How to Select a Kennel When Buying a Breed Dog

When you are buying a purebred dog, there are a lot of things to consider. Many breeds come with health issues unique to their particular body type and size that are less common with mixed breed dogs. Also, different breeds of dog have different personality traits which you may or may not be looking for. Once you have decided on the breed of dog you want, your decision making is not over.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Meet the breeder in person if possible. A responsible breeder will be able and willing to spend some time with you answering questions about the care of your new puppy. They should have a file on your dog and any medical history associated with your dog and his parents.

2. 
    
   Sometimes unscrupulous breeders use false physical addresses, then buy their dogs from puppy mills.

   Visit the kennel in person if possible. If the breeder will not let you visit the kennel, then you should not buy from that breeder. Just because they have cute animals does not mean that they are taking good care of their puppies. Most breeders will allow and arrange a kennel visit before you buy if you ask politely.

3. Avoid purchasing from international breeders without references. Many times you will be able to find "deals" on dogs from abroad. However, these are often scams. If you get a dog at all in return for your payment, it may not be a purebred animal and it will likely have been poorly treated and may be disfigured, disabled or handicapped. While you may be tempted to purchase an animal to save it from these conditions, you are actually making the conditions worse by rewarding the con artist on the other end.

4. Look online for reviews and comments on the kennel. Most kennels and breeders can be found online. Read not only what the breeder says about themselves, but also what other people have to say about them and their dogs. If there is a lot of negative "buzz," you should probably avoid them.

5. Make sure you understand and agree with the puppy contract. Purebred puppies often come with contracts concerning how and if they should be bred or altered, what types of shots they have had and terms for the return of a dog. Your contract should allow you time to take your dog to a veterinarian for a thorough examination and also provide the conditions for a return if the dog should have an undiagnosed health problem emerge.

Tips & Warnings

• Good breeders get good references. If you cannot visit a kennel or speak with a breeder in person, make sure that you have a trusted source that will vouch for them.

Resources

• Dogs

[thewhisperer]

on 6/6/2009 Call and make an appointment with a breeder you want to visit, to be sure the breeder will be home and has plenty of time to talk to you. Good breeders will ask YOU questions to see if you're someone who meets THEIR STANDARDS FOR BEING A GOOD PROSPECTIVE OWNER. Regarding "negative buzz", its better to get specific info from others who have had that breeders dogs. People bash and trash each other online all the time for reasons such as jealousy, etc.