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What questions to e-mail a breeder to make sure they are good breeders?

I am going to purchase a pug puppy from a local breeder, and I'm e-mail this breeder currently. But I do not know what questions I should ask this breeder to make sure this is a good breeder, not like some puppy mill. I want to make sure they are giving these puppies good homes, and are not just in this for the money. Does anyone have any suggestions of questions I should ask this breeder?

Public Comments

  1. some important questions.. Is it akc (if it is in the usa)registered, what does she feed them, can you meet the parents, tour the facility, is there a health guarantee, Will she have all documents available the day of the purchase? If any of those is a no, I wouldn't consider it. Make sure the food is something good, cause that is a good sign of a good breeder. puppymills dont usualy use good food, cause health isnt their priority. Also make sure she doesnt breed the mother more than once a year. Another good sign of a good breeder, is they will ask you more questions than you ask them. They want to make sure their dog isnt going to be homeless. Many other good ones will tell you also, in any event you cant keep the dog, bring it back to them, never to a shelter
  2. You should really see the entire operation your self. doing everything on line is a really bad idea. If it's not to far of a ride then go and see everything for your self. Your breeder should have everything there for you to see. Including AKC papers plus the litter papers and the individual registration papers for each pup. Every thing should be there for you to look at and ask questions about. E-mails are a bad idea. Get your self over there and do a look for yourself.
  3. ask the breeder to have some of the past puppies families to contact you...or vice verse then you can see and hear about how the dogs have accualy turned out a year or 3 down the road. also ask if there is a health guarantee. my dog has a health guarantee for 2 years,( if it should die due to a health problem she will replace it) know what some of the common health problems that pugs have. ask the breeder if her vet is willing to give a refrence. you should be able to tell pretty easily if it is a puppy mill when you arrive on location, usualy very dirty, and quite a fiew dogs on site, how they take care of their animals and the animals enviroment will speak to you alot. do the dogs live in the house? human interaction and socialization is imperative for both adult dogs and puppies, serious problems can happen if not. if you cant see the site before you purchase the puppy, then try to contact past customers, that is a very good way to go...trust your instincts, if it doesnt feel right, look some where else
  4. The American Kennel Club has some breeder referrals on this page of their website http://www.akc.org/breederinfo/breeder_search.cfm In case you are not aware, you can rescue a purebred pug from a rescue organization. Even pug puppies. And you would be reducing the pet overpopulation problem and they are a lot cheaper. You can find one at petfinder.com or find a list of pug rescue groups on the American Kennel Club website. http://www.akc.org/breeds/rescue.cfm Here are some good questions to ask, and remember they should be grilling you with questions too. If they don't, they don't care where their puppies go and only want money. 1. How long has the breeder been involved with their particular breed ? (if the breeder has more than 3 breeds - exercise caution) 2. Why did they choose this particular breed ? 3. For what purpose did they choose to breed these dogs ? 4. Are the Sire and/or the Dam on the Breeder's premises ? 5. Could you meet one, or both, of the parents ? 6. Are the dogs and puppies raised in the house, or in the kennels ? (Judge environment) 7. What does the breeder do to insure proper socialization of the dogs and puppies ? 8. At what age do you place puppies ? 9. Do you require that pet puppies be spayed or neutered ? 10. What dog clubs (Obedience club, breed clubs, Agility clubs, Schutzhund clubs, etc.) do they belong to ? 11. Are BOTH the sire and dam OFA certified ? Ask to see their OFA papers, if hip dysplasia is common in that particular breed. 12. What other test or health scans have they had their dogs checked for ? Do not buy unless they have. 13. What health guarantees will the breeder provide ? 14. Will the breeder allow you time (to be determined) to have the puppy examined by your own vet ? 15. If there are health problems, will the breeder allow you to return the puppy ? Expect a good breeder to be very selective about you. They will be asking questions of you, too. These puppies are the breeder's "babies." If the breeder doesn't Care, if the breeder doesn't answer your questions or doesn't even ask you questions, FIND A DIFFERENT BREEDER.
  5. Here are some question i get when someone wants to know if i am a good breeder, 1. can i have your vets phone number for a reference 2. do you have both parents on site 3. do you have a copy of the parents pedigree 4. also you can ask if you can have at least 3 to 4 references that have phone numbers that way you can talk to the people on the phone, and know that that person is for real 5. ask the breeder if he/she has a Health Garentee for thier puppies, if not then that right there will show you they know nothing about the health of their puppies or the parents.. 6. a good breeder will ask you alot of question also for instance they will ask you,, if you have a vet lined up for the puppy, if you rent your home or apartment they want to make sure that the owner of the place you live in will allow you have a dog, and will want to have a writen letter from the land lord, stating it is ok for you have to have a puppy, they will most likely have you sign a contract stating their requirements of you and what is covered in the health garentee,, if at anytime the breeder hesitates on any of the questions above then you can most likely they are 7. also good breeders will want you to bring the puppy/dog back if for some reason you are not able to keep the puppy/dog with no questions asked, cause they dont want their puppies in shelters, so they are like a rescue as well as a breeder, I hope this has helped and good luck on getting the puppy that suits your lifestyle
  6. Here are some suggested questions one can use to determine if a breeder is truly responsible: 1. Is she an AKC registered breeder of good standing and an active member of her breed Parent Club? 2. Are there AKC Champions listed on the pedigree, showing that the breeder spends her time & money to prove the quality of her breeding stock through competition? 3. Are all the animals kept in clean, comfortable, healthy, loving circumstances? 4. Did the breeder conduct extensive interviews with you and every member of your family? 5. Have the sire & dam received all available health clearances, (eg. OFA Hip & Eye, Thyroid testing, THESE VARY FOR EACH BREED) 6. Is she willing to honestly discuss any possible genetic defects that may exist in her line? 7. Does she have a Sales Contract? 8. Does the contract contain a clause stipulating that you spay or neuter the puppy before it reaches a certain age? 9. Does the contract contain a clause stating that if at any time in the puppy's life, you can no longer care for it, it must be returned to the breeder? (This ensures that no animal bred by this breeder will ever end up in a shelter). 10. Will the breeder maintain contact with you for the life of the puppy to answer questions and help in general?