I can't justify buying a dog from a breeder when there are so many perfectly good dogs in need of homes at shelters.
If there is a specific breed that someone wants, most breeds have a Rescue program, and dogs are usually available from them. I raised basenjis, and we were always contacting shelters that got one, and usually worked with the shelter to get the dog into our rescue program. Why? 75% of people who look into getting a basenji, after doing their research and working with a rescue coordinator - change their mind!
I raised/showed them for 10 years, and required anyone interested in the breed, to visit. At the time, I had 8, living in the house with us. One time I had a husband and wife come, and I could tell he was smitten, but as they were leaving, I heard his wife say, quietly, "Why would anyone do this?????
I spent a lot of time talking to people OUT of the breed!
I know there are other breeds with good breed clubs, dedicated to helping their breed through any health issues it may have. I'm going to share a story that has resulted in the Basenji Club of America being named in our will:
Basenis have lived on the African continent for years, think back to the time of the Pharoahs. In the 1940's a couple were brought to Great Britain, and then some came to the US. Africans spoke of the 'drinking water' disease some of the dogs had, and in Europe and the US, it got to 20% or so by the time I was active in the breed.
It's Fanconi, they don't exhibit symptoms until there 7 or so (they pee and drink a lot), not an age to start breeding them. In the 80's, a human anesthesiologist, and basenji owner whose dog got fanconi, developed a protocol for people to follow if their dog was diagnosed. Something about the acidity of the blood. It was refined over the years, and dogs were dying of old age. BUT, it required lots of vitamins, and up to 30 bicarbonate tablets be given - per day! These are smart dogs, and to get a tablet of baking soda, let alone 30, into the dog, was a challenge.
We used to test our dogs' urine for sugar once a month, as spilling sugar was the first sign.
Since the 1970's or so, the BCOA was amassing money to get fanconi in basenis studied, hopefully to first, find out how if was passed on - records were kept, lots of them, because we knew there was a family link. The scientists told us to hang on to the money - they weren't ready for it yet.
2005 or so, they were ready, and they found out fanconi in basenjis was a simple recessive. This meant, as breeders, we could eliminate fanconi in our litters.
There were positives, clears, and recessive dogs, so no dogs had to be eliminated from a breeding program, if it was bred to the appropriate fanconi tested dog. I used it a couple of years in my breeding program - then I had a brain injury and I was no longer breeding or showing. When I was breeding, I tested every dog I had, and none were positive, got lucky there. The test was a blood test, but now it's a cheek swab. Knowing the parents' status could cancel out fanconi of the pups.
I got out before I heard what the response was, but they got a inquiry from a human doctor. At the time, there were 300 children worldwide that had fanconi. Since they were spread all over the world, any information would be valuable.
THAT is why, in specific cases, buying from a GOOD breeders sometimes is the way to go.
One thing I did, when I sold a puppy, was have a contract signed stating that if the dog got fanconi, all of the purchase price would be returned. Also it said if for ANY reason they no longer wanted the dog, no matter the age or the reason, I wanted it back. I did get 2 back, and re-homed them.