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Questions for breeder

Christin1994

Christin1994

Active member
Hi everyone! So I graduated high school on May 24 and I'm now in community college!!! I emailed a breeder two and a half hours away from me here in Florida about adopting one of her pups. She's got a female due next month. She put me on her waiting list for a puppy! I wanted to know what questions to ask the breeder even before meeting her (or should I wait till I meet her). Thanks so much for your input and the wisdom!!
God bless


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I'm sure there are others I'm missing, but off the top of my head you're going to want to find out --

1) if the parents have been tested (and what the results were) for:
-heart
-eyes
-hips/knees

Don't be satisfied with simple verbal answers from the breeder, ask to see actual medical records. I would also try to find out if the breeder is familiar with SM.

2) what conditions the parents live in (meet them in person if you can)

3) how old the parents are

The breeder should also not be too keen to sell her pups to just about anyone. Hopefully she's asking her own question of you too, to make sure the pup goes to a good home.
 
Ask if you can see the parents.....make sure its not a puppy farm.....

Have the parents had an MRI? Also what were the results.
And like Dandelos said you need certificates for these plus, eyes and heart.

Well done for thinking with your head and not your heart. A puppy from unhealthy checked parents will probably cause you heartache as once you have one of these fantastic little dogs you'll fall in love with him/her before you know it.

Good luck
 
The breeder shouldn't just be familiar with SM - she should have scanned her own bitch and only if she was SM free have mated her to a dog who was also clear (preferably aged 5 or over and scanned recently - not just at 2 years old; SM is a progressive disease and being clear at 2 is no guarantee that they will be clear for life). Ask to see the certificates and if either of them has SM, don't touch the puppies with a bargepole! And the bitch should not have had her first litter until she was at least 2 years old.

This may seem a lot of things to check, and you may have to find another breeder and wait a bit longer for your puppy. But if breeders think they can sell puppies from either SM positive stock or non-MRId stock, we shall never eradicate this scourge from the breed. I speak as someone who has two Cavaliers with CM/SM - fortunately quite mildly so far. Oliver, my old boy, was diagnosed at 6 and at 13 is getting worse; Aled is a rescue and so far has mild symptoms; both are on medication for the rest of their lives and have to have 6-monthly blood tests. Severe CM/SM can lead to premature euthanasia when the pain becomes uncontrollable.

No one can guarantee a 100% healthy dog, but you can do your best to minimise the problems.

Even before you meet the breeder, you could gently warn her (stressing that she will also want to question you) that you will expect to see all the health certificates (originals, not copies) when you do meet. If she hasn't tested her stock, she may put you off having one of her puppies. Buying a Cavalier puppy these days is a matter of patience and vigilance - which can be hard when you live in a country as big as the USA, where Cavaliers are pretty thin on the ground. But perhaps the breeder you have contacted will be a really good one, who does all the testing and will be delighted to show you certificates, and will be thrilled to sell one of her puppies to such a careful and clued-up owner!

:xfngr:

Kate, Oliver and Aled
 
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