I am going to be honest with you. Something about this breeder makes me feel uneasy about her, I can't quite put my finger on it. Maybe I am completely off, after all I am not asking her the questions and hearing what she says. Just make sure you ask as many questions as you can and that you get good lengthy answers back. You will get a good feel for it whether this is a good breeder by listening to her answers and response.
The cash or money order is normal. People don't accept checks anymore because there are alot of scammers out there that will write out a check and get the puppy only to find out that the check is a fraud or bounced. And alot of people can't use credit cards, so cash or money order is really the only way to go unless you use an online payment server. I would go with the money order and also have her write up a receit with her signature on it saying how much you paid and that it was paid in full.
Some breeders have good reasons to give a pup away at 8 weeks. Just ask her why she only keeps them until they are 8 weeks old and not older and you should be able to decide whether her response is a good one or not.
The health guarantee is most important and can be very tricky. Read every word. Make sure you fully understand the contract. If it is not in the contract written down, you can't hold them liable for it, well you might but it would be a very hard case to fight agaist. Read what all it covers. Some contracts only have a few genetic diseases listed and if they are not listed they might not cooperate if your pup comes down with a disease not listed. Also, make sure that in the contract that if your pup does come down with a genetic disease that your pup can be checked by your vet. There are some bad people out there where it says your pup has to be checked by their vet and you will only get a refund if their vet diagnoses the pup with that disease. Usually in this case, the vet is no good and will say anything the breeder wants them to say. This is of course, the worst case senario, most breeders you don't have to worry about.
And for your safety, I would make sure that in the contract, if your pup was diagnosed with a genetic disease that was covered in the contract, that you get either a full or partial refund with a new puppy. If the only option is you only get a new puppy, you are never allowed a refund, just an exchange of a puppy, it is no good. They could sell you a puppy, have it get sick, and then all they would do is give you another sick puppy.
If you read all the terms completely and carefully, if your pup gets sick and is covered in the contract, you shoulden't have a problem with legal issues, the breeder usually stands by the contract or they will have serious legation issues. The contract is the most important thing. If you don't fully understand it, ask the breeder, and make a copy and you could show it to us.
AKC registration is not important unless you are planning on showing or breeding. There really is no purpose for AKC papers for a pet unless you want to know their lineage. Their are some other good registries out there. If she is charging $850 for pups with absolutely no papers or pedigree, that is a high price in my opinion.
Also, note the care and concern the breeder has for the puppies. If she does not ask you any questions about the puppies and how they will be cared for, and you never said anything about how you would care for the pups, I would be very cautious and leary of buying from her. A breeder should always care about their pups. Usually if they will talk to you about the puppies in great detail and length, they care about the puppies rather than someone who is more interested in the money and payment than going into any detail about their dogs or puppies.
My best advice to you is take someone with you that has done this all before and knows what to look for. If that is not possible, don't buy on impulse. Think it over for a day and voice any concerns or questions to someone who can help you decide whether this is a good deal or not.
I know it is alot to take in your first time but buying a puppy is a life committment and you want to make sure you get a good healthy puppy that you will be able to enjoy for many years. There are soooo many bad breeders out there that you have to be really careful, it is a shame.
Good luck with getting your puppy, I hope all goes well!!
