____2) Do both parents (the sire and dam) have a hip clearance from the OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) or PennHip (preliminary OFA at a minimum)? Check the OFA website, or ask to see the certificates. "My vet okayed the x-ray" is not a valid clearance.

____3) Do both parents have current eye clearances from CERF (Canine Eye Registry)? This must be re-done every year. Ask to see the certificates.

____4)What is the health history of the sire, dam and any siblings? A responsible breeder will keep track of these statistics and honestly discuss any problems that have occurred in the lines and what has been done to prevent them from reoccurring.

____5) Is the breeder willing to provide you with references and telephone numbers of other people who have purchased puppies from them?[If there have been no prior litters, are they willing to provide you with other references (perhaps people they have dealt with for some time regarding future litters)?

____6) Will the puppy have a registration, with a mandatory spay/neuter contract if being sold as a pet only? A breeder who cares enough about the breed to insist on these is likely to be a responsible breeder.

____7) On what basis was the sire chosen? If the answer is "because he lives right down the street" or "because he is really sweet", it may be that sufficient thought was not put into the breeding.

____8) WILL THE BREEDER TAKE THE DOG BACK AT ANY TIME, FOR ANY REASON, IF YOU CANNOT KEEP IT?! This is the hallmark of responsible breeding (and the quickest way to make rescue obsolete).

____9) Is there a written guarantee against congenital health or temperament problems. Promising another puppy or your money back and NOT requiring you to return your puppy or euthanize it? Many unscrupulous breeders will honor a guarantee only after you have destroyed the original puppy, this insures that they will never have to replace sick puppies.

____10) Will the breeder be available to answer any question you might have for the life of the dog? Is this someone you would feel comfortable asking any type of question?

____11) Is the breeder knowledgeable about the breed? Is he or she involved in competition with their dogs (field, obedience, or conformation)?

____12) Is this breeder fully versed in the dog's pedigree and willing to discuss the pedigree at length?  What kind of research has been done, and what kind of documentation is there to substantiate it?

____13) Are the puppy's sire and dam available for you to meet? If the sire is unavailable, can you call his owners or people who have his puppies to ask about temperament or health problems? You should also be provided with pictures or videos.

____14) Have the puppies been raised in the home - not in a barn or the back yard?

____15) Is the breeder knowledgeable about raising puppies, critical neonatal periods, proper socialization techniques? Puppies that are raised without high exposure to gentle handling, human contact and a wide variety of noises and experiences OR are removed from their dam or litter mates before at least 7 weeks, may exhibit a wide variety of behavioral problems!

____16) Does the breeder provide you with a 5-generation pedigree, a contract to sign, copies of all clearances and guarantee, health records and material to help you with feeding, training and housebreaking?

____17) Have the puppies temperaments been evaluated and can the breeder guide you to the puppy that will best suite your lifestyle? A very shy puppy will not do well in a noisy household with small children, just as a very dominant puppy won't flourish in a sedate, senior citizen household. A caring breeder will know the puppies and be able to show you how to test them so that good matches can be made.

____18) Do the puppies seem healthy, with no discharge from eyes or nose, no loose stools, no foul smelling ears? Are their coats soft, full and clean? Do they have plenty of energy when awake?

____19) Do the puppies have their first shots and have they been wormed and vet checked?

____20) Does the breeder have only one,  or at most two, breeds of dogs and only one litter at a time? If there are several breeds of dogs, chances are the breeder cannot devote the time it takes to become really knowledgeable about the breed; and if there is more than one litter at a time, without the proper help, it is very difficult to give the puppies the attention they need and may indicate that the primary purpose for breeding is profit, rather than a sincere desire to improve the breed.

____21) Does the breeder have a breeders "Code of Ethics", and is the breed affiliated as a registered breeder with a Club of more than two members?  (Everyone and every club has to start somewhere, but if one breeder has its own club, and s/he is its only member, you should wonder why.)

____22) Do you feel comfortable with this person, after all you are entering into a decade long relationship? Are you feeling intimidated or pressured? If so, keep looking!