rehoming puppies
 

How do ya'll deal with potential puppy adoptions??

How do you interrogate people without offending them? what are some typical questions you ask? How do you know they are being truthful in their answers?

Not sure what you are looking for but I had to fill out a four page adoption agreement for Toby and the foster mom called my vet, groomer and three references. I didn't mind a bit! That showed me she cared about the dog and who the dog would be living with. There was only one question on the form I felt was improper to ask and that was if we owned our home they wanted to see proof. I feel if the person is sincere in adopting a pet, they shouldn't mind being interrogated if they truly want the pet. It didn't bother me at all and didn't feel offended. I just HATED the wait to find out if I was the lucky mom while she accepted several hundred other applications. I had to wait a week to find out and it absolutely drove me nuts!

Before I even speak to a potential adopter, I ask for a vet reference and call to see how they have vetted their previous and present pets.

Anyone who loves animals and is sincere should not have a problem with any questions. They should respect you for caring enough to make sure you are placing a pup in a good home.

Some questions to ask:
Why do you want a yorkie?
Have you researched the breed? (I always ask them what they know about yorkies.)
Do you own your home or rent?
If you rent, are pets allowed?
If you had to move and you could not take your pet, what would you do?
Do you have a pool?
How will you housebreak?
If your pup develops issues such as chewing, how will you deal with this?
Where will the pup spend his/her day time hours?
How many hours/day will the pup be left alone?
Where will the pup sleep?
Do you have a yard and is it securely fenced?
If not, how will your pup go outside? What if it is raining?
How many people live in your home?
Do children live in your home and/or visit? Ages?
If so, do they have experience with small dogs?
If you lost your job, had to move, or had a baby what would you do with your pup?
If your pup needed emergency surgery that might cost $3,000 what would you do?

There are SO many questions to ask. I feel it is better to have a form completed and then go from there. That way you can just follow up on the answers. I find that most people who really love yorkies talk a LOT. I normally do not find myself needing to ask many questions...they usually tell me most of what I want to hear. The key is to LISTEN. Give them a chance to either promote or discredit themselves...it happens without prodding quite often! I used to be shocked at some of the things people felt it was ok to tell me....not anymore.

:thumbup:

Great answer... we do talk a LOT .
and i ask even more questions than the ones listed.
You can not always judge character, but i go with my guts.
And the most important, have very written contract , be ready to fight for the well being of your puppies always and let anyone know that. If the prospect owners are true dog lovers they will appreciate it.
Do not be afraid to offend anyone or ask to see proof of anything you feel like you need to see proof.

XOXO

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

If I offend them they are not right for my pup.

Great post!:thumbup:

I also believe a home inspection should be required if at all possible. I would even interview neighbors as they will often times know how the potential adopting family has treated past pets.

Oh, absolutely a home visit! Neighbors would probably know things as well...I also left off groomers. They also know how a person is with their pup.

You can also request vet information, call and verify that if they have a current pet that it is current on vaccines and been treated before for yearly checkups!!
If they do not have a current vet you can request they give you the name of the vet they plan on using. My breeder gave me 72 hours for my dog to be seen and I had to fax her over the paperwork so she had on file that the dog was in healthy condition when she sold her to me...

Great advice-thank you.

I wonder what my neighbors would say about me? haha My neighbors dont like children or pets. They shoosh my dogs and my kids through their open windows. They even shooshed my teenager when he took out a bag of trash and dropped it in the rubber bin, guess he dropped it too loud.

My mom came over and went out back to smoke and heard them yell "oh great-now they are out there smoking-gross". I told my mom I own this piece of dirt my house sits on so that means I own the air above it too and if they dont like my company smoking outside then they should move. Its not like my mom was at the fence blowing it in their direction. We really do try to be considerate, but they are extremely moody people.

Maybe I should fertilize my lawn this spring :D

I always ask if they have had previous pet, and "where they are now...?"
Lived long... given away, to who? where? why? ya know...;)

There have been plenty of threads on how to find a good breeder. Articles everywhere on the subject.

Since I don't advertise and you can only find my information on the YTCA breeder referral list.....I always make it a practice never to let a new family know if I have puppies available or not. At least not until I've received satisfactory answers to a couple of questions I ask.

However, there was an article this last summer in the AKC Gazette on how to interview potential new families when placing your pups.

1. Listen for Phone Cues. A breeder never tells a potential new family right off the bat that they have puppies available. If their initial question is "How much does a pupp cost? Price tag shouldn't be the prime concern
Nor should color. People will call up and say, "I want a white curly, or a dog with a lot of white on it. They are more interested in color than a dog that will get along with them. Other comments are immediate deal-breakers. "When a parent sayd, "we're going to teach our children responsibility......"Not with my puppy you're not"

2. Read Between the Lines. Prospective owner's intentions and lifestye, but written answers can be misleading. Yes or no answers, hastily dashed off suggest the same slipshot approach will be applied to obedience training, socializing and other time consuming aspect of raising a pup.

3. Meet and Greet "we don't get serious....until we've met them, and have them into our home, have them sit with the dogs," One visit or more, is critical, because it allows the breeder to observe how people react when confronted with flesh and blood puppies. "It's the attitude toward the dog, how they respond to the pups. Seeing the whole family is essential, because if one member is not onboard, the dog is likely to suffer.
4. Mind the Kids. Watching the children interact with their parents. Are they responsive to their parents and the dog? Is there an open relationship? Is there fear? That will get (transferred) down to the dog

5. Probe Personality.....there are stadard tests to tell if a personality is bold or shy, mellow or energetic. These traits are the most important factor in making a match, more so than gener, color, or size.

6. Check Finances. Vaudeville signing star Sophie Tucker coined the famous line, "I've been rich and I've been poor-and believe me, rich is better." But this is not necessaily so when it comes to picking a good home for a puppy. It's important than an owner be able to afford quality food, shelter, and vterinary cary, but a wealthy person my not be the best. Case in point; a family wants a pup, and it seems like a wonderful opportunity. They have a big house with a backyard pool as well as a 2nd home. But, they would not take the time to go East for a face-to-face meeting. The proposal was to send a nanny to an East Coast airport, and the breeder was to hand off the puppy. Well heeled they family may have been, but they lacked important qualities-dedication and interest-that are essential for providing a good home.

7. Trust the Dog- Dogs are often better than their owners at sizing up strangers.

8. Get Down to the Nitty-Gritty. Breeders don't be afraid about probing for details. Ask questions: Who will walk the dog? How often will the dog be exercised. How large is your yard, what kind of fences are there. Who will be with the dog during the day. What will the puppy eat. Where will the puppy sleep. People that have not given a great deal of thought to such questions will probably be rejected, as will families who don't plan to intergrate the dog into their lives. People who won't consider a policy are not being realistic about the high costs of veterinary care, especially in an emergency. If their dog gets that sick, they reason, just put it down and get a new one.

If that's your attitude, you know what? No puppy for you.

9. Take a Trip Down Memory Lane. Breeders love to hear, "I've had a Portuguese for 14 years. Or I have a 3-year-old Portuguese who needs a Portuguese playmate. Sometimes people don't immediately reveal dog history. Theyn they'll drop a bombshell. They'll talk about "that wonderful Lab puppy" they got rid of when the baby came, or they'll recall finding a new home for a dog because they wanted to travel. "red flag"

10. Admit when it's wrong- and act fast. Sometimes , no matter how well you screen, how many questions, you ask, you may place a puppy with the wrong person. It's happened. A puppy placed in another state. The new owner gives all the right answers, drives down to the breeders home. The new potential owner and family are just as charming as they can be. The potential new owner comes a few other times and calls constantly. You think mmmmm this is a winner. You get a call from another breeder who lives near the new owner. The breeder tells you that the man has suffered brain damage in an accident some years earlier. While he still function, he ws not capable of carying for animals on a day-to-day basis. So, it's up to the breeder to delve deeper. Contact other breeders...

Excellent advice!

One more thing....The internet has made it possible for a lot of wonderful things. I don't know what I'd do without it. But, it also has it's bad points; for buyers as well as breeders. Anyone can build a beautiful website and put anything they want on it. Some people looking for a puppy or selling puppies have learned how to talk the talk, but don't walk the walk. So, there's nothing like a meet and greet. I get a lot of e-mail inquiries, but put more faith in a potential new owner that puts in the effort of following up with a phone call. I don't ship, so those that will travel to me to pick out their puppy will always win me over.