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Charlee
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Last modified:
11/09/07
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This is Beverly LaCore's puppy.
BE SURE TO READ THE WARNING BELOW!
If you are
looking for a Shih Tzu puppy (or any other breed for that matter), there are
things you certainly should and should not do.
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Do not go to a pet store.
Most of their puppies come from puppy mills where the entire focus is
profit. (For more information on the drawbacks of puppy mills, see
How Much is that
Doggie in the Window? and/or
Do NOT Buy that Doggie in the
Window.) Your chance of getting a healthy animal is low, your odds
of getting a dog anywhere near the quality you are paying for is even
lower. You will actually get a much better dog, probably for less
money, by going to a reputable breeder. Also- in all likelihood, the
puppy from the reputable breeder will be better socialized. Puppy mill
puppies are seldom handled.
-
It is a good idea to avoid
the lady down the street with the sweet pet. Referred to as
'backyard breeders,' these people often breed animals that a reputable
breeder would have spayed or neutered because it is
not a good representative of the breed and possibly carries genes for
hereditary defects that have not been tested for. These are normally
the puppies that you find in the want-ads. Grandparents that were
champions is certainly no indication of the quality of this dog, even
breeding two champions will produce more pets than show dogs.
-
Cost, while certainly a concern, should not be your
first concern- and most reputable
breeders are leery of people for whom it is. They will give you a
very fair price for a pet puppy usually- do ask around. But the health of the
puppy is of the most importance, is it not?
-
Don't fall into the trap of
thinking that you are saving money by buying a puppy from a backyard
breeder. Their prices are usually comparable to the price of serious
breeders, but the hidden costs are what you need to look at. ALL
BREEDS HAVE GENETIC DEFECTS. I don't know of one that doesn't.
The show breeder knows generations of the dog's history- and any problem
lines are bred away from as much as possible. Your chance of running
into a genetic defect is much higher
when Mrs. A that has a papered dog breeds to Mrs. B who has a papered bitch.
They do not know the background of these dogs, and may well be reinforcing a
genetic defect. Most genetic defects translate into
vet bills for you. If
saving money on the purchase of a dog is that big a concern, go to the
shelter and save a crossbred dog. The likelihood that they will have a
genetic defect is MUCH lower- because you are not breeding within the breed.
-
Go to the shows.
You can find where and when they are by going to the
AKC Event Search page.
Look for conformation shows, and in the code you want 'AB' for All Breed.
Look at the dogs there. That's what you're looking for- or as close as
you can get. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Most people love
to talk about their dogs. If you are looking for a pet puppy, say so.
Virtually no litters are all show dogs. The pets will be placed for a
reasonable price in most cases. Ask if the breeder tests for
kidney markers. (Please read the page on
them! That said- a marker dog should not be ruled out as a pet, but it
should be on a neuter contract as marker dogs should be bred responsibly to
reduce the incidence of kidney disease in our breed. )
-
Go to the
AKC site and find the local club for the
breed you are interested in. (They are listed as 'Specialty' Clubs
under Conformation Clubs.) The breeds are pretty much all well
represented. Go to a meeting or two. Ask questions. Get to
know who's breeding what. (Perhaps the club even has a website and many of
the members have e-mails listed on the 'Members'
page and have pictures of their dogs on a personal page!) Find out
who's testing, and see the page on
Markers & Pets. Know what the health issues
in your breed are.
-
Don't be surprised if the breeder
has as many questions for you as you do for him- a reputable breeder cares
very much about the kind of home their puppies will go to.
-
Do not be surprised when the
breeder asks that the puppy you buy be spayed/neutered. Pedigrees are
forever, and if they sell you a pet dog, they will want to be sure that the
puppy they sell as a pet doesn't become an unpleasant reference back on
their breeding program after being outcrossed to other pet quality dogs.
You will find it fairly impossible to get stud service from a good quality
stud if you have a pet quality bitch, in any case. Stud owners, also, are
very picky about what goes under their pedigree.
 I hope this has been of some help. You don't need to
find your puppy this week, you'll likely have it for some 15 years.
Planning ahead on a commitment like that is a good thing. Good luck!
WARNING! We have
recently found on the internet a Washington seller purporting to be a show
breeder that no one at the shows has heard of- either the person, the kennel
name, or any dogs shown in the pedigree. The kennel name does not
show up in a search of show results, either.
Ask questions! Ask to see show pictures! Ask what
show is next!
Being a 'show breeder' isn't the only way to have healthy
dogs, but my guess is that someone who pretends to be a show breeder and
isn't is NOT VERY ETHICAL, and it would be a bad idea to do business with
such a person!
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