Hello

I am new on this very informative site.  I looking to have a puppy in July this year and I obviously want to avoid puppy farms.  I have read information on what to look for as indicators of puppy farms but how can you be sure?

Sandra

The best advice that I can give you is to visit first......don't leave deposits on cute photo's of pups, don't fall for anyone arranging to have pups delivered or meet you half way up a motorway, make sure that you always see the dam with her pups, and you see where the pups are living, anyone bringing pups into a room with no other dogs around, not good, don't swallow all the essays of how lovely mummy and daddy are, you want and need to read in any advertisements what the hip scores are, eyes, and anything else breed related is health tested, usually a sign straight away of a puppy farmer or pet breeder if there are no health tests done.

Do not confuse KC registered, (tick) with the cheeky and misleading kennel registered or DL reg.

Without papers or with - at an extra £100 charge (tut tut) is usually a sign,

We have plenty of good breeders on this site also, checked as well as possible, word of mouth is always good too.

Just a few things off the top of my head, sure others will be along with things I've forgotten,

Welcome to the site and enjoy, have much fun looking for your pup.

People who sell numerous different breeds. One or two breeds maybe but I mean lots and those who breed pedigree and crosses.
Get to know the breeder before the pups are born. Try to meet Mum first.
Use the kennel club health results checker to confirm health results (You need Mum and Dads full registered names to do this )
The Kennel club Assured breeder scheme is good but you still need to double check everything else as there are still some bad apples who are members.
Read and re-read contracts for any odd clauses included.
Endorsements are fine but you need to know under what conditions breeders will remove them.
Aileen

Choose your breeder not the puppy.

Preferably visit the breeder before puppies are born, that way your not distracted by cute bundles.

Ask the parents registered names and check on the Kennel club health test finder what health screening they have had. 

Then check on what they should have been tested for on the Kennel club site and on the breed club websites health pages.

If you must visit a breeder who already has a litter with some pups not yet spoken for, then make sure you only visit those who have done the advised health testing.

Expect to see older relatives, if it's a first time breeder then they should be being mentored by a knowledgeable breeder (usually the breeder of the bitch) within the breed and the owner of the stud and, you might ask for their details to be able to see relatives.

Ask what they hoped to achieve from the pairing, it should not be just to produce puppies.

In addition to what has already been said, a puppy farmer (and back yard breeders too) breed to sell pups. GOOD breeders breed for a reason other than money, normally because they are heavily involved in showing, but it can also be any form of working activities.They breed because they want to improve the breed, and create pups that will go on to be special. If somebody does not show or compete in anything, I would walk away.

Don't fall for "Oh, their mum died/isn't here/has gone for a walk/is at my relative's house".
You'd be surprised at how many people believe that, and end up with a puppy farmed dog sold via a 3rd party dealer.

Added to what Carrington said, there's also another misleading registry called Kennel Certificate, so just make sure KC Registered actually does mean the proper Kennel Club.

Don't be taken in by people who say "Mum and Dad are KC registered, puppies aren't, but you can register the puppy yourself" (You CAN'T).

I've just got my puppy.  I think maybe I was caught out.  Watch for this one.  The premises and acre of garden were splendid and did look dog used.  The puppies and mother and father were all in the living room leading through to a small glass porch and into an enclosed grass and paving area.  The pups were in one those wooden whelping boxes with the mother.  It all looked new.  I didn't question this as breeders have said that everything has to be new for each litter.  I googled the premises and viewed from above and it was priced at £500k.  All good so far.  The one thing I commented to my companion was that there was no dog smell at all which I thought was good.  I now realise this may have been a warning sign.
I had to choose a puppy at 2 weeks and had to pay £100 deposit, which took me by surprise.  I had to arrange a visit for 2 weeks time and ditto above.  We arrived early and the woman said to her husband which could have been a code "Did the children get off ok?".  Then I collected the puppy when she was 7 weeks.  The others didn't appear to be any where around.  I asked about them and she said they had already gone.
My puppy isn't used to being indoors.  There are few other tell tale signs.

Ijk Makes a good point. A responsible breeder won't let you near pups at 2 weeks old, and certainly shouldn't be letting them go before 8 weeks.

Don't be out off by a deposit though, this seems to be marmite with breeders. In my breed it happens, but I read some people on here think it's odd. Even so they shouldn't be taking deposits that early. We saw our pup at 4/5 weeks, paid a deposit once we were given time to think (puppy farms don't do that, they will make you pay ASAP!) then paid the rest on pick up at 10 weeks. (We picked up a bit late because of our wedding but we weren't charged extra or anything for the pup to stay at the breeder. A puppy farm would also see that as a money making opportunity.)

> A responsible breeder won't let you near pups at 2 weeks old, and certainly shouldn't be letting them go before 8 weeks.<br />

This is not necessarily so:

I have a very social breed where the bitches love to show off the pups.  Also at an early age the pups will be protected by mothers immunity to a far greater extent than say 6 weeks where it will be waning.

So I allow people to visit any time they wish from birth, but point out that visits before weeks won't tell them much, so those with long journeys tend to come after that, though I did have a lady fly down from Scotland when pups were a week old!!!  An experienced breed owner with two old girls at home.

Many behaviourists etc state the ideal age for homing is 49 days (7 weeks).  Certainly many forward breeds are ready and able to go to homes any time after this.  Also after 8 weeks pups enter the first fear stage.

Some toy bred pups are nowhere near physically ready to go this young and should not be homed before 10 - 12 weeks of age.  Many are barely weaned at 8 weeks, let alone independent of the litter.

I will let pups of my breed start going to new homes the weekend after they are 7 weeks, (current litter born on Tuesday so will start leaving at 7 weeks 4 days) as generally my owners are rarely local, so weekend pick ups are best.

I don't allow all pups to leave at the same time, it's too hectic dealing with more than two pick ups, with all the paperwork etc, a day, so pups generally go over a two week period, and of course some may stay longer if new owners have a holiday or some other reason they have to delay.

A responsible breeder won't let you near pups at 2 weeks old, and certainly shouldn't be letting them go before 8 weeks.

I will not let my pups be viewed before 3-4 weeks -and really at that stage there is little point as they will not have any personalities yet. I encourage buyers to come and meet mum and the otehr dogs BEFORE pups are born. I do however let my large breed go at just after 7 weeks as by then the mother is well and truly fed up and with most people travelling far and weekends suited best, it tends to work out easier as well if pups were born mid week. However, as an Assured Breeder I then HAVE to get a vet health certificate stating the puppies are fine to go even though they are not 8 weeks old yet.

My toy breed could never, ever go before 10 weeks and even that would be pushing it -12 would be normal.

> Some toy bred pups are nowhere near physically ready to go this young and should not be homed before 10 - 12 weeks of age.  Many are barely weaned at 8 weeks, let alone independent of the litter.

Big thumbs up for that.

 

We first chose our breed after considering  which type of breed would suit us. We have had big dogs in the past, beautiful German Shepard (our first baby) and Labrador's.  We after choosing a Cocker Spaniel registered interest in litters on the KC site(had no idea CD existed then) and then communicated with breeders.
We went by how we felt we had connected through first p.o.c email then by phone then a visit. Our earliest visit to a puppy at 4 weeks we didn't feel set up right and just had a no feeling in my gut!
We had quite a few pictures by emails with a hurry they will go place a deposit emails! We then visited our breeder our puppy 5 weeks, we went back three days later chose him yes left a very small deposit and then on third visit we knew YES!
We had the same experience with all our previous dogs and breeders and have been LUCKY I guess.We walked away from several homes where we felt it wasn't right or the puppy not the one advertised.
We wish a second Cocker and this time after hearing/reading tips/debates on CD have had long discussions with breed club branches and breeders before puppies have been born or yet conceived! Only felt and gut feeling on 2 emails from CD but after one breeder read my omg long introduction of myself, home, situation etc, I'm sure I bored some and others chose to only answer one line back!  I have been advised Breeder thinks I'm the type of person/home where they would place one of their future puppies! This is a first for me re long term planning so I'm a little nervous re this way but will keep to it.
I do hope you find a gorgeous puppy a lovely breeder and years of fun, happiness and love.
Sorry for the long winded reply