Hi All,
I am expecting some prospective buyers to view my pups this Saturday. It has to be said that i am quaking in my boots. It is the first time i have bred from my bitch and probably the last as i don't think i could cope with the worry again. LOL!
Anyway what i would like to know is, what things do i need to ask the buyers, what should i be concerned about i.e. their questions or behaviour? Does anyone have any top tips to give me please. Absolutely anything that you can think of, however small or insignificant i would love to hear about it. Contracts, their suitability as owners, deposits, etc! My mind has gone totaly blank....eeeek!  

Haven't you asked all the main questions already, before allowing them to visit? I will only allow people to visit if I feel fairly sure they are right. I will ask questions such as why do they want my breed, what is their intention (pet, showing, working etc), what is their dog experience, have they any other dogs, other pets, is somebody at home during the day and similar. (I often start by just asking them to tell me a bit about themselves, and then fill in with whatever questions haven't already been answered in that.) Then when they visit it's more for them to ask me more questions and above all to see how they interact with my dogs. I always let them meet the adults first and puppies last -everyone loves little puppies, but it takes a dog person to love fully grown adults jumping all over them leaving hair everywhere. :) You can tell a LOT from how people act with dogs around them.

In addition to what Marianne has said, I insist on seeing all members of the family, including all children who live at home.  I carefully watch the parents attitude to the children.  I've had parents so fascinated by the dogs that there were oblivious to the way the children were behaving behind their backs, in which case I don't let my puppy go and live there regardless of the parents interest.

The enquiries regarding the pups has come through the K.C. which was where i saw mum advertised. I don't recall the breeder giving me the spanish inquisition when i bought her but i was at their address for about four hours after which he was probably glad to get rid of me i think as i rambled on and on about how much i loved the breed and the fond memories i had of growing up as a child with this particular breed.
Is it ok to have a list of questions on a piece of paper and then be guided by their answers? I have brain like a sieve and am so scared i will forget something to ask. I'm a dog person through and through and i suppose i am naive enough to think that other dog owners feel the same as me, when this is not always so.
A ham sandwich isn't the same without a dog hair in it!

I certainly give prospective buyers the Spanish Inquisition on the phone before they're even invited to visit, and again when they arrive.  My puppies are precious and only the very best homes are suitable. :)
The fact that the enquiries come through the Kennel Club gives no asurance that they are suitable homes.  There are plenty of con merchants out there. :(  And there's more to being a responsible dog owner than just loving the breed.
I also make sure that they're all endorsed 'Progeny not to be registered' as I wouldn't want them to be bred from if I'd sold them to pet homes.

I went to see some GSD pups quite a few years ago now, real good breed they were. But I left the breeders quite upset, and thought them really stuck up at the time, but now I know different.

What I said whilst I was there was, that I wanted a smallish GSD like my previous 1, well bad thing to say, the breeder immediately said "well I won't let you have 1 of mine then, sorry, they will be of big type". And he wouldn't even bring 1 over from his Kennels to show me. I fully understand what he meant after a time. He had his best intentions for his pups. But since then I have managed 2 large GSDs fine, funnily enough. Just thought I'd say.

I don't think it needs to feel like the Spanish Inquisition.  I've been on both sides, and my personal experience has been that it's been a long conversation where you get to know each other, ask the relevant questions (as both breeder or buyer) and a lot of times things just get answered within the conversation.  Having a checklist of questions is good so that you can keep track of what you want to ask, but as someone else has said I do my initial contact and questions over the phone before visiting or allowing to visit.  By the time they visit (or I've visited as a buyer) we're all very comfortable and it's more or less the final evaluation. 

I'd be inclined to give the people a ring and just say you wanted to chat a bit more before they came over.  Ask them if they have any questions for you.  Just be open and honest and chatty.  That way you can have your list and tick it off and don't need to feel self-conscious, it opens the door to things they might want to ask.  and then if you or they forget something those things can be covered at the visit.  In person people get nervous and forget things...

Best of luck

Having a checklist is a very good idea, if you're anything like me you'll forget to ask half the stuff otherwise! You've probably already asked stuff about whether they work full time, from home, if anyone will be there at lunch time etc. How about holidays, what do they intend to do with the puppy then? And yes you want the whole family round, so you can see how they all interact with each other and the puppies.

Zebedee, I've sent you a pm

Also, re deposits, I have never taken them. As far as I know, if you take a deposit, then you are legally obliged to sell the puppy to that person. What happens if you find out something about them that would mean you didn't want to sell them a puppy any more? Lots of people take deposits though.

I would also advise you to chat to the people before they come, I spend ages talking to people before I let them come to view the pups. It's amazing what you find out while they are chatting away!

i chat forever lol just ask my new puppies mums and dad lol ....but its even better if your able to meet them before pups are born ,ive been very luckly this time and have a full waiting list ive met all but 2 familys and they will be coming in the next 2weeks ,most live miles away but i want to meet them and thay want to meet my dogs and thats what i like ,i know if thay are right for our breed with all the questions i can ask lol but i just put it all in when im talking so it dont sound like im questioning them :) plus i like to see what my dogs are like around them...
ask as much as you can.
x

> I always let them meet the adults first and puppies last -everyone loves little puppies, but it takes a dog person to love fully grown adults jumping all over them leaving hair everywhere. :-) You can tell a LOT from how people act with dogs around them.

I realised many years ago how important this is to the breeder.  I had made enquiries regarding a Toy Poodle puppy.  Arrived at their house, expecting to see pups in the living room.  No, all adults, many brought me toys and tugged and growled.

Then the door opened, and a Standard Poodle raced in - paws on my shoulders, and greeting me with great enthusiasm.

It was quite some time later that the breeder told me that if I hadn't passed "the test" I wouldn't have met any puppies!

I've never taken a deposit, for me if the 'new owners' want to change their minds that's better than having them feel 'stuck' with a puppy.  I suppose I do grill new owners but I try to do it in a chatty way when I have had to ask the hard line questions I have always made it clear that I'm only doing it for the good of my pup as I only want what is best for them.  I think building a relationship with new owners is a good idea there is more chance of them staying in touch once the pups have left for their new homes. 

If its any help I have spoken to a couple of breeders recently about being a prospective owner of one of their pups.
Things we discussed were much as all ready mentioned.
My family set up
If I worked - yes
What hours I work
How intended to care for pup during the hours I would not be there
Why I wanted a pup was it other than as a pet
Was I considering breeding NO !! ( her reply would have been different if I was)
Previous and current dog experience
We also touch on what happened to my previous dogs not exactly asked but came up in the conversation
Would I attend training classes
Any other animals in my home.
I also described my house garden etc
How much excercise I would expect to give.
I offered people she could speak to for references on being the person who put me in touch with her
I also suggested my vet and another breeder who I got my current dog from as they have also seen my home

We chatted for over an hour on the phone and have been invited up to meet her and the dogs
with my family if possible bearing in mind my kids are adults so may not be around all the time
Some questions werer probably easier as I have already had one of the breed concerned.
I will add that both people I spoke to gave me similar questions and I felt reassured by being " grilled"
and hopefully passed just hope it will be the same when we meet ! Oh yes i also emailed my details to her with a quick summary of our conversation to remind her about me as she may have lots of people to consider
Mind you I am a talker when it comes to most things and deffinitly dogs lol 

Make sure that you've remembered to put endorsements on the KC registrations of the pups - and that you've told people this before they come. I also send people a copy of my Puppy Sales Contract, preferably before they come to see the puppies.
Zebedee, I've pm'd you a copy of my contract :)

on top of everything else, do online checks, home checks, use google for their tel numbers and emails (most revealing!) use trace smart to check they live where they say......so many ways of finding out a lot before they even turn up. make sure you get their full postal address before they arrive so you can check it all out.

> In addition to what Marianne has said, I insist on seeing all members of the family, including all children who live at home.  I carefully watch the parents attitude to the children.  I've had parents so fascinated by the dogs that there were oblivious to the way the children were behaving behind their backs, in which case I don't let my puppy go and live there regardless of the parents interest.

The only thing I would say about this is that when people have young children I would be reluctant to bring them along in case the breeder wasn't happy with us, can you imagine their upset at being told we weren't suitable, particularly as they would be too young to understand the reasons behind it. When we rehomed our dog we insisted that they didn't bring their children initially in case we weren't happy with them it would have been unfair to get their hopes up for them to be told they couldn't have him.

Then it's up to the parents not to tell the children that they will be having a puppy - that they are just going to look at some puppies.  A good opportunity for the children to learn that they can't have everything that they want. ;)
I wouldn't consider NOT seeing how the children were going to behave with one of my puppies, and even more important, how the parents were going to control the children. :)

100% agree with westcoast......there is no way id consider anyone til id met their kids as well and if they have so little control over them that they cant disapoint them now and then in life....well....nuff said!! Lifes full of disapointment!

Wow, well I don't "control" my children, I "teach" them how to behave and have rules and boundries that they aren't allowed to break but I wouldn't dream of trying to "control" them. Out of interest how would you expect a toddler to behave? Would you expect them to be quiet and not excited by the sight of several dogs?

I know its a sore subject when it comes to children and dogs as there have been several debates on it in the past but I am one of those that believe that it is beneficial for children to grow up with animals, I know there are the select few that ruin it for the majority but it is a shame that somne people believe that children are like robots and should behave as such. I can understand meeting the parents first and asking all the questions to ascertain suitability and then asking to meet the children before you let the pup go having already made your decision but what are you really looking for when you meet the children? After all they are not going to be the people that actually provide the main care for the puppy.

You're looking for how the parents manage their children's behaviour, because that's usually an indication of how they'll manage their dog's behaviour.

Do you mean not allowing the children to poke/prod the dogs or being too excitable around the dogs?

That goes without saying, but also whether they've always got one eye on what the children are doing, how they correct them (sharply and crossly or reasonably and patiently) and how the children respond to the correction. Do they ignore it and carry on, do they get upset etc.

I understand what you are saying and yes I agree it would be worrying if they allowed their children to do whatever they wanted to and for the record I always advocate reasoning and explaining to children rather than being cross with them and simply telling them off.
In terms of someone with a baby or a very young toddler though the children wouldn't "know" how to behave around a dog if it was their first and I would "expect" them to be excited to see the dogs.

> In terms of someone with a baby or a very young toddler though the children wouldn't "know" how to behave around a dog if it was their first and I would "expect" them to be excited to see the dogs.

But how the parents handle the introduction says a lot as to how sensibly they will manage the interactions when they get puppy home.

One of my recant puppy buyers arrived with her grown up daughter and frequently visiting 10 month old grandson.

He not surprisingly was squirmy and tetchy after a while.

After they realised that some of the dogs really liked the baby they sat him down on the floor and our then 10 1/2 year old Jozi decided to sit next to him while the baby patted and stroked her in a cack handed way, but both Mum and grandmother watched carefully (obviously so did I for any sign the dogs were not comfortable) moved his hands away when he gripped fur etc.

>but both Mum and grandmother watched carefully (obviously so did I for any sign the dogs were not comfortable) moved his hands away when he gripped fur etc.

That's exactly what you want - awareness of the behaviour of the child and how it might affect the dog. Nobody expects perfection (from children or dogs!) but it's the way that the behaviours are managed that's important.

> Nobody expects perfection (from children or dogs!)

This is what I was confused about, in some previous posts on this debate it would seem that sometimes children are expected to be "perfect" and obviously whilst as parents many of us would like this it isn't possible ;-)

For the op, I would expect to be asked about my lifestyle, what I knew about your breed, previous dogs, home set up, how long the dog would be left, how I would be training the dog etc. I would also expect to see the mother and any other relations you had to hear about any health issues they have had, ages they have lived till, health testing you have carried out, and would expect all the puppies to have restrictions on breeding.

When I collected the puppy I would expect to have a diet sheet and a small bag of food, I would also like to have been offered the chance to leave a small blanket to pick up mums scent to help the pupple to settle when I bought it home. I would like all the kc paperwork to be ready and advice on exercise etc. I always think that you get a "gut" instinct about people and most times this is right, it is important that the breeder and owner have a good relationship so that if any problems occur the owner can get advice fro the breeder.

"Then it's up to the parents not to tell the children that they will be having a puppy - that they are just going to look at some puppies.  A good opportunity for the children to learn that they can't have everything that they want.
I wouldn't consider NOT seeing how the children were going to behave with one of my puppies, and even more important, how the parents were going to control the children. "                                                                                                                                        west cost you are a 100% true here ,a friend of mine had a family come to buy a pup thay had been once before with the kids and then came with them to pic up pup and omg i was there! the 4year old ran in kicked the pen and was banging the floor he frightend the pups half to death and perents just said NOTHING!!! my friend was neearly in tears and couldnt talk i knew her so well so i took over and told them to go, and siad how could she let you have a pup when your boy has just done that and you have done anything about it! they also had a baby in a pushchair, how could this family make sure that poor pup would be safe :( ....ive always told people to bring their children!

I Probably wouldnt go down well with a lot of breeders . When I went to see one of my dogs I didnt pick him up or fuss him. he was more interested in playing with his brothers so I left him to it until he came to me.
I have memories of visiting a litter as a child and  following this one puppy everywhere fussing over him, he hated me by the end of the visit ,lol

I didnt fuss over the adults until they came to me either for the same reason so i'd probably come across as cold but I do adore my dogs.

i dont see that has cold ,in fact i dont mind if pups dont get picked up! has long has you are asking questions and are showing a interest in pups and dogs i dont have a problem at all :)

When i was a child growing up with dogs in the home, if ever one of the dogs growled at me or my brothers and sister it was one of us that was told off and never the dog. The best lesson my dad taught us was to have respect for animals.
A few years ago now i used to live next door to a man who had an Akita. He regularly had his grandson over to visit who was a toddler and during his visits the neighbour used to tell me how wonderful and tolerant his dog was for letting the toddler pull the dog about and the dog never retaliated. Where was the mans respect for his dog????? Despite my attempts to advise my neighbour and the childs mother that this wasn't a good idea to let his grandson torment the dog, his attitude never changed and just let him carry on. It was a time bomb waiting to go off!
A child learns the lessons of respect for animals surely from the parents/carers.

A child learns the lessons of respect for animals surely from the parents/carers.

yes well thay should but sadly some dont :( and thats why its very importend children are there when picking/seeing pups the breed can see what the child does and how the perent reacts IMO this is very importend to having a happy puppy that grows up being treated with respect xx

Just had a phone call asking about the pups and can they come and visit me now! Asking where i live whats my postcode etc. In chatty way i asked the woman if she had had my breed before and what she likes about them and she said that the pup is for her adult son. The woman seemed really cagey, not wanting to talk and i could hear someone shouting in the background. Then she just said she would phone tomorrow and hung up. Gut instinct tells me something not right. Why do people behave like this? What is the rush to see them now???  

always go with your gut instinct you will never go wrong! ive learnt the hard way!

As the eldest of 4 kids, I can remember being brought up to show respect for all animals..if they walked away from you after I had petted them, then to leave them alone. Be kind and gentle and treat them as I would like myself to be treated...we were all told the same thing..we've had dogs that have lived with us from 8wks of age up until the ages of 9/10/11 etc. We've had cats, budgies, hamsters, guinea pigs...everything and all have been loved, cherished and respected. My daughter is 17, she has been brought up the same way, she has an amazing affinity with animals and is hoping to join the Army as a Vetinary Technician (vet nurse) or a Dog Handler.
If any child coming to my house doesnt respect my animals...they dont come again!!

same here toffeecrisp iam 1 of 4 and we all was shown the same, i have 3 children at home 1 flown the nets ,and my youngst is aurtisic and 10 but even he knows how to be around our dogs even tho he has temper out bursts ,not with the dogs but our dogs do see this and theres nothing i can do to stop that has we are all 1 family...i jsut know my dogs understand him and dont make a fuss at all when he does this, my son has never done anything but show our dogs love because that all he see's us do :) ,this is another reason why i like to see children ,ive had a pup go to a home with a child with the same condition and pup is loved and well looked after ,like you, i and others perents have to show them whats right and wrong xx

> I didnt fuss over the adults until they came to me either for the same reason so i'd probably come across as cold but I do adore my dogs.

he he, well you wouldn't have to wait long about a second after I let them in after seating you so you didn't fall over.

five Compact 20kg bitches all vying for a fuss are quite a handful ;)