The high demand for friendly companion dogs sadly also attracts puppy mills, which produce puppies with no regard for genetic risks. A suspiciously low price is already a clear warning sign: for a well-socialized puppy from a health-focused breeder, you need to budget a realistic price range of 1,800 to 3,000 euros. Walk away immediately if the mother isn't there when you visit, if the dogs seem shy or if they're kept in outbuildings. Sellers who can't show you official results for patellar luxation and cataracts, hand over puppies before they're a full eight weeks old or suggest a handover in a parking lot aren't acting in the interest of the dogs' health either.
On HonestDog, every breeder goes through a sign-up process before their profile goes live: an identity check with ID and selfie, proof of club membership or a §11 permit (the breeding license under Germany's Animal Welfare Act) where applicable, a knowledge test on breeding and animal welfare, and agreement to the HonestDog breeding standards – including no breeding with extreme-breeding traits and no breeding dogs under 18 months. Without a verified §11 permit, a breeder can list at most two breeding females there, and you can flag anything odd on a breeder profile directly via "Report content". When you visit, ask to see the parents' original results. You'll find current litters among the Havanese puppies on HonestDog.
