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How to find a good breeder Please buy from a show breeder, not from a puppy mill or backyard breeder or pet store. No ethical breeder would EVER put their puppies in a pet shop. Exhibiting their Chihuahuas at dog shows demonstrates that the breeder cares about the future of the breed and wants to improve their breeding stock. - An ethical show breeder will ask you to sign a contract to spay/neuter your companion for its health before releasing AKC papers to you, and that they are to be notified at any time during the life of the Chihuahua if it needs to be re-homed because they do not want their precious dog to end up at the pound or in the hands of a dog fighter to be used as 'bait' or at a research facility for experimentation because of a 'free-to-good-home' ad in the newspaper. - Please take your time to find the right companion for you. A true show breeder is not interested in the sale as much as they are interested in the home you are providing. A show breeder may have an older puppy that did not turn out for various reasons such as the bite not being correct, the puppy got too big, a crooked front leg, an incorrect topline, a poor tailset, an undescended testicle in a male--these puppies will have had much training and handling and will make an outstanding companion. None of these minor faults will have any bearing on the value of the dog as a loving companion. - |
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How many litters does the breeder have a year? (Four or five is plenty, or they are breeding for profit, and if they ALWAYS have puppies available, BEWARE.) Ask them where their dogs live. (In the HOUSE is good, toy dogs should never live outside; no dog should permanently live outside). - Can you come to their home to pick the puppy up so you can meet the sire and dam (the sire may not be available if they bred to a male they did not own)? - How many dogs do they have (could you give quality care to this many dogs?)? If they hesitate to answer, be careful. Does the puppy have to be altered (if it is pet quality, a neuter contract should be required)? - What registry do they use? AKC or UKC are the ONLY legitimate American registries, along with CKC in Canada. APRI, APR, ADBA, CKC (Continental KC, not Canadian KC), NAPDR, UAKC, APA, ACR, etc., are backyard breeder and puppy mill registries. - Do they show their dogs at AKC shows? What shows do they go to, can you meet them there? |
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A few more red flags: Do they have many puppies available from multiple litters year round? (Not a good sign, this is probably a large part of their income.) Do they take 'orders' for color/sex/coat type before litters are even born? (This is a very clear sign of someone whose dogs are a money-making enterprise, not a hobby.) Do they take VISA/credit card or PayPal? (BAD--credit cards invite impulse buying, NO ethical show breeder does this.) Do they charge thousands of dollars for a dog? Just because the price is huge does not say anything about the quality of the dog. Most show breeders sell their companion Chihuahuas for $800-$1000 with a neuter contract. - Are litters advertised before they are even born? (VERY BAD--this is a sure sign of a 'pups-for-bucks greeder'.) - - Ask them why they did this breeding. (To have puppies to sell is NOT a good answer, ethical show breeders have a litter to get a new dog for themselves to show.) - Ask what they feed their dogs. (Whatever is on sale at the grocery store is NOT a good answer!) Ask what age they place their puppies. (Toy dogs should NEVER leave home before 10 weeks at the earliest, 12 weeks is better.) |
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Please also remember that by 'rescuing' a puppy from a bad breeder or pet store, you are condemning another puppy in the future to the same situation because this sale will only enable the 'breeder' or pet store to continue their bad practices. If they are stuck with a dog that they cannot sell, they will hopefully think twice before breeding more. Walk away! |
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