Here at Postman Pooch, we know that choosing the right puppy for your household can be a bit of a challenge if you’re about to become a first-time dog owner. It can be even trickier if you’re thinking of getting a pedigree and paying quite a price for your new canine companion. We’ve put together some important questions on what to ask the breeder when buying a puppy.
- Vaccinations: will the puppy have been wormed and had his/her first vaccinations before I pick him/her up?
- Screening: are your dogs screened for all inherited diseases, if so can I have a see the certificates?
- Guarantee: are you able to provide me with a written guarantee of the puppy’s health?
- Contract: can you provide me with a written contract for the sale of the puppy and also what I should do if my circumstances were to change and I could no longer care for my puppy?
- Registration: will my puppy be registered with a kennel club before I collect him/her?
- Printed Pedigree: are you able to provide me with a printed pedigree for my puppy?
- Characteristics: what are the most important characteristics of this breed?
- Experience: how long have you been breeding dogs, how long breeding this specific breed?
- Socialised: have your puppies been well socialised with humans and other dogs inside and outside the home environment?
Good breeders will be happy to provide you with all this information with no hesitation. This is all standard procedure when buying a pedigree, a good breeder should also ask you questions and want to know that his/her puppy is going to a good home where it will be well looked after. Never consider buying a puppy if you haven’t seen the litter with their mother. There are no reputable breeders that will keep young puppies in separate accommodation. With all this information you should be in a good position with enough knowledge to go out and start looking for your new companion. If there are any areas you would like us to cover on this which we haven’t mentioned in this article, please comment below and we will be more than happy to advise.