So you are ready for that new addition to your family, the beloved family dog. You start reading online literature about the breed of your choice. After a day of reading, you feel like an expert and begin searching for reputable breeders. The suspense of knowing this is actually becoming a reality makes you change your timeframe from “the next few months” to “this week.” You decide you will only choose a local breeder because you believe your ten minutes of playing with a puppy will tell you more about his or her personality than eight weeks of raising the litter, more than the 1,344 hours of observing the puppies interacting with each other, their food, and their toys, and more than a decade of knowledge about the father, mother, and possibly generations before them. Oh wait, does that not make sense?

Look, I get it. I purchase dogs too. I also want to meet the dog in person, meet the parents, see the home environment, and everything else, but I do not have frequent flyer miles like that. I have to trust that the breeder I am purchasing from, possibly located across the globe, is reputable and knows what he or she is doing. And how do you find that out, you ask? Past customers.

You will learn more from a past customer than you ever will from a single visit because they have longevity on their side. They have heard the pitch, met the breeder, met the dogs, seen the quality of offspring, and seen the home environment. More importantly, they have gone through the purchase process, possibly run into problems they did not know how to fix, and likely had questions about training and behavior. This is when their knowledge becomes invaluable. Did the breeder respond? Did the breeder help?

Yes, we are located in Georgia, USA. Yes, we advertise in all 50 states and beyond. Yes, we receive many inquiries from people who say they love everything they have heard and seen, but they will only purchase from a local breeder. Before I continue, let me clarify that everyone has the right to purchase from whoever they choose. But why give yourself limits?

Would you only eat food from restaurants in your neighborhood? Would you only vacation to locations in your state? Would you only allow your children to attend a local college? Would you only consider an in-state medical facility if a loved one fell ill? No, because the more important the situation, the more willing you are to travel. Why? Because the best quality is what matters most, not convenience or inconvenience. So if we love our K9s like our children, why do we limit ourselves?

In our country, there are a few excellent breeders, many good breeders, and an overwhelming amount of junk backyard breeders. It is what it is. As a mother, my priority when choosing a dog is temperament. Next, I want to ensure the health is good. Last, I want my new dog to be handsome. I believe these are the most common traits people look for. However, the traits that often make the biggest difference in your everyday home life are the ones you cannot see during a visit.

For example, which puppy growls when another puppy approaches his food? Which puppy steps back when you try to pet him? Which puppy is always instigating? Which puppy gets into everything? Which puppy does laps around the house and never runs out of energy? The list goes on and on. This is where a professional breeder becomes the better choice, rather than focusing on the location of the breeder.

When we receive an inquiry for a Rottweiler puppy, the first thing we ask is for potential buyers to complete a buyer questionnaire. You would be surprised by how many people refuse to complete this questionnaire simply because of the inconvenience. Look, if you cannot take the time to tell us a little about your experience, your home environment, and your expectations, I may not have the time to reply. In the end, this questionnaire allows us to recommend a puppy we truly believe will work best in your home.

Puppy matching is something we strongly believe in. This is how DKV Rottweilers has earned such a large number of satisfied clients who continue to stay loyal. Occasionally, there is a puppy that could have been reserved from the litter but turns into a little firecracker in his new home. Sometimes puppies behave differently on their own than they did within the litter. However, most of the time this is caused by existing pets in the home and the animal’s natural instinct to establish hierarchy. This is also why we ask about existing pets in our buyer questionnaire.

In the end, my point is to focus your energy on finding a good breeder who knows what they are doing and who has a long list of clients willing to back up that claim. Talk to references. Ask questions. When you find the right breeder, trust that they will match the right puppy to your home environment. Ultimately, you want a dog who fits into your family, your activity level, and your existing pets.

Just remember, your perfect puppy may live over state lines. Your perfect puppy may live in Georgia, and that is okay. We offer shipping. Not a fan of flying a puppy? Read my article, “Is Shipping Safe.” Still not a fan? That is okay too. We also offer front-door delivery.

Why do we offer all of this? Because we were once in your shoes and we understand. More importantly, we understand that finding a puppy a forever home is far more important than finding a local home. Let our difference be the difference that makes you think differently. Hmm… I think that is what I meant.