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Breeder/Kennel name:
Date of contact:
Phone:
Has this breeding been done before? (In other words, have this dam and sire produced puppies before?) If so, ask for addresses and/or contact numbers of people who own puppies from previous litters.
Are both parents free of hip dysplasia? OFA results should be available; the least acceptable evaluation is "Good"--barring special circumstances, such as if the animal has had an injury that precludes a "Good" rating, but is judged by the breed club to be sound for breeding. Documentation should be provided in any case.
How old are the dog's parents? Beaucerons mature physically at about age three-and-a-half; they should not be bred before age two. In addition, reliable OFA results are not obtainable before age two. Breedings of bitches over seven years are not recommended either.
How many litters has the bitch had so far?
Does this indicate that she's had a litter each time she comes into season (usually twice a year) without any breaks between litters? A bitch should not be bred more than twice out of every three seasons. Some responsible breeders of working bitches breed only at two, four, and six years.
Is the breeder willing to discuss your concerns openly, or does she/he seem ignorant of them, or defensive, offended etc...?
Can the breeder document a standard five-generation pedigree on your puppy?
If there is a lot of line-breeding in the pedigree can the breeder tell you why? I.e., why particular dams and sires were chosen in the effort to select for desirable traits.
Have the parents and/or puppies been temperament tested by a qualified person?
Does the breeder use written sale contracts?
Is the breeder willing to document the following in writing?
- Health guarantee.
- Sound Temperament Guarantee.
- Documentation on any genetic screening tests done.
- Documentation of any immunizations/veterinary procedures done.
- Agreement to take or buy the dog back, should this ever become necessary.
Does the breeder seem concerned about the environment you can provide for the dog--asking you about your home, family, other pets etc, what fencing you have; requiring that you sign a spay/neuter agreement for dogs the breeder considers not to be of breeding quality? These are signs of a responsible breeder.
Other Notes/Impressions:
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