# What to Expect/Look For when Visiting a Breeder?



## Konotashi (Jan 11, 2010)

So we're going to go visit a breeder in about two weeks, so I can get a feel for their dogs and see what real WORKING GSDs are about.
I'm super excited and nervous at the same time.
What are some things I should be looking for, and what should I expect? From what I understand, I will get to watch the dogs work.

Any advice or input would be greatly appreciated.


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## BlackthornGSD (Feb 25, 2010)

You should *like* their dogs--how they interact with their person and yourself. They shouldn't smell nasty (dirty, sure, sometimes that's unavoidable, but they shouldn't smell rank). They should also look healthy and seem comfortable and happy in their environment, even with (especially with) a visitor (you) there.

Do they look like they have good muscling? Can they settle if nothing goes on for a while? Can you get to see them inside as well as outside? My dogs tend to be much calmer in the house than when they are outside--outside is where we play.


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## Konotashi (Jan 11, 2010)

Haha, I guess I should have been more specific, since I figured that much. 
I'm expecting the dogs to be aloof with me, which I want in my GSD. Honestly, I don't care for how outgoing Ozzy is with everyone. (Though I would take overly friendly over the opposite any day!)
I don't exactly know how to ask my question without being confusing, considering I don't know exactly what to look for. Plus, the fact puppies aren't going to be clones of their parents.
Should I just look for the traits I like and go from there? (Hardness, drive level, overall temperament, etc).
I'll probably need to take a notebook full of questions for the breeder, lol.
So since I'll be looking for a dog with a specific temperament, drive, etc, would it be easier to ask the breeder which of their dogs produce the type of puppy I'll be looking for?


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## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

I didn't know how to explain to my breeder what I wanted either, thankfully I had several visits with them and we got to know each other over e-mail and in person so when the time came I felt she knew as much about me as she needed and we both agreed that Luka (now Delgado) was the best choice for me

You don't need to go into tons of details but tell them about your everyday life and how you want the new puppy to fit in. I told her I was looking for a medium energy dog with a high drive, I told her about my training ambitions, my schedule, and what I was hoping to get from owning a GSD. I was very honest and I ended up with a amazing dog

Of course that's after you've decided that you want a puppy from a particular breeder. 

I asked them to tell me about their dogs and program, and it was easy to tell the "sales people" vs "dog people." I wanted a breeder who would not only tell me that their dogs are the best but SHOW me why. Yes puppies aren't going to be carbon copies of their parents but that's where they get their genetics from so that's where you start. If you get bad vibes from either the dogs or breeder then depending on how severe it is you might have your answer in the first five minutes, I'm one of the people that trusts their gut feeling

The biggest thing I would tell someone about choosing a breeder is *don't be afraid to ask questions!* Ask about temperament, training, and health for sure and even just ask random questions about the parents or puppies, you'll learn a lot about quirks that way


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## GSDElsa (Jul 22, 2009)

Konotashi said:


> Should I just look for the traits I like and go from there? (Hardness, drive level, overall temperament, etc). ?


 
Since you're having to ask this question and start this thread, I would consider how much you actually know to properly "look" for traits like hardness..........

Probably best to stick to the stuff Christine is talking about and leave it up to the breeder to evaluate the rest.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Since my dog experience had been with Heinz 57s, Cairn Terriers, Springer Spaniels, Pekingese, and Dachshunds, I decided to trust the breeder to select a dog for me, and I am very glad I did.

Look for the breeder to ask _you_ lots of questions. A good breeder knows her dogs, and wants to make sure she has all the information she needs from the potential owner in order to make a good match. 

Look at her dogs. All her dogs. Gauge their energy. When I went to pick up Hans, there were several GSDs just loungin' around the house  One dog --this one! http://www.narniakennels.com/cheetah.htm) was in a down stay in the kitchen, and while she was calm, she still had her watchful eye on my 6'5" husband the whole time, LOL. 

I had initially looked at her daughter's litter, but I was directed to the other. Look at Cheetah's description, and you can see why.

Also very important, trust your gut. If the breeder downplays some things that are possible red flags to you, I would look elsewhere.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

I think that visiting lots of breeders and meeting lots of dogs will give you a better idea of what you are going to be asking and looking at. Like test driving a new car, the first one always seems great, but as you try more, you see more of what you want and what you have to have, and how the performance differs. Good luck, have fun.


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## Danielle609 (Jun 18, 2011)

For me, the main thing that made me know for sure that I picked a good breeder was when I got my 1.5 year old daughter (this was last summer ) out of the car and put her down. She was going to go up to one of the dogs and I started to pull her back. Robin told me she was fine and to let her go. All of the dogs I visited that day were amazing with her. They would sit there and let her pet her and give her the occasional lick. Very well mannered, no jumping or any hint of aggression/ fearfulness. My Husband was in awe when he saw them working, he had never seen a dog do protection work before  I don't believe there is a set criteria that needs to be met purse. I think you will just have a gut feeling as to whether or not it is right.

Also, don't think that just because the person is reputable that they need to live in a huge house with acres of land. Granted some do, but a lot of your good breeders aren't in it for the money and spend most of it on their dogs. I mean you want it clean, but don't expect a mansion


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## holland (Jan 11, 2009)

I would watch the dogs-even if you are new you will see dogs that you like-and if you have questions ask-part of what a breeder should do is educate-ask your questions though don't ask someone elses-never asked a lot of questions with my last dog-it turned out fine--it really is a good idea to visit a lot of different breeders-plus hopefully that will be fun


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## apenn0006 (Jun 22, 2012)

When we visited our breeder we had access to the father, mother, and grandmother on site. I gasped when I saw the father (who comes from strong working lines)...he was not only gorgeous but alert to everything. He wasn't shy, nervous, aggressive etc. He was very aloof and held his head so high like he was proud and knew he was hot stuff. The mother and grandmother come from mostly show lines with some working in the mother and were so outgoing and friendly. The mother wanted to smell us while the grandmother charged right in with her tail wagging wanting to give lots of kisses.

We knew then that we wanted a puppy that shared both of these characteristics and so it was from there that we started watching the puppies interact with us and each other. It took us several visits to decide which one we thought we wanted. So far I feel like we made a great choice! 

I would say go with your gut instinct, too.


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## Konotashi (Jan 11, 2010)

You guys are getting me more excited, LOL. 

I'm going to have to stay AWAY from the puppies. I might just tear my heart out and feed it to them if I can't take any of them home. 

I did tell her that it'd be about two years before I could get a pup, but she was okay with that.  I just hope that if I really like one of the females in particular, she won't be retired by the time I get to bring home a pup.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

The most important thing at this stage of the game is to be honest with the breeder about what you are looking for, what you plan to do with the dog, and what your home situation/schedule is like. If it's a good breeder, they will understand what their dogs tend to produce and whether they would be a good match for you. You just observe the dogs and their interactions with the breeder, with each other, and with you. Listen to your gut, ask a lot of questions, and enjoy the visit. 

Oh, and don't mention Liver.


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## dylano (Jul 6, 2012)

When went to see my pup i basically made a list of everything i needed to keep on eye on.
The pup:
Make sure its got clean eyes
Make sure its not shy
Make sure its not one that just sits in the corner away from anyone
Make sure it is playful - a happy interested pup

Breeder:
Make sure the house is clean
Make sure you see the mother and father
Ask for HIP scores and any other medical infomation the parents may have
Make sure the breeders know what they are talking about - Knowledgable 
Make sure the breeders are quite friendly - good as you may want to call them a couple months down the line asking for advise 
Make sure the puppies are used to children(breeders family) 

Also, make sure the breeder is actually a 'house breeder' as i like to say. Make sure the pups are being brought up in a house and the parents are family pets. Breeders who are in it for the money tend to have poor blood lines and poor knowledge about dogs - NOT always, just sometimes

A breeder with a passion for dogs will be best 

When you sit down with the pups you'll automaticaly know which pup should be yours, its like a gut feeling. 
When i went to see mine who was just 4 weeks at a time we sat down with 2 boys. With in 10 minutes of sitting down i knew which one was right for me  good luck


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## Konotashi (Jan 11, 2010)

Dylano - I'm expecting my breeder (whether I choose the one we're visiting or not) to pick my pup for me. And since I'm not actually on the market to bring home a puppy, I think I'm going to avoid them for right now, haha.


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## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

Playing with puppies is the best part!! Since you know you can't bring one home, you can sit on the floor with a pile of pups and observe their play and interaction with you. It really does help when it comes time to picking one of your own. Once I settled on the breeder I visited two litters before I got Stosh. By then the breeders knew what I was looking for.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Konotashi said:


> it'd be about two years before I could get a pup



:rofl:

That is exactly what I had in mind when I started searching. 

Two_ months_ later, I put down my deposit


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## 4TheDawgies (Apr 2, 2011)

All very good advice. I will say, which you probably already know, don't expect to get to meet the sire. But ask if they have any videos, stories, photographs, ask where the stud resides and go to that owner and ask questions directly to their owner. What's kind of nice with using a separate stud owner is they are more likely to give honest opinions because the direct puppy money is not going to them. You will get to hear a less biased opinion about the mother, get to meet or talk about the father if its too far, and hear about him from a different person. 

As puppies I expect each and everyone to be bounding towards people for attention. I wouldn't be happy if I saw a shy puppy who was not interested. I personally don't care for puppies who submissive pee, duck heads quickly when reached out too, or that are not interested in investigating EVERYTHING. It tells me something is wrong with that puppy, either sick, or the confidence is not there.

Watch for recovery times. If something spooks the puppies, or even just one, how long does it take them to recover and investigate? Do you want to be able to play fetch with your dog? Play with a rag in front of them, see who has some prey drive (prey drive and fetch is important to me as that is how I build muscles in my dogs).

Let the breeder tell you about the notes they have taken on each individual puppy. Even if the puppy is not displaying all of those things in front of you, keep it in the back of your head.

While my puppy buyers were viewing the red female in my litter I told them she never shut up. Most puppies in the litter were loud, but she was extraordinary. She would climb the baby gates and kennels to get to me. She would scream the entire time. Basically never shut up and stopped trying. I told her owner and her owner was like well she seems sweet now. I told him what that can turn into as an adult. 

He ended up taking her home and she STILL does the same stuff. Enjoys screaming and howling like chewbacca for everything. Climbs his fence and he had to buy a really tall fence. She now opens doors and goes where she pleases. So he takes her with him to work (thankfully he owns his own business and has that leisure). 

So while she appeared so quiet and sweet when he met her, he still paid attention to what I was telling him about her personality. It worked for him, but me personally, I wouldn't want a screamer. As a trainer I can fix that and could overlook that, but always weigh those options. Can you fix this if this behavior continues? What will this look like in an adult dog? 

When looking at a puppy you are looking at the bare minimum of what that dog will be as an adult.

One thing that I find REALLY fun, is watch the adults and their little quirks. For example, Havoc's mom greatly enjoys grabbing the closest thing to her and carrying it and showing it to everyone. She also screams like a coyote when she gets excited. She taught her puppies how to do that and everyone of them still do it as adults. 
Havoc's father greatly enjoys (very specifically) Logs that float in water, that he can howl and bark at while he slams his legs into them and make them spin and fly all over the place. 
Without watching his father do this, without any of my other dogs doing this, Havoc GREATLY enjoys this EXACT same thing. 

Mayhem's mother is one of the BEST play dogs I have ever seen. Uses completely fair play, switches roles back and forth, very very goofy behaviors when playing with other dogs. Mayhem is the EXACT same way. 

So what I'm saying is, even those small quirks that you would never expect your dog to be, have, pick up on, watch out because they probably will. 

If something slightly concerns you and it means a lot to you for the dog to not do something like that. Take into consideration that your puppy may end up doing the exact same things. 

as for the breeder:
Everyone has their own ideas about cleanliness, care, diets, training etc.
You will get a new opinion for every new person you ask.

All I require is that the person raises the puppies in a way I approve. The parents are treated with respect and are stimulated and treated as dogs and family members, not cattle pumping out dogs for them to make a quick buck from.

Too many dogs concerns me, I want to watch how they handle as many dogs as they do. I want to know how they handle a litter of puppies with that many dogs. 
Where are the puppies raised, what do the puppies get exposed to as they are growing to help mold them into good dogs?
What type of diet is the mother fed, then when pregnant, and then when nursing, and then when she is on her own. 
does mom have to eat a crappy diet when shes not having puppies? What do the puppies grow up on and why?
Nutrition in the growth stages of utero and nursing are of utmost importance, I want my puppies started on a top of the line diet. Is the breeder cutting costs in obvious ways?

housing dogs in poor buildings, poop laying everywhere, dirty kennels falling a part? Are the dogs given sufficient exercise? Is the breeder trying to "SELL" you a puppy, or are they telling you about their puppies and asking you questions about your intentions with a puppy as well?


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## Konotashi (Jan 11, 2010)

Sunflowers said:


> :rofl:
> 
> That is exactly what I had in mind when I started searching.
> 
> Two_ months_ later, I put down my deposit


Thankfully (or unfortunately?) I don't have that luxury. I'm hoping to get a female. I live with my mom still (MAJOR reason I can't get one right now), and she has four, then I have Ozzy. Two of her females have serious SSA toward one another, and must be kept separate at all times. Definitely not something I'd want to bring a puppy into. 

In the meantime, we're looking for a place of our own.


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