What Paperwork Comes With a Puppy?

A card or certificate showing which vaccines have been given, on what dates, with the vaccine batch numbers and the vet's stamp.

This determines when the next dose is due. Guessing means either an unprotected puppy or a repeated course.

Puppies are usually chipped before rehoming, which means the chip is initially registered to the breeder or rescue.

Ask for the microchip number and the name of the registry, then confirm the registration has actually been transferred into your name. This step is skipped constantly, and a chip registered to a previous keeper is close to useless if the dog is ever lost.

Which product was used, at what dose, and on what dates. Your vet needs this to schedule the next treatment safely — some products cannot simply be repeated on a new schedule.

A written agreement covering the price, what happens if the puppy turns out to be unwell, any return conditions, and any restrictions such as neutering or breeding clauses.

Read the return clause specifically. Reputable breeders and rescues will take an animal back at any point in its life, and say so in writing.

For a registered pedigree, expect the registration certificate and often a pedigree chart. Check that the name and date of birth match the animal you are collecting, and ask whether any endorsements are recorded against the registration.

Where a breed has known hereditary conditions, ask for the parents' health test results — not a verbal assurance.

Many breeders and rescues also include a few weeks of introductory insurance. If so, get the policy number and the start date, and diarise when it ends.