what should i ask a breeder before i buy a puppy?

Question

well i'm interested in getting a german shepherd but i want to make sure (since they have a bad rep) that the dog will be safe. I heard that you should ask for clearences (eye, hip, elbow, heart ect.) i'm not sure what this means though and what i should be looking for? what are other things that i should ask the breeder?

how long is too long for a german shepherd to be alone during the day? we had an akita that did fine being home for 5 hours while the family wasn't here would this be okay for a shepherd too?

Answer 1

Jump on the AKC website and check out the breed there first. Temperament of any dog depends on its breeding but also a lot on its raising.

The AKC site will tell you about the breed standard and general behavior.

The BEST way to find out about a breed, to really find out, is to visit several websites for German Shepherd Rescues. If you're not familiar, breed rescues are people familiar with the breed of dog, who know the joys and pitfalls of the dog, and find new homes for dogs given up for a multitude of reasons. Just type "german shepherd"+rescue into a search engine. Select a few from the list. These groups focus on re-homing the breed so they will be the most familiar and honest about the breed's good and bad points. Responsible rescue groups won't try to "sell" you a dog. They're not a business. They are looking for forever homes for the breed.

And since shepherds are often abandoned, young and old, you may even find the perfect german shepherd to rescue!


I'm certain there are many, many wonderful breeders out there. But there are also tons of awful ones who just want to sell you a dog for money. The good breeders will tell you that too. So check unbiased sources first. Also, not all AKC registered dogs are worth the paper they're registered on. As long as the parents are registered, the puppies can be. Bad breeders can have two poorly bred, inbred, registered parents and sell you a registered puppy.

The certifications you mentioned are health certifications which give you some assurance that those features on the dog are sound. It's not a guarantee though. Nothing can give you that. I know with the elbows and hips, x-rays are taken and sent to a specific osteopathic organization that "certifies" them. They give the breeder an objective medical view of those joints, making sure they're not too loose or prone to dysplasia, and I'm sure many other things. Breeders then mate pairs who are both "certified" and likely produce offspring who will also have hips, elbows, etc, without problems.

Also, lots of people forget that german shepherds are herding dogs. If you're not familiar with herding dogs, read up. They are high energy, social, need a "job" and sometimes get focused to the point that they do odd, even sometimes destructive, things.

Sorry this is long, but last, breeders ask you to sign a "will not breed" paper because too many people think breeding is a hobby. It's not. It's a career which takes dedicaiton, lots of money, love, research and concern for the overall breed. Puppy mills are large, factory like breeding facilities with awful conditions. To responsibly and properly breed, you have to know the ins and outs of a breed and select a mate to compliment a dog's own characteristics. They are trying to protect the breed as a whole by having new owners sign those forms.

As an example, after the movie "101 Dalmations" came out, every dog loving family in the USA wanted one. So, people thinking they could make a buck, started breeding them irresponsibly. Now, the breed is plagued with behavior and medical problems. It's happened to other breeds, too.

Answer 2

German Shepherds have a bad rep because of poor breeding and bad owners. A dog is only as safe as the owners train him to be, if you do nothing with a dog then you should expect problems. Well socialized and trained dogs do not usually cause problems.

The health clearances are to ensure healthy pups. Hip dysplasia is very common in German Shepherds, so an ofa certification on the parents is really important and if done they should be able to show you. If this has not been done do not buy because your pup has a better chance not to develop hip displasia if the parents are free of it. Hip replacement surgery can cost thousands of dollars.
You should receive a health and hip guarantee and it should be for at LEAST two years. Anything less then two years is a scam.
They breed only a few litters a year.
When you ask what are goals of breeding answer should be temperament and working ability.
They should sell the pup with a spay /neuter contract.
The breeders work their dogs either in schutzhund or AKC obedience and conformation. (In Germany dogs can not be bred without having attained at least a schutzhund I)
They want the pup/dog back if for some reason you can not keep it.
The facility should be clean and the dogs should be well kept. The dogs should also be friendly(when around the owner)and outgoing. Stay away from shepherds who act scared or nervous that is poor temperment.
Ask what problems the breeder has had within their lines. They should be honest with you because all breeds have some kind of problems, but with research on the breeders part a lot can be done to prevent problems.
You should be able to see at LEAST the mother (if not other members of the family) and see her interact with the pups, and pups should not be less then 8 weeks old.
Good breeders will have as many questions for you as you have for them and they will want to meet you and family members if possible. They ask a lot of question so they will know you are a suitable family and so that they can place the right puppy with you. Not all dogs are right for all people and nobody knows the puppies better then the breeder.
Five hours should be fine (depending on age) to leave your dog.

A good place to look for Shepherd breeders would be the Parent club they can refer you to Shepherd clubs in your area and through the clubs in your area you should be able to find an ethical breeder.
Parent Club: German Shepherd Dog Club of America
Breeder Referral: Sharon Albright; PST [phone]

Answer 3

Ok first do your reasearch on the breed, continue to look for a reputable breeder. Ask your friends, family, breed club or you VET to refer you to a breeder. German Shepherds are big dogs and require alot of training as puppies(I have experience in working with the breed and they are a handfull!!!!) decide if you want a dog form show or working lines show dogs tend to be bigger and more expensive while working dogs require alot more training and attention. ASK TO SEE THE PARENTS PEDIGREE AND OFA! The OFA is the hip/elbow certificates. They should be good/normal/ or EXCELLENT! also you want to see the certificates for the eyes and heart, i forgot the names of these...if the "breeder" dosent have these available refuse the to buy the pup because they are probably a "back yard breeder" keep in mind these are very common everywhere. Dont take the puppy before 8 weeks of age as his is a vital stage in his development.


As far as how long you can leave your German Shepherd alone depends on how old he is.. As a puppy they need to go out every hour after eating/drinking/playing/sleeping/anything else..The older he gets the longer you can leave him alone. as long as you have him in a confined area (such as a kitchen) leave a whole bunch of newspapers and he should be ok for the day although you are guaranteed a mess when you get home!!! lol..as he gets to about 6 mons of age and older depending on how fast he learns he should be ok after that!


Andrea

Answer 4

When buying a dog don't let them tell you the pup has been cleared for hip problems etc.. They cant tell until the dog is at least a year old sometimes two. You need to get info on the parents and their health conditions. What problems if any have they had. I keep health record of all my dog for life. Any breeder that takes care of their dogs will be proud to show you these records. If they don't, buy somewhere else. Go over the records and if there is anything you don't understand ask them for their vets name and number. Read EVERYTHING in your sales contract and make sure there are no blank spaces. If you don't understand something research it. Buying a dog is an investment. Research the breed and its standard now. It will describe what traits to look for and possible problems to look out for, like congenital defects most predominant in this particular breed. Never buy on impulse and buy without emotion the two will get you screwed. Look at this pup like you would buying a car. Good Luck

Answer 5

Many breeders make you sign a paper stating that you will not breed your dog in the future. This prevents puppy mills where less than perfect puppies are bred by the dozens and sold from the newspaper. You might want to ask if you have to sign such a paper. I would like to breed by little chiquaqua some day and when I went shopping for him, I refused to buy from a breeder trying to stop me from breeding my dog. I think it should be a decision for the new buyer to make, not the breeder.

Also, you may want to ask if there is a 30 day "warranty" on the puppy, whereby you can take him to a vet and have him checked out. Many puppies die before the first 30 days due to parvo and other diseases due to their undeveloped immune system. Good Luck with your new puppy.

Answer 6

Nikky's right. Make sure the breeder can give you documentation that the do is not susceptible to hip dysplacia, eye and ear problems, his heart is not defective and that his joints are in good form. Make sure you ask to see the mother and if possible the father. Ask whether there are any problems in hip displacia in the family line of both parents. You can also ask whether there is a warranty on the dog.
When I bought my lab, the owner gave me a warranty, that ensured the dog as healthy, and if he became sick within two years of life, with a genetic disease, she would replace the dog with another puppy.
I know it sounds harsh, but you need to ask these questions. If the owner can't answer these questions they are not reputable dog breeders.

Answer 7

Ask for proof of hip tests *in writing*. This means OFA Good or Excellent for BOTH parents, or Penn Hip tests results are acceptable too (though I can't think offhand what the range of scores will be). You want to see a CERF eye test result, and heart and thyroid for both parents. A good breeder will be able to explain to you why these things are important.

You should be able to meet the breeders dogs. Look for calm, friendly dogs. ANY excuses for bad behavior the momma dog herself are a bad sign -- example excuses include "she's from high drive lines" or "she's protective of her puppies". If she's from high drive lines or is that protective, then one of her puppies is only going to be right for you if you're prepared to put in a lot of time to learn how to deal with a particularly keen dog.

The breeder should ask you as many questions as you ask them. If a breeder is prepared to hand over a puppy without asking for half your life history and what you plan to do with their little baby, that's a clear sign of how serious they are about their breeding program -- not very. Unless you plan to show or compete with your dog, you should expect to buy a pet-quality versus breeding-quality puppy and expect that your contract will require you to spay or neuter. It is important to note that this is not a reflection on you -- any breeder who is lax about this is guaranteed to be lax about other aspects of their breeding program.

As someone else mentioned, a fantastic option to find a safe, sane, and stable dog is to rescue an adult. I volunteer with the Virginia German Shepherd Rescue and we have dozens of GSDs at any given time in need of a home. The majority of these dogs have lost their through no fault of their own -- their owners get divorced or move or think they are the only people in the universe to get pregnant, and decide they don't want the trouble of dog ownership. I can't tell you how many beautiful purebred dogs we see that are terrific family dogs right out the gate. We've had more than one dog dropped off because their owners wanted to go on vacation and couldn't find a kennel on short notice (no, I am not kidding). When you adopt an adult dog that is being fostered in a home environment, the foster parent can tell you a great deal about that dog, and since it is already grown, it is much easier to predict future behavior than with a puppy that will take 2-3 years to mature and may or may not be everything you hoped for.

Good luck!

Answer 8

Hip problems are very comman on purebred German Shephards, very true, but they are something I wouldn't trade the world for. I'm no expert, but you should ask the breeder about any health problems that the parents have. Also, if the pup shows any early signs of problems.

Answer 9

German shepards are pretty good about using the rest room when they are potty trained. They only have to go about every 6 hours. But it's always different. You have to look for a blood line of hip displasya.

Answer 10

ok, i'm no expert here, but I would ask what's the return policy. i have only gotten second hand dogs (good ones!)from the shelters, so i'm not sure what it's like to get a new dog from the manufacturer. I mean, do you get some kind of warranty?