I made the mistake of taking DD to look at puppies. The first place we went to she fell head over heels for a puppy but i was sure it was from a puppy farm and refused to buy it. We had another viewing somewhere else straight after. We stopped outside quite a rough area but i thought i shouldn't be prejudiced so waited and we went in. House was very nice inside, lovely young couple. Puppies looked gorgeous - fluffy and healthy. If anything, i noticed they weren't as excited to see us as I would expect. Anyway, i was so thrilled that these puppies didn't stink like the farmed ones, and feeling bad cos my daughter was so upset i wouldn't buy the other ones, i put a deposit down. I was really happy with that decision. Puppy was lovely. Very calm (too calm?). But then i decided to do some research and discovered that the hips and elbows hadn't been done on the cocker as I was expecting. The cockers parent had had various checks so supposedly this meant the cocker was unable to inherit them (the explanation i had). I am having the stud dog's paperwork checked currently but the address on the paperwork is false - but it could be data entry. I researched the people I"m buying from and they don't have the best pasts. I'm feeling sick about it. My daughter is beside herself with excitement, i'm very much up for a puppy (I am a dog owner already) but i'm worried i'm not making the right choices. If the paperwork all checks out, does that make it ok? I don't think they're farmed but they might have been brought up in an outbuilding. I saw them in the house with the mother and despite the puppies being 8.5 weeks, they were still having milk. Any thoughts? I have tried to be responsible in buying a puppy but the breeders have shut up shop cos too many enquiries and it's a minefield out there. I appreciate i could have waited but decided not to. Help!