#1. Require a health certificate w/ a negative heartworm test (get at least the HW test done) done on the dog before you send your money. (We recently bought a dog that tested positive for heartworms)

#2. Require a written gaurantee that your new dog will DNA back to it's parents. (Last year we bought a female, bred her, reg the pups, and later on she didn't DNA match to either sire nor dam.)

#3 Always have the seller tell you exactly what the sire's and dam's name is. And so on down the line on the UKC pedigree. You see these ads stating, ex. "Sackett Jr Female For Sale", in actuality the female has Sackett way back on the 3rd generation.

#4 Make sure that the dog has a clear title. Meaning that the papers don't have someone else's name filled in on the back or the papers aren't signed.

#5 Get the UKC, PKC, AKC numbers and call the registeries, make sure the dog has not been written up for fighting at a UKC, AKC, or PKC event.

- When the asking price is different when offered for 1 price on chain and 1 price in the woods .... stay clear.

Example of this would be:
$500 on chain
$900 to be seen in the woods

- Try before you buy..........Don't just take the sellers words what the dog will do.........hunt the dog to see for yourself.

If your unable to travel and hunt the dog, have a written contract outling terms and conditions for returning the dog if you are not happy with the dog.

-- Don't buy a dog with seller saying they'll mail you the dog papers......You may be waiting forever.....Make sure dog has papers when you buy it and that you leave with both the dog and the papers.

--Due to UKC's new policy on dogs that have been bred can not have their names changed, contact UKC with the dog's UKC # to verify the dog can have their name changed.

Another good thing to do is get references if you can. And I mean real referals, not ones provided by the breeder. Word of mouth is very effective. There is little substitute for reputation.

Number one rule!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hunt with the hound or its parents before you buy!!!!!!!!!!! or know someone you trust that has!!!!!!! Titles don't make a hound in all cases!!!!!!!!

If there is more than one dog at the seller's house for sale, look at the papers of EVERY dog there.*

Watch how the seller and dog interact with EACH OTHER while you are there.The seller may act like it breaks his heart to get rid of the dog, but the dog won't pretend and cover up what's really going on.

* I looked at a (supposedly 3 year old) dog a guy had for sale a few years ago that looked like it came over on the ark.I knew at 1st look I didn't want her, but asked if the dog in the pen beside her was for sale and was told yes.When I asked him if I could look at her, he called about 5 names before she would even come out of the doghouse.When she finally came out, she came straight to me as if to say "Please get me out of here" and wouldn't go anywhere near her "owner."When I asked to see her papers, they were IDENTICAL to the papers on the other dog, just newer- same name, UKC #, and everything.The guy said he would take $500 apiece for them, but if I bought the young dog he would throw the old dog in for free.I told him good luck, and as I was leaving, I noticed a redtick on a chain out back and asked what it was out of.He said he didn't know, it was his buddy's dog, but he would sell it to me for 1000 bucks.When I got to my truck I checked to make sure my tires and wheels were still there and got the heck out of there.

Try before you buy is probably the best way to avoid many suprises. People who are new to the dog world are about as vunerable as a new born pup. I highly reccomend going slow, research the people as well as the dog. Spend a good bit of time really figuring out what it is you want before even making the first phone call looking for a dog.

Checking references is helpfull but I do not trust a person who is supposedly a big deal dog person who can only provide a couple refrences. If this person tells you he/she has been running hounds for a long time he/she should have at a minimum of 10 to 15 refrences and be more than willing to give you them.

I took a road trip once to meet with a fellow and take a look at a couple of his dogs he was selling. This fellow was kind of a BIG deal out west in the hound world, at least if you believe all the story's in some of the magazines and flashy ads and video's etc. The dogs looked to be in good shape and the fellow sure talked a big story. I asked him for a few refrences on the dogs. He kind of bristled up and told me that his word was as good as it gets and if he told me a dog would do something by gosh I could take it to the bank. I remember telling him that was just fine and sense his words were evaporating into thin air and my money was sitting firmly in my pocket I would just go ahead and keep it that way. As my hand reached for the door of my truck he changed his tone and started telling me how he was in a real bind for money and just had to sell these dogs. By the time I was driving down the driveway I looked back at a VERY miserable looking dog jockey. The moral of this little story is this. DO NOT trust reputation unless it is something you have seen first hand and can vouch for yourself. This same fellow is now in federal prison for commercial poaching etc.