Hello everyone,

We are family who have been researching dogs for roughly two-years and have settled on a breed that we will be looking for suitable breeders later this year/early next year, when we move to our new house.

I have noticed some breeders stating they will not sell puppies to ‘new or inexperienced owners’ - I do get why.

However, if you have never owned a dog before, how do you ever own one? ! And what counts as inexperienced? 

We have never owned our own dog but we spend a fair bit of time with my in-laws working dog but he’s not ours.

Often its breed specific as some breeds are better for those who have had the breed before . I know that means u have to of had one at some point but previous dog experience often helps in that situation  and a good chat with the breeder about your circumstances and the research you have done.

What breed are your looking at?

Normally people I see saying this tend to be in the powerful breeds, guarding breeds and working dogs. Some breeds are Probably more better suited to novice owners than others. There will of course be exceptions but if someone has never owned a dog before then going and buying a high drive working bred guarding breed may not be the best idea as chances are they may underestimate their ability to handle it later on.

It can also just be an incredibly high-energy breed or a breed prone to SA...

For ads like this, if you can show that you have some kind of experience of the breed and what to expect, you are likely to get through that.

Of course you should always try to get experience first hand of any breed you own, you just need to get even more and demonstrate it, for these breeds.

As others have said there are quite a few breeds that would not be recommended for inexperienced owners.

For example labs, goldies, cocker spaniels are often good 1st dogs, Malinois, german shepherd, dobermanns etc would all be better going to people who are experienced dog owners, the potential for disaster being higher if the pup is not trained and socialised properly.

> <br />For example labs, goldies, cocker spaniels are often good 1st dogs

As an owner and breeder of the above characters I can completely agree that they are fantastic first dogs.  Very smart, loyal & extremely loving with the
ability to melt your heart with just a look.  I have two cockers & one lab asleep around my chair as I type. So differnet in size, training & daily management
but so alike with their fantastic temperaments. (word of warning - show type cockers can be real divas and prefer a one to one owner in my experience).

A well socialised puppy will be handled from birth, exposed to many different house hold experiences and familiar with many humans before
joining their new family but as commented by chaumsong, the new ownners must continue with socialisation & training to bring the best out their
full potential as life long companions.

Thank you, I have been emailing breeders but will call from now on,

Hi, thank you.

We are actually really interest in the Cocker - possibly the Lab also but I think we will settle that it is too large of a breed for us.

Plenty of folks get a cocker as their first dog, but do consider if you are up for a working cocker, which can be very high energy and full on - or a show bred cocker. Of course there's also the American cocker, which I'm quite fond of.

Personally as a breeder (not of any of the above breeds!) I would not welcome a phone call at this time because all breeders are swamped and phone calls take a lot longer than emails - especially when 95% of people enquiring are going to be told 'no'. I would want to get an email with a lot of detail about the home you can offer and why you want a dog and then we can follow that up with a phone call or (better) video call if I chose to take things further.

Whirling  Date 07.01.21 21:30 UTC

Thank you, I have been emailing breeders but will call from now on,

Personally I would carry on emailing.  I'm someone who doesn't tend to answer numbers I dont know Unless I actually have pups and I'm advertising.  However I've recently had a mating (unconfirmed as yet) and am putting my list together from my email enquiries over the last 6 months.  My phone number isn't listed on CD but my email is.

Oh and don't just send the one liner "hi do you have any pups and how much are they"  those ones don't get an email back.

Agree I want to get a good feeling about the people and home my precious pups may go to.

It's a bit like that question at a job interview asking why do you want to work with us?

I was just thinking about job interviews.  When I was looking for my first job, I'll never forget one well-known company who told me I should 'go get some experience'  Nice.

I know many good working cocker breeders who will not sell to 1st time owners or anyone not involved in a dog sport and be prepared to do this with one, I actually think this is a responsible attitude. I would be looking at show cockers only if this is the breed you want.