Join us in Supporting Ethical Breeders
TellTail supports breeders, pet parents, and the welfare of puppies. Here’s how.
At TellTail, we love dogs, and we know you do too. Our role is to create a transparent, trustworthy platform that brings breeders together with pet buyers, and prioritizes the wellbeing of dogs.
Brittany Brody
Founder and CEO
We stop pet scammers.
TellTail supports breeders at all levels of experience, from those seeking information in growing their programs, to those who have been breeding for decades. We provide qualified buyer leads so you can spend less time marketing, a tech-enabled Certified Breeder badge, plus education and community. We leave control of your program in your hands – but support you along the way. You'll find what you need at every step of the way when you join!
We screen for puppy mills.
We maintain a comprehensive database of known puppy mills, used to identify potential bad actors that apply to become Certified Breeders. We run a puppy mill check on all of the breeders on our platform before they can join. Unfortunately, the way puppy mills are defined is often unclear. We’re committed to continuously educating ourselves and our community so we can all navigate the sometimes nuanced distinctions between puppy mills and ethical breeders.
We keep it real.
We get that every breeder is at a different stage of their journey, so we’re dedicated to supporting real breeders with their real challenges. We recognize there’s always room for improvement, and want to help you grow through access to resources, discounts, and a network of trusted peers.
We are dog breeders and pet parents, too.
We’re a company founded by individuals with a deep passion for dogs and breeding. Our team includes staff members who are dog breeders themselves, ensuring that we are intimately familiar with the challenges breeders face. We actively engage with breeders on a regular basis, inside and outside of our community, and it’s core to why TellTail is a trusted choice for both breeders and dog lovers alike.
We recognize breeders are individuals and we approach them without judgment. Here’s what we don’t do and why.
Brittany Brody
Founder and CEO
We don’t define “responsible breeding”.
We asked over 500 dog breeders to define “responsible breeding” and no two answers were the same. We don’t define “responsible breeding” because we believe it’s a subjective term that varies from breeder to breeder. Instead, we focus on the specific qualities and actions that make a breeder trustworthy and committed to the well-being of their dogs.
We don’t require USDA certification.
Unlike some companies that rely solely on USDA certification to identify responsible breeders, we take a more holistic approach. While USDA certification is valuable for higher volume breeders, it does not provide a complete picture of a breeder's practices. USDA registration typically applies to breeders with six or more breeding dogs, and while many excellent breeders are USDA certified, it is not the sole criterion for determining their credibility.
We look at health holistically.
Just like USDA certification, we recognize that health tests alone do not tell the full story of a breeding program's quality. While anyone can purchase health or genetic tests, it is the breeder's actions based on that information that truly matter. For example, many puppy mills conduct genetic and health tests, but they don’t prioritize the health and well-being of their dogs. Health tests are just one piece of the puzzle, and we evaluate breeders based on their overall commitment to the health and welfare of their dogs.
What TellTail is doing for dog breeders is truly amazing. Without telling us how to run our programs, TellTail is supporting our efforts, helping us learn and grow, and connecting us with buyers in a seamless & effortless way.
Liza Moon
Head of Communtiy