Questions to ask dog breeders
The following list of questions were provided by breeders
and Rescue/Adoption agencies to help in your quest for the best breeder
for your needs. The list is not all-inclusive, nor is every question necessarily
appropriate for every breed. You may give more importance to some questions,
and for some you may need to do further research to know what you would
expect for an answer. The questions are listed here as a guide to help
you get to know the person you may be getting your puppy from and the practices
they follow as a breeder.
-
Are you a member of the Breed Parent Club, and do you follow
the Parent Club Code of Ethics? Do you have a copy of the Code of Ethics
I could review?
-
Do you belong to any breed clubs or breed organizations?
-
How many different breeds of dogs do you breed? How many
litters of each breed do you have in a year? And at what age do you breed
your dogs?
-
What are the known health problems with the Dachshund breed,
and what steps are you taking to minimize the chance of those problems
occurring in your litters?
-
What criteria (tests, accomplishments) do you require of
your breeding stock, and why?
-
In the case of a larger dog, do you have an OFA
check done or PENN
HIP done and may I review the results.
-
What requirements must a puppy buyer meet to receive one
of your puppies?
-
Do you require a contract? If so, what are the terms and
guarantees? What does your contract say about hereditary problems?, type
of registration (limited or full)?, about spaying and neutering?
-
Do you take your dogs back at any time in their lifetime
if a pet owner decides he or she no longer wants the dog?
-
At what age do you place the puppies in their new home and
will the puppies have had their first set of vaccinations before placement?
The decision about a "right" breeder is yours
There is no national registry that ranks breeders as to their
ethics or the quality of puppies they produce. It is possible for you to
get a truly great puppy from any one of them. Your chances are just much
better, however, when you deal with a good reputable breeder.
The responsibility, therefore, lies on your shoulders
to make a good decision. You have to do your homework, ask lots of questions,
and invest the necessary time now, before you make this important decision. |
