Before You Buy a Puppy
Bringing home a puppy is exciting—but before you fall in love with a photo or send a deposit, take time to investigate where that puppy came from.
Use this checklist to help you research the breeder or seller, verify important information and recognize potential warning signs before making a commitment.
Remember: A completed checklist does not guarantee that a breeder is responsible or humane. This is a research tool designed to help you ask better questions, verify information and make a more informed decision.
Research BEFORE You Contact the Seller
☐ I searched the breeder or business name online.
☐ I searched the individual breeder's name and location.
☐ I know the name of the person or business that actually bred the puppy.
☐ I know whether a broker, distributor, pet store or other third party is involved in the sale.
☐ I checked available USDA licensing and inspection information, if applicable.
☐ I checked the Humane World for Animals Horrible Hundred report.
☐ I searched for available state licensing, inspection or enforcement records, where applicable.
Visit Where the Puppy Was Raised
☐ The breeder will allow me to visit the location where the puppy was born and raised.
☐ I can meet the puppy's mother and see her condition and behavior.
☐ I can see where the mother and puppies are housed.
☐ I can see the conditions in which other dogs at the property are kept, when applicable.
☐ The environment appears clean, safe and appropriate for the dogs.
☐ The puppies appear comfortable interacting with people and have opportunities for appropriate socialization.
☐ The breeder is willing to answer my questions and isn't rushing the visit or sale.
☐ The breeder isn't insisting that the puppy be exchanged only in a parking lot, roadside location or other location away from where the puppy was raised.
Why meeting the mother matters
Being able to see the puppy with its mother and observe where the dogs live can provide information that photographs, advertisements and paperwork cannot. If a seller will not allow you to see where the puppy was raised, ask why—and investigate further before proceeding.
Check Health & Breeding Practices
“Vet checked” isn't the same as health tested.
A routine veterinary examination can tell you about a dog's current health, but responsible breeding may also involve screening breeding dogs for inherited conditions associated with their breed.
Ask which tests were performed, who performed them and whether you can verify the results independently.
☐ I know which hereditary health conditions are associated with this breed.
☐ The breeder has performed appropriate breed-specific health testing on both parents.
☐ I have seen the actual health-testing results, rather than simply being told that the parents were “health tested.”
☐ I understand the difference between a routine veterinary examination and genetic or breed-specific health screening.
☐ I have received the puppy's vaccination, deworming and veterinary records.
☐ I know the age of the puppy's mother.
☐ I have asked how many litters the mother has had and how frequently she has been bred.
☐ I know how the puppies have been raised and socialized.
☐ The puppy will not leave its mother and littermates before an appropriate age.
☐ The breeder is willing to discuss health problems that have occurred in the puppy's parents or bloodline.
Before You Pay or Sign Anything
☐ I have received and read the entire sales contract before paying.
☐ I understand the breeder's health guarantee, including any limitations or deadlines.
☐ I understand what happens if the puppy develops a serious health or hereditary condition.
☐ I know what the breeder requires if I am ever unable to keep the dog.
☐ The breeder is asking me questions too and appears concerned about whether I can provide an appropriate home.
☐ I have been given enough time to research the breeder and have not been pressured to make an immediate decision.
☐ I have independently verified important claims rather than relying solely on the seller's website, advertisements, reviews or paperwork.
☐ I know exactly who I am paying and have a record of the transaction.
☐ I have saved copies of the advertisement, contract, health records, communications and other relevant documents.
STOP AND RESEARCH FURTHER
Consider walking away if you cannot identify who bred the puppy, cannot see where the puppy was raised, cannot meet the puppy's mother, cannot verify claimed health testing, receive inconsistent information, or are being pressured to pay quickly.
Walking away from a questionable sale can be difficult when you've already fallen in love with a puppy. But purchasing that puppy may financially support the very breeding practices you hoped to avoid.
You are choosing more than a puppy. Your purchase also helps determine which breeding practices the marketplace rewards.
Research the Breeder
Don't rely on a single source when researching a breeder. These resources can help you verify information and learn more about breeders, businesses, health testing and animal welfare records.
About this checklist: This resource is intended for general educational purposes and is not a certification or guarantee of any breeder, seller or animal. NCAAP encourages prospective puppy buyers to independently verify information and consult appropriate professionals or authorities when necessary.