What you need to know
Verify the breeder as a person or registered business, request a live video that connects the puppy to the seller and today’s date, compare the microchip and veterinary records, read the written terms, and use a payment method with a traceable dispute path. A profile, a registration number or polished photos alone are not proof.
Decision checklist
- ✓Match a real identity to the person receiving payment.
- ✓Ask for live, specific proof—not another gallery of photos.
- ✓Pause when names, dates, chip numbers or locations conflict.
- ✓Do not let scarcity pressure replace due diligence.
Start with an identity you can independently verify
Ask for the breeder’s full legal name, location and the name that will appear on the payment account and contract. Search those details outside the seller’s own profile. A long-running website helps, but it is the consistency of identity across records that matters.
A kennel-club entry can support a breeder’s story, yet it does not guarantee a particular litter, animal or transaction. Treat every badge as one input, not a substitute for checking the current puppy and seller.
Request proof that cannot be prepared in advance
Arrange a live video call. Ask the seller to show the puppy, its mother where appropriate, the environment and a simple action chosen during the call—for example, saying your first name while showing the puppy’s markings. This links the person, animal and moment.
If live video is genuinely impossible, request a fresh continuous video with a handwritten date and a detail you choose. Repeated technical excuses, cropped documents and refusal to answer simple questions raise the risk.
Build one consistent transaction file
Place the listing, messages, live-video notes, contract, invoice, payment details and animal records in one folder. Names, dates of birth, sex, colour, microchip number and vaccination dates should align. A mismatch may be a clerical error, but it must be explained and corrected before payment or travel.
Never rely on a screenshot as the only record of a payment promise. Written terms should state which animal is reserved, what the deposit covers, the remaining balance, the handover method and what happens if either side cannot proceed.
Pause pointStop when the seller changes identity, payment recipient or delivery story after you ask for verification.
Quick answers
Does a kennel registration prove the breeder is safe?+
No. It can be a useful data point, but buyers still need to verify the current seller, puppy, records and transaction terms.
Is a live video call enough?+
No single check is enough. Live video is strongest when identity, documents, payment details and written terms all tell the same story.
What if the breeder refuses video for privacy reasons?+
Ask for an alternative fresh proof that you choose. If the seller will not provide any time-specific proof, do not send a deposit.
Sources and verification
We prioritise first-party public guidance and show the sources used for factual rule or consumer-safety claims. Always check current requirements for your jurisdiction and route.
Read our editorial and safety policy →