What to Expect When Buying a Puppy From a Responsible Breeder
Table Of Contents
- What to expect when buying a puppy
- Finding a responsible breeder
- Contacting the breeder
- Arranging to see the puppy
- Paperwork
- Things to watch out for
- Conclusion
What to expect when buying a puppy
You’ve decided that buying a puppy is the right choice for you and what type of dog suits your family and lifestyle best – and now the search for a puppy begins.
Sourcing a puppy ethically, and giving your puppy a good start in life, begins with choosing a breeder that has the puppy’s best interests at heart. Unfortunately, there are people who set out to make money by selling puppies that have been poorly bred. They may be raised in unsuitable or even cruel conditions, and have a higher chance of suffering from behavioural and health problems.
If you are committed to responsibly sourcing a puppy, you must be prepared to travel to the right breeder, and wait until the right litter is ready for rehoming. The more unusual or specific a breed you are looking for, the more this will apply. Try to be led by your head rather than your heart and you will have the best chance of bringing home a happy, healthy companion.
Finding a responsible breeder
One of the hallmarks of a responsible breeder is that they breed only for good reasons. They should be aiming to produce puppies that improve the breed or fulfil a particular role – in terms of health, temperament and appearance, as well as any relevant working ability. Being a good family pet is an important job, and when selecting a puppy you should consider the health and temperament of the puppy's parents as well as the puppies themselves.
If family or friends have a dog that you admire, ask them where they came from. A personal recommendation to a breeder, and being able to see the outcome of that breeder’s previous efforts, is of great value when trying to find a dog that is likely to look and behave in the way you want.
Pedigree breeds are likely to have one or more breed clubs that look after the breed’s interest by, for example, holding shows and educational events, promoting health testing and ensuring that its members abide by a code of best practice when breeding. The breed club’s secretary may be able to signpost you to club members who are planning a litter, or extend an invitation to an upcoming event or show that will allow you to meet exhibitors, breeders and their dogs in person.
Without a personal recommendation or introduction, you may consider searching for a breeder online. Following our guidance can help you to disregard those who are breeding only for profit.
Some litters are bred by pet owners, either as a hobby or by accident. This doesn’t mean that the puppies are worse than those from a professional breeder, however it is likely less thought has gone in to the breeding process so there may be more unknowns. Make sure you have done your research and know what questions to ask when making contact and check our list of 'red flags' throughout this blog to avoid puppies coming from puppy farms and being passed off as being from pet homes.
Contacting the breeder
They should be happy to spend time talking with you on the phone, answer your questions and be keen to ask you questions in return – after all, they need to be assured that you are offering a good home. It is unlikely that they will have a suitable puppy available right away, and it’s usual to operate some form of waiting list.
They should be open to discuss of any health or genetic problems within the breed and be able to give you evidence of relevant health testing in their breeding stock, to reduce the chance of your puppy having a heritable disease.
They should be able to discuss their reasons for planning the next litter – what they hope to achieve, why the stud dog is a good match for their bitch, and what attributes each parent might bring to their offspring.
They should be able to describe how the puppies will be raised – ideally this will be in a home environment similar to your own, with the puppies well used to household noises and people coming and going – and what efforts they make to socialise the puppies before they go to their new homes.
Arranging to see the puppy
If all goes to plan, you will receive that exciting call to let you know that a litter of puppies has arrived and that you can go and meet them. You should be able to view the puppies in the environment in which they are normally kept, along with their mother. Mum should appear in good health and be of good nature with both you and her puppies. Be sure she is their mum – she should have enlarged mammary glands.
Expect to see a clean and safe area filled with items like a whelping pen, lots of clean bedding, newspapers or puppy pads, and food and water bowls. The puppies should appear confident and familiar with their surroundings. A very sterile environment, or nervous looking puppies, may suggest that they have been brought in from elsewhere.
The puppies should be bright, curious and interactive, with clean shiny coats and a pleasant smell. They should be interested in you and comfortable being handled.
Signs that something may not be quite right include any discharge from eyes, ears or nose, coughing or noisy breathing, signs of diarrhoea around their bottom or in the environment, dull, dandruffy or sparse coat or any weakness or wobbliness.
The breeder should be able to evidence that the puppies have been treated regularly for worms – this is usually done at two, five and eight weeks of age.
Paperwork
It is usual to receive a contract of sale, aiming to protect both the breeder and the new owner. It should include the contact details for both parties, information about the puppy including their microchip number and details about the purchase price and payment received. Sometimes the contract will include an agreement to neuter the puppy when he/she is at a suitable age. This is to prevent irresponsible breeding and protect genetic lines.
There is usually a section about any right of return and under what circumstances the breeder will take the puppy back. For responsible breeders, this can often include returning the dog as an adult if the owner is no longer able to take care of them.
The puppies must be microchipped by the age of 8 weeks, before they are sold. The breeder will be registered as the first keeper, and should provide the information necessary to transfer the keepership into your details.
If the puppy is described as Kennel Club registered, the registration certificate and information on how to transfer the registration into your details should be provided. Beware of fake registration certificates, or certificates from other registries purporting to be Kennel Club registration - you can verify a dog’s registration via the Kennel Club website.
If the puppy has been given their first vaccination, this should be evidenced on a vaccination card signed by the breeder’s vet, and details given of when the second vaccination is due.
You should receive a diet sheet detailing what the puppy is being fed, and how often. It is inadvisable to change a puppy’s diet quickly, so many breeders will give you a few weeks' worth of the puppy’s current food.
The breeder may provide you with access to four weeks free pet insurance – ensure you are familiar with the policy details.
Things to watch out for
It’s important to recognise the signs of puppy farming and puppy smuggling operations, both to avoid funding these cruel trades and to maximise your chances of obtaining a healthy and happy companion. Signs of illegal activity can include:
- Being pressured into parting with payment or a deposit early on in the discussion, before meeting the puppy. Some online adverts are scams for puppies that don’t exist.
- Puppies being available straightaway, or being told that more puppies will be available very soon in the specific colour or sex that you want. This indicates that puppies may be being bred elsewhere and brought in from an external source.
- The seller having several litters, unusually large litters, or several breeds available at the same time.
- Not being able to see the mother – excuses can include that 'she’s at the vets', 'with family' or 'out on a walk'. Always insist on viewing the puppy in the environment they were bred in, with their mother and siblings present.
- Offering to meet you somewhere with a puppy, or delivering a puppy to you, so you cannot see the mother or home environment.
- Puppies being sold earlier than eight weeks of age and/or without a microchip.
- Puppies having a pet passport, indicating that they’ve been imported. Outside of some very specific circumstances this should ring alarm bells. There is no way of checking the environment they were raised in, and they may form part of the illegal puppy smuggling trade.
To conclude, when looking into getting a puppy, it's important that you research responsible breeders and take your time throughout the process, checking for anything untoward. With this in mind, you can be confident in your decision and enjoy the companionship of a happy and healthy dog. Check out some of our other articles on dog ownership to aid you with your pet journey.
Disclaimer
Please note that the content made available on this webpage is for general information purposes only. Whilst we try to ensure that at the time of writing all material is up to date and reflects industry standards, we make no representation, warranties or guarantees that the information made available is up to date, accurate or complete. Any reliance placed by yourselves is done so at your own risk.
Page last reviewed: 30th January 2025
Next review due: 30th January 2027