Featured photo: Willowcreek Border Collies.

Updated September 21, 2026

Finding the right breeder begins long before a puppy comes home. You are looking for someone who understands their breed, raises puppies with purpose and will still answer your questions after Gotcha Day. Paw Rewards brings that search into the same Canadian dog community you can use throughout your dog's life.

This guide shows you how to use the Paw Rewards breeder directory, read a profile, understand puppy availability and make a useful first enquiry. For a deeper look at evaluating breeding practices, start with What to Look for in a Responsible Breeder.

1. Start with the dog that fits your life

Before choosing filters, decide what you need from life with a dog. Think about your weekday schedule, household, interest in training, grooming expectations and the activities you actually enjoy. A puppy's appearance is only one small part of a decision that will shape years of everyday life.

Write a short description of the home you can offer. Include other animals, children, previous experience and whether you hope to enjoy companionship, dog sports or a particular kind of work. This gives you something concrete to compare with each breeder's programme.

If you are still choosing a breed, explore the Breed Encyclopedia and breed compatibility assessment. Use those resources to form questions. A conversation with an experienced breeder can help you understand differences between individual dogs and the lines they breed.

2. Open the breeder directory

Visit Find a Verified Breeder on Paw Rewards. You can open the directory in your phone's browser while researching a puppy, and return to it as your shortlist develops. The directory brings kennel information and links together so you can move from browsing to a more informed conversation.

The current directory offers a search field for a kennel, breed or location, plus Province and Breed selectors. It also displays separate controls for Available puppies and Applications open. Begin broadly, then narrow the results one choice at a time.

If you already know a kennel's name, use it to find the relevant profile. If you are exploring a breed, start there and then consider location. Check the selected filters whenever a search seems unexpectedly empty; combining several requirements can make a useful programme disappear from your results.

The breeder directory on September 21, 2026. The photograph in the directory header is credited to Skypoint German Shorthaired Pointers.

3. Use location to plan a realistic search

Your province is a sensible starting point, especially if you hope to visit a breeder in person. It can make conversations about meeting the dogs, arranging pickup and staying connected easier to organise.

It does not have to be the limit of your search. The right breeder may live in a neighbouring province, particularly if you are looking for a less common breed or a specific working or sporting background. Decide how far you can reasonably travel before you expand the search.

Think beyond the drive home. Ask what visits or meetings the breeder offers, how they assess prospective homes and what the handover involves. If travel would be complicated, discuss the practical details early. Avoid building plans around a puppy until both sides have confirmed that the placement is a fit.

4. Read the whole breeder profile

Open View profile and take time with the information the breeder has shared. Look for the purpose of the programme, the dogs involved, the way puppies are raised and the kind of homes the breeder hopes to find.

A useful profile should help you prepare specific questions. If it describes active sporting dogs, ask about the typical needs of puppies placed in companion homes. If it discusses early experiences, ask how those experiences develop as puppies grow. If a detail is absent, add it to your enquiry rather than filling in the gap yourself.

Follow the breeder's linked website where available. Compare names, breed information and contact details across the profile and that site. Keeping the original profile link in your notes also makes it easier to return to the correct programme when several kennel names begin to sound familiar.

Example profile: Willowcreek Border Collies. Profile information and availability can change; confirm current details with the breeder.

5. Understand the labels you see

The directory presents several kinds of information together. They answer different questions, so read them separately.

Profile information	How to use it
Province and breed	Check whether the programme fits your location and breed search.
Available puppies	Look into the current litter details, then confirm availability directly.
Applications open	Ask what the breeder is accepting applications for and the likely timeline.
Sponsor tier	Read it as the breeder's programme participation level, separately from health documents and placement suitability.
Reviews	Use individual experiences to generate questions and context.

Paw Privileges sets out its breeder commitments in the Code of Ethics, including breed-specific health testing, attention to temperament, return or rehoming assistance and lifetime support. Read those commitments before contacting a breeder so you know what to discuss.

A directory listing, review or badge cannot promise a particular puppy's future health or temperament. Ask to see the documents relevant to the proposed parents and have the breeder explain them. The profile helps you begin that conversation.

6. Separate puppy availability from your timeline

Applications being open does not necessarily mean a puppy is ready to leave. A breeder may be speaking with families ahead of a planned litter, considering homes for puppies already born or maintaining a waiting list.

If you are hoping for a puppy soon, open Available Litters as well as the individual profiles. Ask when the listing was updated, which puppies are still being considered for placement and how the breeder makes matching decisions.

If your preferred breeder has no current puppies, a thoughtful introductory message can still be worthwhile. Explain when you hope to welcome a dog and whether your timing is flexible. Waiting for a suitable match can be more useful than repeatedly changing your criteria to fit whichever puppy appears first.

7. Build a shortlist you can actually compare

Choose a few programmes to research carefully. The directory includes a Save breeder control; sign in if prompted to use account features. You can also bookmark the profile URL and keep your own short notes.

Record the same details for each breeder: breed and location, the programme's focus, expected timing, documents requested and questions still unanswered. Add the date of your last conversation so you can distinguish current information from an older listing.

Compare the quality and clarity of the conversation as well as the information itself. Do you understand the breeder's expectations? Can you talk openly about your experience and limitations? Are you comfortable asking a follow-up question? You are beginning a relationship that should continue after the puppy leaves.

8. Send an introduction with useful details

Use the enquiry option or contact information provided on the profile. Explain who you are, where you live, why you are interested in the breed and what daily life would look like for the dog.

For example: “We live in Ontario and are researching a puppy for next year. We enjoy regular outdoor activities and want to continue formal training. Could you tell us about the homes your dogs suit, your planned timing and your application process?” Adapt the details to your real household.

You do not need to know everything before getting in touch. Be honest about what you are learning. A clear introduction gives the breeder a starting point for discussing suitability, expectations and the information they need from you.

Questions to bring to the next conversation

• Which health tests are relevant to this pairing, and can we review the parents' results?
• What are the parents like to live with, and what qualities are you hoping to produce?
• How are puppies raised, observed and matched with their homes?
• What does the contract say about support, return or rehoming assistance?
• How do applications, deposits and waiting lists work?
• What food, records and practical guidance go home with the puppy?

Take notes and request clarification where needed. Before making a payment, understand the written terms and confirm that you are communicating with the breeder represented by the profile. Do not let a deadline replace that conversation.

9. Use the waiting period to prepare

Once you and the breeder agree to move forward, use the time before pickup to build your support network. The Puppy Academy provides resources for the transition into life with a puppy, while the business directory can help you research local services.

Start with the New Puppy Checklist. Arrange your home, discuss the initial routine with the breeder and organise the supplies and appointments you will need. Ask about feeding continuity before buying a cupboard full of new products.

You can also ask your participating breeder about the Gotcha Day Memory Box and the owner connection available through their programme. Confirm the arrangements directly. The purpose is to help the puppy's story continue into their new home with familiar guidance and people to turn to.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use Paw Rewards before I have a puppy?

Yes. You can begin with the public breeder directory and Puppy Academy resources while you research. You do not need to have a puppy home before learning about breeds or contacting a breeder.

What if there are no results near me?

Check your spelling, remove the availability filters and broaden the location. You may find a suitable breeder whose next litter is further away in time or distance than you first expected.

Does sending an enquiry reserve a puppy?

No. An enquiry starts a conversation. Each breeder has their own application and placement process, and any reservation or payment terms need to be agreed directly.

Can I keep using Paw Rewards after Gotcha Day?

Yes. The Paw Rewards owner experience connects everyday life with your dog to Adventures, training, community and eligible rewards activities. Finding a breeder can be the first step in a much longer journey.

Begin your dog's story

Start with a breed that fits your life, explore the programmes behind the puppies and ask the questions that matter to your family. Find a responsible breeder through Paw Rewards, then keep the same community close as your puppy grows.

Download Paw Rewards on the Apple App Store or Google Play. From researching your future dog to enjoying the adventures ahead, Canada's dog community is at your fingertips.