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A puppy is literally a decade commitment, if you have to drive four hours it's still worth it. If you can't do the research on your own to determine the difference between a good breeder and a backyard breeder you aren't ready for a dog.

>>2164329
Without going there? Not quite. It's a good idea to check the place out and see the dogs in their early environment, because anyone can lie. Puppy mills are notorious for trying to keep people out of their breeding facility. Don't look for a breeder through puppy search sites, they are puppy mills and mostly scams. Look through the breed club group for breeders. Make sure they do health tests at whatever interval, that they take their dogs back for whatever reason, that they aren't line breeding, etc etc. Don't expect to get a well bred dog without doing some traveling, you'll probably be placed on a waiting list because they don't use their dogs as constant puppy making machines.

>>2164329

What breed?

You need to start by looking up breed clubs, then you need to look for health testing - so, for example, lets say you want a Irish wolfhound, you'd want a breeder that tests for:
- Elbow dysplasia (ideally O:O)
- Hip dysplasia (abnormal formation of hip joints leading to osteoarthritis. Breed mean score 6 (parents should be lower)
- Eye Disease: Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) (progressive visual impairment) (annual testing); Multifocal retinal dysplasia (MRD) (annual testing)
- Hyperekplexia (Startle Disease, SD)
- Liver shunt testing of all puppies prior to being sold: Portosystemic shunt (abnormality of the blood circulation system, resulting in blood bypassing the liver)
- Annual Heart testing (stethoscope, ECG, ultrasound)

Then you want to find someone well known in their breed, preferably does something as well as showing with them- and then expect to be put on a huge waiting list. If you're UK based, then the kennel club assured breeders scheme is a good place to start.