Breeder doesn’t allow visits… walk away?

[Hawknotdove]

Hello,

I’ve found a breeder locally with puppies available in the autumn. She seems legitimate in most respects - pictures of her showing dogs and winning Crufts all over FB, sent me vetting questionnaire, then video call and wants to do a home visit. Seems dog-obsessed and has sent me hand-written info sheets on diet, care etc. She comes across as someone who lives for her dogs - possibly to the point of being a bit obsessive.

However, she says she doesn’t allow visits to her own home. She says she will pick 1 or 2 pups (depending on size of litter) than she thinks are a good fit for our family and bring them to my house with the mother when they are old enough. Also, when I did a call to meet her and the dogs, they didn’t appear to be in her house (she says they live in the house but it looked like she’d taken them to a barn for the call).

Finally, she’s bred in line so they have an in-breeding coefficient that’s higher than the breed average.

Shes’s KC assured and the parents are fully health screened.

Honestly, it’s such a mine field!!!

Walk away?

I would appreciate advice. You’ve all been so helpful so far!

I wouldn't be happy with that, no

Run! (And possibly report too)

Probably has something to hide...

I wouldn't be happy with that either. It's not like Crufts does home visits to check on conditions.

There will be a reason that she doesn't allow home visits; a tenner says that her home is really not presentable at all, to put it politely.

Puppies in the autumn? So there are no actual puppies yet, and no guarantee the bitch will get pregnant or how many puppies there’ll be?

Walk away!

No I'd definitely walk away. Just because she's kc registered doesn't mean anything. If you can't see them in a home environment (which I very much doubt they are in) then she has something to hide.

Oh god, that's an excellent point and makes it so much worse!

Walk away. Breeders I have corresponded with before have never hesitated to suggest home visit.

the suggestion of a ‘home visit’ makes me even more uncomfortable. Why would they want to take the mother and ‘selected’ pup out of their safe place?

You’re right to feel uneasy. All reputable breeders want you to visit, see the litter, mum and if not meet dad, see his pedigree, photographs etc x. She may not even be breeding these pups, they may be from a puppy farm
walk away and keep
focussed on the things you state here as essential
you

Don't walk - run.

I could knock up a picture of me winning crufts with AI in about 20 mins.

In fact I could create a photo where I am the dog 🐕

She may just have a hoarding problem and be embarrassed for anyone to see it.
Me, I'd run a mile from anything line bred. I only have crossbreed dogs now myself, having seen too much heartbreak from others who bought pedigree dogs and the heartbreak of losing them by 7 to some congenital defect or other. Now I know all pedigrees don't suffer like that but I've just seen too much of it to want to risk it myself

Walk away. I would not be happy without a visit to see the Mum and see the environment they are being kept in.

Dog breeders are supposed to be licensed by their local authority and inspected. Maybe contact the LA and check she's got a license. I would definitely be suspicious based on what's you've posted.

I’d walk away at the higher than average in breeding coefficient.

KC registered means NOTHING. I bred my dog 20 years ago (before I was educated) and I was KC registered and even BOUGHT an accredited breeder accolade, I never once spoke to anyone at KC or had a visit, yet I was a totally inexperienced backyard breeder and was KC accredited! I had 1 litter and never again.

I’d walk away. I bought my dog from a Kc breeder and they were born in kennels. Both parents were working gun dogs on a farm. Award winning field champions. Them being in a barn wouldn’t phase me necessarily but the inbreeding and not visiting would be a major red flag.

If she won't let you visit then she has something she doesn't want you to see. Run.

Puppy farm. Them bringing the dogs to you is a sure sign of it. Walk away. My neighbours got a KC reg dog but now realise she was from a puppy farm.

Definitely walk away. Our breeder was very happy for us to visit their home to pick from the litter. We saw the puppies with the mother, who was clearly lactating. You really have to be on your guard for puppy farmed animals and illegal imported ones. The criminals are very good at deceiving you.

We are not the most experienced dog owners, but seeing the pups milling around the kitchen 'interacting' familiarly with the washing machine and the bucket, not just the breeder, their siblings and their mum, was part of our reassurance that these pups really lived there.

Find another breeder. Some breeders are careful about security and not keen to give out their home address to randoms til they’ve met or done a home visit themselves - and also you shouldn’t see puppies before 6 weeks as it can upset the mother but you should see them, their interactions and home.

We bought a whippet 3 years ago from a friend. They bred one of their girls as a one off. They’re not kc registered but were loved and cuddled from the day they were born and, honestly, the difference it makes is astounding.

this breeder is breeding for show, she’ll take the very best for herself and offer you the ones that will never make show quality. The dogs are almost certainly kept in kennels and not in her home. This is far from the best start for them and will show in their behaviour their whole lives.

Run away, do t walk.

Finally, she’s bred in line so they have an in-breeding coefficient that’s higher than the breed average.

So they will look like a great version of whatever standard the breed is meant to meet, but will have increased risk of health issues.

I don't understand why this sort of genetic engineering is allowed.

Er, no.

we bought a pup recently and had the most welcoming and reassuring experience with the breeder. So much so that we keep in contact now, and we collected our pup at the end of Jan.