To find contact information for breeders in the Toronto area I consulted the Canadian Kennel Club website and Canada’s Guide to Dogs and was able to conduct brief phone interviews with 12 breeders in Southern Ontario. To ensure that every breeder was asked the same questions and given the same information about the idea, I wrote out a basic script that was followed at the beginning of each phone call. In the script, I summarized the key points of Breed Base. Most breeders were extremely friendly and helpful and some conversations lasted upwards of half an hour. The information I gathered from them was generally encouraging with 65% of breeders saying they would be interested in using such an app. Of those that were interested in the idea, their main concerns were ease of use, cost, and having some level of assurance that only ethical breeders would be allowed on the platform. Many were also compelled by the prospect of no longer having to update their website. Several breeders I spoke to confessed they were hesitant to update their website because it involved having to contact a web developer which would cost them time and money.

Interestingly, many breeders also mentioned that they only sell their puppies to individuals and families that can prove they will be properly cared for. This was not something I was aware of. Most ethical breeders go through a lengthy interview process with potential clients before they will agree to sell to them. I realized that perhaps Breed Base could help ease this process as well