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What to ask when viewing puppies?

11 replies

keevamum · 10/05/2011 19:28

Hi,
Am new to being a dog owner. We always had dogs growing up and I am aware and prepared for the massive responsibility they are but am a complete novice to knowing what I should be asking when we view the 11 week old cavalier king charles puppies on Sunday. I already know they are KC registered but does this need proof will they have a certificate? I will see them with their Mum but not the dad, they have been wormed and flead and as we have a prebooked holiday for the may half term she is prepared to hang onto him for us and get his immunisations done. Again will I need proof of this?
What else should I be looking for when I view him/ his home? What should i be asking?
Please help me experienced owners/breeders. Thanks a lot, keevamum

OP posts:
doggydaft · 10/05/2011 20:24

You should be provided with a KC pedigree for the pup and also ask to look at the dam and sire's pedigree certs as well.

I don't know much about what health testing CKC breeders recommend but you should be able to find out that info from google. If the breeder is responsible she will have had her bitch tested for the relevant hereditary conditions. I may be wrong but I think CKC suffer with syringomyelia within the breed. By 11 weeks they should also have had at least the first set of jabs.

The other issue is that 11 weeks seems a bit old, it is more usual for pups to leave their dam and littermates around 8 weeks as there is evidence that this is the best time for socialisation purposes but again I am not very familiar with the breed so this may be normal for them.

A decent breeder will always ask you as many questions as you ask them, they want the best for their pups after all. Does she show her dogs? I may be out of order but only the best breed examples of dogs with clear health tests should be bred from.

Decent breeders breed seldom and usually want to keep a pup to continue their line. Stay away from "pet" breeders who have a litter every so often to make a bit of cash.

You may have an endorsement put on your pup to prevent you breeding from it without permission and most good responsible breeders will be available to you for the life of your dog for advice and should also ask that the dog be returned to them should you no longer be able to keep it.

Hope this helps Smile

RumourOfAHurricane · 10/05/2011 20:50

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WhereTheWildThingsWere · 10/05/2011 20:55

11 weeks is an odd age to get a puppy and if you are leaving it for even longer while you are going on holiday you are missing out on a lot of the socialization time.

I would be expecting the breeder to be doing a lot of that for you, taking the puppy out (carried) alone to new places, in cars, to meet people etc etc, or you are going to end up with a problem dog.

CKCS are subject to a horrible array of heath problems, there is a guide here to everything the parents should have been screened for (you need to see certs.) but presumably you have already looked into this?

RumourOfAHurricane · 10/05/2011 21:02

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midori1999 · 10/05/2011 21:33

I would be wary of any breeder with 11 week old puppies left unless there was a very good reason for it. Good breeders usually have a waiting list for at least part of a litter and so unless someone backed out last minute or turned out to be unsuitable in the end, it's not usual to have 11 week old puppies left.

If the breeder has kept the pups that long for a specific reason (some toy breeders keep them until 12 weeks as standard for example) I would personally like to see evidence of proper socialisation being done, that the puppy is used ot spending some time away from both Mumand litter mates with only human company and that it has been on several trips out at least and in the car etc.

The breeder should have copies of the KC documents by now and be able to show them to you. Ask to see the parents KC documents too and the breeder should have copies of the stud dog's documents even if they do not own him. They should also be happy for you to contact the stud dog owner and/or visit them if you wish to. Please be aware that all KC registration is (or should be!) Is verification of the dog's pedigree. It is in no way a mark of quality or high standards of either the dog or breeder. Over 90% of KC registrations are from puppy farmers.

The parent dogs must both be at least 2 1/2 years old so that necessary health tests can have been carried out. This will be ^at least eye testing, heart tests and screening for SM and preferably hip scoring too. Some breeders use younger dogs for breeding, but it's not good practice. You must see copies of the results and you can also check on the KC website if you have the parents' registered names.

Why is the breeder breeding? Are they keeping a puppy? If they are not, this would ring alarm bells for me, unless there was a very, very good reason. Do they show their dogs (would have to be a yes for me, again, otherwise, why are they breeding?)

What were the puppies wormed with and how often/when? Was Mum wormed at the same time? Was Mum wormed during pregnancy? (she should have been daily from day 42 until several days post whelping) Yes, if the puppy is vaccinated you should get a vaccination card from the vet.

Have the puppies been checked over by a vet for general health problems, hernias, retained testicles if male and heart murmurs?

Why did the breeder choose the stud dog they did? (Look for answers such as good pedigree match, repeat of outstanding previous litter, excellent health test results, not something like 'it was my mates dog'... or 'he lives nearby')

The puppies should obviously be kept in clean conditions, be on four meals a day of good quality food (not something like Bakers, Pedigree etc) have free access to Mum, be either kept in the house or have daily access to the house, have some garden/outside access. At 11 weeks I would expect them to be mostly toilet trained and understand basic commands too.

I haven't remembere deverything, I will probably add to this later...

kid · 11/05/2011 16:10

midori It is so lovely to read your post as every single thing that should be done if a puppy is still with the breeder at 11 weeks was done for my pup who I also got at 11 weeks. I actually picked him out at 3 weeks, but couldn't collect him until 11 weeks but he has turned out very well indeed.

keevamum please do follow the advice you are given about checking out the pup/breeder properly before jumping in and getting the pup. Of course the puppy will be gorgeous, all puppies are but its so important that you know everything is as it should be.

I know only to well what happens when you don't do your homework and rush in to getting a puppy. I had the most beautiful springer/cocker X. He was just perfect and the cutest puppy I had ever seen with his long floppy ears and blue eyes. Sadly, it was not meant to be. He died at 7 months old it really did tear my world apart, I never thougth I'd get over losing him. Even now, I am so upset about him dying but it gets easier as time goes by. I don't think I'll ever completely get over him dying, but I have a new pup now and life does go on.

Good luck with your visit. If anything doesn't seem right, walk away. You will find that perfect dog for you, but do not accept anything less than perfect. I walked away from 4 litters even though I was desperate to replace that empty hole left in our family when my puppy died. But I am so glad we waited. I have kept in touch with the owners of my pups parents and we constantly exchange photos.

walkersmum · 11/05/2011 18:14

To add to the above, check with KC or the breed club what the results of the health checks should be, it's not enough to see them if you don't know what acceptable results are.. Also ask to have a copy of the purchase contract and have the contract explained to you.
If they don't ask you lots of questions to see if you are a suitable buyer then be wary.
Don't agree to buy the puppy on the day, I hope all this helps :)

keevamum · 12/05/2011 20:50

Thank you for all your responses. It has certainly given me a lot of food for thought and I will walk away if I do not feel satisfied with the responses. Are there any tips for finding a reputable breeder, do I just go through the kennel club?

OP posts:
midori1999 · 12/05/2011 21:11

To find a good breeder go via the breed club, never the KC.

WhereTheWildThingsWere · 13/05/2011 07:10

As Midori said, google the breed club for your area and contact the secretary, who should be able to put you in touch with someone.

Do be prepared to wait quite a long time for a puppy, godd breeders will only breed when they want something for themselves to continue their line, so will probably only breed every few years.

Anyone who is churning several litters out a year should be avoided like the plauge.

alice15 · 17/05/2011 16:58

I'm a vet and I also (very occasionally) breed. I just wanted to emphasise what good advice midori has given, with the one tiny clarification that the bitch does not necessarily need to have been wormed daily from day 42 of pregnancy; it depends on the wormer used. The daily worming thing is with Panacur, which is certainly an excellent wormer, but there are other effective and excellent wormer, licensed for use in pregnancy, which don't need to be adminstered daily. What's important is that the product should be a prescription only one and not something from the pet shop that won't be so effective. Good luck in your search for a puppy!

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