12/13/2025
You do not have to “meet the parents” to verify quality.
This one trips a lot of people up because it sounds logical on paper. People think, “I should meet the mom and dad to know what I am getting.” But in reality, it is not always possible.
If you can meet the dam ahead of time at a dog show or otherwise, that is great. Im always happy to meet up with potential puppy families at shows and let them spend the afternoon getting to know me and my dogs! I’m sure many other breeders are as well! Once she is pregnant or nursing, her body and hormones are changing and she may be protective, overwhelmed, tired, or simply not interested in meeting strangers. If youve ever been pregnant, I’m sure you can relate lol. It is not fair to her to force those interactions and it definitely does not give you a true picture of her actual temperament.
Do you need to visit the breeders home? I don’t think so. Most of us are breeding in our private homes. Many of us whelp puppies in our bedrooms or private areas that are not appropriate for visitors. I personally whelp litters right next to my bed. Honestly, I do not want strangers or friends even walking into that space and neither do my dams, my bedroom is private and comfortable for them. It is a boundary that protects safety and sanity for everyone. Another risk is that visitors can unknowingly bring illness into a home full of babies with developing immune systems. Parvo, giardia, coccidia, kennel cough, and viruses can come in on shoes, clothing, or hands. A well-meaning visit can put an entire litter at risk without anyone realizing it.
This is not to say that transparency isn’t still important. Breeders should find alternate ways to share the full picture if they’re uncomfortable with home visits. For example, I run private Facebook groups for each litter where families get access to regular photos, videos, live streams, and updates of the puppies growing and learning in their real environment. You end up seeing far more of the day to day life of the puppies than you ever would during a quick home visit.
As for meeting the sire. He probably lives across the country, at least all of the sires I’ve used so far do. Ethical breeders pick the right dog for their female, not the closest male in the area. Meeting him in person will be a geographical change in many situations.
Instead of focusing on meeting the parents in person, here are some other things I’d recommend holding to a high standard:
• Health testing such as OFA hips, elbows, eyes, DNA, and CHIC requirements
• Titles and accomplishments
• Pedigree and what the dogs behind them produced
• Temperament and what the breeder says the dogs are like to live with.. Ask LOTS of questions! I’m sure your breeder wants to tell you all about mama!
• Structure and movement through photos and videos
• The reason the breeder chose this specific pairing
These things tell you far more about your future puppy than standing in someone’s living room ever will.
