Buying a pup

Stephen P

I'm going to view a couple of pups later, a Shih Tzu and King Charles, my preference is with the King Charles and my wife likes the Shih Tzu. They're 10 weeks old. Can anyone advise me on what I should look out for? The mother is still there which I think is a good thing? What injections should a pup have by 10 weeks? What papers should the owner have? Anything else I need to ask the owner?

Thanks in advance!

turtle21

They CAN be fully vacc'd at 10 weeks but they should at least have their vacc card with one vacc on it.If the breeder was quick about sending their registrations off they MAY have their IKC registration papers but it is not unusual for these to be sent on later.If you buy a pup without its papers take a note of the parent's names and numbers.They will also have a microchip card which is VERY important for YOU to send off to be registered.

If you don't like the breeder don't buy the pup!

The breeder should be happy to take back the pup if it doesn't work out and should be available to answer any future questions you may have about your dog.

andreac

Are these 2 litters with the same breeder? If so id be very wary of going to a breeder who has 2 litters of pups of different breeds at the same time.

Where did you come across the breeder?

There are so many puppy farmers out there at the moment that just sell for profit. When you visit the home just ensure the pups are well cared for, and not out in some dirty shed.
The breeder should be keen to ask you questions too as they should be wondering what kind of home the pup is going to.

The pups should have at least 1 or 2 vaccinations by now and have been wormed regularly, ask the breeder was this done and if not then do not under any circumstances buy a pup from them as if they are responsible breeders, they would be worming regularly from birth and have vaccinations and microchipping done. A pups first vaccination must be done at 6 weeks and they usually micro chip then too.

If these kind of things havent been carried out then they are not good breeders so just walk away.

If you see pups that arent in good condition, please do not go ahead and buy one because you feel sorry for it, as this is how these backyard puppy farmers are being kept in business. If there is no market for them, they wouldnt be churning out pups left, right and centre and mistreating their animals, so just be very aware of the conditions the pups are in.

Stephen P

I saw the ad in a local newsletter. I'm going to the sellers home to view them so I'll make sure the place is clean and the pups are in a proper pen.
Thanks guys for the advice regarding the vaccination, worming and micro chip. I won't be taking the pup straight away if we decide to take it. We'll have a good think about it first.

Thanks again for the advice!

andreac

Be careful of litters advertised in papers and even more so with people advertising more than one breed of dog for sale,a s they tend to be puppy farmers.
If you are looking for a pedigree dog i strongly advise you to contact the IKC and get a list of reputable breeders from them.

Please do your homework and be very cautious when choosing a pup, if anything doesnt feel right or doesnt add up, do not take a pup, as chances are you will have problems in the long run with the pup.

Hope all goes well.

lorebringer

*Deep breath*

Breeders advertising in papers is a bit of a red flag, reputable breeders tend to have waiting lists for pups or a booking system. However, in the current recession they may be advertising because they cannot find homes for puppies.

Regardless of what breed you choose, ask as many questions about the breed to the breeder (and do your homework to know if they are honest or talking crap). Decent breeders do not mind answering questions and should be very open about problems within a breed (health, temperament etc.). If you get any "MY stock don't have any problems" answers, run for the hills! Genuine breeders are perfectly willing to admit that, for example, Cavaliers are prone to heart problems and Shih Tzu can have breathing problems. They should also ask you a mother load of questions about how you are going to care for the dog and be perfectly happy for you to contact them at any time for advice or information.

At 10 weeks, the pup should have it's first vaccination and maybe the second one also. Ask for this in writing, a vaccination card, and ask about what vet did the vaccinations. Lots of breeders vax themselves but ask about who their vet it, and have the pups been seen by the vet. Pups should have been wormed every 2 weeks, so at 10 weeks should have had 5 doses of worming. The breeder may not have this in writing (ask anyway) and ask them about the worming product they use. As anderac said - if they are not worming the pups walk away. The pups should also be microchipped, ask for proof of this. Ask for the pups papers, and if the breeder does not have them (which is possible, the IKC registering can take a while) ask when you can collect them - do not allow the breeder to post them to you, get them in person or you may never get them at all. The breeder should not mind you coming back. Ask to see the mother and fathers papers too.

When you view the puppies, see them with the mother (and the father if possible, quite a few of breeders do not own dogs they would have used for stud). How is she with the owner? She should be relaxed and not mind the breeder looking at the pups. Look at her condition, have a feel of her. Is she in good shape? Does she not mind you touching her? If she is nervous or scared of the breeder or cowers when you go to pet her, this is a bad sign. Next, look at the pups. Are they healthy and happy? Do they seem to be used to being inside? Are they playing? If they seem to be a bit bewildered or unsure as to what is going on chances are they have not been in they place you are viewing them for very long - ie. they have been kept somewhere else and the owner is bringing them in for you to view them. If the pups and mother are kept in out buildings then have a look around them, the breeder should be perfectly happy for you to do this. The areas should be clean, with fresh water, and the dogs should be content. If they are crowded, the place is dirty, smelly or generally a nasty place to be - run!

Ask the breeder how many breeding bitches they have, how often they have pups available and how many breeds they breed. Two is pretty common, a push at three but certainly not more than this. Do they breed "hybrids" regularly - if yes, walk away. Reputable breeders want to improve the breed and strive for breed standards. Their breeding stock is very important to them, great care is taken not to mix breeds. Obviously, accidental mixed litters happen and some breeders meet a demand with designer dogs but this is rare. Ask about health certs of mother and father - hip x-rays, ECGs, MRIs etc. A standard vet cert is not sufficient, these simply tell the dogs state of health at one particular time. Vet certs for pups are fine, when accompanied with health checks for parents. You will have this dog for 10 - 15 years, healthy parents lead to healthy pups so it's worth the effort.

If at any point, something does not feel right go with your gut feeling and walk away. The breeder should be happy to tell you anything you want to know and they should ask you plenty too. Hope you decide on a breed that is good for your lifestyle and get a happy puppy, good luck!

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