A photograph can make the decision feel finished before the conversation has started. Slow that moment down. A video call is a chance to ask better questions about the particular puppy you are considering—not a guarantee that a transaction is safe.
AKC identifies copied photographs, reluctance to speak directly, and suspicious payment requests as warning signs in online puppy sales. Treat the call as one part of verification, alongside independent contact checks and written records.
Send a short agenda
Ask to discuss the puppy's identifying name, birth date, parents, current status, and next steps. If the puppy is too young or the timing is unsuitable for a live appearance, agree on another time. Do not turn the meeting into a demand to wake, frighten, or physically test a puppy.
Keep the listing open beside your notes. Write down questions where the page and conversation differ. A changed availability status may simply need clarification; an explanation should still connect to the same dog.
Ask for observations, not a performance
Try: “What have you noticed during ordinary care?” Then ask what remains too early to assess. A brief video cannot establish future temperament, adult size, or health. A puppy sleeping through the call has not failed an audition.
Our suggested notes have three columns: what you observed, what the breeder reported, and what a document supports. Keeping those separate prevents an impression from becoming a supposed fact.
Finish with a written recap
Record which documents are still needed and who will provide them. Confirm the next conversation before discussing a payment deadline. Never send money solely because somebody appeared on camera.
For Snubnose, start with the current puppy listings and contact Marc to ask about a live conversation. If your notes still contain an unanswered identity or payment question, resolve it before reserving.