Can I meet the parents?
The answer should be a resounding yes. Some breeders use stud dogs and that is ok, but they should try to work out a way for you to meet the stud or they should provide the information for the owner of the stud dog so that you can speak to them directly about their dog.
The breeder should give a detailed explanation of why they selected that particular stud dog. Remember that a breeder that uses a stud does not have firsthand knowledge of that dog’s temperament and health; they only know what the stud's owner has chosen to tell them. The owner of a stud dog needs to meet all the same rigorous standards as the breeder you select a dog from.
Puppies are like their parents. A breeder that won’t let you meet the mother of the litter is a breeder to run from, and run fast. There is absolutely no excuse for this. The only reason not to meet the dame of a litter is in the horrifically tragic event that mom died. This happens from time to time and it is not an indicator that the breeder is irresponsible or that there will be something wrong with the puppies. Sometimes bad things just happen to good people and/or to good dogs.
If either parent has died the breeder should be able to tell you without a doubt what caused the death. This can be weighed accordingly and if the breeder appears to be at fault due to irresponsibility or lack of proper care you should take that into consideration.
Puppies are just like their parents. The temperament of the mother especially affects that of her pups. Meet the parents and know what you’re probably going to get.
Don’t expect the breeder to allow you to roam around their kennel or runs. These are facilities that need to remain disease-free. Don’t expect the breeder to trot out all their parent dogs for your inspection when you’re not selecting a pup from one of their litters. A breeder’s time is extremely valuable so please do be respectful of that.