The First Call: Questions Worth Asking the Breeder
The first phone call isn't a formality before the visit — it's the moment to ask the questions that a puppy in your arms will later make impossible.
The essentials at a glance
Prepare five to eight questions in writing, above all the one about the parents' health tests — specific, with results. And expect questions back: a breeder who doesn't vet you probably doesn't vet much else.
- Write your questions down beforehand. Everyone forgets half of them mid-conversation.
- The key question: which tests do BOTH parents have, with what results? “All tests done” without detail is not an answer.
- A good breeder asks back — about your routine, alone-time, experience. Let them vet you; it's the best sign there is.
- Visits usually start from the puppies' fourth or fifth week; before that, many breeders shield the dam and litter from stress and germs.
- You don't reserve an animal over the phone. The goal of the call is a visit date, not a commitment.
How do you prepare for the first call?
With a list. Read up beforehand on which hereditary conditions matter in your breed and which parental health tests are therefore standard — then you can tell in the conversation whether the answers have substance. The breed profiles here carry a “Health” section with the breed-typical tests.
Set aside half an hour without background noise. Many breeders prefer this conversation on the phone rather than in writing because they want to hear how you talk about dogs — and you may do exactly the same in return.
Keep a notepad ready. Not because the call is an interrogation, but because otherwise you'll get home and realise you forgot the most important question.
Which questions should you ask the breeder?
The health question first, and specifically: which tests do the mother and father have, with what results, from which year? A reputable breeder recites findings as a matter of course — they were done precisely so this question could be answered.
Then the rearing: where do the puppies grow up, what do they experience in their first weeks, how many litters does the kennel have per year? The answers tell you whether a home is raising puppies here or a production line is running.
Finally, ask openly about price and terms. Not to negotiate — the price of a well-raised puppy is not a bargaining item — but so both sides know where they stand: what's included, when is what due, and can you read the contract in advance?
The question list for the first call
- Which health tests do both parents have — results, year, lab or assessor?
- Why this pairing? A good breeder can explain the choice.
- Where and how do the puppies grow up — in the house, as part of the family?
- What do the puppies experience before handover: sounds, visitors, car rides, short spells alone?
- How many litters does the kennel have per year, with how many females?
- Is the kennel affiliated with a club, and which breeding rules apply?
- From when can I visit — and how often before pickup?
- What does the puppy cost, what's included, and can I read the contract beforehand?
Which questions will the breeder ask you?
The same ones you know from the first-message chapter — only more precisely: housing, alone-time, experience, who lives in the household, what happens with the dog on holiday, how you picture the first weeks.
Answer honestly, even where it's uncomfortable. A breeder who probes on “the dog would be alone four hours each morning” isn't trying to reject you — they're weighing which puppy in the litter would cope best, or whether to suggest a later litter.
Be suspicious of the opposite: a seller who after ten minutes knows everything about payment and nothing about you isn't looking for a home for their puppy. They're looking for buyers.
When and how do you arrange the first visit?
At the end of the call, if it feels right on both sides. Visits usually start from the puppies' fourth or fifth week of life: before that, the dam and litter need calm, and many breeders also limit visitors to protect against infection — that is diligence, not secrecy.
Clarify in advance who is coming. The breeder will want the whole household to meet the puppy eventually; whether children or your existing dog should join the very first visit is decided litter by litter.
Plan the visit without a follow-up appointment. A good visit runs longer than expected, and you don't want to be checking your watch while meeting the family your dog grows up with.
What about waiting lists and unborn litters?
At good kennels the normal case is registering interest in a planned or newborn litter — not a puppy being “available”. Don't let that put you off: the waiting time is your preparation time.
Registering interest means getting to know each other, not buying. It usually becomes binding only once the puppies are born, you have visited, and both sides commit — at that point a written, small deposit is fine. Demanding money for an unborn animal beforehand is not.
Ask concretely: how many families are already registered, how are puppies allocated, and what happens if the litter is smaller than planned? A breeder with clear answers has been through all of this — and has rules for it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the single most important question to ask a breeder?
The one about both parents' health tests — with results and year, not as a blanket claim. It separates careful breeding from multiplying more sharply than any other question, because it can't be answered with charm, only with documents.
From what age can I visit the puppies?
Usually from the fourth or fifth week. In the first weeks, reputable breeders shield the dam and litter from stress and introduced germs — the puppies aren't yet fully protected by vaccinations. A breeder who won't let you visit at all before handover is, by contrast, a warning sign.
Can I ask about the price without being rude?
Absolutely — openly, in the first call. What's disreputable isn't the price question but a price with nothing behind it. Ask what's included: vaccinations, microchip, deworming, papers, and starter items like a food sample and a familiar blanket.
What if I realise during the call that it's not a match?
Say so kindly, in the call or shortly after in a message. You're not committed to anything, and a clear, honest no serves the breeder better than an enquirer who simply disappears.
Should I take notes?
Yes, openly during the call. If you're comparing several kennels, the answers blur within days — and you'll want to check the health results against the actual documents when you visit.
Sources
- VDH (German Kennel Club) — finding a responsible breeder
- German Dog Welfare Ordinance (TierSchHuV) § 2 — rearing and social contact
Last reviewed on July 27, 2026 by Sufyan Osamah · what that means: Editorial standards
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