Vetting Potential Owners

[Greytmate]

Yea good job gut huh!

That raises another query for me - how do you tell peopel you don't think they are suitable? Especially say a family who are really excited about getting a dog.

The best thing to do is not to raise people's expectations. Let them know straight up when they contact you that you have an application process to make sure your dog goes to a home where it will fit in really well, and that you will need to ask them some questions first.

Sometimes you don't need to say no. The adopter may come to their own decision during the discussion that the dog won't suit them.

I remember one applicant, a single parent in a home with very low fences, no separate backyard, with 4 children under 6 and a 3 month old staffy pup.

I didn't say "No". I just explained how the fencing would need to be altered to keep the dog safe, and told her it would be best if she waited until her puppy grew up before getting another dog, and gave her some good reasons why.

There is usually a way to put it that doesn't insult people. And it isn't really ethical to offer people a dog so they get excited, and then tell them that they can't have it.

[Wazzat Xolo]

Yea good job gut huh!

That raises another query for me - how do you tell peopel you don't think they are suitable? Especially say a family who are really excited about getting a dog.

Simply, this is not the breed for everyone and explain why your breed is not for this particular family/person, they will respect the answer if you have their full respect as a breeder.

[Whipitgood]

Yea good job gut huh!

That raises another query for me - how do you tell peopel you don't think they are suitable? Especially say a family who are really excited about getting a dog.

I guess you just have to be honest and up front. Ive not had to do it that often thankfully. Most people have done their research when they approach me which is always comforting. Most of the time i can usually weed out the ones who are not suitable from early on. The people i had to tell they were not suitable for a pup, who lived rural, were never told they were definately getting a puppy, didnt stop them from building up expectations and getting excited though. Unfortunately it was my first litter and although i felt bad telling them, i knew it was the right thing to do and after finding out their intentions - i didnt feel bad at all!! Now im not so worried and just tell people outright, like Wazzat said, most people will understand your reasoning. If they dont, too bad.

[Steve]

I try to treat puppy buyers the way I want to be treated myself.No questionnaires for me I just ask about their experience with the breed and their lifestyle. I get them chatting,tell them about the breed and examples of their characteristics and whats needed to own one and listen. If I get any feeling they are not for one of my pups they don't get one.

The most inappropriate homes which may pass a questionnaire because they know what to say can get through.

If I don't trust someone enough to take one of my dogs without home checks and the like they don't get one.

[cointreau]

I'm not a breeder but pet owner, last time I was vetted by a breeder my reaction to adults of the breed was looked at. Did I have a problem with a big dog putting its' head on my lap, did I look frightened when approached was the slobber and hair too much for me to handle, was I happy to pat and interact with the dog. The dogs reaction to me was also looked at. Yes lots of questions were asked by the breeder and myself but the best indicator was the adult dogs reactions to me and mine to them the vetting by the dogs took over 2 hours but was well worth it.

[aussielover]

I do hope, if you intend to breed that no one ever lies to you about something you feel in important in the placement of your pups.

I did not say I'd lie, I said I wouldn't admit to it. Very big difference. And where I work, anything under 35 hours a week is part time. Fulltime work isn't always business hours either. I have worked very long hours in jobs that were not business hours.

I have, over the past decade, bought a number of pedigree cats and dogs from registered, ethical breeders. None have ever questioned my work hours, all were realistic in their expectations....the cat breeders requested the cats not be allowed outdoors, one of the dog breeders requested I take the pup to obedience classes and another suggested I might like to show the pup.

None have ever requested references, nor would I be obliging them if they did. I'd just move on to source a pet elsewhere.

I guess a character reference from an employer would be a start. When I applied to be a foster carer they wanted references from my vets, employer etc.

I take it that's a joke.

No I'm absolutely serious! I applied to be a foster carer for a certain foster group in sydney and they asked for 2 references, one from mt local vet and one from my emploer. I guess they have to make sure you are not a hoarder or something and that you are capable of givig the animals back, not selling them for profit, breeding etc.

To get a pet, I think it is a little over the top but I suppose you can never be too careful and I'm sure some breeders have had terrible experiences.

[Guest Tess32]

To get a pet, I think it is a little over the top but I suppose you can never be too careful and I'm sure some breeders have had terrible experiences.

A little over the top? :rolleyes: I have no problem answering questions but if a breeder really wanted a reference from my employer, I would tell them to get over themselves.

[mita]

I remember a man telling me on the phone that his fences were 1.8 metres. When I did the Home Visit, I saw that one fence was only 1.2 metres. He explained that it wasn't his fence, it was the neighbour's fence.

And I remember a rescuer saying how a couple assured her that they had secure fences. When she visited the house, it DID have secure fences on 3 sides. But there was no back fence, because it was a cliff! I mean who builds a fence across the top of a cliff? Well, most of us would....but not these people! They hadn't mentioned it because they didn't think it was odd.

[ozjen]

I am not saying dont ask questions, that would be plain irresponsible but asking about income and random training questions and needing references seems a bit OTT for me. (My opinion only, dont get defensive!!)

We all have choices though and if the breeder/buyer match doesnt fit, then we move on.

Yes and there is also the aspect that if we do go overboard with the cross examination that we only encourage people to go to backyard breeders instead. I like to have a long conversation with the people about previous pets, their life etc so that rather than cross examining I get a feel for the kind of owners they may be. I would prefer to build up a working friendship with my puppy owners so having a comfortable(for all) chat is preferable to a questionaire or cross examination and they can then feel comfortable to conact me later if they have any issues or questions. What ever method is used none is foolproof, people all know what answers we want to hear. With regard to someone working fulltime I don't necessarily see that as an issue, its more about how much time they are willing to commit to the dog when they are home. Plenty of people are home all day but their dogs sit out the back by themseves for the whole day, day after day. I would want to know the arrangements they have in place for a pup though, while they are at work, in terms of feeding, accomodating, toileting ect.

My own boss always laughs at me if I'm asked to work back, because he knows that my answer will always be "I will, only if I can go home first and see to my dogs". I only work part time normally and luckily home is only 10mins away so I can do it in a lunch break.

[Gayle.]

take it that's a joke.

No I'm absolutely serious! I applied to be a foster carer for a certain foster group in sydney and they asked for 2 references, one from mt local vet and one from my emploer. I guess they have to make sure you are not a hoarder or something and that you are capable of givig the animals back, not selling them for profit, breeding etc.

To get a pet, I think it is a little over the top but I suppose you can never be too careful and I'm sure some breeders have had terrible experiences.

When you said foster carer, I actually thought you meant children not dogs.

I think some organisations need to maybe take a close look at their place in the world. I would have told them to take a flying leap but I'd use different words than that.

[~Anne~]

take it that's a joke.

No I'm absolutely serious! I applied to be a foster carer for a certain foster group in sydney and they asked for 2 references, one from mt local vet and one from my emploer. I guess they have to make sure you are not a hoarder or something and that you are capable of givig the animals back, not selling them for profit, breeding etc.

To get a pet, I think it is a little over the top but I suppose you can never be too careful and I'm sure some breeders have had terrible experiences.

When you said foster carer, I actually thought you meant children not dogs.

I think some organisations need to maybe take a close look at their place in the world. I would have told them to take a flying leap but I'd use different words than that.

On my application form to adopt a Pug, I asked for two personal references with contatc details and their Vet. The personal refernces were purely to be able to contact the person who adopted if they suddnely moved. The mroe information you have, the better. When fostering, it would be the same. If the carer took off money or a dog, you would have more information at your dispoal in order to track them down.

[Jaxx'sBuddy]

but employer references? im sorry but this goes beyond reasonable questioning. how many good people would be put off by this?

i understand that people have to be careful but i hope not paranoid.

[Greytmate]

When people are buying a dog I regard that as private.

Asking for an employer reference is way out of line, because people should be able to keep their private arrangements separate from their work.

[shortstep]

I put both work and home phone numbers of the new owner on the microchip information. If giving me their work number is a problem for the potential new owner I would certainly respect that, but I would find another home for the pup where that was not a problem.

Edited June 10, 2010 by shortstep

[Jaxx'sBuddy]

I put both work and home phone numbers of the new owner on the microchip information. If giving me their work number is a problem for the potential new owner I would certainly respect that, but I would find another home for the pup where that was not a problem.

wow, i imagine you have trouble getting people who meet those exacting standards. i would not give my work number as i have a mobile which is on 24/7 so no need for my work number to be on a microchip.

it is also a problem if i change jobs because i would then have to update the microchip info each time.

the more i hear about rescue the less i would get a dog from them.

[shortstep]

I put both work and home phone numbers of the new owner on the microchip information. If giving me their work number is a problem for the potential new owner I would certainly respect that, but I would find another home for the pup where that was not a problem.

wow, i imagine you have trouble getting people who meet those exacting standards. i would not give my work number as i have a mobile which is on 24/7 so no need for my work number to be on a microchip.

it is also a problem if i change jobs because i would then have to update the microchip info each time.

the more i hear about rescue the less i would get a dog from them.

No it has not been a problem, I can not think of one time it has been a problem either and I have been breeding for 20 years, chipping for about 12 years.

In fact I have a large number of owners that email me or call me or ask me to call them at their work place on a regular basis.

[Greytmate]

I would ask an adopter to supply a daytime contact number.

If they told me it was inappropriate to call them while they were working (and sometimes it is), then I would respect that. I would ask them to provide a number where I could leave a message for them to return my call about a private (non work) matter. I would never call a person's workplace and let anyone else know what the call was about, only that it was a private call.

While it is important for the adopter to be contactable during business hours, their privacy is just as important, and protected by law.

[shortstep]

Just looked through my email address, more than half (maybe 2/3rd) of my owners have at least 2 email address, with the second in almost all cases a work email. Since I never add email addresses, they must have email me from that work address for it to be listed in my contacts.

BTW Would also say that more than half the inquires I get for pups come from work email address. Had one today from a Uni vet center for example.

[Gayle.]

I put both work and home phone numbers of the new owner on the microchip information. If giving me their work number is a problem for the potential new owner I would certainly respect that, but I would find another home for the pup where that was not a problem.

wow, i imagine you have trouble getting people who meet those exacting standards. i would not give my work number as i have a mobile which is on 24/7 so no need for my work number to be on a microchip.

it is also a problem if i change jobs because i would then have to update the microchip info each time.

the more i hear about rescue the less i would get a dog from them.

same here. It would be a cold day in hell before I'd approach a rescue group about a dog after reading some of the conditions. And I would not recommend it to others either. Go to the pound or RSPCA instead.

[shortstep]

I put both work and home phone numbers of the new owner on the microchip information. If giving me their work number is a problem for the potential new owner I would certainly respect that, but I would find another home for the pup where that was not a problem.

wow, i imagine you have trouble getting people who meet those exacting standards. i would not give my work number as i have a mobile which is on 24/7 so no need for my work number to be on a microchip.

it is also a problem if i change jobs because i would then have to update the microchip info each time.

the more i hear about rescue the less i would get a dog from them.

same here. It would be a cold day in hell before I'd approach a rescue group about a dog after reading some of the conditions. And I would not recommend it to others either. Go to the pound or RSPCA instead.

You need to read, I am a breeder not a rescue group.