Finding a Reputable Breeder |
| Having done some research and decided on a Shih Tzu, the next task is to find a responsible breeder. The popularity of Shih Tzu has soared in recent years and this inevitably means that those who care more about money than the quality of their dogs or the future well being of the breed have become involved. There is often little recourse in the law if you make a bad choice. Buyer beware! |
Avaliable 9am - 5pm only
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| What to look for. |
| A responsible breeder will be striving to breed the best dogs that they can in terms of type, health and temperament. They will be knowledgeable about the breed and able to answer Shih Tzu specific questions that you may have. They will most likely be showing their dogs or have done so in the past and they will be a member of one or more breed organistions. |
All breed clubs have a Code of Ethics which their members are required to abide by. A responsible breeder will always be able to show you the mother of the puppies. The puppies should be clean and the mother should be in good condition - allowing for the fact that she has just raised a litter of pups. It isn't always possible to see the father since it is common to use stud dogs from outside. You should be provided with a diet sheet and a worming record in addition to a legible pedigree and contact information. Generally, Shih Tzu puppies should not be placed in a new home until they are at least 9 weeks old.
A responsible breeder will be on hand to offer help and advice after you have bought your puppy for as long as you reasonably might need it. They will also stand by their dogs and be prepared to take the dog back or at the very least help you with re-homing if something goes wrong or you are unable to care for the dog.
It is difficult to offer ironclad guarantees when you are dealing with a living being but by buying your Shih Tzu puppy from a reputable breeder you will know that every effort possible has been made to breed a sound healthy puppy that will be supported by a knowledgeable person as it grows up with you. |
| What to avoid. |
You should avoid buying a puppy from a puppy farm (sometimes called a puppy mill), a pet shop (since their stock almost always comes from puppy farms), a dealer or a casual breeder. At first glance these can be a good option, you might not have to wait for your puppy and you might (but not always) save yourself a little money on the purchase price. You may even know someone who has bought from a puppy farm or a dealer and had no problems. But it is a lottery. In most cases there is little thought given to which dog is bred with which bitch and whether the breeding could give rise to inherited conditions. Whilst the conditions in which the dogs are kept may (or may not) be sanitary the puppies would likely receive little in the way of human or canine interaction and so may be stunted socially. And once you have bought your puppy, that's it - you're on your own.
Buying your puppy from a casual breeder can also be problematic. Whilst it would seem to be ideal to buy a puppy from a litter raised by a (probably much loved pet) bitch in a home environment you should question the motives behind having the litter. Are the people knowledgeable about Shih Tzu? Are the people concerned a member of a breed club and striving to learn as much about the breed as they can? Can they answer your questions about Shih Tzu satisfactorily? Are they prepared to stand by the puppies that they breed and would they take them back if there was a problem? If the answer to these questions is yes then the chances are you are talking to responsible breeder, if not then you are just increasing your risk. |
| Finding a responsible breeder. |
| There are several avenues you can pursue. Breed clubs maintain lists of their members who breed and should be able to give you details of members near you. The Shih Tzu Club has a Puppy Coordinator, Mrs. Pauline Brook - a member of our Committee, who can help to put prospective owners in touch with responsible breeders (9am - 5pm only). For other clubs, contact the secretary of the club concerned - links to some regional breed clubs can be found on our links page. You can ask your vet if he or she can recommend a good breeder. Also if you know someone in your area who has a Shih Tzu you can ask them where they got it from, whether they would recommend the breeder to anyone else and any issues they had to deal with after buying the puppy. You should also bear in mind that dogs have a 9 week pregnancy and puppies aren't ready to go to new homes until they are at least 9 weeks old so it is probable that you would have to wait for a while for the right puppy to come along. |
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