Getting a Puppy – How to Find a Responsible Breeder and Choose the Right Puppy

Getting a puppy is a decision that can shape your everyday life for well over ten years. That is why you should never choose a puppy based only on looks, price, or simply because a particular puppy happens to be available right now.

Responsible dog ownership begins before your puppy even comes home.

Before buying a puppy, take time to learn about the breed, the breeder, the puppy’s parents, their health history, and the environment in which the puppies are being raised. At the same time, think carefully about your own lifestyle: what kind of dog would truly fit into it?

For this article, we interviewed experienced breeder Merja Kuusisto-Kallioinen (Kennel Bellasheim) and veterinarian Katja Rajalin (Keski-Suomen Eläinklinikka veterinary clinic).

Their advice can be summed up in one simple idea:

A responsible breeder looks for the right home for each puppy. A responsible puppy buyer looks for the right dog for their life.

How can you recognize a responsible dog breeder?

A responsible breeder aims to breed healthy dogs with good temperaments. Breeding decisions should take health, temperament, and the genetic diversity of the breed into account.

A good breeder should also be able to explain their decisions. Why were these particular dogs chosen as parents? What does the breeder hope to achieve with this combination? Are there any known health or temperament issues in their family lines?

Veterinarian Katja Rajalin emphasizes that a veterinary health check of the puppies alone does not mean that the litter has been responsibly bred. The health and temperament of the parents and the decisions behind the breeding are equally important.

A responsible breeder is also open about potential problems. There is no such thing as a perfect dog or a perfect bloodline.

Honesty is more reassuring than promises of perfection.

What health tests should the puppy’s parents have?

In Finland, many dog breeds are included in the Finnish Kennel Club’s PEVISA programme, which specifies health examinations required or recommended for particular breeds. These may include eye examinations and screening of the hips, elbows, and spine.

Katja Rajalin points out, however, that official health examinations do not tell us everything. Responsible breeding should also consider health and behavioural problems for which no official screening test exists. Allergies or severe fears, for example, may also be relevant when making breeding decisions.

The same principle applies to mixed-breed dogs. Mixing breeds does not automatically guarantee healthier puppies. The health and genetics of their parents still matter.

Meet the puppy’s mother and see where the puppies are raised

Before buying a puppy, you should see the puppy’s mother and the environment in which the puppies are being raised.

Do not focus only on the adorable puppy in front of you. Look around. Do the puppies and their mother appear healthy and well cared for? Is the environment safe and appropriate? Do the puppies have regular contact with people? What kinds of everyday experiences have they been introduced to? What is the mother’s temperament like?

If the seller does not want you to see the mother or the place where the puppies are being raised, find out why.

Don’t just look at the puppy. Look around you.

A good breeder helps you find the right puppy

Experienced breeder Merja Kuusisto-Kallioinen highlights an important point: finding the right breed is not enough. You also need to find the right individual puppy.

Puppies from the same litter can have very different personalities. A breeder observes the puppies for several weeks and gradually gets to know their individual characteristics. This means the breeder can help assess which puppy might be suitable for a family with children, an active hobby or sport home, a first-time dog owner, or a quieter lifestyle.

This is also why a responsible breeder asks potential puppy buyers plenty of questions. What is your everyday life like? How much time would the dog spend alone? What would you like to do with your dog?

The goal is not simply to find someone willing to buy the puppy. It is to find the best possible match between the puppy and its future home.

Sometimes responsible breeding also means having the courage to say no and not sell a puppy to a particular home.

How do you choose the right dog breed?

It is easy to fall in love with the way a dog looks. Appearance, however, does not tell you whether that breed will fit your lifestyle.

Before getting a puppy, find out what the breed was originally developed to do. Traits developed for hunting, herding, guarding, or demanding working tasks do not simply disappear because the dog now lives primarily as a family pet.

Ask yourself:

• How much exercise and mental stimulation does this breed need?
• How much time do I realistically have for training?
• How does this breed typically behave around people and other dogs?
• Does the breed’s activity level suit my everyday life?
• Will I still be able to meet this dog’s needs several years from now?

One particularly useful question to ask yourself is:

What kind of dog do I want to share an ordinary Tuesday with?

Appearance should never come before health

Katja Rajalin encourages puppy buyers to learn about the health problems commonly associated with the breed they are considering.

Extreme physical characteristics can affect a dog’s welfare. A very short muzzle can cause difficulties with breathing and temperature regulation. Very short legs can be associated with growth and spinal problems, while excessive skin folds can increase the risk of skin infections.

Temperament is also an essential part of responsible breeding. Success in dog shows or an attractive appearance alone does not make a dog suitable for breeding.

A puppy buyer should therefore research much more than photographs and puppy advertisements when choosing a breed.

What should you ask a breeder before buying a puppy?

At a minimum, ask:

• What health examinations have been carried out on the parents?
• What illnesses or health conditions occur in the family lines?
• What are the parents like in terms of temperament?
• Why were these particular dogs chosen for this litter?
• Where are the puppies being raised, and what experiences are they being introduced to?
• Are there any health or behavioural issues in the family lines that I should know about?
• What kind of support does the breeder offer after the puppy goes to its new home?

For registered pedigree dogs in Finland, you can also check pedigree and health information through the Finnish Kennel Club’s breeding database.

A responsible puppy buyer does not leave all the research to the breeder.

A good breeder remains interested in the dog

According to Merja Kuusisto-Kallioinen, a breeder’s interest should not end when the puppy leaves for its new home.

Many breeders stay in contact with the owners of their puppies, for example through groups created for each litter. Owners can receive advice and support when needed, but this communication is also valuable for the breeder.

When breeders receive information about the health, temperament, and lives of the dogs they have bred as they grow into adults, they can evaluate the results of previous breeding decisions and use that knowledge when planning future litters.

A good breeder is not only interested in where a puppy goes. They also want to know how that dog is doing years later.

How can you recognize a puppy farm?

Be particularly cautious if very little information is available about the puppy’s background, you are not allowed to see the mother or the environment where the puppies are being raised, or the seller pressures you to make a quick decision.

Do not buy a puppy from suspicious conditions simply because you feel sorry for it. Buying the puppy supports the demand that keeps irresponsible breeding going.

If something feels wrong, ask questions and investigate. If the answers do not reassure you, be prepared to walk away without the puppy.

Sometimes responsible dog ownership means deciding not to buy the puppy.

Remember these three things before getting a puppy

The purchase price of a puppy is only a small part of the total cost of owning a dog throughout its life. Food, insurance, veterinary care, equipment, grooming, hobbies, and training all cost money.

Before buying a puppy, consider these three things:

1. The breeder: Is the breeder open and transparent, and can they explain the decisions behind the breeding?

2. The puppy and its parents: Have health, temperament, and the puppies’ early environment been carefully considered?

3. You: Does this breed – and this individual puppy – genuinely fit your everyday life?

A good dog starts with good choices – even before your very first day together.