apart from the obvious questions to potential puppy buyers, how do individual breeders vet there new owners?what other questions would you want to know? do you insist on vetting there homes and other members of the family? do you expect them to ask you just as many questions as you ask them? what other techniques would you use to ensure your puppy was going to the right home? would you get them to fill in a questionaire on there family life etc before they visit your pups? would you give them a dog ownership written  or verbal test and go by there results?would you want to know how they would introduce a new puppy to other animals in the house hold that may not be puppy friendly? would you insist that the puppy went to trainig classes etc? thankyou for any input in advance. molly.

I tend to go on gut feelings more than a set criteria - that sounds awful now I've written it down though!! 

They may be perfect on paper but if when I meet them I have any doubts I reject them.  I once placed a puppy with a family who seemed perfect, I liked them, they loved the bitch when they came to meet her before she had the puppies - they had never had a dog before but loved sitting on the floor fussing her and having her lick them etc, made an effort to learn about the breed, asked lots of good questions, listened my advice on feeding etc and didn't do anything spectacular that I didn't like when they came to see the puppies at 5 and 7 weeks old but there was just something about them that I couldn't put my finger on. 

My OH told me I was being silly when I aired my worries to him so I put my gut feelings aside and sold them a puppy.  BIG mistake!  Three weeks later they turned up on my doorstep wanting to return the puppy because he had cried all night, every night for 3 weeks and had peed on their carpet - all the things that I had warned them about and given them info about how to deal with in the puppy packs PLUS we'd talked about these things when they were here visiting!

I like to meet everyone in the family including the children.  The way children behave around older dogs and then how they interact with the puppies and just how they generally behave, I believe, is a good indicator of how the prospective owners will bring up a puppy.

The only thing I do set as a criteria is that they can't be full time workers where the pup will be left for more than 4 hours in the longer term.  I LOVE folks who already have a middle aged dog of my breed actually come to think of it and give them preference :-)

I guess sometimes the obvious questions can be different per breeder.

I know some send out questionaires, I prefer to talk on the phone or better still in person, it is easy to lie on a questionaire but voice and particularly eye contact soon weeds out those stretching the truth and many times I have turned people down due to their body language and the fact I feel they are not being honest. I always if poss will meet potential owners before the pups are whelped, they meet my bitch and even though I have had many phone call conversations previously, I ask them to write down any questions on paper before visiting me, I always offer a very laid back visit, nothing in your face, relaxed conversation with questions asked and answered throughout, it is how I like to work, but I am watching all the time, the little looks and actions between family members tell me more than any words ever could.

My first questions are always, to find out whether there will be someone home to socialise and care for a pup, what kind of home they have, what type of area they live in, what accomodation the pup would be offered home/kennel/garage/shed? Whether they have owned a dog before, whether they know the breed which to me is one of the most important questions, all breeds have different traits, personalities and exercise requirements, the breed needs to match the families requirements, dogs are bred for specificic reasons and I think breeders should have a knowledge of what their breed is bred for and be able to offer showing, working advice aswell as family pet advice and new puppy owners should know what they want a dog for show/working or family pet.

I expect people who have an interest in my pups to understand the breed, not just like the look of them, anyone just looking for A pup would not get through the door. I expect a little homework.

I do actually offer a one to one training session for any local pups if needed, but otherwise I always ask (not insist but ask) whether they would go to puppy classes to help socialise and get the basics on training, (those willing go up in my estimation) I can write everything down for them, but there is nothing like being shown first hand.

I guess the most important thing when viewing a pup is just to be honest, that is all a breeder really wants, I have often made exceptions where someone may not reach my full critera but I have been very impressed by their honesty and love for a pup, to date I have not made a mistake, I rely on my people skills more than anything else I guess, I have never discounted a potential owner just on paper, you need to meet people and I will always continue that way. :-)

And no, those people are not always the ones who are friendly and I know will stay in contact with me, I've actually met people I don't particularly like as people, but boy I can see they know, understand and love dogs, I will always weigh up what is best for the dog first, it is the most important factor for any breeders choice of new ownership.

Hi Molly

Are you looking to buy a puppy or sell one?  I noticed that you also had in depth questions about microchipping.  Are you perhaps doing some research?

It might help people answer you if they know what angle you are coming from :)

hi dogs a babe thankyou for your reply, i am not thinking of buying a puppy at the moment, well not this year anyhow, and have no intentions of selling any in the near future, i am just doing some research for myself out of my own interests, i like to know how different people go about doing different things, and the good and bad experiances they may come across, i am interested in most aspects of dog owner ship, but have a limited knowledge of the working and show dogs world  wich i would like to know more about, and do intend as a start in the new year to visit as many shows as poss , and to talk to people in  the working dogs world.thankyou molly.

Apart from what has already been mentioned -the buyers' reaction to my other dogs says more than anything -as does my dogs' reaction to THEM. Everyone loves cute puppies, how do they react when faced with 3 or more adults of the same breed? (Possibly moulting and dirty!!)

I had puppy buyers over yesterday and a bitch of mine who normally is very, very dubious of anyone she doesn't know (needs to take her time, be given treats by them etc until she feels more relaxed) took to them straight away -that said more to me about them than anything else.

hi marianne B yes years ago when we had our litters i never ever showed them the puppies first i made sure they spent the time with the mum and dad and any other relatives or adult dogs that we had, as to us if they did not like the parents etc they would not like the puppies and i wanted them to get a good idea of the size etc  they could expect from there pup, this went down quite well the viewing of the puppies was the last thing we did, a few years later when we were looking for a puppy i never found this with  a lot of breeders they seemed all to eager to push the puppy in your arms as soon as the front door opened i dont like this at all they just did not seem bothered to talk about the parents  or to let them interact with us, thats probably why it took us so long to find our puppy some breeders seem to think that because you are in there home you are obliged to bye one of there puppies. maybe its just me i dont know but on a few occasions i have felt uncomfortable so we make our excuses and go no matter how cute the puppies are , you need to have close contact with the parents as that is what that bundle of fluff shall turn into  in no time at all.

> the viewing of the puppies was the last thing we did, a few years later when we were looking for a puppy i never found this with  a lot of breeders they seemed all to eager to push the puppy in your arms as soon as the front door opened

I would imagine this is what most good breeders do introduce the prospective puppy buyers to the adults, I know this is what I do, and agree pups are only seen after they pass muster.  This is why if possible I like people to visit before there are any pups.

I would be suspicious of the kind of breeder who thrust pups at me,a nd think they may well be 'Puppy Producers' rather than REAL breeders.

always asking them to come and meet when there are NO PUPPIES!
taking them out in our fields for a walk with the dogs! having the youngsters around, some very old ones .; telling them about what to expect  .... etc ..
Very often ending with those you do like  and  those who appreciate your dogs and vice versa  end up all together at my dinner table ... We will stay in touch with them, very often getting mails/calls asking how the girls/boys are doing ;. any news on puppyfront etc ..
we dont have that much litters, one or two a year .. very often planned for years ahead ..so if from a certain bitch:combination they want .. they are /need to be prepared for waiting!
i think this shifts the " i want a puppy now .from whatever/who ever.!" and the serious ones ...
I feel responsible for where the puppy ends .. so best to meet the  possible owners a few times ...
the way they get along with the dogs, our horses, the cats .. how they accept the little "accidents" from our very old boys/girls .. tells me a lot!
great friendships have come out of it .. one of the big bonus when breeding dogs .. meeting all kind of people..

thankyou parzac that sounds a wonderful way of going about things. molly

I ask them to fill out my form which has lots of questions and then speake to them on the phone then take it from their