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How to screen people before they get one of my puppies....

16 years ago

I would love to hear from people who can give me some advice on this......I have seven 5 day old registered yellow lab pups, and I want to be cautious about who their new owners will be.

Can anyone give me some things to look for, to ask, etc. to make sure they're going to the best possible new home when the time comes ?

Comments (10)

moonie_57 (8 NC)
16 years ago
Why are they getting the dog?
For whom?
What will he be fed?
Where will he sleep?
Will he be housed outside?
Where will he be when they're at work?
How long are they away from home?
Is the yard fenced?
Do they intend to chain the dog?
How will he be exercised?
Do they intend on obedience classes?
How will they discipline?
Other pets? Children?
What if they aren't happy with the dog?
Spaying/neutering.
Ask for vet reference.
prairie_love
16 years ago
Many breeders have questionnaires that potential puppy buyers must complete. The one we filled out was SEVEN pages long! Search the web for examples, they are often found on breeders' web pages.
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OK, my advice is going to be a bit different than some of the others, but you have to figure out what works for you and your dog. When our dog was a pup we put her crate downstairs in the main living area. Our bedrooms are upstairs. I did this so that we would not wake up and be tempted to positively reinforce crying or whining unless it was loud enough to really mean something. I have a pug, and they have small bladders, so in the beginning I set my alarm for 2:00 am and got up to let her out to potty ONLY. No play, no cuddling, etc. Just potty, back to crate with a small treat. This method worked wonders. She only cried a bit for two nights. After that, she learned to cry only when she had to go and we were able to move the crate into DS's room at night. Now that she is trained she sleeps in DS's bed. I think if you put the crate in your room and speak to the puppy or pet him when he cries, that is still reinforcing the behavior and you are likely to have to deal with it longer. And quirkyquerces is, of course, right about making the crate Disneyland. We taught our dog the "crate" command by tossing her a treat every time she went in. Being a food-driven pug, she learned to zoom for that crate pretty quick. She still does it and it cracks up our friends. Just don't put lots of gooey treats in at night or you may find a mess in the morning. Perhaps a safe, tasty chewy of some kind, like a nylabone, to keep her occupied? Also, it sounds like your crate is a too big for a pup. They feel more secure in a smaller space and they are less likely to soil a smaller crate as well. A rule of thumb is that it should only be large enough for them to stand up, lie down and turn around fully. You can decrease the size temporarily by putting a wooden box in the back of the crate to take up some of the space. Good luck!
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joepyeweed
16 years ago
Or check out an adoption application for some of the rescue groups, many are available on line. It will give you an idea of what type of questions to ask.

Good luck finding homes for those puppies.
mazer415
16 years ago
I would see if they have a current veterinarian, and if not who they will take the dog to for care, and I would see if they had a fenced yard, maybe actually GO to their home, ask for referrals and check those referrals out, including making certain they are allowed an animal if they are renting.
telly2
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks everyone ! Those are some good ideas. I think I will start making my own list. Mazer, I especially like the idea of asking about a current veterinarian.
quirkyquercus
16 years ago
I dont think its a good idea. What does it show? What if they dont have a pet or a vet?

Rather than ask questions the people can/will just lie about, ***talk*** to them.
Find out what they are like. What they want a lab for. Willing and wanting to have an exceptional dog. You notice things after a while. Is this a gift for the whining kids? Valentines Day? See if they will want to stay in touch with you. Get an idea of their personality and activity level and YOU match the appropriate puppy for them. Dont waste the paper on silly questionaires.
TALK.
Communicate!
lostnca
16 years ago
*agreeing again with QQ*
You can read the recent Pound Puppy post and see my view on rescue questionaires. To me and I may be the only one besides QQ that feels this way, that talking to a family is the best way to determine who will care for your puppies. When I adopted my puppy a few weeks ago the young man did not know what to ask about so we sat and talked and played with the puppy on the grass for about an hour before I brought the puppy home. Not only did he feel comfortable sending Bruno with me we made friends as well.
Lorie
sunshinetm
16 years ago
I tend to agree with QQ & Lorie on this one. Thats just my opinion.
sammy zone 7 Tulsa
16 years ago
I would explain to them exactly how much money they would be required to spend on the dog. I think it would be nice to have a price list of the Vets in your area, and itemize what is needed including a microchip and neutering the dogs.

I would find out if this was their first dog or first big dog. I would ask age appropriate questions. Does the older person know that the "puppy" may be big when he or she tends to jump? Do they know how much food to feed the dog, and what the cost is?

Another important question is how will they transport the dog. Our dog training school gave us a rather large book for the puppy school. You might get your hands on that and give them a short summary of what to do.

We all look at dog life differently. I would not want to leave my dog at home alone (without even another dog) all day long, but I don't always feel the necessity to walk them. (They have their own yard to come and go in as they please.) Others may leave the dog home alone all day, and walk the dog for an hour en the evening.

You need to determine what you think is necessary.Possibly a lab rescue would have some literature you could use.

I think this is a tremendous responsibility, and wish you the best. I would want to keep them all.

Sammy
pfllh
16 years ago
You can ask all kinds of questions but the truth will be how the puppy and people react to each other.
What is the reaction if the puppy tries to give them kisses, jumps on them, or even squirms to get away from them.
I think it would be good to know of other pets and their ages and why they want a new puppy. I askabout past pets as sometimes something is said where I will not allow them to have the puppy or kitten. I also had as a prerequisite thay have a fenced yard - no tie ups.
Another option is to call vets to see if they know of someone wanting a yellow lab OR put an ad up on the board of Vet's offices.
Lynn

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