Questions to ask a dog breeder before you buy

Have the parents had health checks, and can you see the results?

Ask what health checks the mama and papa have had, then look at the results yourself. Every breed has its own checks that matter, and a good breeder understands what each one is looking for. Ask to see the certificates.

Many breeders record their dogs' exams with the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, which keeps a free public database. To look a parent up there, ask the breeder for its registered name or registration number and type it into the search on the foundation's website. The site also lists the checks recommended for each breed, which gives you something to hold the results against.

A certificate shows that a check was done and what it found, and not every result has to be normal, so open the results and read them. Hip problems can't be checked in a young puppy, which is why you look at the parents' and grandparents' results. The breeds we raise are on our puppies page.

What registration comes with the puppy?

Ask which registry the puppy will be registered with and whether its registration is full or limited. If a seller says they register their dogs with a particular organization, call that organization to confirm it.

Limited registration means the dog is registered but no litter it has can be. A dog on limited registration can't be shown in the breed ring at a dog show, while obedience, rally, agility and other events stay open to it. Only the litter's owner can change limited registration to full, and the registry stays out of any disagreement between buyer and seller over which kind was sold.

Puppies that aren't show quality are usually sold on limited registration, sometimes with a spay or neuter requirement in the contract as well. Ask about both before you pay.

Where are the puppies raised, and can you meet the mama?

Ask where the litter spends its days, and whether the puppies have been around people and other dogs and are at ease in a household. Early socializing helps a puppy settle into new surroundings and into life with you. Neither the puppies nor the grown dogs should seem unusually shy or scared.

Ask to meet the mama too, and the papa if you can. While you're there, watch how the breeder's grown dogs act with the breeder. Notice whether they're friendly and outgoing or shy away, and a shy dog is worth asking the breeder about.

A good breeder will ask you plenty in return, because they want to know their puppies are going to homes that know what to expect and are ready, so expect questions about your household. Once you've found a breeder you trust, choosing among the litter is its own step, covered in how to pick a puppy.

What should be settled before go-home day?

Ask what health guarantee comes with the puppy and get it in writing. Ask what happens if the puppy turns out to have a serious health problem, and whether the breeder will take the puppy back if you can no longer care for it. A contract should be there for you to read before you decide to buy, so ask to see it early.

Ask which shots the puppy has had and when the next ones are due. The breeder should have taken the puppy to a vet and should know where it is on its shot schedule, so your own vet has what it needs. A puppy that goes home young still has shots ahead of it, since the core puppy shots run from 6 to 16 weeks of age.

Ask what age the puppy goes home. Expect 8 to 12 weeks, which gives a puppy time to mature and socialize with its mama and littermates. A federal animal welfare rule also bars a puppy from being shipped for sale until it's at least eight weeks old and weaned.

Then ask how to reach the breeder once the puppy is home. A good breeder shares contact details and stays a resource for the rest of your dog's life.

How do you spot a puppy scam?

Scammers post ads for puppies that may not exist, sometimes offering a purebred for a few hundred dollars when the breed often costs thousands, and press you to pay up front before someone else does. Once you've paid, the puppy never arrives and you may never see the money again. Some scammers even pose as a real breeder, using details stolen from that breeder.

These are the warning signs to watch for.

• The seller won't talk by phone or video or won't let you visit. A real breeder will always talk with you by phone or video chat, if not in person, before selling you a puppy.
• The puppy's photos or the ad's wording show up on other websites. A reverse image search, or a search for a line of the ad, will turn them up.
• The price is far below what the breed usually sells for. Purebreds offered at deep discounts are usually frauds.
• You're told to pay by gift card, wire transfer or cryptocurrency. Nobody legitimate will ever require those, and a credit card gives you the most protection if something goes wrong.
• The seller hurries you to send a deposit or decide quickly. That pressure is a common sign that there is no puppy at all.
• New charges keep coming after you've paid, for things like vet bills, crating, shipping or an inspection. That pattern usually ends with no pet, because it was never for sale.

Before you send any money, search the seller's name together with words like review, scam or complaint. If you come across a pet scam, report it to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

How does Teapup answer these questions?

We've raised puppies in Syracuse, Indiana, since 1989, which makes 37 years. Each puppy's own page links to its mama and papa by name. We are working toward health testing all of our mamas and papas, and the certificates we have are posted on each parent's page, so you can read them for yourself.

Prices do not reflect sales tax, shipping fees, or the 3% merchant fee when using a credit/debit card or Paypal. Contact us with any questions! Each breed’s full price terms are on how it works.

You can visit here in Syracuse during our hours or at another time on request, and you're welcome to meet the mama while you're here. If you live too far to drive, we're glad to do a video call. Our puppy application asks about your home and plans before any deposit is placed, and how it works sets out every step from the application to pickup.

Every puppy goes home with vaccinations against Parvovirus, Distemper, Adenovirus, Kennel Cough and Parainfluenza, plus Leptospirosis and Rabies depending on age, deworming, a puppy pack with care notes, a bag of Diamond Naturals food, a blanket with mama's scent, a written guarantee, and a microchip enrolled in your name with lifetime recovery, already paid for. Puppies go home at 9 weeks. The full wording of our guarantee is on our health guarantee page, so you can read it before you reserve.

Cash in person, card by phone, PayPal invoice, or Venmo. Card and PayPal payments carry a 3% merchant fee. All sales are subject to 7% Indiana sales tax. Anything this page doesn't answer may be in our FAQ, and you're welcome to ask us directly.