Guide: how to choose a puppy breeder
How to Choose a Puppy Breeder: 12 Things to Check Before You Pay a Deposit
The short answer on how to choose a puppy breeder: pick one who lets you see the puppy with its mother, live or on video, shows you health test results for both parents by name, and puts the sale in writing. If a seller cannot do those three things, keep looking. The other nine checks below help you tell a good breeder from an average one.
How to choose a puppy breeder: three checks that rule out most bad sellers
First, run these three checks. You can do so in one phone call, before you get attached to a photo.
- See the puppy with its mother. Ask for a visit or a live video call. That matters because scammers have no puppy to show, and poor breeders do not want you to see where the dogs live.
- Ask for the parents’ health test results by name. A breeder who tests has the reports on hand, so they can send them the same day.
- Ask for the terms in writing. Price, deposit, what happens if the puppy gets sick, and what happens if you can no longer keep the dog.
The Federal Trade Commission gives the same first advice: a real breeder, shelter or rescue will welcome an in-person or video meeting, and one who avoids visits, video and phone calls is one to walk away from (FTC).
Checks 1 to 6 before you choose a puppy breeder: the puppy and its parents
Use this table when you choose a puppy breeder. For example, you can keep it open during a visit or a video call and tick off each line.
| # | What to check | What good looks like |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Where the puppies live | You see the space yourself, in person or on a live video call. The AKC lists a home or kennel visit as a sign of a responsible breeder, and Humane World for Animals advises always visiting before you buy. |
| 2 | The mother | She is with her puppies, clean, relaxed and friendly. However, a mother who seems fearful or unwell is a warning sign. |
| 3 | Health testing on both parents | Reports that name the dog and the test. Ask about DNA tests and about physical exams such as hips, knees, eyes and heart. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals lists which screenings matter for each breed. |
| 4 | Vet records for the puppy | Paperwork from a veterinary clinic showing the exam, the dates of each vaccine and the deworming schedule. |
| 5 | Age at go-home | At least 8 weeks old and fully weaned. In addition, that is the federal minimum age for transporting a puppy. |
| 6 | A written contract | It names the puppy and its parents and says the breeder will take the dog back if you cannot keep it. |
Checks 7 to 12: the seller and the sale
| # | What to check | What good looks like |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Questions for you | The breeder asks about your home, schedule and experience. In contrast, a seller who asks nothing only wants the sale. |
| 8 | Reviews you can verify | Reviews on outside sites, not only on the breeder’s own page. Search the business name with the words “review”, “complaint” and “scam”. |
| 9 | Photos that are really theirs | Run a reverse image search on the puppy photos. For example, stolen photos show up on other sites under other names. |
| 10 | How you are asked to pay | The FTC warns that a seller who insists on gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfer or a payment app is a scam sign, because that money is hard to recover. Instead, pay by credit card, because it gives the most protection. |
| 11 | Where they sell | Directly to you. In other words, responsible breeders do not sell through pet stores or brokers. A handoff point can be convenient, but a seller who will only ever meet in a parking lot, and never shows the home, is a red flag. |
| 12 | Support after the sale | The breeder stays available for questions for the life of the dog. |
The AKC backs checks 1, 2, 5, 6, 7 and 12 in its signs of a responsible breeder. Similarly, Humane World for Animals supports checks 2, 4 and 11 in its puppy mill warning signs. Finally, numbers 8, 9 and 10 come from the FTC’s pet scam guidance.
Signs of an online puppy scam
Puppy scams follow a pattern. The FTC describes ads with appealing photos, prices far below what the breed normally costs, and pressure to pay before you have seen anything. Then, after payment, the puppy never arrives.
- A purebred or designer puppy offered for a few hundred dollars when the going price is in the thousands
- No phone call, no video call and no visit
- Photos that also appear on other websites
- Payment only by gift card, cryptocurrency, wire transfer or payment app
- Urgency: “someone else is about to take this puppy”
If you spot one, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Home breeder, commercial kennel, broker or pet store
These four sellers are not the same. However, the label alone tells you little. The ASPCA defines a puppy mill as a breeding operation where the dogs’ physical, psychological or behavioral needs go unmet, and notes that many mills advertise themselves as small family breeders. Therefore, the checks above matter more than the name on the website.
| Seller | Who raised the puppy | Can you see the mother? |
|---|---|---|
| Home breeder | The person you are talking to, in their house | Yes, in person or on live video |
| Commercial kennel | Staff, in a kennel building | Sometimes |
| Broker or online marketplace | Someone else. The seller is a middleman. | Rarely |
| Pet store | Someone else, usually a commercial breeder | No |
Humane World for Animals reports that puppies from mills are commonly sold through pet stores, online marketplaces and classified ads instead of directly by the breeder (Humane World). A local shelter or rescue is also worth a look; the FTC points out that dogs of many breeds and ages are waiting there.
Questions to ask before you choose a puppy breeder
- Can I see the puppies with their mother, in person or on a video call this week?
- Which health tests have both parents had, and can you send me the reports?
- What has the vet done for this puppy so far, and will I get the records?
- How old will the puppy be when it goes home?
- What is in your contract, and will you take the dog back if I cannot keep it?
- Where can I read reviews that are not on your own website?
- How do you take payment, and is the deposit refundable?
- Can I call you with questions after the puppy comes home?
How we answer these ourselves
If you choose a puppy breeder using this list, it is fair to hold us to it as well. So here is where to find our answers.
- Where the puppies live: inside our family home in Eagle Mountain, Utah. Visits are by appointment. Contact us to set one up, or ask for a video call.
- Health testing: every parent dog has an Embark DNA health panel, and a reproductive veterinarian cares for our dams. See how we health test. A DNA panel does not replace physical exams, so ask us, and any breeder, what else has been checked.
- Vet care: each puppy gets a vet check, first vaccinations, deworming and a microchip, and the records go home with you.
- Reviews: read what our families say, then search for us yourself.
- Support: call or text Sharitee at (801) 414-6659, before or after your puppy goes home.
Related guides
- Puppy Scams: 9 Warning Signs and What to Do If You Have Paid
- What Is a Puppy Mill? Signs and How to Avoid One
- Puppy Contract: What Should Be in It Before You Sign
- Dog Health Testing Before Breeding: What OFA, Eye, Heart and DNA Tests Cover
- Flight Nanny vs Cargo vs Ground Transport: How Puppies Travel Home
See all our puppy guides, or meet our Havapoo puppies for sale and Goldendoodle puppies for sale.
Sources
- Federal Trade Commission, Getting a pet? Avoid scams (2024)
- American Kennel Club, Signs of a Responsible Dog Breeder
- Humane World for Animals, How to Find an Ethical Dog Breeder
- Humane World for Animals, Top Five Ways to Tell if a Puppy Is From a Puppy Mill
- ASPCA, Responsible Breeders
- Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, CHIC Program (breed-specific health screening)
- USDA APHIS, Preparing and Receiving Pets for Air Travel (8-week minimum age)
Want to run these checks on us?
Start with a call or a visit. We are happy to answer every question on this page.