When you're finding the right breeder there is a lot to consider, but hopefully this post will help! Here are some questions that you can ask a breeder even before you see the pups:
How old is the mum? How many litters has she had, when did she have her first litter?
If mum is under 2 years old, or was when she had her first litter, it is a big no. The mum needs to be over 2 to have given her body time to mature. You could also ask is it their (the human's) first litter they have taken care of?
Has the mum had any health checks?
She should have had some form of health check before she became pregnant.
Can I see the mum with the pups?
(Sometimes the mum doesn’t like strangers coming in to her pups so has to be removed. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be able to see her. She should still be on the premises)
Can I see the dad? (Sometimes you can, he may be there)
Has the dad been health checked ?(both mum and dad should have had a number of visits to the vets to ensure they are happy and healthy)
How has the mum been with her pups? (Has she been a happy mum or has she had an issues taking care of her pups? Obviously if there has been serious issues they won’t tell you but they’ll try and hide it and as it’s a question they won’t expect they will be thrown off guard so you may still get some information from asking it.)
What happens if it doesn’t work out, can we return the dog to the breeder? (They must say yes.)
Where do they sleep? (Are they in the house/in a crate/in an out-house?)
And even before you speak to the breeder, be sure to read their advert carefully. You ideally want a warm, friendly advert or notice that is telling you about the mum and the family setting they are in. This is tricky to work out just from an advert. So, we find one that looks ‘nice’, we contact the breeder, and ask the above questions. If the answers to the above questions are mostly no, then swiftly move on from the breeder.
If they are nearly all yes, we can arrange to see the puppies!
What would you add to the list above? What would you want to know before arranging to meet a puppy?
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