billyjean: What are the best questions to ask a breeder when buying a puppy?
I want to buy a pure bread puppy, (more specifically a pit bull) and I was wondering what the best questions are to ask breeders. One particular breeder only vaccinates his puppies at six weeks old. (is that late for first vaccinations?) On the day that the someone buys one of his puppies breeder and the buyer go to the vet together for a general checkup and shots – the breeder doesn’t pay for the vet bill either. Also, this particular breeder only gives a two day warranty on his puppies. I want to buy a puppy that is healthy and strong, and that won’t show symptoms of parvo or some other horrible puppy killing disease a week or two after I bring him or her home. What’s the best way to go about doing this?
Answers and Views:
Answer by Betty Boop
You need to find out if there has been and heredity problems in any pups in the past 2-4 litters, ie: hip problems, blindness, etc
That is a BYB and you should not be buying a puppy from them.
You imply that they sell the puppies at 6 weeks because you go to the vet with them and get the vaccine. 6 weeks is too young to take a pup away. And vaccines should begin at 6-8 weeks, but it is better if they stay in their secure environment for at least a week after the first vaccine.
They should also be wormed a few times at the least!!!! This whole thing totally reeks of BYB!!
Of course since “pitbulls” are not AKC registerable, I am not sure where you can find a “good” breeder of them.
i don’t know but hiAnswer by waymuchmorebetter
pit bulls are over rated…everyone and their mommas got one….they’re not even scary any more, theyre just this stupid fad that won’t die out, get something unique, be different, don’t get one because of a social status you want to be part of, theyre not even cuteAnswer by avhac
their license number. that way you can check how many pending and past complaints that they have had.Answer by alizusa
I would not do business with this breeder, but that is my opinion.
You should ask about blood lines. If there is to much in-breeding you could have problems as well as about the shots. Also, the breeder should pay for the shots and have them done before selling the dog.Answer by Kaska
The breeder with the 2 day warranty – RUN quickly. I would not do business with him at all.
The breeder that will go with you to the vet? This is OK if you both agree on the vet. I don’t care for this method as I have a vet and most breeders just want some type of proof if there is a problem. I’ll look a little more.
Vaccinating at 6 weeks is OK they do this to cut their cost and not having to spend money on extra shots. Which should not be an issue as shots cost $ 3.50 if he is doing it himself. And most likely less if he is buying in bulk.
Answer by Shadow’s MelonHere is a link to a site that will give you some really good questions to ask of any potential breeder.
https://www.phouka.com/dogs//bdr_questions.html
It will also give you things to watch for and be leary of with any breeder you are considering.
Personally, to me, a good breeder will guarantee the puppies for the life of the dog. If for any reason, later down the line, even into adulthodd, there arises an issue, a reputable breeder will take any dog back that came from one of his/her litters. A good breeder will be responsible for thier puppies for life, not just a few days, weeks or years. They care about the offspring they produce and want to ensure they are properly homed and cared for.
You will pay more for a breeders puppies this way, but you will know that they are following a proper code of ethical breeding.
Answer by CF_ok that breeder sounds BAD.. your pup should be vaccinated 2-3 BEFORE you take it home.. if you are PAYING FOR THE PUP.. the vaccination, deworming and vet check should always be included
a 2 day warrenty is a JOKE>. most good breeders give 1 year health (because some problems cannot be detected until the pup is 3 monthsor more – like heart defects etc….) and a lifetime return guarantee (meaning if at some point durring the dogs life you cannot keep it they will take it back)
Parvo takes more than 2 days to incubate so this is a JOKE!!!
Pick a different breeder
QUESTIONS: ask to see BOTH parents… ask to see the show records of BOTH parents (to prove both were worthy of being bred) .. ask to see the vet tests done on the parents eyes, hips.. etc..
ask about the guarantee
ask about registration papers (it is ILLEGAL to see a dog with papers for a differnt amount as one without – registration fees are paid by the SELLER) – if this guy is telling you the dogs are purebreds then he MUST provide registration papers.. (Staffordshire Terrier I assume is what you are looking at).. no registration papers = NOT purebred…thats the LAW
ask for references on other buyers
main thing – this breeder is NOT reputable – pick another breeder…
Answer by doggie_poopieGREAT QUESTION!
First, 6 wks is too young for a vaccination and only knocks out the mothers maternal immunity. Puppies should ALWAYS stay with mom and littermates until they are at least 8 weeks.
Here is a list of questions to ask
1.Are both the sire and dam of the litter O.F.A. certified?
2.Are either the sire or and the dam titled in conformation or working trials such as Schutzhund, AKC obedience, German or AKC style conformation shows?
3.Why did you decide to breed your female?
4. Have both the sire and dam been tested for genetic defects such as hypothyroidism, cataracts, sub-aortic stenosis, or von Willebrands Disease (a bleeding disorder)? Is there any history or entropian or ectropian in the bloodlines?
5.Do both the sire and the dam have correct dentition (all of their teeth AND a scissors bite)?
6.What are the strengths and weaknesses in the sire and dam? How do you feel the two bloodlines compliment each other?
7. What sort of guarantee do you offer on the puppy?
*The point we are trying to make here is that for the same price as you’d pay a puppy mill or backyard breeder, you can get a far better dog by dealing with a knowledgeable, conscientious, and ethical breeder. The ethical breeders are not likely to advertise puppies in the newspaper. His/her puppies are not difficult to sell and so he/she usually doesn’t need to place an ad.
Responsible breeders:
* Breed only healthy, papered dogs that are free of genetic and temperament defects. They NEVER breed rescue dogs and dogs of unknown genetic background.
* Ensure their pups won’t end up in an animal shelters by finding safe, committed, responsible homes for each pup before they are conceived. This means potentially 8-12 homes!
* Take back their dogs if the homes don’t work out (for the entire life of the dog). This means dogs could come back to you years after you sold them.
* Spay/neuter their puppies prior to adoption so they won’t contribute to the overpopulation problem.
If this was helpful in anyway let me know!
how old is it
about its past
if it has ever been sick
what they are feeding it
if it is house brokenAnswer by Pepsie paws
Keep looking around and if you feal ok with this breeder go for it but if I were you I would deffnetly look at other breeders too just to make sure I was getting the best choice.This breeder does sound like a BYB but if your ok with it then go for it. I would ask the breeder if I can get a certificate of health from the vet.Answer by mcnatt c
See mom and dad of the pup,see vacination and deworming record and also the vials that tht shots were in .I would never buy a dog that has not been previuosly wormed and vacinated .You just don,t do that.Anyway you should not pick a pup that is barely 6 weeks old maybe 8 weeks ,He needs to be well adjusted and weaned from his mom.worming should begin at 1 week especially pits and then every week along with siblings and mother. Be ware if these things have not been done because the puppy could have already been exposed to parvo and be thrown into it shortly after the immunization.That happens frequently.Good Luck and God BlessAnswer by hester7539
I’d ask the breeder for references and I’d insist on seeing the mother and father and their living conditions. These three things will give you a really good idea about the breeder and dog quality. If they hesitate on any of those I’d keep looking. A short guarantee is usually to insure that you go to a vet right away.
Most pups shouldn’t be taken from their mother until a min. of 6 weeks smaller breeds even longer. If they want to go to the first vet visit with you, make it a vet of your choice, not theirs.
The fact that you are questioning makes me think that you are a little suspicious and if this is the case you may want to move on and keep looking. The lowest priced puppy is not always the best choice because you could end up with high vet bills down the road.
Good luck!
Answer by tdude09Ask them if they have registered at AKC FIRST OF ALL
And of course the normal questions….Answer by Jo
This breeder is being reasonable as far as getting the first shots but on the day you get the puppy if the puppy is getting shots on that day, I would want to be sure which set of shots the puppy is actually getting, the first or second set. Ask for proof of the first set of shots. I would think it is first shots it is getting if you take it to the Vet the day you get it and get shots. Especially if it is barely six weeks old which is a bit young.
As far as Parvo goes, a breeder cannot guarantee that your puppy won’t contract the disease because the shots are not 100% protection as well as the fact that your puppy can contract the disease after you get home.
Parvo is a highly contagious disease and though it is not technically airborn, you could bring it home by stepping in an area where a sick dog has recently left some stool behind.
That is one reason Vets will usually recommend that you don’t take the puppy to places frequented by dogs until it is older.
You could ask the breeder if they have references from anyone who has bought their puppies before. There is no total guarantee.
I know of a kennel I will not name that sells their dogs for a very high price. They have a fancy website and all, but their dogs are sickly. Not talking about Parvo, but bad allergies, and other genetic traits that make them high maintenance and don’t guarantee the dog will live a full long life for a dog.Answer by tejas_yuki
DON’T DO IT!!
Read the following: https://www.canismajor.com/dog/responbr.html
Also, parvo can be picked up from anywhere in the environment, so it would be hard to place the blame on that one. Word of advice, bring the pup, where ever you find one, to the vet right after picking it up, before bringing it home, to have a clean bill of health. Any abnormalities (if any) can be noted right then and there. Good luck. AND SHOP AROUND for the right breeder – do your research.
Answer by undercover rock starWAIT WAIT WAIT!!!! A breeder with great confidence in their litter will guarantee the dog up to one year and maybe two. The best way is to thoroughly research the breeder and make sure that the parents are on premises. Furthermore, there are no “special” breeds of pitbulls so be wary of breeders that advertise certain lines. You want to make sure that you are NOT buying a game dog (dogs which people fight illegally) and the best way to ensure about this is to go to a breeder that has been breeding for a long time and inspect the premises. You may even be able to call up the vet that the breeder uses to find out about their reputation. The vet maybe able to provide you with some valuable info OR EVEN BETTER POINT YOU TO A REPUTABLE BREEDER!!!!!! However, I can point you to this website www.jerrysk9.com I had my dog trained there and he sells his pits nationwide and does extensive dog trainingAnswer by melissa s
Firstly, are you looking for a dual registered dog? I can recommend a great location to find very good breeders but they are dual registered with AKC and the UKC.
For any breeder. there should be a lifetime temperement guarantee as well as a health guarantee. You should ask for referances. the Breeder should have all shots up to 8 weeks, any good breeder will not sale one younger then that. you should only buy from a breeder who works or shows their dogs. Simple back yard breeders are a NO GO. the reason is they are only breeding 2 papered dogs but not every papered dog should be bred therefore you may be getting a ticking time bomb. the dogs should have a purpose. Most good breeders do not have alot of litters, maybe one or two every year or so. Most will already have homes for potential show or working dogs but pets are usually available. Good breeders will question you as well to make sure you are a good person to have their dogs. they should always be willing to take the dog back if there is ever a reason you cannot have it anymore.
There are alot of different registries for “Pitbulls” they can be UKC, (American Pitbull Terrier) AKC(American Staffordshire Terrier) ADBA (American Pitbull Terrier) and I think there are a few others. Many dogs are dual registered,which no matter what anyone says, is not a bad thing at all. Mine is dual registered. Best Dog I have ever had. Feel free to email me if you are interested in the site.
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