I'm still researching this whole breeding thing and while chatting about it to my hubby I had a thought. You plan the litter carefully, have people booking pups and when the pups arrive the 'buyers' start arriving to view/choose 'their' pup. These people have asked all the right questions and appear to be knowledgable etc but, for no apparent reason, you don't take to them. Would you then turn around and say 'sorry but I don't think you're right for one of the pups' even though you can't give a 'real' reason?

This is just me trying to find out if you would consider it reasonable to get that far and then, just on a 'feeling' back out I guess.

They are your puppies and if your gut tells you no then it's no, how you then tell them is another matter.

I suppose if you haven't a specific reason you can give them, then your only recourse you have is to say that an ongoing relationship with you new puppy owners is very important to you and you don't feel that kind of connection with them, so would prefer not to sell them a puppy.

I have never had this with anyone getting that far, those sort of feelings are usually sorted out in the first telephone conversations when it is quite easy to tell a white lie that all pups are spoken for or waiting list already full etc.

when I had my litter. I would speak to people on the phone first and ask all of my questions, if the people didnt like my questioning, then that was their choice. after that I would invite them over to see the pups when they were at an age i felt suitable.  to be honest I only had one person that when they came I didnt like and I told them I would be in touch after a day or two. I then told them that I didnt feel they were what I was looking for as owners of my pups.  simple as that.
your pups your choice.

You plan the litter carefully, have people booking pups and when the pups arrive the 'buyers' start arriving to view/choose 'their' pup. These people have asked all the right questions and appear to be knowledgable etc but, for no apparent reason, you don't take to them.

I find it's unlikely to get as far. You have plenty of contact with such buyers BEFORE you invite them to come visit. I find I pretty quickly get an idea of whether I like them or not from e-mails or phonecalls. Of course it could happen, but I can't say I've ever had it happen. When I've turned people down mainly because of a gut feeling, it's happened much sooner than when they've been allowed to visit. I need to fell pretty sure before I let it go that far.

I so agree with Goldmali; I email primarily and then phone call, which usually gives me all I want to know. I did have one family come round that seemed really good on the phone and email...but their chemistry was appalling. They barely paid attention to the adults, and though the teenager was enthusiastic about the pup I had available, the father and mother were very cold. I told them I'd have to sleep on it and suggested they did too, when I turned them down I told them we'd decided to run him on after all, and we were very sorry, and could we direct them to another breeder.

I'm very picky and this is my first litter; perhaps others might have given them to the family, I just knew that he would be more loved here with me until the perfect home came. I must admit that I turned down no less than 6 homes in one day for that puppy because I wanted the perfect one; but luckily the perfect one came up quickly and he went home with them at 11 weeks without any reservations from me. I'm so glad now that I'd waited for THE perfect home. They were immediate in their affection for all the dogs, and the 8 year old little girl scooped up the puppy and kissed his little face. Even when he was mouthing her quite determinedly she didn't make a fuss, just took a toy and started playing with the pup and his mother.

I think the best thing is when the puppy buyers ask you as many questions as you ask them; even better if their first questions include 'Are all the dogs you have kept in the home?', and 'Are they eye tested?'.

I too would go with my gut, as already been said some may fool you via emails and phone calls but when you make face to face contact things are not quite right, I would let them know right away rather than have sleepless nights worrying about your pup in that home. To allow you to change your mind up to the last minute it is best not to take a deposit which would tie you into going ahead with the sale.

I have had several folk contact me lately about pups via my website, majority don't even reply to simple questions such as "have you had experience of the breed before and if they have could they share it with me", I don't bombard them with questions during my email contact, I find chatting over the phone and slipping in a question now and again works better than a "Spanish Inquisition", many will give answers to questions I haven't even asked if they are relaxed during the chat.

Like some of the other posts have mentioned, you could tell them you'll be in touch because you have a few people coming to see the litter and you like to place the pups where you feel they will be a best match for their new owners. Then, when you ring a few days later, you can either be tactful and say something like 'I feel that particular puppy (or the litter lol) will be too lively/quiet/otherwise unsuitable for your family and I would hate you all to be unhappy when the puppy is not quite what you expected', or you could say that another family member has fallen in love with the pup, or you could be honest and say why you think they are unsuitable.

I did the latter with a person who was interested in a pup from my first litter, 13 years ago, and there was all hell to pay on the phone as he thought some 'rivals' of his in the obedience world had sabotaged his chances. It was all my fault because I was very inexperienced at vetting people and he was not part of my normal circle so didn't know anything about him beforehand. I just had a gut feeling about him when he visited and decided I couldn't let him have one of my pups so rang him up (he lived about 3 hours away) to tell him. Not pleasant but I knew if the pup went to him I'd never rest easy and you can't change your minds once they have gone.

>admit that I turned down no less than 6 homes in one day for that puppy

Have done so myself, and agree with you waggamama.  If they are not right, they are not right!

I had a phone call about 10 days ago, and got the response "I've never been interrogated for a dog before - you usually hand over your money and take your pup"  Mmmm, right!

Yes, but on the other hand, I find myself 'looking' for reasons not to give them my pups!!
I actively search names, addresses, hunt them on FB, the lot, to try and find something wrong.  I usually don't but I must be like Inspector Gadget!! I find a good, ole chat on the phone sorts the good from the bad.  If you feel the conversation stilted and strained then I don't invite for a visit but if I can chat away for a while, not only do I find out lots more than asking questions, but I know we will be able to maintain a friendship after the pup leaves.  I've not been wrong yet with that.

I don't give reasons for saying No.  I just say thanks for your enquiry about a pup but I have nothing available for their situation at that moment.

This is one good reason to meet potential new owners even before puppies are born.  You can then easily tell them if/when litter is born that there isn't one available for them.

When people now come and view my pups if I've not met them before, especially if I'm not 100% sure of them, I will say - go home and think about everything you've seen today, the pups, mum, way in which they're raised etc and if you're happy, get back to me etc - I find it easier to say no by email or phone.  It's very hard to tell someone they're not suitable face to face, especially of they're desperate to give you a deposit.

>This is one good reason to meet potential new owners even before puppies are born.  You can then easily tell them if/when litter is born that there isn't one available for them.

I prefer people to come and visit lon before the bitch has been mated, but it isn't always possible. Wrong sex pups, or more than expected, can always mean there are pups still looking for homes once they have been born. I speak to the people on the phone before hand and if I am happy with the answers I then invite them to come and meet the adults and go for a walk with them before meeting the pups. If I am not happy then they don't meet the pups.

Keeping in contact after they have left is something I am glad I did to one pup. When I saw him after a few months he was very skinny, turns out they hadn't upped his feed, so a quick talk and follow up visits brought him back up to what he should be. He turned out to be a lovely dog. The owners were just a bit clueless in dog ownership so it has been a lifelong mentorship. If you have doubts about the puppy are you prepared to deal with these people for the next 15 or so years? If the answer is no then don't give them a pup.

I find meeting potential owners before any litter is planned is very helpful and if the people don't interact with the dogs or they are continually brushing the hairs or dogs away that is a definate no-no.  Also the dogs are good judges of character. Usually I go on my gut feeling and I ask myself if I will be able to get on with the people long term especially if there are any problems.

I always ask for people to complete a simple questionnaire and came and visit me and my dogs at home well before any puppies are due. I also talk to them on the phone before they visit and have told people at that stage I don't think my breed is for them.
In my breed most puppy enquirers have never met this breed "in the flesh" so I think it's important that they meet my adults without the distraction of puppies.
I can tell by their reactions and my dogs reactions if they are suitable for a puppy, I am very truthful about the pros and cons of owning one of my dogs. I've never had to turn anyone away after their visit, as they've always made up their own mind that my breed isn't for them.
 

> This is one good reason to meet potential new owners even before puppies are born.  You can then easily tell them if/when litter is born that there isn't one available for them.
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This is why I like to know where my pups are going long before they are old enough to leave and why I hate having to make a quick decision (days rather than weeks or months) if there is a puppy not spoken for at leaving age.

If I am lucky enough to have all the homes sorted, people coming round to see the pups as and when (more local/mad keen ones have even visited fortnightly), then I can really just get on with enjoying the litter, without constant worry about them having good homes to go to.

I already have two booked from my next litter, so these people are preparing to wait a year before they are likely to take a puppy home, not because I couldn't pass them onto another breeder having a litter sooner, but the timing will suit them well and they wanted to research well in advance.  Having already met them I will be seeing them over the next year at several shows they are willing to come to, where they will get to see more of the relatives of the hoped for litter and meet more of the breed and owners.  It is such owners that later generally become part of ones extended doggy related family.

Thank you all for the help. I would definately turn down someone I wasn't comfy with. Just wondered if I was maybe a bit too fussy. I would prefer to keep any pups rather than not be 100% sure of the people.