Picking a Puppy: Talking to the Breeder

Talking to the Breeder and What to Look For:

You can learn a lot about what kind of puppy you will be getting by talking to the breeder. A breeder is trying to sell you on the litter so keep that in mind, but if they really care about the breed then they will be happy to answer your questions and will probably have some questions for you. This should be the first step before you ever begin deciding on litters. The things you want to know are what do the Sire and Dam do? If they’re hunters, great! If not, ask why. What kind of personality do they have? You want them to tell you that they’re trainable with a strong work ethic. What titles do they have and what issues arose in training to become titled? This can be seen on the pedigree but ask specifics if you with to test or trial the dog. Do the dogs live in the house? If the answer is yes, great! If not, ask why. Since your new puppy will be living in the house you want to make sure the parents aren’t too wild to keep inside. How are they around kids and new environments? If the parents are good with kids and new places then they’re confident and level headed. What kind of hunting does the breeder use the dogs for? Look for a breeder that has dogs that you want you new puppy to be. There are many questions to ask but just getting to know the breeder and about the litter will help you understand what you’re getting. Really try to understand or even meet the Dam of the litter. Puppies will get a majority of the traits from the Dam and only a few other traits from the sire unless the sire has been bred into the line. This is referred to as line breeding.