You are locked in a room with three cute puppies and will not be allowed to leave until you choose one to adopt. What factors will help you make your choice? (Assume they are all purebred, from the same litter.)

I choose according to over all Temperament.

I don't necessarily want the one that charges over to me first, (knocking aside other siblings) nor do I want the shy pup, that hangs back and looks stressed and worried at meeting me.

I want the pup that takes a moment or two to size me up, and then comes to greet with bright eyes, a willing to be friends nature, and upon seeing that I AM a friendly person, starts to wag, and looks interested in initiating or accepting my playful behaviors.

I also usually make it a point to visit the pups SEVERAL TIMES...at different hours of the day over a couple of days.

This is important...especially if you are committed to buying a purebred puppy.

Part of the higher price you will be asked to pay is based upon the temperament of the dog, and part upon the BREEDING of the dog.

Any breeder who swears up and down that they are selling you a SHOW QUALITY PUPPY...BEWARE! No one can say for sure what potential a 7 to 12 week old puppy will reach! No matter who they are, no matter how many titles and championships the Dog and Bitch have earned...

A Responsible breeder KNOWS that while they have bred to TRY and recreate that most perfect as possible litter...you can not accurately say for sure that your puppies ARE show quality animals, until about six-months of age, and even then, while better and closer to making an "informed" guess, you won't know until the dog is shown and mature as to exactly how good their confirmation is, for the breed standard!

A responsible, committed and reliable breeder is ALWAYS breeding with the goal to IMPROVE and maintain their chosen breed! They are shooting for BEST or BETTER in all things...conformation, health, temperament!

Any breeder who tries to pressure you to choose RIGHT NOW, or risk loosing the one you think you fancy...RUN AWAY, RUN AWAY, FLEE, FLEE!

A good breeder cares about matching up their pups to the right person...for the life of the dog!

They may ask for a SMALL deposit of good faith in order to hold a particular pup for you, but they should be happy to accept it and with a reasonable and timely agreement of maybe 2 to 3 days notice, should also be willing to return the deposit, if you decide you do not want that (or any of their) puppy.

In addition, a puppy that is clearly showing early signs of being a PET QUALITY puppy...should not only COST significantly less, but should also include a clause in the purchase contract that you WILL spay or neuter at an appropriate age and will NOT allow the animal to breed at all.

They may require a separate deposit for this...that WILL BE (and says so in the contract) REFUNDED TO YOU UPON PROVIDING PROOF that the pup was spayed or neutered. This can be any were between $50.00 to $100.00, but is must be totally refunded after altering the dog, or bitch.

Any breeder who tries to manipulate you emotionally, is only after your money, and it is possible that while their dogs and bitches ARE purebred...they are not from good or proved (shown) bloodlines...

REMEMBER...PUPPY MILL PUPPIES ALSO COME FROM PUREBRED STOCK...however they are not shown, they do not generally have titles, and they DO usually have health and temperament issues...Even if the breeder says they got their bitch from "so and so" WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

WHO is so and so? WHERE did they get their dogs from?

If a purebred is your big interest, even if you only want a loving Pet Quality puppy...ask about bloodlines, (read up a bit, try to learn about your chosen breed and who IS who in breeding that type of dog...this is a long term commitment AND your hard earned money to be spent on the purchase, and the future medical care...you may as well shoot for a dog that "should" have good health, because of planned and careful breeding over one whose Grandparents were trapped in a puppy mill!

Clear as mud?
WAGS!