Please can someone talk some sense into me? Puppy related

[sunshinemoonshineshoeshine]

We’ve been planning to get a dog for years, we’ve just been waiting for my youngest to be old enough to a) not mither the dog and b) walk for more than 10 minutes without complaining. After much research we’ve decided a whippet puppy is the way to go.

I’ve been emailing some breeders, mostly unsuccessfully as they must be inundated, then someone put me in touch with someone who’s kept whippets all his life and breeds occasionally, and has just had a litter.
We’ve messaged and he’s sent me videos of the pups feeding from mum inside the house, but neither the dam nor sire have been health tested, although he swears by their temperaments and has sent me pictures of the mum looking relaxed with his (I assume) grandchildren.

Neither are kc registered. He’s grilled me about my home and lifestyle though, he clearly cares about the pups and wants them to go to good homes.

Am I right in thinking it’s a big risk to take on a puppy from parents who haven’t been health tested and I should say no tomorrow if he offers me a pup?

It used to be 100% normal to pick up your puppy at 6 weeks, but over the past 20 years 8 weeks has become the norm, as people came to understand the value of two extra weeks with the litter while allowing enough time for the new owners to socialise the puppy.

It's now illegal, as PP have said, to sell before 8 weeks.

Bad luck, OP - he sounded great in many other ways.

I'd rather have one from someone who has had whippets all his life, occasionally has a litter and comes recommended from a friend than from a so called reputable breeder which really just means someone who regularly makes money out of breeding puppies.

Oh, I wrote that before seeing the 6 week thing.

The 6 week would be a dealbreaker for me, puppies should stay with their mothers and siblings until at least 8 weeks. He's also breaking the law by not bothering to microchip them.

Has he taken them to the vets for a health check or has any plan to? As if he's not planning on microchipping they probably won't be seeing a vet at any point. Which is a massive red flag to me.

Can you go on the Champdogs waiting list? You can add your details and then you get emails when there is a litter planned.

He sounds like one of the real old school breeders,you say he’s elderly?
Probably not well up with the new rules & regulations but been in dogs for years & years. Six weeks wasnt unknown way back nor not always registering with the KC unless they were wanting to show one out of the litter. To me sounds like he knows the breed inside out like many of the old breeders who bred, & still do, wonderful dogs unlike many of the current money grabbers.

@sunshinemoonshineshoeshine

Thanks for the replies. To those who know whippets, am I right in thinking that ones that have been bred for coursing will have a higher prey drive than show bred ones? And thus recall training will potentially be trickier?

I have a show bred whippet. He ha$a pretty high prey drive so it’s no guarantee.