Hi,  This is my first time to buy a puppy and am a novice!  Any advice or information would be greatly appreciated.  I would be grateful for any advice you can offer on the questions I should be asking about buying a puppy.   I have been asking about eye tests but have been told that they are not carried out on the pups but on the parents and if the parents are okay then so will the pups.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely, Pauline

Hi Pauline,

Your best option is to go onto the breed club of your chosen breed and find out which health tests are relevant (hip scoring and eye testing are quite common across breeds, but some have other important issues which are breed specific ;) )

The tests will (or should) have been done on the parents :)  That they have passed these tests is not a guarantee that the offspring will be automatically clear of an inherited health problem - but at least you will know that the breeder is doing their best to avoid breeding on a problem.

A breed club will be able to put you in touch with responsible breeders and also be able to offer valuable breed advice in general.

HTH meantime,
Teri :) 

As has been said the breed clubs will help you locate a repitable breeder.

If you go to this site it will explain the eye schemes for you http://www.bva.co.uk/public/chs/eye_scheme.asp

I have spoken to someone from the miniature schnauzer club and was told when buying a pup it is important not only both parents are tested but also the pups.  If you contact the club they will send you a list of breeders and are really helpful.

Just to clarify for the guest there are some eye c onditions that can be teted fro in puppies and others that are not apparent until a dog is older.  It would seem in this breed that pups can be litter svrened as well as the parents individually.  if this is the case then only buy from a breeder who ahs the pups screened also.