In October 2018 the law is being tightened up considerably regarding the sale of puppies (long overdue) therefore breeders will have to ensure that the puppy's mother is present when the purchaser goes to select a puppy. To ensure that they are the genuine parent it is essential that you check the following:-
Are the puppies happy to be around the mother and is the mother happy to be with them
Does the mother look as though she has recently given birth i.e are her teats swollen enlarged.
(Unscrupulous breeders will use any female dog to get round the new law
Have they been vet checked? In the case of some breeds like Labradors, German Shepherds etc - have they been tested for hip dysplasia and certain breeds such as Bull dogs is there a history of "cherry eye"?
Have the puppies been kept in an environment that is almost the equivalent to the surroundings in which the puppy will live once it leaves the breeder? i.e has it been crate trained? For instance, it will be very difficult to crate train a puppy that has been allowed to roam free from birth.
Have they been socialised around domestic appliances? Have they started toilet training? and if so where? Have they been handled from an early age? (puppy farm bred puppies are NOT HANDLED) causing much anxiety when you go to pick them up.
Are the puppies bred from working stock or show stock - think about what you want from your puppy before choosing the breed.
Springer Spaniels, Border Collies and other working breeds need lots of exercise and brain stimulation - have you got the time to provide what they need?
Does the breed shed lots of hair and how much grooming do they require, this is especially important if their are people in the home environment that suffer from allergies. (we have had quite a few owners book onto training only to cancel a few weeks later because they or a member of their family is allergic to the dog)
Can you afford a puppy? Think of food cost - vet bills - worming and flea treatments - bedding - collars and leads - visits to the groomer - insurance etc.
The above list only outlines a small percentage of what you should be asking but if you are confident that you can answer all of the above - then have a long and happy life with your puppy - there is nothing quite like the love of a dog and remember a "WELL TRAINED DOG IS A HAPPY ONE AND A JOY TO ALL WHO MEET IT" so don't forget to book some lessons
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