I'm sure this has been asked before but when I try to search the newest thing I can find is from 2007 so I must be using the wrong search terms. My aunt and uncle are on the list to get a Lab puppy from a litter that will be born in December. They have not had a puppy in a LONG time. They have two children in second grade. I had sent them a list of breeders and this was one of them, the website doesn't have a ton of information. They have all of their dogs listed with titles and health testing and on the nursery page say which breedings are coming up. They have pretty much no info on policy/contract, breeding philosophy, how they raise their pups, breed info or anything like that. I also can't find anything about them on the internet as far as people mentioning them on forums or anything.
So what questions do you think they should ask the breeder? I mean I told them a lot of it is up to them, what do they want to know? But I'm sure there are some things I should suggest they ask to be sure they're not going to a sketchy breeder. The only things I can think of so far are:
1. What health tests do you do on your dogs before breeding them? (do you ask for copies of the results or just take their word for it?)
-I have looked up the parents and can find hips/elbows for both. Dad has eyes, PRA, and cardiac as well. I'm assuming mom has had eyes done since all other dogs on the site have but we'll need to know for sure. Most dogs don't appear to have had the exercise induced collapse test, I'm not sure if I should be bothered by that or not (it's a CHIC requirement but only as of June 2013 so many of her dogs have a CHIC number despite not having the EIC test). Opinions? Is it okay to ask the breeder why she doesn't do certain tests? (they don't appear to do centronuclear myopathy either which many breeders I looked at did do).
2. Where are the puppies raised? (inside or in kennels, if inside where in the house)
3. How do you socialize your puppies?
4. What are your goals when breeding a litter?
5. What is your idea of an ideal Lab?
6. Do you choose the puppy or do we choose the puppy? (I think my aunt and uncle still believe they're picking the puppy themselves, I told them most breeders pick the pup for you).
7. Can we have referrals to previous puppy buyers?
We'll want to know about contract stuff too but I have no experience with this stuff so don't know what to look for.
So help? I don't want to give them an enormous list of questions, I don't want to give them questions that they don't care about the answers to or don't understand why we're asking. So are these questions good, what would you add? Keep in mind this is for s typical pet home.
So what questions do you think they should ask the breeder? I mean I told them a lot of it is up to them, what do they want to know? But I'm sure there are some things I should suggest they ask to be sure they're not going to a sketchy breeder. The only things I can think of so far are:
1. What health tests do you do on your dogs before breeding them? (do you ask for copies of the results or just take their word for it?)
-I have looked up the parents and can find hips/elbows for both. Dad has eyes, PRA, and cardiac as well. I'm assuming mom has had eyes done since all other dogs on the site have but we'll need to know for sure. Most dogs don't appear to have had the exercise induced collapse test, I'm not sure if I should be bothered by that or not (it's a CHIC requirement but only as of June 2013 so many of her dogs have a CHIC number despite not having the EIC test). Opinions? Is it okay to ask the breeder why she doesn't do certain tests? (they don't appear to do centronuclear myopathy either which many breeders I looked at did do).
2. Where are the puppies raised? (inside or in kennels, if inside where in the house)
3. How do you socialize your puppies?
4. What are your goals when breeding a litter?
5. What is your idea of an ideal Lab?
6. Do you choose the puppy or do we choose the puppy? (I think my aunt and uncle still believe they're picking the puppy themselves, I told them most breeders pick the pup for you).
7. Can we have referrals to previous puppy buyers?
We'll want to know about contract stuff too but I have no experience with this stuff so don't know what to look for.
So help? I don't want to give them an enormous list of questions, I don't want to give them questions that they don't care about the answers to or don't understand why we're asking. So are these questions good, what would you add? Keep in mind this is for s typical pet home.