Hi All,

I hope everybody is well.

My bitch is due to give birth in about 2 weeks and i'm start to line up potential buyers.

How do you suggest i "vet" potential buyers to make sure the pups are going to a great home?

I dont suppose there is much breeders can do beyond asking a few questions, and then going on gut instinct.

Any suggestions?

thanks

julian

Hi Julian,  I use a "puppy questionnaire" which I send out to potential purchasers, plus I send a copy of my puppy contract - it sorts out some people, who don't think that they should be "grilled" about why they want a pup - also those who don't like the idea of a contract.   It does go on gut instinct to a great degree - but I would also turn people down however "nice" they are, if I don't think I would be doing my puppy or prospective owners any favours.   We put a lot of trouble, time, patience, love, reputation and money into our puppies - and its important that they do go to the right "forever" homes.    In life things will go wrong, of course, but we do our utmost to see that we get it right first time.

Margot

I would ask these questions which we ask prospective owners both in rescue and for puppies.
Have you owned a dog before? if so where is the dog now?
Do you both go out to work fulltime?
Do you have children if so How old? are they used to dogs? any allergies etc?
Is the garden fenced off?
Who is your vet?
If the answer to 1, is that they have had several dogs but got rid of them then its a no no, answer to 2,is yes then the dog will be left all day every day is a no no
if the children are very young  you need to meet the children and weigh up what they are like with the pups some children can be quite cruel (not intentionally maybe) but still
if you get their Vets number you can find out how there other dog was wether injections wormers etcc were done.
This is just a brief idea and if they are genuine buyers they will understand your concern.
Dont forget once the pup goes there is not much you can do.
Dont forget also to put in your sale contract that you wish to be advised if the people find they cant keep the dog that way you can help find the dog another home.
I dont know what your breed is mbut mine is labradors and our rescue currently has three dogs all under 12 months so its food for thought.

Oh if we had the sure answer to that one then our lives would be so nice, no airtight homes coming unstuck!!!

Julian
I have found after selling my pups last year that you tend to know within the first 5-10 mins whether the potential owners are serious dog lovers or not.  I did ask the normal questions about home life etc.  I have Rotties which does tend to attract the wrong kind of customer.  If I was ever doubtful about anyone I refused them a puppy.  Nearly all of my puppy owners kept in contact with me for the first six months.  Some I am still in contact with and have made some really good friends.  I would go with your first instints and make the most of the 8 weeks as the pups grow as it goes past very quickly. 

Good Luck

Hi julian, I hope your bitch is doing well.

I'm not a breeder but as I recently bought a pup I thought maybe you would like a "hopeful owner's" perspective.  I was looking for a whippet (and found my perfect pup due to the lovely people on this board, thanks BTW!)  The chap who bred Cashie wasn't a professional breeder per se, he had one 2 year old bitch and this was her first litter, but he seemed to have done his homework re mating.  His bitch had a lovely temperament although she was slightly fragile looking and quite small for the breed, she had been shown as a pup quite successfully but is now a pet.  He had researched quite a few stud dogs and had used an ex-racing dog with slightly "stronger" bones, hoping to produce pups a bit sturdier than their mum, although the dog wasn't huge (poor mum trying to deliver those!)  The stud dog also had an excellent temperament and that was his main aim as the pups were mainly going as pets.

When I found the litter they were 2 days old and it was love at first sight with Cashie, even though it was only through photographs!  I immediately rang him and said I was interested, and could he possibly "hold" the puppy for me until he decided if I would be a suitable owner.  I then wrote a long e-mail describing us and our situation, including things like

- our jobs (I'm a vet nurse but only part-time, boyfriend works in City)
- our house and garden
- no children and no plans to have any
- other pets (2 cats)
- location of nearby parks (didn't want him to think that whippy was going to high-rise in
  Central London, never to see grass again!),
- intention to enrol in puppy classes
- insurance
- previous experience with other dogs (only owned 1 but have done behavioural study)
- maximum time he would be left alone as an adult (4 hours)

I also mentioned that we would be taking a couple of weeks off work when he arrived to settle him in properly, that he would be able to come to work with me, that if they wished to visit us and see our home that would be no problem (difficult though due to geography), or that we would come and visit them if they wanted us to.  I also offered to pay for him immediately if we were successful.

The reason I sent it in e-mail form was so that the breeder would have a chance to assess us in his own time, without worrying about causing offence, and so that he wouldn't have to make an on-the-spot decision.  He seemed to be happy with us and we duly "bagged" Cashie, then spent the next 8 weeks frantically puppy-proofing everything, reading every book we could find and getting together all the necessary equipment.

We made weekly phone calls to the breeder to say hello and to check on Cashie's progress and we were sent photographs regularly.

We picked him up at 8 weeks and stayed with the breeder for a couple of hours chatting and introducing ourselves to Cashie.  As he was the first pup to go we saw him with all his littermates and with the mother.  We didn't see the father but they had photographs of him and details of his pedigree.  As far as I am aware (although I may be wrong), there are no hereditary tests required to breed from whippets (I did look it up but couldn't find anything).

I continue to send them photographs of him growing up and have said that if they're in London they're more than welcome to come and visit him.

Anyway, I go on for too long, but IMO if a prospective owner is not prepared to put in a lot of ground work at the beginning, then what are they going to be like when the dog is 3 and it's pouring with rain outside, dark and cold, and dog needs a walk?

At work I see so many people with 9 month old dogs with behavioural problems, simply because the owners didn't do their research and/or the novely wore off very quickly.

IMO you couldn't ask too many questions, and no serious prospective owner would be offended by them being asked, as they would understand the reason.

I'm no expert, but I hope this is of some use to you.  Good luck with your pups!

Mary-Caroline

I have only had 1 litter of pups. I did ask various questions but in the end intuition won over all.
I was very lucky and after over 2 years Im still in regular contact with all my litter. They have great family homes i couldnt
have asked for better.
1 family who came the woman wasnt keen was concerned about bog hairs and so on. I would have thought Id not be keen on 1 of my pups going there but something told me it was right and she was very soon soon inlove with her pup. The 2 are inseperable now and Im so glad I changed mymind.
Dont be too soon to judge.
I found the best question was would you mind if we keep in regular contact.

In the situation that your first contact is over the phone, I would enquire if they family worked and if so what hours, I know also that I have so many situations of (Partners) buying puppy's together, I have nothing against selling to partners, but prefer partnerships either married or not to be of some time standing, I know marraiges brake ups, but very young couples as partners has to be seen by me as enduring, one of the main reasons for dogs in rescue if brake downs of relationships. Some couples play happy families and see dog dog as part of a home, ask if they have had experience of dogs or of the breed ,and if there are any outstanding health issues in the breed, through into the conversation, what do they think of this issue, if they look blank they have not researched very well. What type of property they live in, would it be suitable for the breed in question, or do they seem the active type that would give they exercise that they breed required, if a hairy shedding breed do the people back off from the dog putting there clothing first, yes make a good impression by turning up decent, but they are coming to see a dog and puppies so you do not wear your designer gear,and be frighted to let the dog touch you. Watch there reactions to the dogs

I have just started "vetting" potential owners for my CKCS pups. I tell everyone that gets in touch with me that they can come and meet me, pups and parents when the pups are 4 weeks old and spend a couple of hours in my home so I can meet them, ask and answer any questions and get the vibe from them whether I think they are suitable or not (I am not expert!). If they pick a pup and I get a good vibe then they leave a £50 non-refundable deposit (unless there is a problem with the pup or I change my mind). You can tell the honest people as they phone you constantly and request pics e-mailing (this does not mean they will be a good owner though). I tell them that I want them to keep in touch and send pics so I can see how they are going, if they are funny about this them they cannot have a pup. I also pup an endoresment on the KC reg which states that they cannot be bred from without my written consent and any pups will not be regiestered unless I have lifted the endoresments, this way I can hopefully help stamp out puppy farming and over breeding. At the end of that day there is no 100% sure way of knowing if they will make kind, loving and good owners or bad ones so you have to go with you instincts.

You will be advising them about the health tests that must be done & making sure they are not bred from before they are 2 1/2 years of age as a matter of  course(if they are cavaliers). That can put people off  that are not genuine. It won't of course stop some one breeding from one of your puppies just stop them registering the offspring at the KC

Cath I agree with all you say. The only thing we differ on the deposit. Some people may have second thoughts in the weeks waiting to collect their pups. I would sooner be let down last minutes and have to find another home than someone buy it so they didnt lose their money.

Thats a good point Sharonb

thanks very much everyone for you wise comments, you have definately helped me out.

By the way my birth China gave birth last night to 6 very cute and healthy pups, both mother and pups are doing well.

julian

Nice to hear Julian, hope they do well. Its lovely isnt it the only downside is saying goodbye. I had my bitch mated lasnight so I have a litter due Boxing day.