| There are a number of questions you should be asking | | | | were carried out on both the mother and the father of |
| a Labrador retriever breeder if you are going to | | | | the puppies, and what you are looking for is that they |
| consider buying a puppy from them, and you are well | | | | have had their eyes checked, their hips scored and |
| within your rights to do so. If they are rude or cagey | | | | ideally their thyroid tests done. This should all be |
| then you should be suspicious and consider not | | | | evidenced in paperwork when you actually go and |
| bothering to buy from them. | | | | see them. There are some breeders that will nod and |
| Before you even go and see the puppies chat on the | | | | smile and say yes when actually they haven't done |
| phone with the breeder. The first thing to get over is | | | | these things, so seeing the paperwork does add |
| the price. Dog breeders can charge what they like for | | | | weight to the reputable breeder score. The problems |
| their puppies. However, if you look around you will see | | | | that can occur in pedigree dogs are because they are |
| that most breeds are in and around a similar amount, | | | | pedigree, and are always bred from generation to |
| so this is what you should be expecting to hear. A | | | | generation with pure breed dogs. This can be an |
| breeder is unlikely to haggle with you. You either want | | | | excellent thing, but in order to prevent issues such as |
| the puppy or not, and saying that this is a pet only | | | | bad hips a dog shouldn't be put to stud unless it has |
| rather than a show dog isn't really a fair argument. This | | | | been checked. |
| does not change the amount of money or the level of | | | | Before you get on to the questions that you should |
| care a good breeder will have lavished on each puppy, | | | | ask about the litter itself, ask the breeder to tell you a |
| so really what purpose the puppy will serve its new | | | | bit about themselves as breeders, how long have they |
| owner is largely irrelevant. You need to be happy that | | | | been breeding dogs for, what experience have they |
| you will hand over the amount of money that the | | | | had etc. There are lots of very good breeders that |
| breeder is asking if you decide you want one of their | | | | are new to the field but they should be able to leave |
| puppies. It has been known that some breeders will | | | | you feeling confident that they are dog people who |
| reduce the price slightly if they do not file the | | | | have their animals' best interests at heart and only |
| paperwork for your pup at the kennel clubs; however, | | | | want the puppies to go to the best loving homes they |
| you should wait for this to be offered as most don't. | | | | can find, rather than just be concerned with making the |
| Secondly, you want to know the health tests that | | | | money. |