Beagle Puppy Buying Tips

Never go look at puppies before doing your homework on the breeder! All Beagle puppies are adorable, and many an unscrupulous breeder will try to capitalize on that fact by putting a cuddly six-week-old pup into your arms. First and foremost, any buyer looking for a Beagle should deal only with breeders with a verifiable track record of producing quality dogs.

NEVER buy a puppy whose breeder doesn't do health certifications. Reputable breeders like having questions asked about the health certifications they do, and will happily supply copies of such paperwork.

Please support ethical, humane, responsible breeders... How? Don't be in a hurry! Ask questions such as, how old was the mother when she had her first litter, and how old is she now? Puppy mills begin breeding at very young ages, well before two years of age and will breed females older than 10... most reputable people won't. Has she had any back-to-back litters (if so, generally 18 months "off" is recommended before being bred again). How many litters has the dam had?

Few breeders breed a bitch more than 5 times in her lifetime, and NEVER more than twice in a row. If this is not a first litter, ask for a reference from a buyer from EACH litter the female has produced.

Familiarize yourself with the other problems found in the breed, such as hip dysplasia, epilepsy, thyroid malfunctions. (etc.) ALL BREEDERS ENCOUNTER SOME PROBLEMS OVER TIME. Ethical breeders will tell you what problems they've dealt with. BEWARE the breeder who has "never" produced problems -- they either have not been breeding long, they are NOT testing for problems... or they are lying!

Avoid breeders who take credit for others' accomplishments -- ask for documentation of all claims for titles or health certifications. It should NOT be impressive to see many titles in a pedigree, if the titled dogs are not owned, handled or bred by the prospective breeder. Avoid breeders who are not actively engaged in some pursuit with their own dogs, either hunting, field trialing, showing, etc. This is one way of finding a person who is truly invovled with dogs versus the puppy mill or 'backyard' breeder. Most reputable breeders will be only too happy to show off some of the photos they've collected during their dog sport activities.

While it may seem nice to have a breeder whose only "qualification" is having children at home - be careful. This may seem like it will ensure "good" puppies, but chances are the puppies are just a product to generate more income for the family--and that does not represent a responsible breeder who is trying to improve the breed. Buyers should ask breeders, "What are your goals in your breeding program? What are the main problems you are trying to correct in your lines?" The answers will tell you a lot about why the breeder is breeding. Next ask, "What do YOU do with your Beagles?" This question will give the buyer insight on what other characteristics the breeder is selecting for, such as aggression, energy level, drive, eye, bite, etc. It will also tell buyers which breeders actually live with their own dogs as pets -- always a good sign.

Ask the breeder, "Why did you choose these lines?" Again, this will give you insight into the breeder's priorities, and you should be determining if her priorities align with yours. Many an unscrupulous person jumps on the bandwagon of the top winning dog, getting these lines so they can "be competitive" in selling. The gifted breeder avoids such "flavor of the month" decisions and will generally have a solid line they are breeding from, avoiding fads and fancies.

The word "champion" can be used in many contexts. Most commonly it is used to denote a conformation champion, a title bestowed by the American Kennel Club (AKC). If you are looking for a showdog, remember not all "champion" lines are the same. Have the dogs been nationally ranked? Have the dogs had group placements or other honors such as Awards of Merit at Westminster K.C. or the National Specialty? But remember, just because a dog is a top winner doesn't mean it has a healthy body or a good temperament! The gift breeder will put all of these items together to achieve BALANCE in her breeding program, and that is what you should be looking for too.

The next area to question is the whelping of the puppies. Does the breeder keep them close during whelping from the very beginning of their lives they are imprinted with the scents and sounds of humans. This can be compared with puppies born in a barn that rarely see people. Many puppy mills farm out their puppies and only pick them up prior to selling them. Buyers should always ask, "Have the puppies been handled by people, especially by kids?" Early socialization is critical in this breed -- nothing can replace it.

Don't be offended if a breeder asks a lot of questions. This is a very positive sign. A good breeder will want to know the size of a family, ages of children, the location of the household, allergies, other pets, and even the size of the yard. Other questions to expect would be on the lifestyle and activities of the prospective buyers.
CLICK HERE to see our questionnaire.

The match between puppy, buyer, and breeder is perhaps the most crucial aspect in the entire process of acquiring a Beagle. This matching up process should be done slowly and carefully, with a breeder who has the buyer's and the puppy's best interests at heart. The bottom line is that a smart buyer is going to find a reputable breeder, and then let the breeder choose the puppy that is most suitable for the buyer. It is an interactive process, where both parties must feel mutual trust in the collaboration. This is where BeagleStore.com comes in - we unite you with a quality, responsible breeder, and are with you throughout the whole process.

Click here to see the current Beagle puppies for sale or visit our Beagle Finder page!