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Some essential Do's and Do Not's when buying a puppy

• DO buy from a REPUTABLE BREEDER.
• DO NOT buy from a puppy farmer, a dealer or pet shop.
• DO buy from a CLUB MEMBER who must obey the Club Code of Ethics.
• DO join a recognised Newfoundland Club - The Newfoundland Club, The Northern Newfoundland Club or Southern Newfoundland Club.
• DO read widely about the breed BEFORE buying. Make sure the breed is right for you and your family. If in doubt ask for advice from the Clubs.
• DO ASK the breeder for PROOF of HIP SCORING of BOTH parents (the veterinary test result scoring form).Remember the HIGHER the SCORE, the worse the hips are. The breed average is 26. A puppy cannot be scored so it is ESSENTIAL you check the PARENTS' SCORES since there is a genetic mode of inheritance.
• DO ASK for PROOF of HEART TESTING (the actual veterinary ECHO DOPPLER test result Certificate of BOTH parents. The parents hearts should be marked as NORMAL or in some circumstances EQUIVOCAL.)
• DO NOT accept a stethoscope test as an adequate test for heart soundness.
• DO NOT buy a puppy from Parents whose ECHO DOPPLER heart results are marked as ABNORMAL.
• NEVER BUY A PUPPY WITHOUT SEEING THE MOTHER. Puppy dealers buy in whole litters of puppies at a very young age. Without their mother, puppies are prone to stress, lack of socialisation and higher incidence of diseases like parvovirus and distemper.
• DO buy a puppy from a breeder who shows HIGH STANDARDS of care for their dog(s). Puppies should be kept clean, not sitting in faeces or urine stained paper.
• DO look carefully at the mother of your puppy. Is she relaxed, healthy, happy, well groomed and obviously well cared for? Is she a loved member of the family, or is she kept outside in a kennel purely as a breeding bitch? Is she anxious or scared of people?
• DO buy a puppy that is used to being handled and is happy around people.
• DO buy a puppy that has already experienced family life and met noises like vacuum cleaners, washing machines and perhaps even travelled in a car for a vet check.
• DO NOT buy from a breeder with multiple breeds or multiple litters. Multiple breeds probably means no in-depth knowledge of a specific breed, but instead indicates breeding for profit.
• DO check http://www.newfoundlanddog-database.net/en. This will show you just how much breeding a breeder has done - remember constant litters especially from the same dog or bitch is the sign of a puppy farmer.
• DO NOT buy a puppy from a litter if the bitch had a litter on the previous season. Breeding on consecutive seasons is not allowed under the Clubs' Codes of Ethics.
• DO read carefully the Good Practice Guidelines for Breeders in the Northern Newfoundland Club Membership Booklet.
• DO expect a reputable breeder to ask you a lot of questions about your lifestyle, work commitments, home, garden, family and especially about the amount of time the puppy will be alone each day. Caring breeders rarely sell a puppy to a home where both partners work full time.
• DO NOT buy a puppy unless you understand the ENORMOUS commitment of time and money you are making.
• DO NOT buy a Newfoundland puppy if you have tiny children or toddlers. That delightful puppy bundle will quickly flatten them in play. Wait till they are older!
• DO NOT allow your children to pester a puppy when it needs to sleep. Proper rest is essential for healthy growth.
• DO make sure your garden is completely secure, including your front gate.
• DO LISTEN TO YOUR BREEDER'S ADVICE about diet, exercise and training.
• DO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOUR BREEDER. A reputable breeder who is a member of one of the Newfoundland Clubs will ask you to sign a contract. It is understood that if anything goes wrong, the breeder will take the dog back. The Breeder is responsible for the welfare of a dog ALL ITS LIFE, not just the first 8 weeks!
• DO ensure that the breeder hands you ALL the paperwork – Kennel Club registration document and transfer document, a 5 Generation pedigree, the contract with the breeder and a written notification of ENDORSEMENT(S). The endorsement(s), usually NOT FOR BREEDING is placed by reputable breeders on the Kennel Club Registration to prevent bitches and dogs falling into the hands of puppy farmers. It can only be lifted by the breeder if all health checks are passed and the dog is of sufficient quality.
• DON'T buy a puppy with a view to breed - then you won't be disappointed.