Sometimes it is just as important to pay attention to how comfortable you feel with the breeder and how openly they answer your questions.
A few things that may deserve a closer look include:
- Reluctance to share health testing information
- Dismissing health concerns that are known to occur in Collies
- Being unable or unwilling to explain why the dam cannot be seen
- Pressure to send a deposit quickly
- Producing several breeds without a clear history, involvement, or purpose within those breeds
- Frequently having puppies available from multiple litters
- Puppies leaving before eight weeks of age
- Little information about how the puppies have been raised
- No written contract
- No plan for helping if an owner can no longer keep a dog they bred
Whenever possible, picking up your puppy in person is preferable. It gives you an opportunity to meet the breeder, see where the puppy was raised, and ideally meet the dam and other dogs in the home. There may be circumstances where distance makes this impractical, but meeting the breeder in person is ideal, and a responsible breeder should take the time to get to know prospective owners before placing a puppy.
