What To Ask

The following is a list of questions we recommend you take with you when you visit each breeder. Don’t feel embarrassed asking all these questions; a responsible breeder will welcome your interest and will admire your knowledge and concern for the breed.

  1. Can they show you the pedigree of the puppies or the prospective parents if the puppies are not yet born (this should include at least 3 generations of ancestry – more would be better). Make sure you get a copy you can take home with you so that you can review it later in more detail. It’s worth noting that a pedigree full of champions does not always guarantee a future champion, and many top winning dogs have come from non-champion parents.
  2. Was the breeding planned or unplanned?
  3. If the litter was planned, why was the male chosen for this particular female? Was it a matter of convenience because the breeders own the male or was it because they felt the qualities of the male would compliment or even improve the qualities of the female?
  4. What are the faults of both male and female dogs? A conscientious breeder should be both knowledgeable and willing to talk about their dogs’ faults as well as their dogs’ assets.
  5. What qualities do the parents have?  Were they chosen for their temperament, their potential in the show ring or for their working capability? 
  6. What area does the breeder feel these pups will excel in - obedience, working, showing or as a family pet?  No one can tell you these pups are show dogs, you will not know if it has the correct attributes until the puppy is 6 – 10 months old, if at all.  And remember what could be brilliant to one Judge could not be to another.
  7. What kind of support will the breeder offer you to help you achieve your goals for your puppy? If you are buying the puppy to show, for obedience work, or as a working dog is the breeder willing to spend some time with you helping you to get started in these areas?
  8. Will the breeder offer any support if you have any questions or problems regarding housebreaking, digging, barking etc?
  9. Are both the parents hip scored? If so ask for a copy of the certificate to take away with you. The BVA and PennHip organisation are being used in the UK at the moment and can officially give a hip score. UK breeders are currently working towards a breed average due to the problems that have occurred with hip dysplasia in some dogs. This is a very painful problem for the dogs which can disable them in later years, and so conscientious breeders are working to eliminate the condition as quickly as possible. The Spanish Water Dog Club requires all its breeders to have their dogs tested and the final decision is made by the breeder whether to use the dog or not. Don’t let a breeder fob you off by telling you that they know their dog is not dysplastic because of the way it runs or lays down. Current thinking is that hip dysplasia is an inherited disease, so if you’re not sure about the health of the parents, what about that cute little puppy you are about to take home?
  10. Have the parents had regular eye tests? In England there are at least 3 dogs that are blind. Eye defects (cataracts, PRA, collie eye anomaly, glaucoma) are hereditary, so the best way to make sure your new puppy will not be affected by any of these problems is to check that the parents are as free as possible from any problems themselves.
  11. Have the parents had any skin problems?  I know of 4 cases of skin problems.  This we believe is also hereditary and therefore the breeder should advise you.  Every breeder knows the problems with their dogs and again a conscientious breeder will advise you if it is in their lines. 
  12. What type of guarantee does the breeder offer if you later find that the puppy does have a hereditary defect? Careful breeding greatly reduces the possibility of reproducing puppies with congenital defects; however, genetic throwbacks can still occur. In spite of their best efforts breeders cannot absolutely guarantee that a puppy will not have any hereditary problems. This is why it is so important to try and find out as much information about the parents before making your decision.
  13. Is the puppy’s health guaranteed? Most breeders will give a 7-10 day health guarantee. If, however, the breeder does not offer this find out if you can return the puppy within a day or two if it does not pass a health examination given by your vet. Most breeders insist that you take your puppy to the vets within 48 hours of purchasing it. If so, this should be written in the contract.
  14. Will a written contract be provided to cover the above issues? If so, ask to read the contract before buying the puppy to see if it covers all the guarantees the breeder has given. Most breeders have contracts on hand so this should not cause a problem.
  15. Does the puppy have any endorsements against it?  Sometimes breeders place an endorsement against a puppy stating that you cannot breed from it without their consent.  They do this to ensure that the dog you buy and its potential puppies will be healthy, and to safeguard the quality of the gene pool in this country.