I have started looking for homes now for my pups as they are now four weeks. the first buyers came Last weeek, wednesday and left were very intrested in a pup for their children, they were very happy to answer all questions, and were happy for me to vet thier home. I went to see their home on the thursday and collect the deposit. I wanted to do this as soon as possible as I didnt want them to have time to doll everything up. everythign seamed fine which I was happy about. However somone said to me yesterday theres no point in vetting homes as they can show you a reltives home ect.  I kow this sounds stupid but I will be vetting the homes for my dogs just for peiceof mind but is it really worth it? I meanits not always easy to find out if somone is being deceptive?

I think the worrying part of your post is the people were interested in a pup for their children. I'd never sell a puppy that wasn't for the entire family, with everyone keen and an adult taking ultimate responsibility. If somebody asked me for a puppy for their children I'd turn them away.

I've never vetted actual homes myself, in a bit of two minds about it myself -I think other things matter more, such as how they handle my adults dogs etc. Then again I hardly ever sell locally, most people travel several hours so it would be impractical.

I always make sure that the whole family comes to visit and meet my dogs. They don't get anywhere near my pups until I am sure they are sincere.

> I have started looking for homes now for my pups as they are now four weeks

To be honest I have always had a waiting list for my puppies before they are even born (or conceived). A lot of the vetting process has already been done just for any prospective owner to make it onto the list so I would be in total panic if I had to start vetting people from scratch with puppies "on the ground". Puppy owners will have had daily pics and updates from the day pups are born and I will have had lots of phone chats with them long before they come to see "their" puppy. Like MarrianneB I have never been to a home to vet as my puppies go miles away so not practical. I do google the post codes so I can see where they live though.

> However somone said to me yesterday theres no point in vetting homes as they can show you a reltives home ect.

Ask them for their address on first contact ,most people would I imagine give you the correct post code not realising you can check it.

Kind Regards

No I have never gone to their homes, I do expect exchanges of photos of past dogs, experience in the breed and most from our last litter had been waiting well before they were born and live the other end of the country or outside the UK, however some family's did come to the house to see the mother before she was mated. But a dog for the children is a no no in my book.

Normally have people waiting, unable due to distance to visit their homes but there are lots of checks you can do. When I ask how long the dog will be left I ring them a few times to see if there is any one in.

I only make a final decision once I have seen all the people who will have contact with the pup, making sure I speak to the kids to find out their vies on a pup BUT all the family has to be committed to having a dog. Buying as a surprise or for the kids is a no no. 

It's always hard when you're parting with beloved babies & I agree that the whole Family should come to view, especially if there are children, but there's no way I would sell a Pup as a surprise. I like my Pups to go to 'lived in' homes, not posh houses that they could trash in a month with chewing etc. If my home was vetted I could possibly be refused a Pup, as my house is usually a total tip! It's always full of dog beds/bowls/toys etc, but my dogs come first....& anyone who wanted to vet my home would be made aware of this before I even asked about a new pup :) Good luck finding lovely forever homes xx

This is my first time vetting new owners and I was begining to dread it but i think you can tell a lot from just talking to someone on the phone a lot. My worry is will the little babies be ok, have I chosen correctly.........................

Can I ask do you have a list of questions that you ask on first contact, then more questions upon the first meeting? Would you be able to share those for use newbies please, I would much rather get lots of experience from breeders that now the ropes.

Hi

Well where to start?
How long is a peice of string!!
I ask if they have any knowledge of the breed
have they owned one before
have they owned any dog before
what has attracted them to this breed
do they live in a house with a secure garden
do they work
why do they want a dog or why do they want a bitch
will someone be home most of the day
do they have young children ie babies/toddlers
do they understand the lifetime commitment to a dog
will the puppy be living in the home as part of the family
do all the family agree to having a dog

Thats just for starters!! lol
A lot of the questions are asked in general conversations with them along with lots of information about the breed,feeding,grooming,healthcare,house training,obedience that will usually get prospective buyers asking you questions as well.

Kind Regards

i too like roscoebabe ,have a waiting list before ive even mated my girl...still waiting for my girl but have 7 on the waiting list already, but ive also had people come off because of family changes...so i tel them to come and meet the dogs and i can see how thay are around the 5 of them lol this is a big thing for me to see!

On first contact I generally ask them what they know about the breed, if they have experience, and what do they want to know.  I feel you can tell a lot about a person by their own questions, and I feel it's more important to tell them the important things about the breed (bad things first to scare them off LOL), and then move on from there.  I do this for any puppy enquiry whether I have puppies or not so I have a better idea where I might send them (and they have a better idea if my breed is for them)

I have a list in my head of things I want to know, but I find that a long conversation is much better for telling you things about a person than just rattling off questions.  There are things I want to know, there are things I want them to know, but generally I have let the conversation just kind of flow naturally and we get there.  If we don't then I'll ask.  It's been the same when I've been on the buying end as well.

I've only bred one litter so far, and was very lucky to have all pups spoken for either before the mating or during the pregnancy and no one backed out.  Now two of those want a pup from the litter I'm planning for next year with 2 (possibly 3) other relatively firm commitments, all people I know personally, so I feel very lucky not to have to start from scratch and now I'm more worried about having enough puppies for everyone who wants one from this breeding (YIKES). 

I didn't vet homes.  I would probably fail a home visit as my house is generally a bit of a tip.  I did have photos of their current dogs in their homes (yes it could have been another dog and another home, but then they could always send me to someone else's home if I home visit), and since then I've been to visit all our pups (now almost 3) in their homes.

Just my experience so far.

> However somone said to me yesterday theres no point in vetting homes as they can show you a reltives home ect. 

I always ask them to give me details of address, postcode, land line phone number etc.  Telling them I need this information for the insurance.

Hi Samie

vetting homes IMO is more about vetting the suitability of the potential new owners - not their bricks and mortar, soft furnishings etc :)  I would rather let a much loved puppy go to an upstairs flat for example where the owner(s) were at home for most (ideally all) of the day than let a puppy go to a 100 acre estate of a slave to the City banker LOL.  That said if you would like to physically inspect premises then that is your perrogative and as suggested you could request full adress, post code and landline telephone to assist in establishing some of the facts but no system is faultless in that respect - it could still be a relative, friend, colleague's house etc.  Gut instinct IME is your strongest tool when assessing potential new owners :)

I would not guarantee anyone could have one of my puppies until I had sufficient time to get to know them myself through phone calls, emails and of course them visiting my home, meeting not only the pups but mum and other dog residents too.  I watch how they interact with the dogs, young and old, and - importantly - how my dogs react to them.  I've found them to be VERY good judges of character :) For that reason I don't believe in deposits being taken, especially early on in inquiries, as it may come to be that over a period you 'go off' what initially seemed like an ideal home.

In my first litter I had a very interested party in one of the pups who was prepared to travel a round trip of 700 miles to collect the puppy and, when explained that wasn't possible on a first visit, was prepared to make a return trip when my mind was at ease.  Despite a great many positives about this enquiry, I had a nagging doubt as the couple owned an MOT station - visions of my little guy ending up as a guard dog popped into my mind and despite all the other plus points that was enough for me to say 'no'.  Perhaps it would have been the idyllic home I'd hoped for but I couldn't take a chance.

We all have different criteria about what is acceptable - for me and with my breed it is much more important that the new owners have done their research on the needs and sensitivities of the breed, are prepared to put the necessary work in with socialising, positive reward based training, the puppy will live within their home and not in a kennel or yard and that s/he will have human company for the majority of the day with someone physically fit enough to cope with the growing needs for mental and physical stimulation

Regards, Teri

Hi Teri,Sadie's breeder has always said that,its not the property that matters,rather her pups go to a flat any day with sombody at home,than a big posh house and never taken out.

Sheila