Responsible Breeding
As the potential future owner of a Jindo, it is of utmost importance that you support a breeder who is breeding for preservation and health, titling in conformation and/or performance (ie. sports), as well as fully health testing their breeding dogs. When you choose to support a breeder who is proving their dogs in these areas, you can be sure that you aren’t just getting a purebred dog, but a well bred dog.
Remember you are adding a new member to your family for the next 10, 12, even 15 or more years. Now is not the time to bargain hunt. Prepare to spend at least $1500-$2000 for a well-bred Jindo puppy. You may have known someone who has, or you yourself have purchased a "backyard bred”, Craigslist or puppy mill puppy and had great success. They were lucky. Why take the chance? It can cost you far more in the end (not just monetary expenses - but emotional ones, too)!
I’ve sometimes seen it expressed by some (and I used to feel like this too when I was looking for my first puppy!) - that getting a puppy from a responsible breeder “just takes so long”, and it’s hard to understand why there’s a wait list, or why you have to fill out an application asking you 50 different questions, or why you can’t pick your own puppy… When you compare it to getting a puppy off of Craigslist or shopping for one in the pet store, yes, it’s a VERY different experience. So to make things a little easier and to explain they “why” behind things, here’s a quick run down on more or less how this goes.
Step One: DO YOUR RESEARCH. Do NOT get a breed just because you’re drawn to the aesthetic. Find a breed that is compatible with your lifestyle and needs. And for that, you need to do research on what the breed’s temperament is like. If you want a dog that loves to be stuck to your side all the time and would crawl inside your skin if you let it - a Jindo is not for you. If you want a dog that you can let it off leash on hikes with bullet proof recall, and or want a dog that loves to play in the dog park with all kinds of dogs, a Jindo is definitely not for you. And if you don’t like having to manage high prey drive (occasionally being gifted dead animals, your dog tugging on the end of the leash when a squirrel darts by, or having to deal with making sure your dog can’t escape the yard to go kill the neighbor’s chickens) - a Jindo is not for you.
Reach Out! You can start by sending me an email about yourself, hunt me down on Instagram and send me a DM, or ping me on Facebook if you want to chat or have any questions about the breed. I LOVE talking about Jindos! Alternatively, if you’re already 100% convinced that this is the breed for you, you can fill out my puppy questionnaire and we can start chatting!
Do your best to be patient. I know it’s hard. I get it, trust me. We all love puppies and we all want them NOW. But getting a puppy from a responsible breeder is not like running into a grocery store to grab a loaf of bread off of the shelf. The puppies are often not even born yet when breeders start building their wait lists for the next litter. They want to make sure that all of the puppies go to appropriate homes, and will often not breed the dogs until there are enough homes lined up. Because there are so few Jindo breeders in the US right now, you can expect to wait anywhere from 6 months to 2 years for a puppy. Jindos do not have large litters like some breeds (lookin’ at you, German Shepherds), and then you have to remember that some people have preferences/requirements on males vs females. So if you already have a male dog in the house, and I can only place a female Jindo with you — if I get a litter of all males, you’ll have to wait for the next litter.
Ask Questions! I'm more than happy to answer your questions! Whether you read something online about Jindos and you want more information about it, or you have a concerns about whether a Jindo will fit into your pack, please send me a message. I’m always happy to chat about my breed and share what I’ve learned. And the more I get to know you, the more excited I get about the idea of placing a puppy with you. I like to know the people that they’re going to, because nothing matters more to me than knowing the puppy will be safe and loved for the duration of its lifetime. At the end of the day, I only want whats best for the puppies — and this breed as whole.
I acknowledge that often times it can be difficult to come up with questions you might want to ask a breeder - so here’s a quick list to give you some ideas!
1) Is the breeder willing to provide you with references and telephone numbers of other people who have purchased puppies from them?
2) Have both the sire and dam been fully health tested? For Jindos, the minimum health screenings prior to breeding are: hip, patella, eyes, thyroid, and basic cardiac.
3) Are both parents at least 2 years old? Final OFA hip and patella clearances cannot be obtained before that age.
4) On what basis was the sire chosen? If the answer is "because he lives right down the street" or "because he is really sweet", sufficient thought was not put into the breeding.
5) Will the breeder take the dog back at any time, for any reason, if you cannot keep it? This is the hallmark of responsible breeding, and the quickest way to make rescues obsolete (that’s a good thing!)
6) Will the breeder be available to answer any question you might have for the life of the dog? Is this someone you would feel comfortable asking any type of question at any hour of the day or night?
7) Is the breeder knowledgeable about the breed? Is he or she involved in competition with their dogs (agility, rally, obedience, lure coursing, and/ or conformation)? And for how many years have they been involved with the breed?
8) Are the sire and dam available for you to meet? If the sire is unavailable, can you call his owners or people who have other of his offspring to ask about temperament or health problems?
9) Is the breeder knowledgeable about raising puppies, critical neonatal periods, proper socialization techniques, etc.? Puppies that are raised without ample exposure to gentle handling, human contact and a wide variety of noises and experiences OR are removed from their dam before she is ready (usually between 6 and 8 weeks of age) or removed from their littermates before 8-10 weeks, may exhibit a wide variety of behavioral problems.
10) Does the breeder provide you with registration papers, a contract to sign, copies of all clearances and guarantees, health records and material to help you with feeding, socializing, training and housebreaking AT the time of sale? (NOT after 1 or 2 years)
11) Have the puppies' temperaments been evaluated and can the breeder guide you to the puppy that will best suit your lifestyle? A very shy puppy will not do well in a noisy household with small children, just as a very dominant puppy won't flourish in a sedate, senior citizen household. A caring breeder will know the puppies and be able to guide you towards the puppy that will best fit your family and lifestyle.
12) Do the puppies seem healthy, with no discharge from eyes or nose, no loose stools, no foul smelling ears? Are their coats soft and clean? Do they have plenty of energy when awake?
13) Are the puppies current and up-to-date with their vaccine series and vet checked?
14) Does the breeder belong to their breed's parent club or a regional breed club? For Jindos, the national parent club is the Korean Jindo Association of America (KJAA). Members of the KJAA are held to a Code of Ethics that protects both the breeder, as well as you the puppy purchaser.
15) Do you feel comfortable with this person? After all, you are entering into a decade (plus) long relationship. If after talking to a breeder you feel intimidated, pressured or unsure they are being truthful with you… keep looking!
Backyard Breeding vs Responsible Breeding
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Backyard Bred Male Jindo
This Jindo comes from a very popular backyard breeder in Texas. The breeder of this dog charges thousands of dollars (upwards of $5,000) for dogs that are un-health tested, not socialized, have poor structure (which can lead to serious injuries), that are human and dog aggressive, and inbred. This dog in particular was surrendered to a rescue organization in California, and was eventually sent to a sanctuary. While this dog was in foster care, yet another Jindo from the same breeder was also re-homed by a rescue for significant genetic fear aggression behavior issues. Meanwhile, the same week that the dog pictured above was sent to the sanctuary, another dog from the same breeder was euthanized for extreme aggression towards its family (multiple deep bites, repeatedly attacking its owners).
As responsible pet owners, we need to stop supporting unethical breeders.
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Well bred Jindo female
Above pictured is a well-bred, purebred, health tested Jindo female. She has a beautiful expression, a solid temperament, and has been titled in multiple sports. She was bred with purpose and care.
YongMaeng of Noryeong Sanmaek, owned by Hannah Yi
Scrolling past those Facebook and Craigslist posts showing litters of 6 week old puppies with captions advertising things like “RARE COLORS!” and “AVAILABLE NOW!” can be very tempting and heart strings get pulled quickly. It often seems like a no-brainer to send the breeder a quick message and ask for prices.
All you need is money. And boom. Instant puppy.
Unfortunately what people don’t realize is that along with their instant puppy — often heart break and unpredictable expenses can arise in many forms.
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What a responsible breeder can guarantee that a backyard breeder cannot — is that they have done everything possible to provide you with the healthiest puppy they can, which has been genetically health tested to ensure as such.
Backyard breeders simply do not do this.
Why? Because it costs money. And unlike Responsible Breeders, they are out to make a profit on their puppies.
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As a preservation breeder, I don’t make money on my litters. All the money from the puppies immediately goes directly back into the Jindos; whether it be further health testing, entry/trial fees to continue proving our dogs, or just simple breeding and puppy raising costs. I don’t breed for profit, but I do price my dogs so I can continue to provide all the health testing and proper raising protocols.
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If you have any questions about responsible breeding, how to find a responsible breeder, or what to look for — please feel free to reach out. I’m always happy to help!