Vetting Homes

[dawn]

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How do you vet potential new homes for puppies you have bred??

Thought this might make an interesting discussion where we can all share our experiences of finding the right homes for pups.

 

[nina]

I start off by speaking to them on the phone, asking lots of questions ie:

Why do they want this breed

How much knowledge do they have of it

Are they aware of any potential problems in the breed

Are they working, if so for how many day/hours a week

Do they have children, if so how many, what are their ages

Do they have any other dogs/pets, if so what

Just a whole load of general questions to let you get a feel for them.

If they get passed this i then arrange a date to go & do a home check, will normally take the pup/pups to see how they interact with the family/other pets & to see what the people's reaction is to them. Will check out the house & garden to make sure there are no escape routes for a littlie.

Will then give myself & them a day or so to think things over before both sides make a decision.

Have done it this way for the passed 16 years & although i have only ever parted with a very few pups,

I have never had one returned

Never had one go through any kind of rescue

I keep in touch with each & every person, even the first pup i ever let go who is now coming up 15 years old, we are still in touch & see each other from time to time & send cards & letters etc.

In this time i have to say we have driven the length & breadth of the country & very few people have actually been passed by us to have a pup for one reason or another, but at the end of the day, i know where each & every pup i have ever parted with is & that they are safe, well & loved & that lets me sleep at night.

I beleive if you bring them in to the world it is your responsibilti to do your best by them.

I'm sure we all have our own idea's & ways of doing things, so this is just my personal choice of how to vet a home & it works for me.

Nina

 

[lalena]

nina pretty much covered everything :thumbsup: one point, though. i want prospective owners to visit many times in order to 'bond' with the pup, so leaving is a bit less stressful

 

[saraquele]

great topic dawn , with a lot of things going on lately , it seems a good time to look at this , ive never bred and cant comment so will read with intrest :thumbsup:

 

[Strike Whippets]

Nina's just about covered it all ...........I have only bred 1 litter (this due Inca's litter is her's and my 2nd) .......but I also went by gut instinct ..........The couple who came for Dylis (now Daphne) drove 6 hour's just to view her (w00t) .........Lucky for them, I liked them :thumbsup: ..........It's great having updates on the last litter, and I have regular photo's, call's etc ........Nothing nicer than recieving photo's on Christmas day of 1 of the pup's you've bred enjoying a glass of champers :teehee: and another one of the babes from a different family enjoying his Christmas dinner ........Just hope I get the homes right again this time ..........

 

[jools]

I think the k9 gang know a bit about how to home puppies - the proper way!!

I must admit, I have only had 2 litters, and out of those there were only 3 puppies without an owner at birth, so I do have limited experience with homing them - BUT, I have homed 60 dogs for the rescue and while sticking to all the criteria laid down above, I think gut reaction is a very strong instinct, and has been a big part of my decisions. I haven't got it wrong with the rescue dogs and I'm confident of the homes my puppies have gone to.

I think my biggest alarm bells would ring when someone refused a home check. If they have something to hide then they don't even get considered - it's as simple as that.

I must go - I am in the middle of writing birthday cards and parcelling them up with some tripe sticks. Tuesday is the big first birthday for Riva, Sky, Rhea, Beau, Rocket and Maud. I must get them in the post so that they have them in time for their birthdays!!

 

[Jan Doherty]

I will go with gut instinct every time. I would also want the person to visit so I can see the interaction between my dogs and the potential owner. I certainly would not home to anyone whose partner is also not fully commited to having a dog as well.

With regards whether anyone works or has children well I work and although I am not a great fan of children the kids have to pass a more stringent test than the parents (w00t)

With regards to working I would home to someone who works but would not home to someone who does not have any other dogs.

I have been so lucky in that I have bred only a few litters and have found some super homes. Three have gone abroad but I am comfortable with that and have stayed in touch with the owners.

Homes are far more important to me than the price of the puppy.

 

[nina]

Only my personal opinion but i certainly would NOT home to someone who is out at work all day.

What happens to the pup?

From 9-5pm is an awful lot of hours for any dog to be left alone let alone a pup!

If it was part time work, a couple of hours a day or every other day, maybe.

As for prices of pups, well in my books that shouldn't even come into the picture, the home is the most important EVERY time.

Nina

 

[JAX]

I agree in alot thats been said , but NO WAY would I let one of mine go where the owner works all day . bad news, for the pup at least , Only dog at home ?, I do prefer `friends , but not everyone can have or want . more than one , and why should I penalise them for wanting to give a pup 100% attention . I had just one once ,,,,,,,,I think :teehee:

I think cut instinct and how they react with the older dogs ,shows alot

 

[J.T.]

I have never bred a liter but have done home visiting for rescue dogs for the last 7 years. I too go on gut instinct, sometimes you can tell just by the conversation on the phone if they sound good. When I visit I go through all the usual stuff but I also tell them all the horror stories about things that have happened to me over the years... chewed furniture, wee ,poo, vomit on the brand new carpet (and that was just last wek (w00t) ) puppy tantrums, etc, etc. Sometimes I'll take my beddy with me & I like to see how they are with him. If they call him a poodle it's instant failure Only Joking!!! Once I spent an hour & a half with a couple, they asked loads of questions & seemed fine. They wanted a collie X pup. Everything seemed o.k. I passed them & 2 days later the rescue centre phoned me to say that after hearing about all the things that could happen, poo,wee etc, they decided not to have a pup after all. Well better before than 2 or 3 weeks later

 

[nina]

Have to say, i think gut instinct is great 99% of the time BUT having said that if you dont go & check for yourself, you will never know.

I would never rely on just gut instinct as there are unfortunately an awful lot of very clever & deceiptful people out there.

Met a couple once at a show, seemed really nice, chatted about the breed & had obviously done their homework as they knew the pitfalls, problems etc. All in all seemed really sensible, the lady told me she had worked for rescue for many years homing different breeds of hounds.

Over the course of a few months we became quite friendly, she would ring for a chat etc, enquiring every now & again as to whether i was planning a litter.

One day she told me she had decided to mate one of her whippets, as she felt she couldn't wait any longer for an IG & was eagerly awaiting a litter of pups. I congratulated her & we kept in touch.

She informed when the litter had been born, 8 pups & said they were all doing well, said they were in her kennels which were top of the range with heat lamps etc & how she spent most of her time with them.

Several times i said i had shows near to where she lived & i'd love to pop in & see them, BUT always there was an excuse.

When the pups were around 6 weeks, i had a show just up the road from her so whilst there, bought some toys for the little ones & treats & thought i'd surprise her by calling in on my way home to give them to her.

Boy was i the one who was surprised!! She lived in an upstairs council bedsit with a communal front garden downstairs, which contained a filthy old make shift shed that housed these 8 pups in freezing cold November, with no heating, soaking wet straw on the ground & 2 emaciated greyhounds chained up to the side of it.

Moral of this story................................I now NEVER just trust my gut instinct cos there could always be someone out there that could totally take you in.

 

[Windsdream]

This is one thing that REALY plays on my mind, finding good loveing homes for life.

I haven't bred my own litter yet, maybe one day but there is so much to consider

for the future of all these babies :wub:

 

[~whitecross whippets~]

no i couldnt breed either...i just could not give them up :b ...it must be so hard good job other people do though or i wouldnt have mine

 

[EJW]

no i couldnt breed either...i just could not give them up :b ...it must be so hard good job other people do though or i wouldnt have mine

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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That's why I haven't yet either Maybe I will one day, but :sweating: :wacko: :blink:

 

[masta]

Have to say, i think gut instinct is great 99% of the time BUT having said that if you dont go & check for yourself, you will never know.
I would never rely on just gut instinct as there are unfortunately an awful lot of very clever & deceiptful people out there.

Met a couple once at a show, seemed really nice, chatted about the breed & had obviously done their homework as they knew the pitfalls, problems etc.  All in all seemed really sensible, the lady told me she had worked for rescue for many years homing different breeds of hounds.

Over the course of a few months we became quite friendly, she would ring for a chat etc, enquiring every now & again as to whether i was planning a litter.

One day she told me she had decided to mate one of her whippets, as she felt she couldn't wait any longer for an IG & was eagerly awaiting a litter of pups. I congratulated her & we kept in touch.

She informed when the litter had been born, 8 pups & said they were all doing well, said they were in her kennels which were top of the range with heat lamps etc & how she spent most of her time with them. 

Several times i said i had shows near to where she lived & i'd love to pop in & see them, BUT always there was an excuse.

When the pups were around 6 weeks, i had a show just up the road from her so whilst there, bought some toys for the little ones & treats & thought i'd surprise her by calling in on my way home to give them to her.

Boy was i the one who was surprised!!  She lived in an upstairs council bedsit with a communal front garden downstairs, which contained a filthy old make shift shed that housed these 8 pups in freezing cold November, with no heating, soaking wet straw on the ground & 2 emaciated greyhounds chained up to the side of it. 

Moral of this story................................I now NEVER just trust my gut instinct cos there could always be someone out there that could totally take you in.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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your dead right

"A Crufts dog show judge has been banned from keeping animals for two years after pleading guilty to 83 charges of animal cruelty.

A court heard that RSPCA inspectors and police found dogs living in squalor at the home of 65-year-old Caroline Gatheral, which she shared with her 63-year-old sister Mary".

 

[nina]

your dead right
"A Crufts dog show judge has been banned from keeping animals for two years after pleading guilty to 83 charges of animal cruelty.

A court heard that RSPCA inspectors and police found dogs living in squalor at the home of 65-year-old Caroline Gatheral, which she shared with her 63-year-old sister Mary".

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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Yep, i heard about that too & several others since.

I prefer my pups on the whole to go to either people i know personally & have seen their dogs at shows & seen the condition of them or good loving pet homes.

Unfortunately a lot of people are so keen to do well in the showring that they swap & exchange breeds hoping to find success, then when they dont, the dogs fall at the way side in favour of yet another breed.

 

[Jan Doherty]

I work for a living and I make absolutely no apologies for that. It is a question of work life balance. I sometimes work from home and sometimes I have to be away for the day. My dogs are all well adjusted and are not kept caged all day if I am not there. They have free access to the garden at all times. When I am at home I spend a lot of time interacting with the dogs even if it is just to tell them to shut up (w00t) They have good walks across the fields.

It is not about the amount of time you are with the dog it is the quality time that you spend with it.

I am more likely to spend more time away from them at a show than at work, hence I have cut down on the amount of shows I go to.

I do have a person I pay to visit if I am going to be away for longer than I am comfortable but quite honestly as she says they are usually all asleep on the settee when she gets there and some days wont even go out to the garden and will return to the settee whilst she is till there.

When I come down in the morning and I am in uniform they all take off to their respective sleeping places, if I come down in civvies then it is game on.

All I can say to those who dont have to work is arent you lucky :thumbsup:

 

[~whitecross whippets~]

lol....thats true! :lol: i dont work but on the odd occasion i have to go out for a few hours i have a dog walker come in to take them out...most of the time she has to drag them out...lol... -_- -_- -_-

 

[nina]

I work for a living and I make absolutely no apologies for that. It is a question of work life balance. I sometimes work from home and sometimes I have to be away for the day. My dogs are all well adjusted and are not kept caged all day if I am not there. They have free access to the garden at all times. When I am at home I spend a lot of time interacting with the dogs even if it is just to tell them to shut up (w00t) They have good walks across the fields.

It is not about the amount of time you are with the dog it is the quality time that you spend with it.

I am more likely to spend more time away from them at a show than at work, hence I have cut down on the amount of shows I go to.

I do have a person I pay to visit if I am going to be away for longer than I am comfortable but quite honestly as she says they are usually all asleep on the settee when she gets there and some days wont even go out to the garden and will return to the settee whilst she is till there.

When I come down in the morning and I am in uniform they all take off to their respective sleeping places, if I come down in civvies then it is game on.

All I can say to those who dont have to work is arent you lucky :thumbsup:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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I wasn't aware that anyone was asking anybody to make any apologies for working or not :- "

I was just saying it was my personal choice NOT to let a puppy go to ANYONE who works all day.

We all have different situations & different ideas & thats just MY personal choice.

I too have to work BUT am lucky enough to have someone home all day.

Obviously your situation works for you, which is great :thumbsup:

 

[*Lesley*]

I haven't got to that stage yet and I think it will be really hard, in an ideal world I would like to go to people who will be at home with them all day so they don't get lonely, take them to the vets at the slightest sign of illness and buy them lovely soft bedding a warm coat lots of toys ect ect unfortunatley the two of these things the stay at home carer and the luxuries aren't always possible because in order to have vet care and luxuries people have to work, I for one do although only part time it's what makes the difference to be able to supply these things and pay for diesel for racing and subs ect, although it would be nicer to stay at home

I think by only considering people who are at home all day I would be narrowing the choice of good homes down, and after all I wouldn't have mine if that were the case just my oppinion