Registration and identity
Ask for the registered name of the kennel, the parents’ registration information and the arrangements for your puppy’s CKC paperwork. Registration and DNA results answer different questions.
DNA testing
Ask which DNA tests were performed and request the actual results for the relevant parents. DNA testing is not a guarantee against every illness.
How puppies are raised
Ask about the puppy’s daily environment, interactions, feeding and opportunities to learn. Request a conversation or video call and photographs of the litter.
Contract and deposit
Read the written terms before paying. Confirm what is included, the balance due, deposit conditions and what happens if plans change. Do not assume a deposit is refundable.
Questions worth asking
Who are the parents? What is the expected timing? What paperwork will I receive? What support is offered after pickup? Verify identity and written terms before sending money.
What should make you pause before paying?
- Pressure to transfer money before you can discuss the puppy and read the terms.
- Refusal to explain the parents’ identity, registration or DNA results.
- Photographs or payment details that do not match the breeder you have contacted.
- A price or delivery promise that changes without a clear written explanation.
Ask for clarification and verify details independently. When contacting a Labrador breeder near Ottawa or elsewhere in Québec, knowing where the puppy is raised matters more than the city name in an advertisement.
Verify the details behind an advertisement
Ask what “certified”, “top” or “verified” means and check the named source. Discuss the puppy’s identity, parent DNA results, registration paperwork and written terms directly. A city in an advert may describe a delivery destination rather than the breeder’s actual location.