A couple in Nashville sent a $500 deposit to a breeder they found on Facebook. They had fallen in love with the photos. They asked one question: "When will the puppy be ready?" Six weeks later, they drove four hours to pick up a dog that was underweight, had bloody diarrhea, and died of parvovirus three days after coming home. They never asked a single question that would have revealed any of this. The questions exist. Most buyers just don't know to ask them.

These ten questions apply to every source — breeders, rescues, shelters, rehomers. A $50 adoption from a shelter and a $5,000 purchase from a breeder both deserve the same level of inquiry. Don't let price be a substitute for information.

Before You Ask Anything Else: Search the Record

Before you contact a breeder or rescue, search for them. Look up their name, their kennel name, their business name. Look for reviews, complaints, social media posts from past buyers. Check PuppyReports. Check the BBB. Check Facebook groups for their breed.

This takes 15 minutes. It doesn't replace asking questions — but it tells you what questions to prioritize, and it may tell you not to contact them at all.

Don't Guess. Check.

Before you send money, before you fall in love, before you bring a dog home — check the record. Search 1,700+ breeders, rescues, and shelters.

Check the Record

The 10 Questions

Question 1
Can I see the parents — in person or on video call?
The parents' temperament and condition tell you more about your puppy's future than any photo. A breeder who can't or won't show you the mother has something to hide. The mother should look healthy, well-fed, and comfortable around her puppies.
Red flag: "The mother is at another location." "She's being rested." Any reason you can't see her.
Question 2
What health tests have the parents had, and can you show me the results?
For most breeds, this means OFA or equivalent hip/elbow evaluations, cardiac exams, eye certifications, and relevant genetic panels. "Our vet checks them" is not health testing. Ask for registration numbers you can verify independently at ofa.org.
Red flag: Vague answers, no registration numbers, "they're healthy, we've never had issues."
Question 3
How many litters does the mother have per year, and how many litters has she had total?
A female dog bred too frequently — more than one litter per year, or more than 4-5 litters in a lifetime — is a welfare concern and often a sign of a volume-driven operation. Responsible breeders rest their females and retire them early enough to spend years as pets.
Red flag: "We don't track that." More than one litter per year consistently.
Question 4
What socialization has the puppy had, and where were they raised?
Puppies raised in a home environment — exposed to household sounds, children, different textures, multiple people — develop more confident, adaptable temperaments than puppies raised in kennels or outbuildings. Ask specifically what they've been exposed to.
Red flag: "They're in the kennel building." Puppies that haven't heard a vacuum cleaner or seen stairs by 8 weeks are already behind.
Question 5
What vaccinations and deworming has the puppy had, and do I get the vet records?
You should receive a complete written record of every vaccine given, by whom, and when — plus all deworming treatments. Puppies with no vet records are a parvo, distemper, and parasitic infection risk. Insist on paper before pickup.
Red flag: "I do the vaccines myself." Without vet records, you cannot verify what was actually given.
Question 6
What does your contract say about health guarantees and returns?
Responsible breeders provide written contracts with clear health guarantees. Read the contract before you send a deposit — not after. Understand what conditions are covered, what the guarantee period is, and what "return" means. Can you return for a full refund? A replacement? Nothing?
Red flag: No written contract. Contracts that require you to return the dog to get any compensation — designed so families never collect.
Question 7
Can I speak with two or three families who have bought puppies from you in the past two years?
References from past buyers are the single best signal of a breeder's reliability. Legitimate breeders maintain relationships with their puppy families and will connect you without hesitation. A breeder who can't provide references either doesn't maintain those relationships or doesn't want you talking to previous buyers.
Red flag: "We value our clients' privacy." This is not a privacy issue — it is a transparency issue.
Question 8
What is your policy if I can no longer keep the dog at any point in its life?
Responsible breeders take back their dogs. Always. If a family's circumstances change — divorce, death, health emergency, housing crisis — a responsible breeder wants to know and wants to help. If a breeder says "that's not my problem after purchase," they don't stand behind what they produce.
Red flag: Any answer that suggests the dog is entirely your problem once the sale closes.
Question 9
Are you a member of the national breed club, and do you follow their code of ethics?
National breed clubs (AKC parent clubs, UKC affiliate clubs) have codes of ethics that include commitments to health testing, honest dealing, and lifetime support. Membership doesn't guarantee quality, but it signals engagement with the broader breeding community and accountability to peers.
Red flag: "I don't need a club to tell me how to breed." Possibly true; often not.
Question 10
What questions do you have for me?
This is the most revealing question on the list. Responsible breeders screen their buyers. They ask about your living situation, your experience with dogs, your yard, your schedule, your family. A breeder who asks you nothing cares only about the sale — not about where their puppy lands.
Red flag: Zero questions about you. Immediate willingness to sell to anyone, anywhere, any time.

The Same Questions for Rescues and Shelters

These questions apply everywhere. Rescues and shelters may have different information available — they may not know a dog's full history — but the underlying standard is the same: share what exists, be honest about what is unknown, stand behind the animals in your care.

A rescue that has done a behavioral assessment will share it. A shelter that knows about a dog's triggers will tell you. A rehomer with vet records will produce them. When information exists and isn't being shared, that tells you something.

Don't guess. Ask. And if the answers don't feel right, keep looking. The right dog — and the right source — exists.

Check the DogFacts

The people who check don't regret it. Search any breeder, rescue, or shelter — see what's been shared, see what's missing.

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