Today’s blog is about getting a new puppy, researching your breeder, making a decision. All of these things take a great deal of time. Adding a puppy to your family should be a well thought process with lots of questions asked between you and the breeder.
The breeder should be able to provide you with health information and personalities of the parents. They should offer to have you visit and meet the dogs – you should be able to meet EVERY dog they have and pet them – all of our dogs are obedience trained and friendly to kids and visitors I would worry about dogs kept away from visitors especially if this is the sire of the puppy you are considering – YES stud dogs can be friendly and meet visitors any breeder who tells you other wise may be hiding something. You should be able to see where the puppies are raised and that area should be clean and not offensive to you.
Your breeder should be able to provide you with general breed information about the weimaraner and health problems that are known in the breed. They should be able to provide you with references of people who have puppies and grown dogs from their kennel. They should know of any health problems that have occurred with their dogs offspring and be willing to offer that information to you.
A breeder should never spend a great deal of time bad mouthing other breeders to you – this is just plain unprofessional. We have never stated negative things about other breeders to our clients we respect all breeders who work with their dogs and have the necessary health clearances – choosing a breeder is a personal choice and one breeder will not be able to meet the needs of all individuals – it is NEVER necessary to bad mouth a breeder for any reason. It is best to gather your own information and make your own decisions and not to base any decision on hear say.
It is also wise to be wary of the hard-sell approach – NEEDS NEW HOME NOW – MUST SELL etc. the breeder should be more concerned about the home you can provide and finding a good home then just SELLING puppies!
When you visit the kennel you should do so if possible 6 months in advance of wanting a puppy to meet parents and any current puppies they may have. If you are unable to travel to a specific Kennel or breeder request video, pictures and several references of past clients. CALL the references and speak with them to learn about their dog and the breeder.
Ask the breeder about the puppy selection process and any testing done on the puppy for behaviors the Volhard puppy aptitude test
Click Here for more information
is used by us here at Drehbar Weims in determining puppy placement. If you click the link you can go to their website to read about the test and more information for choosing a breeder.
The breeder should also be able to offer assistance in field training and showing your dog if you wish. They should be knowledgeable about trainers and resources for you and be willing to help you achieve whatever you desire with your dog.
The breeder should offer a written health guarantee and be willing to answer any questions you have during the life of your dog. They should CARE about where the puppy is going and how it will be raised. They should also offer you be able to bring the puppy back to them if you can’t ever keep it for any reason – thus helping to prevent unwanted dogs in rescue. Ultimately every dog bred by them is their responsibility.
The journey to your new puppy is a fun and very long rewarding experience – but well worth the effort!
Please feel free to ASK us any questions – we are always available to help!
