Whenever purchasing an Irish Wolfhound, for any other breed for that matter, always make sure you are buying from a reputable and more importantly from an ethical breeder. Here are but a few of the essentials to look for:

• If possible, personally visit the breeder’s premises.
• Obtain references before placing a deposit or otherwise making a commitment to purchase an Irish Wolfhound.
• Contact the Irish Wolfhounds Club of Canada (IWCC) or the Irish Wolfhounds Club of America (IWCA) to insure the breeder is a member in good standing as each breeder is required to sign and abide by the IWCC Code of Ethics and the IWCA Standard of Behavior for Breeders. In addition, the Canadian or American Kennel Club (CKC /AKC) can also assist you in regards to any complains they may have received involving the member/breeder .
• The breeder has elected to display their contact information online.
• The breeder will act responsibly towards all puppies produced by their bitch and the breeder should, whenever possible, keep in contact with the new owner for the lifetime of the puppies.
• A reputable breeder will normally breed an individual bitch every second season and this bitch will not produce more than three litters in her lifetime. Please verify the breeder’s litter information with the CKC or AKC to insure he/she is not over breeding his/her bitches.
• A breeder should never breed for personal profit or commercial exploitation of the breed and should never breed for the pet market but only to preserve and improve the breed.
• Some breeders falsely advertise puppies “come from champion lines…” Ask to see the pedigree of the offspring to ascertain if in fact the puppy’s sire, dam, grandsire, grand dam etc have received their Championship through the CKC, AKC or any other accredited international kennel club. Many breeders claim their litters come from champion lines but upon closer investigation, only a fourth or fifth generation sire and/or dam did actually achieve this title.
• A breeder should not stress nor guarantee height or weight in his/her advertisement for puppies. Bigger is not always necessarily better.
• The breeder should have a contract ready to be signed and should address each and every clause of the agreement with the potential purchaser to insure the responsibilities of both parties are clearly listed, understood and agreed upon.
• And no, not only does the breeder have the right to ask questions. The potential buyer should interview the breeder as well. Among examples of questions to ask could be:
• How many puppies does this breeder/kennel produce per year?
• Will the puppies by registered with a national/international kennel club.
• Which health problems run in the line? An ethical breeder will disclose honestly what his or her old dogs died from and at what age. Someone who tries telling a potential purchaser they never had this or that health problem is not trustworthy.
• What tests are performed on the parents of the litters?
• What was the reason for this particular litter?
• What is the return policy?
• What are the health guarantees?
• Is the breeder available to answer questions and concerns and support the new owners for the life of the dog after it has left the breeder’s premises?
• Will the breeder allow you to see and interact with the parents, or with the dam if the sire is not on site?
• What items, if any, does the puppy leave with? (i.e. collar, leash, food, toys, instructions, contact numbers, veterinarian health certificates, etc)
• Will the breeder assist you in showing the puppy should you decide to engage in dog showing, and if so, in what capacity? (Some breeders claim their litters are show quality but have never shown or had their dogs shown and therefore are ill-equipped to make such a claim.)

Once you are satisfied you are dealing with a reputable and ethical breeder, and you have purchased your beautiful Irish Wolfhound puppy, take him/her home and fully enjoy every moment; owners of this phenomenal breed are truly blessed.