“What are the questions I should be asking the people who call?”
You should find out as much as possible about the people who want to purchase one of the puppies. Consider it a job interview for the life of and responsibility for the puppy. Some of the questions that you should ask are:
Why do they want a puppy of this breed?
What type of experience do they have with (insert breed here)?
What do they know about raising and training dogs?
How many dogs have they owned in their life and at what ages and how did the dogs die?
Have they ever gotten rid of one of their dogs and why?
Do they have children, other dogs, cats? If so, what are their ages?
Where will the dog live in the family (inside, outside, a combination of both)?
Do they have the facilities to keep a (insert breed here)?
What do they want to do with the puppy; i.e., do they want to compete with it; do they want a pet; do they want to breed later?
Are the puppies in this litter suitable for their needs?
Do they plan to spay/neuter the puppy?
Do they have the financial means to feed and properly maintain, including veterinarian costs, a (insert breed here)?
What kind of exercise will the dog get?
Do they have a fenced in garden?
Do they know about grooming the dog (especially important in coated breeds)?
If they are thinking of breeding later, will they do the necessary health checks and prove the worth of their dog within the breed prior to breeding?
Do they have a problem with signing a contract for your puppy?
A good breeder, concerned with the welfare of their puppies, will make the buyer feel as if they are adopting one of the breeder’s children. Any breeder who will sell puppies without asking questions and doing all possible to guarantee that the buyer knows about
If the answers to any of these questions are vague or not to your liking, you should either decline selling them a puppy or talk to them in person and then make your decision. Remember that if they are not willing to work with you now, it is likely that they will not follow your guidelines in the future, contract or not.
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