A dear friend of mine was recently looking to add a new puppy to her family, and in doing so she contacted several dog breeders. She was surprised by the amount of information some breeders wanted to know about her everyday life, so she asked me if I thought it was normal, and why I thought they wanted the information. I answered by telling her that I it was normal when dealing with responsible breeders, and that I was sure they needed the information to ensure the puppy was going to a good home.
After our conversation, I decided to research some of the questions breeders ask, and how the answers to those questions affects their decision. These are some of the things dog breeders might ask before deciding to give you a puppy.
Other Animals
I found this to be one of the most popular series of questions that dog breeders ask. They want to know if you have other animals, what species the other animals are, their age, and their size. With this information they can decide if you have enough love and a large enough house for the puppy to be safe and happy in its environment.
There are two main reasons breeders ask this question. First, it’s to ensure that both the child and puppy will be safe while living together because some breeds just don’t do well with small children. Second, they may be concerned that the adult humans won’t have enough time to care for a puppy and a child.
I have a friend that adopted a puppy several months before giving birth only to later re-home the pup because she didn’t have time to care for it properly. While she did what was best for the puppy, most dog breeders won’t to avoid this situation.
Lifestyle
Many dog breeders will ask you about your travel and work habits to get a feel of how busy you are. Puppies take a large amount of time to train and care for, and if you are away from home a lot you can’t do it properly.
Living Accommodations
You may also be asked whether you own your home or are renting. It seems some dog breeders do not consider renting to be stable housing, and because it’s not stable they won’t place a puppy with renters.
Another reason they ask about your living situation is to ensure the dog will have access to a yard where it can run and play.
Smoking
I must admit this question caught me off guard, and I still think it’s a bit extreme, but I do understand the reason behind it. There are dog breeders out there that will refuse to place a pup in a home with smokers because of the health risks of secondhand smoke. I have a very close family member who once bred toy poodles, and she flat out refused to place her pups with smokers.
If you are looking to adopt a dog from a responsible breeder you can expect to be asked a number of these questions. It may seem extreme, and you may feel a little uneasy answering some of them, but they are usually geared toward ensuring each puppy goes safe and happy home. And, as a dog lover that is something you should understand.
