAKOV[2] Konstantin POZDNIAKOV[3] From Polysemy to Semantic Change[4] The Languages and Linguistics of Africa[5] http://www.rogerblench.info/Language/Niger-Congo/General/Westermann%20complete.pdf[5] http://www.rogerblench.info/Language/Niger-Congo/General/Westermann%20complete.pdf[5] http://www.rogerblench.info/Language/Niger-Congo/General/Westermann%20complete.pdf[5] http://www.rogerblench.info/Language/Niger-Congo/General/Westermann%20complete.pdf[6] Sign in to your account[7] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319528384_A_shared_pronominal_canon_in_the_Macro-Sudan_belt_typological_areal_and_genealogical_perspectives[8] http://www.lingref.com/cpp/acal/37/paper1603.pdf[8] http://www.lingref.com/cpp/acal/37/paper1603.pdf[8] http://www.lingref.com/cpp/acal/37/paper1603.pdf[8] http://www.lingref.com/cpp/acal/37/paper1603.pdf[9] https://linguistics.ucla.edu/images/stories/Voeltz.1977.pdf[9] https://linguistics.ucla.edu/images/stories/Voeltz.1977.pdf[9] https://linguistics.ucla.edu/images/stories/Voeltz.1977.pdf[9] https://linguistics.ucla.edu/images/stories/Voeltz.1977.pdf[10] Page on springer.com[10] Page on springer.com[10] Page on springer.com[10] Page on springer.com[11] African Languages[11] African Languages[11] African Languages[11] African Languages[12] CBN boosts palm-oil production with N30bn - Voice of Nigeria[12] CBN boosts palm-oil production with N30bn - Voice of Nigeria[12] CBN boosts palm-oil production with N30bn - Voice of Nigeria[12] CBN boosts palm-oil production with N30bn - Voice of Nigeria[13] THE PROTO-POTOU-AKANIC-BANTU RECONSTRUCTIONS UPDA ? THE PROTO-POTOU-AKANIC-BANTU RECONSTRUCTIONS UPDA - [PDF Document][13] THE PROTO-POTOU-AKANIC-BANTU RECONSTRUCTIONS UPDA ? THE PROTO-POTOU-AKANIC-BANTU RECONSTRUCTIONS UPDA - [PDF Document][13] THE PROTO-POTOU-AKANIC-BANTU RECONSTRUCTIONS UPDA ? THE PROTO-POTOU-AKANIC-BANTU RECONSTRUCTIONS UPDA - [PDF Document][13] THE PROTO-POTOU-AKANIC-BANTU RECONSTRUCTIONS UPDA ? THE PROTO-POTOU-AKANIC-BANTU RECONSTRUCTIONS UPDA - [PDF Document][14] The Languages and Linguistics of Africa[15] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257692826_How_to_become_a_Kwa_noun[15] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257692826_How_to_become_a_Kwa_noun[15] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257692826_How_to_become_a_Kwa_noun[15] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257692826_How_to_become_a_Kwa_noun[16] Kingdoms of the Yoruba[16] Kingdoms of the Yoruba[16] Kingdoms of the Yoruba[16] Kingdoms of the Yoruba[17] African Cultural Astronomy[17] African Cultural Astronomy[17] African Cultural Astronomy[17] African Cultural Astronomy[18] State and Society[18] State and Society[18] State and Society[18] State and Society[19] Appendix:List of Proto-Yoruboid reconstructions[19] Appendix:List of Proto-Yoruboid reconstructions[19] Appendix:List of Proto-Yoruboid reconstructions[19] Appendix:List of Proto-Yoruboid reconstructions[20] https://pure.mpg.de/rest/items/item_60271_7/component/file_60272/content[20] https://pure.mpg.de/rest/items/item_60271_7/component/file_60272/content[20] https://pure.mpg.de/rest/items/item_60271_7/component/file_60272/content[20] https://pure.mpg.de/rest/items/item_60271_7/component/file_60272/content[21] http://E++ plrl 2+5 squeeze PWN pin-; BC -piri etc. "PNC" (CWL) ; CB pin-, pini. Cf. Yoruba fun, "squeeze" . 96 . ... Et kd.ee Ot all Agl ari YaOg ari = lerl Yalk lerl/a- BC -leg (CWL) ; J jo lugy, Degema e-d'f, Proto-Potou &di (Stewart) (cited in CWL) 99 .[22] The Journal of West African Languages[23] https://pure.mpg.de/rest/items/item_60271_7/component/file_60272/content[24] Appendix:List of Proto-Yoruboid reconstructions[24] Appendix:List of Proto-Yoruboid reconstructions[24] Appendix:List of Proto-Yoruboid reconstructions[24] Appendix:List of Proto-Yoruboid reconstructions[25] The numeral system of Proto-Niger-Congo[25] The numeral system of Proto-Niger-Congo[25] The numeral system of Proto-Niger-Congo[25] The numeral system of Proto-Niger-Congo[26] J. Univ. Lang.: Plural Formation Strategies in Ígálà[27] women - translation - English-Yoruba Dictionary - Glosbe[28] Languages of the World[28] Languages of the World[28] Languages of the World[28] Languages of the World[29] http://elib.sfu-kras.ru/bitstream/handle/2311/30317/18_Ol%FAm%FAy%ECw%E1.pdf;jsessionid=FA2B1008F7A43829F3BA0E319D8E8BD8?sequence=1[29] http://elib.sfu-kras.ru/bitstream/handle/2311/30317/18_Ol%FAm%FAy%ECw%E1.pdf;jsessionid=FA2B1008F7A43829F3BA0E319D8E8BD8?sequence=1[29] http://elib.sfu-kras.ru/bitstream/handle/2311/30317/18_Ol%FAm%FAy%ECw%E1.pdf;jsessionid=FA2B1008F7A43829F3BA0E319D8E8BD8?sequence=1[29] http://elib.sfu-kras.ru/bitstream/handle/2311/30317/18_Ol%FAm%FAy%ECw%E1.pdf;jsessionid=FA2B1008F7A43829F3BA0E319D8E8BD8?sequence=1[30] Yoruba[30] Yoruba[30] Yoruba[30] Yoruba[31] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265303973_Yoruba_Vowel_Harmony[31] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265303973_Yoruba_Vowel_Harmony[31] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265303973_Yoruba_Vowel_Harmony[31] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265303973_Yoruba_Vowel_Harmony[32] International Handbook of Research on Indigenous Entrepreneurship[32] International Handbook of Research on Indigenous Entrepreneurship[32] International Handbook of Research on Indigenous Entrepreneurship[32] International Handbook of Research on Indigenous Entrepreneurship[33] Define and Rule[33] Define and Rule[33] Define and Rule[33] Define and Rule[34] Intransitive Predication[35] Sign in to your account[36] http://www.lingref.com/cpp/acal/35/paper1304.pdf[36] http://www.lingref.com/cpp/acal/35/paper1304.pdf[36] http://www.lingref.com/cpp/acal/35/paper1304.pdf[36] http://www.lingref.com/cpp/acal/35/paper1304.pdf

In short: Home-based breeders can be an excellent resource for adopting an animal specific to your needs/wants. However, finding a reputable breeder may require much work and your purchase may be considered costly versus working with a shelter or non-profit rescue. To cover all the bases, I do not recommend purchasing an animal from a pet-store (who does not sell rescue animals) or puppy mill.•••I’ve gotten several pets from shelters, one from an owner surrender on Craigslist and my current pet is from a “backyard “ breeder. As it would happen, I have also donated many many hours to working with non-profit rescues (volunteer and foster). I’ve never purchased a dog from a store or puppy mill, and I don’t plan to do so.With all that said, the “rescue” side of me wants to encourage you to “adopt not shop.” If you are looking for a specific breed and/or a purebred dog, it is most certainly possible to find such pets in shelters or through a rescue (I think its something like 25% of shelter dogs are purebred). There are also tons of breed-specific rescues. If you are looking for a puppy, rescues and shelters alike both get puppies, but patience and “good-timing” may be required.Now for home-based breeders specifically. I have had limited experience with this, but as I mentioned my current dog is from a “backyard.” I wanted a specific breed of puppy and it wasn’t a common breed for my area, so I felt a breeder was the best bet. We lucked out and found a very nice woman to purchase a puppy from.This particular breeder was a “friend of a friend,” so it was a bit of a warm lead. I recommend asking around for reputable breeders in your area and see if you can get a warm lead on a good breeder. Join a facebook group for the kind of dog you are looking for and see if folks can make a recommendation (or tell you who to stay away from).To address if breeders are good or bad, I think there are plenty of folks on both sides of this. Some “breeders” are churning out litters without any knowledge or experience, perhaps just for the money. Their pets may not receive the proper care or medical attention and they may not be employing good, healthy practices. Alternatively, some breeders take great pride in their work and are interested in producing quality animals for various reasons (show, competition, work, service, etc.).Since it may be hard to tell who is “good” and who is “bad,” there are a few things that the AKC recommends (they’ve listed these more articulately than I could):Don’t be put off if a breeder isn’t immediately responsive. Hobby breeders often have full-time jobs and they don’t always have available puppies. Be selective. Find a responsible breeder who is knowledgeable and make sure you’re comfortable with them.Visit the breeder’s home or kennel and ask to see at least one of the puppy’s parents. Get an idea of what the future holds for your dog in terms of temperament and appearance.Observe the premises. Is the house/kennel clean? Odor-free? Dogs and puppies should be clean, well fed, lively and friendly. Look for signs of malnutrition such as protruding rib cages or illness such as runny nose/eyes, coughing, lethargy and skin sores.Pay attention to how the dogs and puppies interact with their breeder. Does the breeder appear to genuinely care for the puppies and their adult dogs? Both dogs and puppies should not shy away from the breeder and should be outgoing with strangers.Find out about the health of your puppy and its parents. Breeders should be honest about the breed’s strengths and weaknesses and knowledgeable about the genetic diseases that can affect their breed – including what’s being done to avoid them. Breeders should be willing to share proof of health screenings such as OFA and CERF certificates with potential buyers.Establish a good rapport with the breeder. He/she will be an excellent resource and breed mentor for you throughout the life of your puppy. You should be encouraged to call the breeder if your dog has a crisis at any stage of its life.A responsible breeder may ask you to sign a contract indicating that if specified conditions of care are not met or you become unable to keep the puppy, he/she will reclaim it.Don’t expect to bring home the puppy until its eight to 12 weeks of age. Puppies need ample time to mature and socialize with its mother and littermates.Breeders should be willing to answer any questions you have and should ask many of you as well. Breeders will want to make sure their puppies are going to good homes, with people who know what to expect and have made all the necessary preparations.Don’t leave the premises without the appropriate documentation of the dog’s pedigree, a.k.a. “papers.” The words “American Kennel Club” as well as the AKC logo should be clearly visible. You’ll need to send in this application form to register your dog with the AKC. Be wary of a breeder who refuses/hesitates to give you papers, wants to charge you more for AKC papers, offers papers from a registry other than the AKC, or tells you he/she will mail them to you at a later date.I do not feel home-based breeders are inherently bad, but a truly reputable breeder may be hard to find. Good luck!