A buyer who asks you hard questions is doing exactly what the American Kennel Club, The Royal Kennel Club and animal welfare organizations tell them to do, so the best way to handle those questions is not to dodge them but to have honest, short answers ready that you would be happy to see in writing.
The most important first
- Treat hard questions as a good sign. Buyers who ask about health tests, the mother and your contract are the buyers most likely to care for a dog well.
- Know the questions in advance. The AKC, The Royal Kennel Club and the Humane Society of the United States publish lists for buyers: health testing, meeting the mother, how many litters and cesareans she has had, socialization, contracts, take-back, and how to reach you later.
- Answer honestly, briefly and the same way every time, and never promise what you cannot keep. Health screening lowers risk; it does not guarantee an individual dog.
- Show, do not just tell: certificates, registration details, the mother, where the puppies live, and your contract, sent in time to read.
- It is fine to say “I don’t know, but I will find out” — and to point a buyer to their veterinarian for medical questions.
Why buyers ask harder questions now
Puppy buyers are better prepared than they used to be, and it is mostly thanks to the kennel clubs and welfare organizations. The AKC suggests buyers ask about health testing of the parents, the breeder’s experience and involvement in breed clubs or dog sports, socialization, vaccinations, the health guarantee and contract, whether the breeder will take the dog back, and how to reach the breeder after the sale. The Royal Kennel Club goes further, telling buyers to ask how many litters the mother has had, whether she has had cesareans and how many, what the puppy’s inbreeding coefficient is, and to see the mother with her puppies. The Humane Society of the United States tells buyers to expect to meet the mother, to see where the puppies were raised, to be asked questions themselves, and to hear about the breed’s inherited problems.
Read those lists as a description of what a buyer expects from you. If any answer would make you uncomfortable, that is worth looking at before the next litter, not during the next phone call.
Five principles for every answer
- Honest: include the things you would rather not mention. A buyer who later discovers something you left out will not trust anything else you said.
- Short: give the answer first, then the explanation if they want it.
- Consistent: every buyer gets the same answer to the same question. Write your answers down so they do not drift.
- Promise only what you will do: the communication and setting expectations article explains why most disputes start with a promise that was heard differently from how it was meant.
- In writing: follow important conversations with a short email, so both of you have the same record.
“Why does your puppy cost so much?”
This is often asked defensively, sometimes after the buyer has seen cheaper puppies online. Do not apologize for your price and do not attack other sellers. Explain briefly what it covers: health testing of the parents, veterinary care, food and equipment, registration, the time a litter takes, and the support you give after the sale. If you have done the work in pricing, deposits and payment, you can answer from your own numbers. Then let it go. Some buyers will choose a cheaper puppy; that is their decision.
“What is your health guarantee?”
This is the question where breeders most often say too much. Health screening shifts the odds; it cannot promise that an individual dog will never develop a condition, and the communication and setting expectations article explains why “guarantee” is a risky word. Say what you have done and what you will do: which tests the parents had, what the results were, what your contract says you will do if a hereditary problem is diagnosed, and that you want to hear about any health problem at any age. Send the contract in advance so the buyer can read it at home, as the HSUS advises buyers to expect.
“Can I see the parents’ health results?”
Yes — and have them ready. Copies of certificates, registration numbers so results can be looked up in the public databases, and a plain-language explanation of what each result means and does not mean. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, for example, treats hip and elbow evaluations before 24 months as preliminary, which is worth explaining if a parent is young. If the buyer asks about a test you did not do, say so and explain why, rather than changing the subject. The background is in health testing basics and interpreting DNA results.
“Can I meet the mother and see where the puppies live?”
Every buyer guide says yes, and a breeder who says no without explanation is a red flag to an informed buyer. You may have good reasons for timing: newborns are vulnerable to infection in their first weeks, which is why many breeders keep visitors away until the puppies are a few weeks old. Say that, explain when visits can happen, and offer photos or a video call in the meantime. If the father is not on your premises, say so, and offer his details, health results and, if you can, a way to meet him or see him on video.
“How many litters has she had?”
The Royal Kennel Club tells buyers to ask how many litters the mother has had, how old she is, and whether she has had cesareans. Answer with the facts, and if you have a policy on litters, age and retirement, say what it is. The rules and the welfare reasoning are in litter limits and age rules.
“Can I pick my puppy?” and “I want the blue-eyed female”
Many breeders match puppies to homes rather than letting buyers choose, because temperament and the home matter more than color or markings. Explain how you do it and why before the buyer pays a deposit, and listen to what they actually need. If a buyer is set on a particular color or sex, be honest about whether that is likely in this litter, and do not take a deposit you cannot honor. The method is in matching a puppy to a home.
“Do you have puppies available now?”
The HSUS warns buyers that a breeder who always has puppies available is a warning sign. If you have none, say so and explain how your waiting list works, how often you breed and when the next litter might be. If you do have a puppy available, explain why — a home that fell through, a puppy you had planned to keep — rather than leaving the buyer to guess. See inquiries and managing a waiting list.
“Why are you asking me so many questions?”
Some buyers are surprised to be interviewed. Explain that you ask the same questions of everyone, because you are responsible for where the puppy goes and you want to find the right match for the puppy and for them. The Canadian Kennel Club’s code of practice expects breeders to screen purchasers for their suitability and to treat the sale as the start of a lifetime commitment, and Dogs Australia’s code asks breeders to make sure buyers understand the dog’s care needs and have the time and facilities to meet them. The interview itself is in interviewing and selecting buyers, and saying no well is a separate skill.
“Isn’t breeding wrong when shelters are full?”
This one is asked sincerely more often than it is asked to provoke. Do not get defensive. You can acknowledge that rescue is a good choice for many people, and explain what you do differently: why you breed, how you choose parents, that every dog you breed can come back to you, and that none of your dogs will end up in a shelter if you can help it. If you have a take-back commitment, this is where it matters most.
Questions you cannot answer
You will be asked things you do not know: about a rare condition, a vaccine, a behavior, a legal question. Say so. “I don’t know, but I will find out and get back to you by Friday” builds more trust than a confident guess. For medical questions, point the buyer to their own veterinarian, and for legal questions, to someone qualified where they live.
In practice
A buyer emails a list of twelve questions copied from a kennel club website, including “How many C-sections has the dam had?” and “What is the COI?”. The breeder’s first instinct is to feel tested. Instead, she answers every question in the order asked, attaches the health certificates and the draft contract, and adds a line inviting a video call. The buyer replies that two other breeders had not answered at all. Afterward, the breeder saves her answers as a document she sends, updated, to every new inquiry.
(Illustrative, composite scenario.)
Write your answers down
The simplest way to handle hard questions is to answer them once, well, in writing, and keep that document up to date. A one- or two-page “questions we are often asked” sheet, sent to every serious inquiry, saves time, keeps your answers consistent, and shows buyers that you welcome being asked. Keep it with the documents in your puppy pack and update it before each litter.
Work on it
A few minutes here will teach you more than re-reading the article.
Ask yourself
- Which question on the kennel club lists would I least like to be asked, and why?
- Would every buyer get the same answer from me to the question about health guarantees?
- Do I have the parents’ certificates ready to send today?
Find out & check
- Read the AKC and Royal Kennel Club question lists for buyers, and check that you could answer every question with facts you can show.
Do one thing
- Write a one-page “questions we are often asked” sheet with your answers, and send it to your next inquiry.
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Sources & further reading
- American Kennel Club (Randa Kriss) — Questions to Ask Your Potential Breeder. akc.org
- The Royal Kennel Club — Questions for the breeder. royalkennelclub.com
- The Humane Society of the United States — How to find a responsible dog breeder. humanesociety.org
- Orthopedic Foundation for Animals — FAQs. ofa.org
- Canadian Kennel Club — Code of Practice (September 2017). ckc.ca
- Dogs Australia — Code of Practice (July 2023). dogsaustralia.org.au
Where evidence is limited, recommendations rest on established practice and expert judgment, and may be updated as knowledge develops. What you may promise in a health guarantee or contract depends on the law where you sell — have your own documents reviewed by a qualified professional in your jurisdiction. This is general information, not legal advice.
Next steps
- Read next: Communication and setting expectations.
- Related: Interviewing and selecting buyers.
- Related: Pricing, deposits and payment.
- Return to the area hub: From first inquiry to settled puppy.