Puppy Adoption Questionnaire

This questionnaire was developed through our years of dealing with puppy buyers. Do not be offended by the questions, as in the long run, it is better to find out ahead of time rather than when a puppy becomes a problem because you didn't know what you were getting into. Keeshonds are not unique as far as your getting a dog. Many of the questions have to do with responsible dog ownership and not just that of Keeshond ownership.

We will be available and willing to help and answer questions throughout the lifetime of your Kees. We will explain schedules, crate training, proper grooming, suggested reading materials/books, feeding, training and other tips. When you get a puppy from us, you become part of our "dog family". We won't leave you stranded.

  1. Why do you want a Keeshond?



  2. Have you seen an adult Keeshond?



  3. Have you owned a dog? If so, what happened to it?



  4. Do you have children? Ages of children?



  5. Jealousy between sibling humans is a problem for some families. With a dog as part of your family, if you don't have children now and anticipate having them in the future, have you considered how to introduce the child to the dog? What steps do you see as being necessary to make this a smooth transition and for the furry child to accept the human child/ vice versa?



  6. Whose decision was it to get a dog?



  7. Who will be responsible for taking care of the puppy?



  8. Is someone home during the day? If not, how many hours per day during the week will your puppy be "locked up"?



  9. Do you have a fenced yard? If not, explain how you plan to exercise a puppy.



  10. Keeshonds have a double coat. They will require weekly brushing. Are you prepared to spend about 1 hour a week brushing your Kees?



  11. Kees puppies will require training. Are you willing to attend a puppy kindergarten class or basic obedience class (usually an 8 week course) at your local kennel club?



  12. Puppies require house training. This includes toilet training and teaching them what they can and can't chew. Kees puppies can be stubborn. This involves keeping them on a feeding and toilet schedule. Based upon your persistence, it may take from 2-6 months to accomplish successful house training. Do you have the patience to properly train your puppy to develop house manners?



  13. A Kees puppy is like a 2 year old child for the first year or two of it's life. They are not hyper-active but may need to "run off energy" during growth times. Are you willing to provide your puppy exercise and patience to get through this?



  14. All dogs require veterinary care from time to time, including routine vaccinations. Dogs will sometimes do things that result in injuries to themselves. Are you willing and do you have the money to spend should such accidents occur?



  15. Dogs occasionally get coughs, colds, bronchitis, pneumonia and skin ailments. Your veterinarian has antibiotics and other remedies to help your dog/puppy recover. Do you have the money to spend on routine veterinary care? (vaccinations, wormings, etc)



  16. The average life span of a Kees is 15 years. Do you intend to keep this Kees for it's lifetime?



  17. If you and your family relocate (due to job situation, personal situation or preference) to another town or state, what will happen to this dog?



  18. What else do you want us to know about you?



Should you have any questions, feel free to ask us. We want to help in whatever way we can to make this "adoption" successful. We love all our puppies and are going to remain in contact with you. We will want to hear all your problems as well as your stories about your Kees and the cute things he/she does.

Owning a puppy or a dog is a big responsibility. It's expensive and takes a lot of time, effort and love. It's a big commitment for the whole family. Well behaved dogs are not born, they are the result of care, attention and training. In return for all these things, your dog will give you a lifetime of devotion, companionship, and loyalty.

This document was last updated: 01/22/96