If you were going to visit the potential breeder of a new pup, to meet the bitch of a litter that has been planned but not yet conceived (but you like the pairing/health tests/timing) what would you expect to do/get on that visit?

when ive had families come to meet our dogs we just talk about the dogs and before you no about it. you will be telling them your life story and why you want "that breed" and have choose them ,i sit back and listern to what thay got to say and when their leaving i tell them i will be intouch ,that way me and hubby can talk about what we left about them and the stuff they have told us :-) if they are going to get a pup from us and still wants 1 from us ( it works both ways) thayve got to feel at ease with us too! i ring them afew days later and keep them informed all the way! x

My main thing would be to get on with the owners - and to see how the bitch interacts with them  - the pups will follow Mums temperement and characteristics so I'd want to like what I saw.

The owners will be your potential ' parents in law' so I'd want to get on with them too !

I did exactly that when looking for my girl, i spoke to my breeder a year befor the planned mating. We first met at a dog show near me as they live 3 hours away form me. We had a good chat about ourselfes, i got to meet the parents to be that they had brought to the show, we took the dogs for a walk around and chatted soome more. I told her about my self and she told me about her self, we spoke about the breed and she told me about the dogs health test results, exersize requirments, grooming ect and what its like to live with a vallhund, or should i say warn me lol. Then i was invited to come to there home for another chat and to meet the whole pack. So i went to there home and we chatted some more, again about the breed and dogs and other pets and our sleves. We were going to go for a walk but i got lost and ended being realy late. I went up there again befor the litter and met them at some local shows as well. All our chats were normal informal chats like any friends would and thats what i consider us.

So basicly i wanted to know about them and there dogs, see how they were kept and treated, observe the dogs and was happy to see that the breeder wanted to know about me as well, rather than just wanting to sell a pup to anyone.

When I have visited the breeder I have met the mum in her home environment (and in my case was driven around to meet the dad as well).
I was shown the movement, faults etc... Things we had discussed by email already...
We had a chat about both of them and about what I expect and what they expect.
Discussed the lines, the reasons for the pairing etc
We had been in touch for about 6 months by then and it was further 3 before the litter was born.
I got few cups of coffee and a lunch :) and lot of information and of course the "connection" with the breeder deepened once we had met face to face :).

A warm and furry welcome.

If you came to me you might have to make broad hints to get that cup of tea after the kettle had boiled half a dozen times, as I love a captive audience to talk dog to.

You would face the furry onslaught and be sat on by five hairy butts, so I would advise Jeans, definitely no polyester!!!

Mind you I have a confession.  I have been in correspondence with two couples who are not looking for their puppy to be born before the end of the year, next spring.

I somehow got them confused with each other and didn't realise the Sunday appointment I had made had not been re-arranged.

They had my mobile no, and texted me that they were half hour away, but of course I didn't have the phone upstairs with me.

I am having a lie in and the doorbell goes!!!

So we had a nice visit with me in my Bedclothes and dressing gown!!!

Guess they weren't put off as they are on my waiting list, LOL

They will be coming to a few shows over the coming year too.

I've had a few families over who either want to learn about the breed or want to be put on the waiting list before my bitch was confirmed; I get some nice biccies in, we have a cuppa, and we just chat. Usually the deal breaker is when my bitch gets onto their lap beside our other dog (same breed) and seeing how they react; one family were so uninterested in the dogs (and the puppy) that I told them they couldn't have the puppy they'd come to see! One lady who came every week to visit her pup (and before my bitch popped), she would tell me about herself in each visit and it was lovely to learn about the home one of my puppies was going to. Another couldn't visit until her pup was about five weeks, but had her name down when he was about a week old. We emailed each day with pictures, and I learnt a lot about her from that, when she came to meet her pup she trusted which I thought was best for her and the family, which I felt was a mark of how well we'd gotten to know each other. I do think that new owners become like good friends because you talk to each other so much in the space of two months, haha!

If it were me I would be honest and relax, perhaps bring a picture of your own pets, and tell the breeder what kind of life you lead and why you like the breed. Usually the ball rolls from there and you're on your way!

My experiences of visiting my Deerhounds breeder before her mum was even mated...

Drive allllllllll the way to Deerhoundland (somewhere in the north east) in ancient tatty van belonging to friend who was in a rock band, get lost several times, phone to get more directions... arrive.. be greeted by onslaught of huge hairy beasties - breeder does not bat an eyelid at thoroughly disreputable mode of transport (I had already explained via email that we would be co-ercing a friend to drive us!).

Test the first - manage cup of tea and cheese sammich (was by now lunchtime) whilst sat on low sofa, surrounded by beseeching houndy eyes all promising us that they would NEVER lie and NEVER EVER got fed... watch with hilarity as two young deerhound pups (around 12 weeks) beat up adults and take it in turns to sneak off to wee/poo/raid kitchen causing breeder to hurtle back and forth after them.

Learn that deerhounds are particularly good at the casual head on knee, get head under sammich plate, FLICK head and deposit sammich on floor.. clever! Am by now smitten!

Go outside to see what adult deerhounds playing in a big space looks like - 6ft 4 friend who drove us declares they are HIS sized dog. OH is utterly smitten also.

Go back inside, further cups of tea, talk dog endlessly whilst boys fall asleep/play with dogs/have dogs fall asleep on them.

Discuss finer points of health testing, admire hounds further (both potential mummy and daddy dogs are there), finally decide we ought push off as its nearly tea time and we have a long long way to go in a very dodgy van.

Repeat this once more before bitch is mated and then again when puppies are 4/5 weeks old, and then again when we go to pick up our baby donkeydog.

In between all those visits, much emails, phone calls, photos etc.

From my point of view the first few visits I really wanted to be sure that the reality of owning such a large dog would be what I was expecting - I already knew I liked sighthounds but had never met Deerhounds 'in person', so there was quite a bit of road testing going on. After that obviously I needed to know all the health test details and characteristics of the breed. I presume the breeder wanted to see that we were serious and going to be able to cope, and I assume she still thinks we can as we are now friends!

>we go to pick up our baby donkeydog.

What a beautiful expression!  I love it.  :-)

I really like deerhounds, LOL :)

Thank you all so much for your replies, I will let you all know what happens.:)

Great story, I always had a secret hankering for a HUGE dog, I fancied an Irish wolfhound. Totally impracticable and now I know more about dogs I don't think I could stand the slobber. But they're lovely dogs all the same! When we went to pick Henry the breeder had most of the dogs shut in the kitchen so they couldn't trample the puppies, mum & dad were out in the lounge with us wanting cuddles. Her youngest girl who I think was about a year old was crying to be let out, after asking her she said 'I did warn you' and the manic Amber was released, she promptly galloped like a small elephant all over us and all round the lounge causing total chaos. She's still one of my favourites of this friend's dogs, mental though she is! :-D