To get the best puppy you can may involve going to another country to get one at this point in time.  The Mudi is that rare.  The best things in life are not always the easiest to find.  

The AMA members and breeders believe that a good Mudi should be able to do what it was intended to do (herd), will be mentally fit to do it (not a nervous wreck), be healthy and able to do these things for a long time, not be inbred or linebred (to keep genepool diversity), and look beautiful (and like a Mudi) while doing these things.

Mudi breeders should breed with these 5 things in mind to keep the breed stable and able, and preserved for future generations.  The Mudi should be bred with the whole dog in mind, not just the one or two points most often considered.  Titles belong at both ends of the Mudi's name before the dog should be considered for breeding.

You should look for a breeder that does the following with the dogs they breed and breed to:

-Health testing of both parents and the proof of passing grades (hips a minimum on both parents; elbows, patellas and eyes are recommended also), also knowing the grandparents and siblings health results is highly recommended

-Herding instinct test on both parents (or they are working herding dogs) otherwise the breed's function will be lost

-Temperament test both parents (with of course a passing score)

-Have breeding exams or show results that prove conformation and breed conformity quality on both parents (otherwise you are breeding pets from pets)

-The litter has a low COI (Coefficient Of Inbreeding, see the article on the AMA Articles page for more information, and see the AMA Services page for information on how to find out the COI of any puppy)

These are what you should look for in a litter and breeder.  The country of origin or where the litter is born is not as important as these 5 points above are. 

Also it is recommended to look for the following points:
- A breeder that whelps and raises the puppies in a 
      household environment
- Removes rear dewclaws
- Crate trains 
- Microchips or tattoo's 
- Gives pedigrees from an acceptable Kennel Club (yes there   
      are unacceptable ones)
- Gives the appropriate shots, deworming and socialization  
- Only breeds the bitches once a year and no earlier than 
      two years of age at the first breeding 
- Makes sure the bitch is in the best health with shots up 
      to date before breeding her
- Feeds the dam and the pups high quality food
- Answers all questions asked by the buyer and tells you       
      they will be there for you after you buy the puppy too
- Can supply references

The next very important points that follow, are for the new owners to know before the Mudi puppy comes home:

- The main things you need to know about this breed are:  
1) The Mudi has a high need for early, often and intensive socialization for its first year of life (without this Mudi puppies can become protective, shy and fearful) 
2) Mudi puppies need to be raised with people and not kept as backyard pets outside solely, or, chained to a tree or doghouse (they bond quickly and deeply to their humans, they suffer emotionally if left alone for major portions of their
day-everyday)
3) Mudi's can co-exist with other animals and children well, but not children that tease or abuse them and aggressive animals that can injure them
4) Mudi's can live outside in most climates year round, but they need to work and be an active part of your life for the majority of the day, everyday, not just at your convenience
5) The breed is good in other activities than herding because it can herd, the puppy will need a job, or it will invent one for itself which may not be to your liking (digging and barking included)
6) This breed is fast and smart, you need to learn to train it, before it trains you
7) Mudi's are a soft temperamented breed, harsh correction will not work well for it and can be harmful to the emotional stability of the dog and its relationship with you


Getting a new family member is important, you will have to live with your choice for many years, we want every Mudi and owner/family to be a good match and spend many happy years together.  Lots of research is important and having good contacts/sources who have good intentions is also important.  Be careful who you use as an advisor, all are not equal.