The questions to ask a breeder before you commit

Most people put more research into buying a washing machine than into where their dog comes from. That is not a criticism of buyers — it is a gap in what anyone ever tells them. You are about to take on a relationship that may last fifteen years, and you have, realistically, one conversation and one visit on which to judge it.

So the questions you ask in that conversation carry a great deal of weight.

The good news is that you do not need to be an expert. You need a short list of the right questions, and — just as useful — a sense of what a good answer sounds like. Here is that list. It is written with puppy buyers in mind, but the principles carry straight across to anyone buying a foal.

"Can I see the puppy with its mother?"

This is the one that is not negotiable. You should see the puppy in the place it was bred, with its mother — not in a car park, not at a "halfway" meeting point, not at a different address. Seeing the dam tells you about temperament, about the conditions the litter was raised in, and that the puppy is genuinely what the breeder says it is.

A breeder who cannot or will not let you see the mother with the litter is the single clearest warning sign there is. It is the reason commercial third-party puppy sales were banned in England, Scotland and Wales — buying direct, and seeing the mother, is the protection. If you take only one question from this list, take this one.

"What health testing have both parents had — and may I see the certificates?"

Both parents should have the health tests relevant to their breed — hip and elbow scores, DNA tests, eye testing, whatever the breed needs. Ask which tests were done, and ask to see the actual certificates rather than simply be told the results. A responsible breeder expects this and will have them ready.

If you are not sure how to read what you are shown, that is fine — we wrote a plain-English guide to exactly that. What matters at this stage is only that the testing was done, that you have seen the proof, and that the breeder can tell you how the results compare to what is normal for the breed.

"Why did you choose this particular mating?"

Ask the breeder why they put this dam and this sire together. A thoughtful breeder will have a real answer — a temperament they wanted to keep, a physical trait they were trying to improve, working ability, complementing one parent's weakness with the other's strength. They have thought about the next generation.

A vague answer — "she was ready", "he was nearby", "to have some puppies" — is itself the answer. Good breeding is a series of deliberate decisions. You are listening for evidence that decisions were made.

"How often is the mother bred from?"

A responsible breeder does not over-breed a bitch. There are limits, for good reason — the Kennel Club will not normally register a litter from a dam that has already had four, nor from a bitch outside set age limits. A dam bred every season, or one producing litter after litter, is a welfare concern regardless of how healthy the puppies in front of you look.

It is a fair question, and a good breeder will not be offended by it.

"Where and how have the puppies been raised?"

The first weeks of a puppy's life shape the dog it becomes. Puppies raised in a home — exposed to the ordinary sounds of a household, handled gently and often, meeting normal life — are far better prepared than puppies raised in isolation in an outbuilding. Ask what the breeder does during those weeks, and ask to see where the litter is kept. The answer, and the visit, will tell you a great deal.

"What happens if it doesn't work out?"

Ask the breeder directly: if my circumstances change, or this simply doesn't work, will you take the dog back? A genuinely responsible breeder will say yes without hesitation — they would always rather have one of their dogs returned to them than see it end up in a rescue, and many will have it written into their contract.

A breeder content to take your money and never think about the dog again has told you what kind of breeder they are.

"What comes with the puppy?"

You should expect registration paperwork, a record of vaccinations and any vet visits, microchip details — microchipping is a legal requirement before a puppy is sold — the health-test certificates for the parents, and ideally a written contract with some guidance on feeding and care. Ask what the puppy pack contains, and keep all of it: those documents follow the dog for the rest of its life. If you have nowhere obvious to put them, our free health record was built for exactly that.

And one last thing — listen to how they answer

The answers matter. But after every conversation with a breeder, ask yourself one more question: how did it feel to ask?

A responsible breeder is glad you are asking. They will likely ask you as many questions back — about your home, your work, your experience — because they care where their puppy goes. That mutual interrogation is a good sign. A breeder who is impatient, defensive, evasive, or who makes you feel awkward for asking, has answered the most important question of all without meaning to.

You do not need to be an expert. You need to ask — and you need to notice.

— Rene