Home / Vetting sources
Due diligenceChecking out a professional before you trust them
Virginia has no single registry for protection-dog sellers. Your own checklist is the protection.
Before the first call
- Write down your household, your home type and the one thing you most want the dog to do.
- Check the insurance and housing answers first.
- Decide how far you will drive for a visit and a follow-up lesson.
On the visit
- See the settingWhere do the dogs live and train? Is it clean, shaded, calm?
- Watch ordinary behaviorA dog greeting a stranger, walking past another dog, sitting for a vet exam.
- Meet the person who did the workNot just the salesperson. Ask what they would do if a dog failed at your house.
- Ask for documentsHealth, vaccination and training records with names and dates.
Red flags
No visit allowed
Anyone proud of their program will show it.
Wire-only payment
Deposits to a person you cannot find are how scams work.
"Guaranteed safe"
No honest source can promise a living animal's conduct.
Vague paperwork
If terms are verbal, assume they do not exist.
Claims and the checks that match them
| Claim | Quick check |
|---|---|
| "Family-safe" | Meet the dog with your own children present, on a leash, and watch both sides. |
| "Titled" | Ask which club or body issued it and look it up yourself. |
| "Off-switch" | Ask for a calm settle after excitement, with a stranger nearby. |
| "Health tested" | Which tests, which lab or vet, and where is the result? |
Training does not change the statute: the dangerous-dog section looks at conduct, not credentials.
What about price?
This guide gives no price figures, because we have no verified ones for Virginia. Collect itemized written quotes from more than one source and compare line by line.
Want a professional near you to call?
Give K9PN your Virginia ZIP code and a short description of your household. It forwards your note to a professional who covers your area.
Get referred