Common questions › Buying & breeders
The short answer
Ask about three things: health, transparency and ethics. Can I see the parents? Do you breed for health, not just structure: allergies, movement, breathing? Can I see the dogs on video, from every angle, and in person?
And avoid three places: puppy brokers, pet stores and random online listings. Buy from a real breeder who can show you the parents and the relatives, understands their line, and will support you for the life of your dog.
These are topics you've probably thought of, but there are points in each one you probably haven't fully thought through.
Number one is health. Can I see the parents? Do you breed for health, not just the structure? Do you breed against allergies? For the movement of the dog? For the breathing? Do the parents actually show the health you're claiming? Are you showing it?
Number two is transparency. Can I see the dogs? Do I get video of the dogs, from multiple angles, not just one picture? Do you show all your dogs in multiple videos on your pages? Can I go see the dogs in person, at your facility?
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Transparency really is everything. And last: the ethics, and everything that goes into it. The morals, the style of breeding, the care of the dogs, their nutrition, the people, the program. Are they going to help you? Are they going to guide you?
Everyone thinks about the main topics. A lot of people don't think about the little details inside them, and that's where you find out who you're dealing with.
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Most people don't realize they're getting from some of the worst places possible. The top three to avoid like the plague: puppy brokers, pet stores and random online listings.
Puppy brokers advertise puppies they didn't produce. They're one of the most dangerous, because a lot of the time they look like real breeders. Pet stores usually buy the same way, often from even worse sources, and have no information on the parents or the bloodline. And anyone can post a puppy online.
What you want is a real breeder: someone who does it for the love of the dog, takes care of the dogs, and has multiple generations to show you. They can show you the parents and the relatives, they understand the pros and cons of their line, and they've bred properly to improve it.
That person should know more than you about everything to do with the breed, answer every question willingly and happily, offer you a tour, FaceTime you, and be as transparent as possible. And they should give you support for your dog's whole life.
Quick clips on the same question. Tap any one and it plays right here.
Before you decide what to ask a breeder, ask yourself what exactly you want from your puppy: temperament, what you expect, size, everything. Then ask your questions. (This little girl is going on two weeks old. They get exponentially cuter the older they get.)
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When you get a puppy, get it from a good breeder. A good breeder breeds quality dogs and focuses on health, temperament and structure. And a good breeder can help you long term, years down the road, with advice and help.
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Ask me anything. I'll answer every question, and show you the parents.
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