Thinking of buying a dog? Here are the top 7 questions to ask breeders before purchasing a dog, thanks to Elise, a passionate labradoodle owner and a part-time dog groomer…
Top 7 Questions to ask breeders before purchasing a dog
If you are a first-time dog buyer and you’ve limited your search to only a few breeders to get your new cute puppy, then, hold on, do you know what are the top questions you need to ask breeders before purchasing a dog? If you are really not sure about this, read on and research about the dog breed.
Here is a list of Top 7 Questions to ask breeders before purchasing a dog. It will definitely help you to make the perfect choice for you and to get the right little puppy for your home.
#1- Why you should go for this breed? What are your aims?
Most trustworthy breeders can let you know about the exact goal that what they are attempting to achieve with specific breeding. They are endeavoring to enhance any number of physical features, wellbeing, and so on. They know about specific pedigrees and give you an expectation that the breeding will result in better doggies than both of its parents. For first-time dog buyers choosing a breed can be a bit confusing, it would help if you go to the breeders with a specific breed in mind.
We don’t have any set criteria for what you would be looking for in an answer here, however we can say, if a dog breeder reacted just to make profit for himself or that dogs’ breed is not matching the criteria that breeder is elaborating, then it’s strongly recommended you against buying dog from that breeder.
#2-What health testing’s or vaccinations has been done on the breeds’ parents?
If you really want a healthy puppy and want to know that if that breed has or had any disease like hip dysplasia etc., then, do some groundwork before time with regards to what health testing needs to be done for your doggy. Ask the breeder to know about the health testing for the breeds’ parents.
Gather the right information about the breed history from the breeder and start doing your groundwork on this one. We hardly encourage you to research your local and national breed club to know that what kind of health testing’s you should do for your breed, is that disease has any serious risks related to dog’s breed or not.
#3-Do you have any puppy purchase contract?
Ask for a copy of the contract from the breeder. Ideally, you need to thoroughly review the contract in advance before taking dog ownership. You must know these questions: What are the breeds’ health-related guarantees? What responsibilities you need to follow and what responsibilities breeder need to perform?
Do hesitate to ask questions. You must consult with a breed expert and take their help to review the contract. If there is a lack of a puppy purchase contract, then there is something wrong. Where a breeder does not have any contract, then there is no hope of support by the breeder to stand by their breeding if, in future, they get into some trouble. The puppy purchase contract needs to protect both you and the breeder because it will hold both the breeder and buyer accountable if you or the other party fail to stand by the contracts’ terms & conditions. And it will also establish your long-term strong relationship with the breeder over the life of your puppy.
#4-What is the price range of the breed?
The well-bred puppy with the best breed qualities can come with a big price tag. But you should know about the price of the breed before making the purchase and if you really like everything about the breed then we recommend you not to miss the chance to get the healthy and best puppy. So, if you can’t pay the full price of the puppy at once, then you should rethink whether you are able to take the financial responsibility of raising a dog. If you are capable, but can’t pay full payment at the time, then you must consult with your breeder because most of the breeders provide flexible payment plans to buy a puppy.
#5- What Socialization is done with the puppy?
Ask the breeder what socialization and lively activities are done with the puppy? You may not believe it, but there are actually a plethora of activities that should be done with young puppies to socialize them with the people around them. If the puppy you are going to buy has less exposure to the real world views, smells, sounds, textures, and smells, then you should reconsider.
Because young puppies that are raised with the normal sounds, smells and playful activities are more confident, less fearful and are easier to train by the buyers. So, most of the socialization period should occur at the breeder’s place.
#6- Can you meet other buyers who have already purchased a puppy from him before?
You may ask to meet their veterinarian or someone who knows the breeder well. Getting a well-researched reference will be very helpful for you. So, be prepared, and create a list of questions for that conversation to get your desirable puppy.
#7- Can you meet your loved breed before taking its ownership?
A kennel visit to your future puppy is a wonderful idea to begin a step to develop a connection with your puppy before taking its ownership. Meeting the puppy will ease the process to train and make puppy familiar with you. If it is not possible to meet the dog, we recommend you to speak to the stud breeder as well as others who take care of the dog.
Make sure breeders do not hide anything from you. If they don’t allow you to see the puppy, think again and ask yourself that are going to make the right decision? Because this will let you with no regrets later.
Take these questions seriously, because you are bringing a new family member to your home!
About the author:
Elise is a passionate labradoodle owner and a part-time dog groomer. Elise owned a variety of dogs growing up. She loves spending her spare time taking her dog for walks and sharing her experience with other dog lovers.
