Buying a dog from a breeder

Buying a dog from a breeder cannot be improvised. Adopting a dog itself is a choice that must be carefully considered . Addressing the right breeding is the other crucial step in the process.

So here are some tips to help you make the right decision when it comes to buying a dog from a breeding farm .

Sale of puppies: what the law says

The sale of puppies is an activity regulated by law . Indeed, the ordinance of October 7, 2015 on the transfer of dogs and cats has been applied since January 1, 2016 .

According to this text, an individual intending to sell a puppy born at home is considered a breeder . As such, he is required to declare himself as such to the Chamber of Agriculture of his department. He is also obliged to request a SIREN number (Computer System of the Business Directory), which he must communicate when he wishes to publish a sales advertisement.

This SIREN number is therefore the first of the guarantees available to the buyer when contacting the breeder.

The said ordinance does not, however, apply to individuals who do not sell more than one litter of dogs per year.

How to choose the right breeding?

To make the best possible choice when buying a dog from a breeder, there are a number of good and bad indicators to consider:

• the breeder must give you the opportunity to see the parents of the puppy. If the sire is not his dog, he will at least show you pictures of him.
• he will have to let you visit the puppy several times: when choosing the puppy you will book, then 1 or 2 more times until the young animal is old enough to be weaned (8 weeks minimum) and therefore to have recovered. The ideal would therefore be that the breeding is not located too far from where you live.
• when you arrive at the farm, the inventory will provide you with information on its quality. Facilities, space, toys available to dogs and hygiene are important markers. If you see that the farm is overcrowded , it is a bad sign. It is difficult to have healthy and well cared for animals in such a setting.
• the breeder must present you with all the documents relating to the origins of the puppy, as well as its health.

What are the pitfalls to avoid ?

When it comes to the sale of puppies, as in any other activity, excessively low prices should always be suspicious . Then, if the breeder refuses to show you the parents as mentioned above, it will be better to look elsewhere.

Ditto if he doesn’t let you choose your puppy and spend enough time with him to observe his behavior. On the other hand, if the fact that you handle him at will and that you do the same with the other puppies does not bother him, it is not a positive indicator either.

Another trap: go to a non-specialized breeding. In other words, there are a multitude of breeds there and, again, there is the risk of not dealing with a breeder who masters his subject.

A dog breeder who in turn doesn’t ask you any questions is also to be avoided. Anyone who owns a proper kennel cares about the well-being of their puppies , even (especially) after their sale. If he asks about your lifestyle (more sporty or sedentary, space available at home, presence or not of other animals, children …) and your experience with dogs , it is because the future of the puppy that he is about to give up worries him much more than the financial aspect of his activity.

Read also: How much does a dog cost?

What questions to ask the breeder?

Ask the breeder as many questions as possible to find out more about his breeding and the chosen puppy. Learn about the animal’s behavior and take the time to observe it. Also ask him to describe the character of his parents , as it influences that of the puppy who tends to imitate them.

See if his dogs are registered and / or confirmed in the LOF . If you want to do the same with your future puppy, his parents must have been. Finally, find out about the care he gives to the dogs in the breeding, the time he devotes to each of them, if he plays with them and walks them enough. </p