Puppy Buyer Questionnaire
Please thoroughly read the Home Page, Puppy Care, and Products pages on my website before completing this Questionnaire. Copy and Print out the questionnaire and either email or snail mail it to me, please.
Importantly, at the outset - Havanese DO NOT do well being left alone for long periods of time. Pick another breed. Seriously. Don’t buy one of my dogs and expect to leave it alone for 8 – 9 hours a day while you are at work; for this breed, that is cruel. Also, new-to-you puppies shouldn’t be left alone for more than a few hours.
Perhaps you have raised a puppy and know some of the following; that it’s not just the cost and time commitment of the puppy you will be taking on. Vet bills, grooming tools, training classes, exercise, pet insurance, ex-pens, crate, baby gates, proper harness and leash, special food, and toys, lots of toys. Buying a puppy is taking on responsibility for a life. Are you ready for this? I’m not trying to talk you out of a puppy, rather stating facts so we are on the same page, literally.
Please be thorough in your answers which will help me determine if you are a good candidate for a puppy and what the temperament of your puppy should be to match your lifestyle and the make-up of your home life. The questions are meant to help us be on the same page with an understanding of how we choose puppy buyers and what we expect as far as the care the puppy shall receive throughout their life.
Date:
Full Name(s):
Address:
Phone(s):
Email(s):
Occupation(s):
Number and ages of Grown-ups in your home:
Number and ages of Children in your home:
Are any of your children afraid of dogs?
Circle your activity level and elaborate:
Couch potato
Moderately Active
Active
Can run circles around others
Do you have any health issues that limit your ability to exercise or train your dog?
Who referred you?
Why a Havanese?
Circle your interests for a new puppy:
A companion/family pet
Agility
Therapy
Rally
Obedience
Other
Are you willing for me to have a home visit if possible? (Mostly this is to help you prepare for your puppy with an eye for safety in mind.)
Do you have a safe place for puppy to run and potty off lead? Fencing?
Havanese are sweet ‘velcro’ dogs that thrive on human contact. Are you okay with a dog that was bred to need humans?
Who will care for the puppy while you are at work?
How many hours a day will puppy/dog be left alone?
What other pets do you currently have? Type, Breed, Ages.
Have you owned dogs before? What breed(s)?
Have you ever euthanized a dog or surrendered a dog? What were the circumstances?
Have you ever rehomed a dog? If yes what were the circumstances?
Are you prepared to devote time to a new puppy? Considerations: Your health, activity level, time, patience, potential travel plans. Please elaborate?
Will you be prepared to have pet insurance for your puppy. (Depending on the company, parameters, and deductible this could run $35 – 65 a month, and is highly recommended. Depending on the company this monthly fee can go up.)
Male or Female. This you may choose. Discuss with me the merits of each sex.
You may not pick your puppy. I will determine which puppy would best fit in with your family after observing the puppies and considering your family situation. Temperament of the dog and family make-up are the driving forces for placement. Please do not ask for a certain color pattern.
Are you willing to take classes? Puppy Kindergarten, Beginning/Intermediate Obedience, Rally, or Agility.
We do not ship puppies, although for an added expense I will fly with a puppy to drop them off. (Cost of flight and cost of having the puppy on board at minimum.)
You are expected to come pick up the puppy. You are welcome to visit the brood when they are at least 5 weeks old.
Your puppy will be sold with a limited AKC registration, meaning they cannot be bred and must be spayed or neutered. It is preferable to wait into the first year to spay/neuter puppies so that they have the benefit of hormones, providing better long-term health. We can discuss this.
Where will puppy sleep at night?
Have you ever potty trained a dog before? Are you aware that small breed dogs are tougher to train?
Havanese have hair not fur and require daily grooming care, even in a short puppy cut. Additionally, a visit to the groomer once every 4 – 6 weeks is a must, unless you groom and trim the coat yourself. In between grooming visits, bathes are necessary, as well as nail trimming, teeth brushing, daily combing, eye cleaning, ear cleaning, and face washing. You may feel you are running a spa – are you ready to take care of these chores?
Do you have any references such as a current vet, groomer, or trainer?
Our puppy contract states that you will take your puppy to your vet within 5 days of picking up the puppy. Do you have a current vet?
Please review the vaccination protocols of Jean Dodds on the New Puppy Care and Necessary Products page. You are your puppy’s advocate for spreading out vaccinations over several visits. We want you to follow this protocol for the health of the puppy.
What else would you like us to know about you?
What questions do you have for me?
We ask for $800 in deposit.
What we offer:
Our dame has a carefully curated pedigree and all health testing, as does the sire we are using. Much thought and effort go into choosing a sire. We have taken into consideration the Havanese Standard, all Health Testing, and the temperament of the dame and sire. Our dame has conformation, rally, and trick dog titles, as well as the Canine Good Citizen Advanced title.
Your puppy will be raised from birth using the breeder course from MadCap University and Puppy Culture workbook protocols. I strongly suggest purchasing the online course offered by Puppy Culture/Madcap University called With Open Arms and a Level Head, which is focused on successfully bringing a puppy into your home.
Puppies are raised as part of our household. We only breed when we need a puppy to show, about once a year.
I will be on call for any questions you have for the life of your puppy. We will be partners in the care of your dog 24/7.
If you can’t keep the puppy for any reason, you must return the puppy to me to be rehomed.
