Poor-quality pure bred dogs are everywhere and in every breed: it's easy to find vicious golden retrievers, crippled German shepherds and deaf Dalmatians these days. Every breed has some kind of genetic problem that reputable, knowledgeable breeders are working to eliminate from their breeding programs.

These non-standard dogs come primarily from two types of breeders: the clue less or the careless. The first group is simply ignorant of the possibility of congenital problems and the importance of socialization,while the second group knows full well about the problems, but could not care less.

When you go looking for your Pug puppy, here are some questions you should ask the breeders. Some have clear-cut answers, while others require you to "listen to your heart" and decide if a breeder is the right one for you:

# How many different breeds of dogs do you breed? How many litters of each breed do you have in a year?

Very often breeders will have more than one breed, but rarely more than two, that they are serious about breeding. If you come across a breeder who has three or four or more breeds that they work with year round, that's more than likely not someone who can give the quality of care or socialization that a puppy needs to have for any breed.

# How long have you had Pugs?

While you would hope for a breeder with some experience, it's also possible to find someone just getting started, but still doing things the right way.

# Why do you have Pugs (show, pet therapy, performance, etc.)?

Some people simply love the breed, and that's okay. It's the answers to the rest of the questions that you want to hear in light of this answer before you make your decision.

# Are you a member of the national or local Pug club, and do you follow the Code of Ethics for those clubs? Do you have a copy of the Code of Ethics I could see?

Breeders who make the effort to join their national or regional Pug club do so willingly, knowing they then must follow the guidelines and policies laid out by the club. Many ethical and responsible breeders are not only national club members, but regional or local club members as well. The Code of Ethics should be on hand in every member-breeder's home.

# What do you consider to be the most important single characteristic of a Pug?

This answer should help guide you in learning what this breeder is working towards within the breed. A follow-up would be, "How well do your Pugs reflect this characteristic?" Many breeders will tell you there is more than one which is important to them.

# What are the genetic health issues seen in Pugs?

The breeder who says "none" or "I don't know" is to be avoided. That's a person who is not screening for what they don't know about, and you don't want to pay the price for their ignorance. A good breeder tells you every remotely possible problem in the breed, from tiny nostrils to spinal problems to bad teeth to popping elbows.

# What health issues have you seen in your dogs?

There is no breeder who has bred more than one litter who can say honestly they've had ZERO health issues. Whether it's teeth, or eyes, or nose, or allergies, or skin, or hips, or seizures, or epilepsy, there's no such thing as a dog who is 100% perfectly healthy. You can ask this question a second time, if the breeder claims their dogs are totally healthy, but it's NOT a good sign if they insist.

# What kind of genetic testing has been done on your dogs? May I see the original health certificates for both parents?

See the page on Pug health issues to see what you should be looking for. Ask for original documents so you're not seeing copies or modified copies. Breeders who are upset that you are asking for this are probably those who do not have them.

# At what age do you breed your dogs?

Responsible breeders allow the females to grow up before they're bred. Just because a Pug has her first season at six months of age does not make her "ready" to breed. Most Pugs don't mature before they're one year old, many need to wait until after their health tests are done at age two. The MINIMUM age should be around eighteen months for females - or her third season.

# Do you have the parents on site? May I see them?

This is a bit of a trick question. You should always be able to see the mother - unless she died giving birth - but reputable breeders often don't have the father on hand. That's because the best match for any particular dog may be owned by another breeder, and the female was sent away for breeding, or semen was shipped in from the sire.

The mother may be a little anxious with strangers around her puppies, but on her own you want to see a well-socialized, calm and well-mannered dog. The rest of the breeder's dogs should be the same way. If you don't like the temperaments of the grown dogs, what makes you think you'll get good temperament in one of the puppies?

# Do you plan to keep a puppy from this litter?

Most responsible breeders are not breeding just to have puppies around. They breed because they believe that breeding this specific pair of animals will produce a puppy or two that they would like to keep for themselves. People who breed only to have another litter, or because the female "needed to be bred" are not breeding responsibly. The proper answer is yes, unless the breeder can give you specific reasons why the puppies did not live up to their expectations for the litter.

# How often do you have puppies?

The correct answer is only when I feel I can produce a better dog for the breed. The correct answer is NEVER more often than once a year for any breeding female.

# Do you have a written contract and puppy guarantee? What are the specific terms within them?

The answer to this should be yes - if not for your protection, for the protection of the puppy. It's best to receive a copy of the contract ahead of time when you have time to read it through. That way, any questions you may have can be answered BEFORE you sign in, and not afterwards. No part of purchasing your new puppy should be rushed, and this is no exception. Ask how the breeder enforces the clauses of the contract too. It's also possible at this point you'll receive a copy of the pedigree of the litter.

# At what age do you send your pups to their homes?

While there's not really a specific answer that's right for this question, there are many that are WRONG. Don't accept a breeder who says, "As soon as I can get them out of here" or "They're ready as soon as they're weaned" or "Mine all go at six weeks to their new homes." WRONG. Pugs should not go home before eight weeks, and twelve weeks is better.

# Are your puppies whelped in your home?

While you might assume that the puppies are born in the breeder's home, that may not be the case. You might actually be talking to a puppy broker, who has simply purchased the puppies from someone else so they can sell them. Ask to see where the dogs are kept and where the puppies are whelped for yourself. Verify that the locations are clean and the dogs are kept in a healthy environment.

# What advice or support do you offer someone in raising and training an Pug?

It's really nice to have a breeder who stands behind their dogs not only with guarantees but also with support and advice for you as you raise their puppy. Breeders who brush the question off at this point probably won't be around to answer your questions later on. Keeping in communication with their puppy owners is one of the ways responsible breeders learn about problems and issues with their puppies as they mature.

# What is your policy if something happens and I cannot keep my Pug I purchased from you?

What you want to hear is that the breeder will either take the Pug back, or at the very least, help you find a new home for it. Breeders who simply shove a puppy out the door and never look back don't truly care for them.

# What do I do if, once I ask all these questions, I still don't feel "right" about a breeder?

Look some more. Most of the time your gut feeling is the right one. Even though it may mean passing on a puppy NOW because you'll have to wait for one LATER you should wait.