A difficult area to discuss is the cost of the puppy.  Good quality puppies from reputable breeders will cost more than less well bred pups.  Generally speaking, the old adage still applies of "you get what you pay for".  A breeder won't be offended at your enquiry about the price of a puppy but please remember that cost shouldn't be your first question! 

Beware of puppies offered for sale at less than the "going rate".  At the moment the average cost of a cocker puppy from a recognised kennel (i.e. not from the free ads papers, puppy farmers & "backyard" breeders) is £650.00 - £900.00 (there is some regional variation in prices.)

Whilst the price of a well-bred puppy may seem excessive, you must remember that your dog will hopefully live for 10 - 15 years, this equates to less than £65.00 per year of the dogs life.  You would not be able, for example, to buy a car for £750.00 and expect it to last for 10 - 15 years of hopefully trouble free motoring!

Puppies from breeders who take the time to provide the highest standard of care for their dogs and puppies, who health screen the parents, vet check & micro-chip their pups, provide vaccinations & those who spend time socialising their puppies will charge between the middle & top end of the "going rate". 

Reputable breeders do not breed for financial gain (i.e. make a profit), however they have to cover their costs (eventually!) 

Health testing parents, providing the highest possible level of care, the best food, vet checks, micro chipping & socialising puppies costs more than rearing puppies to minimum standards & this will be reflected in the price.

Buying a "cheap" puppy might seem like a good idea at the time; however, you should be asking yourself why the pup costs less than the "going rate"?  What economies has a breeder made in order to sell their puppies for less?  Perhaps there has been no costly health testing of parents?  Perhaps the pups & Mum haven't received quality food.  Has the litter not been vet checked, micro-chipped or vaccinated?  The list is endless, however if a puppy is sold at less than the "going rate" you can be SURE economies have been made somewhere by the breeder!

This is perfectly acceptable for show/working breeders but not the norm for "pet" breeders i.e. people who have no outside interest in dogs (showing/working etc.)

If a breeder doesn't health screen (using ALL available tests i.e. OptiGen PRA/Antagene FN/Hip Score/BVA Eye Tests), how can they be sure there isn't a problem with their dogs (& their puppies)?

For Cocker Spaniels: -

Both parent's should be KC/BVA Eye Tested by a veterinary ophthalmologist and have "unaffected" results for CPRA, GPRA & Glaucoma.  Please note, this is a specific test, it is not a routine eye check-up carried out by a breeders own vet!

Both parent(s) should be DNA tested (or genetically Clear via parentage) for prcd-PRA.  The company responsible for PRA testing is OptiGen.  The test is a DNA test which looks for the presence or absence of the mutant gene responsible for the disease.

Both parent(s) should be DNA tested (or genetically Clear via parentage) for FN.  There are two companies responsible for FN testing :  OptiGen & Antagene.  The test is a DNA test which looks for the presence or absence of the mutant gene responsible for the disease

Have the parent's of your puppy been hip scored (hopefully with low scores!) for signs of hip dysplasia?

Conscientious & caring breeders will health screen their breeding stock!  Without testing the parent's of puppies how can breeders ensure they produce healthy puppies?

Are the puppies reared in the house or a kennel?  If they are reared in the house, they should be confident & comfortable with their surroundings.  If they are kennel reared & then brought into the house, unless well socialised by the breeder, they may well be nervous & timid about their surroundings at first.

The house should be clean (give or take a few stray dog hairs or paw prints!), homes with multiple dogs can be a bit "doggy" particularly if the weather is wet but should be basically clean even if they are a bit untidy!

If you arrive to find a less than clean house but the dogs are immaculate then you can assume that all the breeders’ time is taken up with caring for their dogs.  However if the dogs and their kennel/living area are scruffy too then it might be wise to presume that little attention has been paid to either the dogs or their living conditions & you should seriously consider how committed the breeder is?

There is nothing wrong with buying a kennel reared puppy, hopefully the breeder will have paid just as much attention to care and socialisation as a breeder who rears their pups in their home.  It would be wise however to check that this is the case and that the pups are confident and are happy with people and household type noises etc.

Ask if the puppy will be Vet checked prior to leaving his breeder?  Good breeders will have their puppies fully examined by their Vet (to ensure they are physically healthy with no clinical signs of illness or parasites etc.) before the pups leave for their new homes.

The Vet will also check for such things as heart murmurs, hernia's, cleft palates, deformities & the presence of testicles (in males).  As with all things controlled by nature it can occasionally be the case that some pups are not 100% perfect. 

Given full information about a condition (if any) both the breeder & purchaser can decide whether they wish to sell or buy the pup & whether the condition will have an impact on the pups future health & wellbeing. 

Minor problems don't usually have any detrimental effect on the pup or it's ability to be a loyal and loving companion animal & you shouldn't automatically reject a puppy who is otherwise healthy, well reared and from a good breeder just because of, for example, a level bite (rather than a scissor bite).

In the case of pet pups these issues are not quite as important.  In an ideal world every pup born would have no obvious show "faults" however a healthy pup from a good breeder is more important than a 100% perfect show specimen.   Honest breeders will advise you of any show "faults" a pup has and explain them fully.  Minor issues with teeth etc. do crop up from time to time, however if the pup is otherwise healthy this shouldn't overly influence your decision not to purchase the pup.

Please bear in mind that the mother might not be looking her best, it's hard work rearing a litter & most bitches don't look their best at this time!  Part of the process of being a Mum means that bitches will loose their coat and may look a little thin (despite eating vast quantities of food).  Do not expect to see a glamorous show dog when you visit!  However, the Mum should look well groomed and clean.

Whilst KC registration is not a guarantee of quality or indeed proof of your puppy's pedigree; it is necessary if you plan to show, compete at some events with your dog or breed from him/her.  Ensure the registration documents are given to you at the time of collecting your puppy. Be very wary of a breeder who tells you they will forward the documents at a later date. 

Ask if the registration papers have been endorsed, if so ask the breeder to explain this to you & ensure mention of any terms relating to the restrictions are mentioned in your Contract.