Assuming you have decided the breed is right for you, when you start looking for a puppy, regardless of breed, you should be careful to research where you intend to get a puppy from.

Here is a quick checklist of things to do and ask when researching to find the right breeder.

This is supplied strictly on personal advice based on our experience of finding the right breeder and puppy ourselves.

Before you even go to see a breeder

Here are a few things you can ask on the telephone/Email to help you shortlist a breeder;

Ask the breeder what experience they have of the breed, how many litters they have produced and if they produce other breeds. You want to find a breeder who is experienced but avoid people who have more than 3 breeds as they may be puppy farmers.

Ask the breeder if they have an affix and if all their breeds are registered under the same affix. Puppy farmers sometimes use multiple affixes or do not have affixes to avoid detection.

Confirm that the breeder is the normal owner of the mother (dam) and father (sire). Whilst it is not unusual to have used someone else’s stud dog as sire, it is unusual to breed from a bitch that is not normally owned by the breeder and should be treated with suspicion. Again this might indicate a puppy farmer.

Ask about the parentage of the dam and sire and why the breeder has selected them. The answer may at least give you some idea of what the breeder knows about the two dogs. They should know a great deal if they are breeding from them.

Ask if the puppies will be KC registered. Never buy from people who will not give you KC (Kennel Club) registration papers for a puppy – registration only costs the breeder about £12.00 per puppy and registration is the only protection to ensure that a true and honest declaration is made by the breeder about parentage.

Ask about the age of the dam, when she last had a litter and how many litters she has had. KC will not allow puppies to be registered if the dam is under 12 months old when she has the pups and not be over 8 years old. Most breed clubs have codes of conduct that suggest tighter restrictions than this, ie. at least 2 years old, no more than 8 years old and no more than 3-4 litters which vary depending on the specifics of the breed. Personally we feel that 8 years old is too old for any bitch to be having a litter therefore we would recommend that questions are asked as to why any breeder has decided to breed from a bitch of this age.

Ask about what the breeder knows of health problems in the breed and what they do to avoid them. A reputable breeder should know the common health issues of a breed, in GWP’s for example there are issues worldwide with Von Willebrands Disease (bleeding disorder), epilepsy, skin problems, entropion (eyelashes turn inwards) and hip dysplasia and more recently heart problems (DCM). Any reputable breeder should be carrying out the correct and relevant tests to avoid these health issue’s when breeding a litter.

When you visit a breeder

You should always visit a breeder before committing yourself to a puppy, preferably before the litter has even been born. That avoids hasty decisions being made. Some things to look out for;

Ask the breeder how many dogs they have and if any are related to the dam and sire. This will establish how many dogs the breeder is looking after so that you can balance this against how many you actually see.

Ask to look round where the dogs are kept, without restriction. If the litter is a simple family home bred dog this should not be an issue and if it is a reputable breeder then there is really no excuse for restricting your access. If you are to buy a puppy from them you have a right to see how the dogs are normally kept. Some breeders will make all sorts of excuses not to let you meet sire/dam/grandparents etc., you should insist and if they don’t live with the breeder we would suggest you find out where they are and try to make arrangements to meet them as this will tell you a lot about the temperament of your puppy.

If you are buying a dog for working, then get the breeder to demonstrate the working abilities of their dogs. It is unlikely that a genuine working breeder will have only one dog and should be able to show you what their dogs are capable of – otherwise how can they assess the suitability of their breeding programme?

Ask generally about their daily routine with the dogs. HPR breeds such as German Wirehaired Pointers require lots of exercise. How are the dogs exercised, are they kept in kennels etc.

Make a mental note of what the breeder asks you. Do they seem generally interested in you, are they asking the right questions to find out if you are a suitable home and know what you are taking on.

Contractual Matters

If you finally decide you have found the right breeder and are willing to commit to a puppy;

Confirm the registration status of the puppy. Confirm that you will be getting a KC registered puppy and it will be transferred into your name. This is the best legal document to prove ownership and will confirm the sire/dam pedigree names. Make sure the breeder signs the transfer document or you cannot register the puppy in your name.

Ask if there are breeding restrictions on the registration. Many breeders do restrict breeding rights, especially on bitches. This is perfectly acceptable if you are buying a dog as a pet but if you ever wish to breed from a bitch you cannot get a registered restriction lifted without the agreement of the breeder. You could breed from the bitch but you could never register her puppies.

Ask if the puppy will be tattoed or microchipped. Most reputable breeders want to ensure that if a dog is ever lost or ends up in rescues it can be identified as one of theirs and will assist in tracing the owners or rehoming the dog as required. Be suspicious of any breeder who will not do so.

Check what age the puppies can leave. Depending on the maturity and breed, most puppies are homed between 7 and 9 weeks. The time between 9 and 15 weeks can be an important bonding time between owner and puppy.

Any reputable breeder will ask you sign a contract as part of the KC Assured breeder scheme, as an example, our contract states that all puppies carry breeding restrictions and that lifting them is at our sole discretion, it also states that any puppy/dog of ours must not be passed on into any rescue centre.

Many breeders provide puppy packs that have the food they are used to and short term insurance to cover the first few weeks until you can arrange proper insurance.