Questions to ask when buying a puppy!

[CanyonLabradors]

I was sending this to someone and thought it might be nice to have this listed to remind those looking for puppies!!!

___________________________________


Remember you are adding a new member to your family for the next 10-15 years. NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO BARGAIN HUNT!! Prepare to spend at least $700-$1000 or more for a well bred puppy.

You may have known someone who has or you may yourself have purchased a "backyard" bred dog or a pet store or puppy mill dog and had great success. However, the high number of serious problems seen in the breed today make this event unlikely to reoccur. Chief among these are temperament problems ranging from aggression to shyness to hyperactivity. Hip dysplasia, eye problems causing blindness, heart defects that can severely shorten life span and auto immune disorders and cancer are also becoming prevalent.

Responsible breeders will do all they can to avoid these problems by researching pedigrees and screening parents for certain inherited problems before breeding. Caution! Pennsylvania is now the leading puppy mill state due to the high number of backyard breeders and puppy farmers who have found it more profitable to raise puppies than poultry.

Keep this checklist by the phone when you make your calls and Good Luck!!!

____1) Where did you find out about this breeder? Responsible breeders usually have a waiting list of puppy buyers. They usually don't find it necessary to advertise in newspapers or with a sign out in the front yard.

____2) Do both parents (the sire and dam) have a hip clearance from the OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals), PennHip or Wind-Morgan? Ask to see the certificates. "My vet okayed the x-ray" is not a valid clearance. Prelims can be done before two years, but some dogs can fail to get final OFA clearance at two years, even if they passed before.

____3) Do both parents have current eye clearances from an Opthomologist or CERF certificate (Canine Eye Registry)? This must be re-done every year. Ask to see the certificates.

____4) Do either parent have other clearances, Elbow, Heart, and Thyroid? These are some of the other problems labradors can have and some breeders are checking for.

____5) Are both parents at least 2 years old? Final hip clearances cannot be obtained before that age. Prelims can be done before two years, but some dogs can fail to get final OFA clearance at two years, even if they passed before.

____6) How often is the dam bred? If it is every heat cycle, THIS IS TOO OFTEN, and may indicate that profit is the primary motive for the breeding.

____7)Do all four grandparents, siblings of the parents and any other puppies that they may have produced have these clearances? A responsible breeder will keep track of these statistics and honestly discuss any problems that have occurred in the lines and what has been done to prevent them from reoccurring.

____8) Is the breeder willing to provide you with references and telephone numbers of other people who have purchased puppies from them?

____9) Will the puppy have a limited registration with a mandatory spay/neuter contract? A breeder who cares enough about the breed to insist on these is likely to be a responsible breeder.

____10) On what basis was the sire chosen? If the answer is "because he lives right down the street" or "because he is really sweet", it may be that sufficient thought was not put into the breeding.

____11) WILL THE BREEDER TAKE THE DOG BACK AT ANY TIME, FOR ANY REASON, IF YOU CANNOT KEEP IT?! This is the hallmark of responsible breeding (and the quickest way to make rescue obsolete).

____12) Is there a written guarantee against congenital health or temperament problems, that does not require you to return your puppy or euthanize it?

____13) Will the breeder be available to answer any question you might have for the life of the dog? Is this someone you would feel comfortable asking any type of question?

____14) Is the breeder knowledgeable about the breed? Is he or she involved in competition with their dogs (field, obedience, or confirmation)?

____15) Are there a majority of titled dogs (the initials: CH, OTCH, CD, JH, WC... before or after the names) in the first two generations? The term champion lines means nothing if those titles are back three or more generations or there is only one or two in the whole pedigree.

____16) Are the puppy's sire and dam available for you to meet? If the sire is unavailable can you call his owners or people who have his puppies to ask about temperament or health problems? You should also be provided with pictures or videos.

____17) Have the puppies been raised in the home - not in a kennel, barn or the back yard?

____18) Is the breeder knowledgeable about raising puppies, critical neonatal periods, proper socialization techniques? Puppies that are raised without high exposure to gentle handling, human contact and a wide variety of noises and experiences OR are removed from their dam or litter mates before at least 7 weeks, may exhibit a wide variety of behavioral problems!

____19) Does the breeder provide you with a 3-5 generation pedigree, a contract to sign, copies of all clearances and guarantee, health records and material to help you with feeding, training and housebreaking?

____20) Have the puppies temperaments been evaluated and can the breeder guide you to the puppy that will best suite your lifestyle? A very shy puppy will not do well in a noisy household with small children, just as a very dominant puppy won't flourish in a sedate, senior citizen household. A caring breeder will know the puppies and be able to show you how to test them so that good matches can be made.

____21) Do the puppies seem healthy, with no discharge from eyes or nose, no loose stools, no foul smelling ears? Are their coats soft, full and clean? Do they have plenty of energy when awake yet calm down easily when gently stroked?

____22) Do the puppies have their first shots and have they been wormed & vet checked by the time they go to your home?

____23) Does the breeder have only 1 or at most 2 breeds of dogs and only 1 or 2 litters at a time? If there are many breeds of dogs there, the chances are the breeder cannot devote the time it takes to become really knowledgeable about the breed and if there is more than one litter at a time it is very difficult to give the puppies the attention they need and may indicate that the primary purpose for breeding is profit, rather than a sincere desire to improve the breed.

____24) Does the breeder belong to A Labrador Retriever Club and/or a local All-Breed Club.

____25) Do you feel comfortable with this person, after all you are entering into a decade long relationship? Are you feeling intimidated or pressured? If so, keep looking!


QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF....

ARE YOU PREPARED TO...
-Take full responsibility for this dog and all its needs for the next 10-15 years? This is NOT a task that can be left to children!

-Invest the considerable time, money and patience it takes to train the dog to be a good companion? (This does not happen by itself!! !!)

-Always keep the dog safe; no running loose, riding in the back of an open pick up truck or being chained outside?

-Make sure the dog gets enough attention and exercise? (Labrador puppies need several hours of both, every day!!)

-Live with shedding, retrieving, drooling and high activity for the next 10-15 years.

-Spend the money it takes to provide proper veterinary care including but certainly not limited to: vaccines, heartworm testing and preventative, spaying or neutering and annual check ups?

-Become educated about the proper care of the breed, correct training methods and how to groom? (There are many good books available, invest the time to read a few.)

-Keep the breeder informed and up to date on the dogs accomplishments and problems?

-Take your questions to the breeder or other appropriate professional before they become problems that are out of hand?

-Have the patience to accept (and enjoy) the trials of Labrador puppyhood, which can last for three years, and each stage afterward?

-Continue to accept responsibility for the dog despite inevitable life changes such as new babies, kids going off to school, moving or returning to work?

-Resist impulse buying, and instead have the patience to make a responsible choice?

If you answered yes to ALL of the above you are ready to start contacting breeders. Start early because most responsible breeders have a waiting list ranging from a few of months to a couple of years. Remember, the right puppy or adult dog IS worth waiting for!!

[Solid ImageLabs]

My, that's a lot of reading.
Sounds good.

[CanyonLabradors]

Long but necessary. It's pretty all encompassing.

[krisinme]

Looks great. The only thing I would add is
- Does at least one parent Have an Optigen Normal/Clear Rating.

[3dognite]

Good point re: Optigen. This is a slightly different (updated) version:

http://clix.to/puppies

[Dostafflabs]

Looks good! Would you mind if I saved this in my files?

One more thing I might add: Ask the breeder WHY did this breeding occur.

I would also state that elbow displasia is a growing problem in labradors and both dam and sire should have their elbows OFA'd.

[Breezeline]

I would just like to say that in Canada, hip and elbow clearances can be done at 18 months of age, but some do wait until 2 years of age to do them.

I think it is a great list and should be reviewed by ALL breeders also.

I am very happy to say that I can answer yes to ALL the questions.

Thanks for posting the checklist.

Julie

[Samantha]

OK, I admit my pup doesn't qualify for those statments and she is considered a bargain I'm sure. I found her in the local newspaper when she was 8 weeks old and talked to the breeder for several weeks before we brought her home at almost 12 weeks. She was the last of her litter to go home and I talked to a few of her siblings new "parents" by phone. He gave me vet records of both parents and our sweet pup, though the medical records did not include any of the specialized testing just that they were well taken care of vaccination wise etc. Both the parents were hunting dogs he takes on trials and this was moms second litter and he told me most likely last. I did meet both parents and saw their temperment to be great as far as I could tell, and our pup was certainly well handled and socialized, though maybe alittle attatched to the breeder. It took a few days for her to be as attatched to us, unless you count my 2 year old whom she bonded with instantly. I have CKC papers for her but not sure if I'll actually send them in seeing how she is just our family pet. Maybe not the best decision we made after reading your checklist, but we love her and we'll just have to take what comes our way.

[dana1993]

It's very good to keep posting this for people think before or where they get a pup!

[bluestreak]

Is my house puppy resistant? Puppy proof is too much to expect unless he is going to live in a kennel full time and then you don't deserve a pup.

Am I willing to be attached to a puppy for almost two years to make sure it gets the right start? A friend laughed when I told her I wasn't going to have time for any thing not dog related for the next two years. I never regretted it right up until the time my lab. died at 13 years old he was great.

Do I have enough room for two crates for my dog at full size? You need one for regular use and when puppy just wants to be alone and another for emergencies, like storms (too many dogs are lost each year because they weren't confined properly in a storm) We keep folding crates hanging in our basement in case we ever have a storm warranting their use.

Is there someone willing to take responsibility for my dog if I am incapacitated?

Do I have enough room for my dog to safely run and play?

Am I willing to make a 16 or 17 year committment to this dog?

Diane

My family just went through a terrible experience where we had to give up our 17 month old neutered male because of dominance aggression issues. We had followed all the rules - picked a reputable, established breeder who provided health guarantees, we trained the pup in manners and obedience, exercised him daily for 1.5 -2 hours and he was never left alone more than a few (3-4) hours at a stretch. Nevertheless, his personality was nippy, highly assertive and somewhat aloof from day one; since the breeder was in Mississippi I trusted her to select an appropriate pup based on our exhaustive mutual interviews. That didn't work out so well. So here are my main questions:
1. All reputable breeders say they breed for good temperament. They also all require a hefty deposit before the pups are born. The only things that the buyer can specify are gender and color. If we want a chocolate male, how do we select one whose personality is appropriate for a family with young children when there may only be one male in the litter (an ipso facto selection)? That breeder may not have another litter from which to select for a year; do we ask our children to wait for years to get another dog?
2. Everything that I've read advises against getting a puppy produced by a backyard breeder, especially in a popular breed such as Labradors, which are so over-produced. Since the pedigree of rescue dogs is generally unknown, doesn't this mean we should avoid adopting a rescue dog?
3. What percentage of puppies are born highly dominant? It is presumably a natural personality type, but one we wish to avoid at all costs. Does a reputable breeder try to breed away from this type? I have a behavioral test to apply to help evaluate a puppy's personality, but since the breeder must be selected before the pup's birth, I've still got the problem described in part 2, above. Can anybody help?!

[New2LabsNY_Kara]

Thank you for posting that list... I only wish I had come to your website before purchasing my puppy! Sofie is 9.5 weeks old and we already absolutely love her but we were one of the ones who went to a less-than-reputable breeder. There were so many items on your list of questions that had I read this earlier, would have set off big alerts to us. So far, she seems absolutely lovely (nippy as all he!!) but lovely. I think we really got lucky with this dog because it could have been very bad. Nick (my husband) and I were saying just last night that we feel as though we "rescued" her even though we purchased her from a breeder because the conditions where she came from were just not up to par. She's already our spoiled little girl and we adore her! Thank you for all that good info for future buying though!

[JimsMom]

I hope Gretchen from the Rotty board does not mind me re-posting her great words here. I think this belongs in this thread for anyone wondering why you should avoid breeders who make the statements like those at the opening of the post. It makes good sense, and even though the post refers to Rottweilers, the same holds true for any breed of dog.
__________________________________________________ ____________

"She loves her dogs, they have the best care."

"She loves the breed and treats us well."

"She breeds to have nice pets."

Classic statements that you'll see throughout the years on this board, often made by someone new to the board. This person is then "jumped" by many of the long-time board members, gets defensive and does not understand what everyone's problem is.

A little background

Every breed has a breed standard. The standard describes the ideal dog of that breed. The breed standard is what defines a dog, and what separates it from other breeds. Muscular black and tan dog. Am I talking about a Dobermann or a Rottweiler? Or perhaps a Miniature Pinscher? Or a German pinscher? A dog who is broad, well-muscled and with a blocky head. Rottweiler? Mastiff? Bullmastiff? Neopolitan mastiff? Pitbull?

If we change one little thing here, and one little thing there, the breed suddenly changes. Add a longer coat, a few white blazes and a softer temperament to a Rottweiler and guess what? It's not a Rottweiler, but a Bernese Mountain dog. But coat length, "nice personality" and a little white aren't that much of a change are they? Or are they?

Where do we draw the line at how many changes it takes to make a new breed? One (temperament) ? Two (working drive, size) ? What defines "just a little change?"

The Rottweiler standard for America can be found here: AKC Rottweiler standard. The International breed standard can be found here: FCI Standard.

The reason breeding for pets is a poor practice.

These breed standards describe the correct Rottweiler in both temperament and in body (also known as type). Read through the standards.

Many who breed for "nice pets" say that they have nice dogs, whom "everybody" loves and that they don't need to show them to prove that. They just want to breed nice dogs for "average" people. But the Rottweiler is NOT for the average person.

If one is not trying to prove that one's dogs meet the standard, one is not trying to breed true Rottweilers. To disregard the standard is to disrepect the breed and those who have developed it over the past 110 years. If you are not going to pay attention to the standard, and respect it, and strive to meet it, then you are breeding mutts.

The Rottweiler has a specified size range. Breeding for larger, "king size," "superior" or "Roman" Rottweilers is disregarding the standard. This is disrespectful to the breed.

The Rottweiler has a specified temperament (discussed here.) To breed for overly soft dogs "who love everyone" is to disregard the standard. The Rottweiler is NOT the breed for everyone (see this thread). To "dumb down" a working dog is to breed for something other than the Rottweiler. To soften the temperament is a dangerous game to play, often creating weak nerved dogs. Weak nerved dogs are much more prone to biting and that is the last thing this breed needs right now: scaredy-dogs out biting innocent people.

If a person does not breed to the standard, and prove that their dogs meet the standard, the person does not love "the breed." They simply love their own dogs and want to produce more of those (whatever they may be). Since such "breeders" change characteristics (temperament, size, working drive) of the Rottweiler, they should decide what breed embodies their preferred characteristics, and migrate to that breed.

The Rottweiler is NOT for everyone. If you are breeding to change characteristics to make it "for everyone," you are not breeding for Rottweilers, but rather large black and tan dogs. Do not ruin our breed, change to something that suits you better. If you want a "nice dog who loves everyone," please get a Retreiver.

Homes for Rottweiler puppies should be carefully screened to be sure the prospective owners are capable of owning a Rottweiler. The home needs to "fit" with the breed, NOT the other way around.

Those who breed for nice pets are disregarding the standard, disrespecting the hard work of the original breeders and can not honestly claim to "love" the breed. You can not love something you disrespect.
__________________
Gretchen Caldwell

[txgolfer45]

Another topic to discuss with the breeder is PRA - Progressive Retinal Atrophy. For a lab that receives the recessive gene from both parents, the disease doesn't show up for 4 - 5 yrs. Also, the parents could be carriers and not have the disease but pass it on to some of the litter. There apparently is a DNA test that can be performed to check for PRA.

Basically, with a young dam and young sire, both could have clear CERF tests yet be carriers or develop the disease later in life. Just one more thing to ask about.

[CanyonLabradors]

What to ask for is if the parents have been Optigen tested! More and more breeders are doing it now, and requiring it for at least one of the breeding pair.