10 Questions You Should Ask a Dog Breeder
How long have you been breeding?
While experience doesn't mean they're a responsible breeder, it helps to know that a breeder is knowledgeable and transparent about their breeding program. Breeders should know about the breed they're working with as well as the diseases, conditions, temperaments, and traits associated with the breed.
Why did you choose this breed(s)? How much experience do you have with this breed?
It is important to know why your breeder decided to choose the breed. Can your breeder confidently speak about the breed they're working with? What is the purpose behind breeding this particular breed? What are their goals for improving the breed? What are the traits they enjoy about the breed? Breeders who are passionate about what they do can easily answer all of these questions.
What health testing has been done for the parents?
Health testing can mean a plethora of things. Health testing is an umbrella term for any physical or genetic screenings that a dog will go through in order to determine its overall health. All breeders should aim to genetically test their breeding dogs to make sure they're not passing on genetic issues that could impact the puppy's life.
The breeder should also aim to get Orthopedic Foundation of Animals (OFA) testing on their breeding dogs to ensure the health and physical condition of their breeding stock. OFA testing requirements differ from breed to breed.
Ideally, the breeder should have an OFA heart, eyes, hips, and elbows score for each one of the breeding dogs. An alternative hip screening is Pennhips which has gained popularity over the years. If you're looking into bigger breeds, make sure you find a breeder who prioritizes evaluating hips as large dog breeds have the potential to develop hip dysplasia
NOTE: Breeders that don't do any health testing of any kind are not breeding to improve and should be avoided. That doesn’t mean writing a nasty post about a breeder that doesn’t meet your standards. Don't antagonize breeders that don't test or simply have gaps in knowledge, aim to educate and share your knowledge. Everyone has the ability to learn from their mistakes.
How do you socialize your puppies?
Socialization is extremely important to the development of puppies. Socialization is the process of getting puppies adjusted to a variety of situations, people, textures, smells, sounds, and much more. Socialization aims to give puppies confidence in the world.
The more things we expose to puppies in a positive way, the more confidence they gain in exploring and being a dog. You can ask if the puppies have had positive experiences with children, loud noises, places, men, women, different environments, etc.
Remember, that your breeder can't give your puppy every single experience in the world and it'll be up to you to take on socialization where they left off. At 8 weeks, puppies are still in a crucial socialization period and are forming positive and negative associations with things. Be kind, be patient and be encouraging to your puppies at this time.
What is your health protocol for puppies?
Make sure to ask your breeder whether puppies have had age-appropriate vaccines and what they are. Ask the breeder what their vaccine protocol is. Are the vaccines breeder administered or vet administered? Both are fine as long as they are done properly and have a record of the vaccines.
Deworming is also another vital part of puppy care. Often puppies' immune systems can be too weak or immature to fight off nasty parasites like Giardia, Coccidia or life-threatening viruses like Parvo. Ask your breeder whether they have dewormed the puppies and how often. Puppies should often be dewormed every two weeks until they go home.
Do you provide a health guarantee or a buyer contract?
A health guarantee protects the adopter if the puppy develops a serious condition that could have been prevented with better breeding practices. Make sure you ask your breeder about the appropriate way to bring up serious inheritable conditions.
If your puppy does get one of these conditions such as degenerative myelopathy, elbow dysplasia, epilepsy (seizures), and others. Don't assume your breeder is bad or doesn't care. The first thing you should do is respectfully let your breeder know. This helps them better analyze the situation and alert any other adopters if other puppies could be affected.
Most genetic testing should spot inheritable diseases. There are still some conditions that can't be tested for. Either way, talk to your breeder about what these protections look like. Having a safety net helps when you experience your dog going through a serious condition. Also, ask your breeder if there is a buyer contract and what happens if the puppy can no longer be in your care.
Things to look out for in a buyer contract:
1-2 years genetic guarantee
Lifetime return for any reason (without refund)
Puppies must go to a vet soon after being adopted
Spay and Neuter Agreement (for pet homes only)
What are the requirements for adopting one of your puppies?
A breeder should be selective about the homes their puppies go in. Responsible breeders should pick homes that can adequately care for a puppy, train them, socialize them and love them. If you're interested in a larger more energetic breed, your breeder should be looking for pet homes that have the ability to exercise their puppy in a fenced area or in a controlled way.
Especially with larger breeds, your breeder should be looking for someone you can take time to train and socialize their puppy so they don't grow up to harm or injure anyone because of fear or excitement. Listen to what your breeder is looking for then carefully consider if the breeder or breed is the right fit for you.
What does support look like after the puppy goes home?
Breeder and owner relationships are special. Responsible breeders want the best for the offspring they produce and often get excited when they hear updates. Responsible breeders also offer adequate support for their pet parents and periodically check in to make sure everything is going okay.
If you find you might need more support, ask your breeder what support will look like. if you have questions, are you able to call or text them? At what times is it appropriate to ask questions or get feedback? When do they offer priority support?
Some breeders will allow you to text them about emergencies and questions 24/7, the first week you have your puppy. Others will only offer support during business hours. Whatever the case, make sure you're clear about what communication will be like once the puppy leaves their care. If you need more support, look for breeders that offer after-adoption support.
What is the best way to stay up to date on the progress, pictures, and videos of the litter?
We all love cute pictures and videos of puppies. It's hard not to. But when you get a million requests for pictures, videos, and updates from several people it can be overwhelming. Most breeders try to streamline their updates to prevent burnout. Some breeders will post on social media once a week and others a few times a day.
Breeders are humans too. They have social lives, children, school, work, and significant others that take their attention away from breeding. be mindful of your communication and requests from breeders. Ask your breeder how they prefer to update pet parents and how often they do that. If your breeder directs you to their website, email, or social media for updates, do not personally message them for updates, it can come off as rude and inconsiderate.
Are you willing to video chat with adopters?
You might not always be close to the breeder you're looking to adopt from. If so, ask your breeder if they're willing to FaceTime, Zoom, or video chat so that you can see the puppies. This is a great way to weed out scammers who deceive potential adopters by using photos and videos that are not theirs.
Ask to schedule a video chat with a breeder in a respectful way and be mindful of their time and schedule constraints. Most breeders are happy to show you their puppies and tell you all about them. It is also nice to be able to see your breeder and get to know them better.
Conclusion
A breeder that is willing to have open communication with you is a green flag, there are some experienced breeders that may feel nervous talking to people. That doesn’t mean they’re a scammer or an irresponsible breeder. That means they’re human.
Being kind and compassionate when talking to breeders is the best way to start a relationship with your breeder. If you see red flags, you should probably take a step back and reconsider moving forward. Be cautious, scammers are real but don’t let your anxiety ruin an opportunity to adopt the puppy of your dreams.
