I am thinking about buying a shih tzu puppy from this lady. I went there two days ago to meet the puppies, There were 3 of them. I met both parents and they both won a best in show before and have health papers (checking hips etc..). They are AKC registered. She showed me their AKC papers for each puppy (and vet check papers) and i would have to sign a paper that says i have to spay/nuerter the puppy (which i think is stupid). She said i cannot take a puppy home until they are 11 weeks (which is next week) (i think this is extremely stupid) isn't it suppose to be 6-7 weeks? Her home is very nice and the dogs seem in good health but i think the spay/nueter contract and not taking the puppy home until 11 weeks is stupid (because 1. What if i want to breed since there parents got best in show? 2. The puppy probably will bond to her instead of me right?)
She is changing $750.00 for both the males and females. Is this too much?
First – this sounds like a really reputable breeder and nothing she's doing is stupid!
Only backyard breeders ever let their puppies go at 6 – 7 weeks because that's way too young for a puppy to be separated from their mom and litter mates. This breeder is doing everything correctly.
Also putting spay/neuter contracts on her puppies is the responsible thing to do. You're obviously buying a pet quality puppy and pet puppies are always put on contracts to prevent people from breeding them. Only the very best in any breed are to be used for breeding – just because the parents won best in shows doesn't mean every puppy they produce is show quality.
And an 11 weeks old puppy will bond with you. An adult dog that you buy or adopt will bond with the new owner, so will a puppy.
Actually, many breeders do have the spay/neuter contract which I feel is a good idea….it eliminates backyard breeders, etc.
It's also a good sign that she doesn't let them go before 11 weeks…many breeders say 8 weeks….but it would be bad if she let you take one at 6 or 7 weeks.
This breeder seems pretty reputable from what you are saying.
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It's perfectly normal for a breeder to hold a puppy until 11 weeks of age – anything between 8 – 12 weeks is standard. Usually it's the mark of a better breeder who has concern for their pups being properly socialised before homing. 6 – 7 weeks is far too young: puppies taken at this age miss out on learning valuable inter-canine social skills.
If she's selling on a spay/neuter contract, it's probably because the puppy is pet quality. Having champion parents and AKC papers alone doesn't mean that a pup is a superb example of its breed or is suitable to show or breed. It's also a responsible move based on the lack of experience most prospective owners will have with breeding; you might want to breed at some stage, but that doesn't mean you should breed or that you have enough knowledge or experience to do so.
As she's also able to show you OFA and CERF scores and the results of other tests recommended by the Shih Tzu parent club, she sounds like a very responsible breeder. $750 would be very reasonable.
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You are dealing with what appears to be a conscientious breeder
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Yikes that sounds like a large amount to me, even for a small dog. I've seen large dog breeds, like full blood retriever puppies, for between 4 and 500 dollars. I dunno about the thing to sign so you will get them spayed or neutered, I think that's silly, but if it is her prerogative, I'd suggest you continue looking.
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no $750 is a great price! this is a great breeder! 6-7wks is way to young! and why not spay and nuder ur pets? i love this breeder shes a very responsible breeder
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First – this sounds like a really reputable breeder and nothing she's doing is stupid!
Only backyard breeders ever let their puppies go at 6 – 7 weeks because that's way too young for a puppy to be separated from their mom and litter mates. This breeder is doing everything correctly.
Also putting spay/neuter contracts on her puppies is the responsible thing to do. You're obviously buying a pet quality puppy and pet puppies are always put on contracts to prevent people from breeding them. Only the very best in any breed are to be used for breeding – just because the parents won best in shows doesn't mean every puppy they produce is show quality.
And an 11 weeks old puppy will bond with you. An adult dog that you buy or adopt will bond with the new owner, so will a puppy.
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wow way to much you couldn't pay me to get a shh Tu. if they were Boston terriers wouldn't be a bad deal sounds like a good breeder. just not a breeder of a good dog
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The spay/neuter contract would be a deal breaker for me. It's your dog, you should be able to do with it as you please, especially if the dog comes from champion lines. Perhaps the breeder feels that this pup is not going to be show quality, but rather pet quality. You can not breed your dog unless you plan to show the dog and have all the necessary health tests, etc. done. Her parents having champion lines isn't enough to entitle you to breed her. I am not against a smaller breed dog staying with the litter until 11 weeks. The pup has much to learn from her litter mates (that biting hurts for example) in that time. The pup will bond with you when you take ownership.
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I think their expensive… idk about the contract but why dont u adopt 1 instead? I mean, what does their pedigree have to do with having a loyal companion?
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petfinder.com
This sounds like an excellent breeder. Frankly, the price is lower than what I would expect.
Responsible breeders rarely let small breed pups go before they are 12 weeks old or so. No, the pup will bond to whoever is caring for it– seriously, there is a reason so many shelter dogs are able to find loving homes, AGE doesn't matter all that much, its more the quality of the home and the owner that make the biggest difference.
If she's selling the dog as a PET and not a breeding/show dog then OF COURSE its going to need to be spayed/neutered. She obviously has decided the pup is not breeding material and should be altered.
Please discuss any and all concerns with the breeder.
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Not stupid at all. She is doing the very best for her dogs, from the sounds of it – a refreshing change than a lot of what we see here.
The price she is asking is very fair for what she offers.
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Ok. First of all none of that is stupid she is being a very responsible breeder. Also if you aren't buying the puppy to be a show dog then their is no point in even considering breeding it. Just because it's parents are best in show doesn't really mean it will be nor will its puppies be. If the breeder is selling it as a pet then it isn't the best example of the breed which is what breeders want. Also by waiting untill the puppy is 11 weeks old your puppy will be better socialized and won't be likely to have dependency issues. And no the puppy will bond to you and will forget about her in a few weeks. Most good breeders do this kind of stuff.
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Research on different breeds on dogs and a pet owner my whole life.
1. The spay neuter contract is not stupid but very common of REPUTABLE breeders. The puppy may not be of show quality which makes them undesirable for breeding. Also, this prevents the puppy from being used in a puppy mill or by a BYB. There is no reason to breed the dog if the dog itself is not a champion.
2. My Shiba was about 15 weeks when she finally came home with me and she has bonded with us without problem. Allowing the puppy to say this long helps its immunity system and is also great for its behavior as the mom and other puppys help to teach bite inhabition. This is also a sign of a REPUTABLE breeder!
I say that you found a wonderful breeder and should be getting a well bred well adjusted dog. The $750 isn't a bad price for a dog that has a health gurantee and has come from champion bloodlines! In my opinion
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Congratulations! You are working with a REPUTABLE, RESPONSIBLE Breeder!
The breeder has already determined that the pups she is selling are not Show/Breeding quality – They are being sold as Pets and pets need to be spayed or neutered.
The longer the Puppy is with it's Dam and Littermates, the less trouble you'll have with Nipping and behavioral problems. Right now, the Dam is teaching her pups VERY important socialization skills. No responsible breeder lets pups go at 6-7 weeks, only BYB's do that. Responsible breeders keep pups until they are between 10-12 weeks.
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Sounds like she is a very responsible breeder. She would only trust breeding rights to another knowledgeable responsible breeder. She doesn't want her lines ruined by someone inexperienced breeding with the dog down the street or who answered the stud ad to affect her lines negatively. Also, she feels she is responsible for every dog in the line so if you were to breed you would not ask for spay/neuter contracts since you think it is stupid and these dogs would be out of her control. 11 weeks is not too old at all. You will have a much better dog, mentally and physically. He won't keep you up all night crying, going through bouts of diarrhea (just don't change his food)., etc. You will have no problem bonding with the puppy.
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i really dont think that 750 is bad you are buying a shih tzu theyre not cheap especially if it has show potential i think the spay and neuter is dumb but if you want the dog registered with papers its going to cost you …
o yeah dont forget to ask her if there is a health guarantee..thats important
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I dont want to spay says the future back yard breeder! sounds to me like avery good breeder to get a pup from
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No $750.00 is a good price for this dog, and as for having to be 11 wks before you can take it home being stupid, no the longer a puppy can sty with mom the more she can teach it. I don't let my puppies leave till they are at least 12 wks.
And as licensed breeders we do have the right to say if pup is allowed to be kept in natural state or if they must be spayed or neutered. Because we don't want puppies from champion blood lines to be cross bred with anything that wags a tail.
If I am selling a puppy as a pet I insist on puppy being spayed or neutered before client pick pup up.
And I also insist on if client breeds animal that it must come back to me to be bred.
If you are looking for a puppy that you can just breed to anything then go to a BYB or puppy mill.
we don't want puppies we sell used as future breeders for puppy mills.
And no puppy will not bond to her as it will be with mom and siblings.
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30 yr breeder standard poodles, owner of General Sheridans Kennels and a Best in Breed Crufts Dog Show 2002 Shasta
Your breeder sounds like she is a responsible breeder. However, considering your knowledge of puppy care & opinion on speuter, I would be hesitant to sell you a goldfish.
I hope you can be educated by your breeder & this board about being a responsible owner before it is too late.
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Every ounce of what this breeder is doing is the RIGHT thing. You're just so used to the scum of the Earth breeders tossing their puppies out in the cold at 6 weeks to have temperament issues later in life, and not caring if they reproduce.
If you plan on breeding, that breeder will NOT allow you to breed unless you participate in shows…
She will co-own the dog with you, and be your show mentor. If this is the route you want to talk, talk to her about it.
And 750.00 is a reasonable price for a quality bred puppy.
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BIS winners are a completely different ball game from your run of the mill breed champion, so quite frankly $750 sounds suspiciously cheap. For BOB winners the price would be about right.
Don't quite know where you have been hiding all this time but 6-7 weeks went by the wayside about 50 years ago.
Most of us with show champions ONLY sell pet quality pups or to pet homes on a spay/neuter contract.
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breeder trainer exhibitor
Hun you should be glad you found yourself a Rep breeder.
Most rep breeders have spay/neuter contacts because they believe in only breeding show quality dogs , so they are selling pet quality dogs , so since they are pets and not show dogs they need to be fixed.
11 weeks is good , more time for the pups to get life lessons from mother and litter mates. When you adopt a 10 year old dog it would still bond to you.
I suggest you stick with this breeder .
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Many reputable breeders have a spay/neuter contract on PET quality puppies. Just because the parents are Best in Show winners, doesnt mean that pup is worth breeding. The breeder wants to be sure that only the absolute best dogs are used for breeding. The puppy may have a small fault, that the breeder feels there are far better examples for breeding.
If you want one for breeding, then you will have to pay more for a show-potential pup.. but she will probably also have a strict show contract on that puppy as well.
6-7 weeks is way too young. Puppies need to stay with mom and litter mates for a minimum of 8 weeks to learn important social skills. 10-12 weeks is a better age to take a puppy home. I got my pup at 12 weeks and he is very bonded to me. He hasnt seen his breeder since I got him, but Im sure he'd be shy towards her if he met her again.
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If all breeders were this good, we at the shelters would declare a national holiday, because good owners buy from good breeders, so there'd be tons less poorly bred, poorly socialized, and sickly pups being abandoned and turned in to the pounds. This woman is doing everything the correct way, and you should take that pup in a heartbeat. Follow her contract and love your healthy dog. From a top-notch breeder, your Shih Tzu should live at least 15 years. Good luck.
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shelter volunteer
She actually sounds like an EXCELLENT breeder!
The contract to spay/neuter is to prevent people who don't know anything about breeding from breeding their dogs. As a breeder she wants to be 100% sure that all her puppies go to responsible homes. A good breeder will KNOW in advance which puppies are show quality and which are not. Just because both parents won champions doesn't mean all the puppies will be show quality. So…she sells the pet quality (which isn't WORSE or bad…just not show quality) puppies for a certain price and makes you sign a spay/neuter contract.
The show puppies she either keeps to continue her breeding program or will sell to a home that has experience showing or breeding or both. It shows she is responsible to limit the contract for all the rest of the puppies.
But if you are SURE you want to breed a dog in the future…talk to her and see if she would let you co-own a pup that is show quality and you can show it and get it to earn its own championship and after it has earned its championship you too would be able to breed it because it has proven it's quality.
I know several breeders who actually do early spay/neuter on pups before they go into new homes to prevent unscrupulous breeding. They just want to be sure that only knowledgeable folks breed dogs they produce or else THEY feel responsible if a bunch of puppies are made that end up with problems or in shelters or without homes due to human mistakes.
Puppies should actually never go home before 8 weeks…and often really caring breeders keep small puppies a bit longer. Being with their littermates 8-12 weeks helps the pups learn discipline (from the mother) and how to have good doggy manners and to not bite too hard. Pups that leave before 8 weeks often have a hard time relating to other dogs and can be more nippy as pups. So I wouldn't worry about that policy and actually be impressed because it shows that she is doing things quite well.
As far as bonding, even adult dogs can bond to a new person. So your pup will be totally fine bonding to you at the young age of 11 weeks. There shouldn't be any problem at all. Bonding will come as you spend time with puppy, train it and help it learn.
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Wow, sounds like a great breeder! Spay/neuter contract is standard with a reputable breeder that is trying to help control BYB's- and 11 weeks is AWESOME! Your pup will be really well socialized when you get it.
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I myself would actually be looking for a breeder like this. She seems to have everything just as it should be. The breeder of mine would not let me have my first 2 which I bought from him together until 12 weeks. #4 was the same age as your little one will be. #3 I fostered him and the litter because by then the breeder and I had become firm friends and he knew I had fostered many kittens and puppies before so when he had a heart attack I took them all including mom until they were ready to go to the owners he had already chosen.
All of mine were on a spay/neuter contract too except the one he was sure was show quality and breeding quality before he left. In fact he encouraged me to show/breed him, but I'm not the breeding type after being in animal rescue for over 30 years. When I look at him today though I see maybe I should have shown him and bred him too because the breeder was right. He is a fantastic example of his breed.
Trust me people want the sort of breeder you have found and as Animal Artwork said the price is actually low for such a good quality pup. I have seen garbage bred by BYB's for that price. You are getting a bargin to my mind. Snap that puppy up while you have the chance. That's if someone else has not beaten you to it.
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Sounds to me that you found yourself a reputable breeder. She is doing everything right.
Enjoy your puppy!
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Exactly what La Comtesse said. She is a responsible breeder, wants to make sure her pups are healthy and have enough time with their mother and littermates before sending them off. She cares about their wellbeing.
As for the spay/neuter contract, this is a wonderful thing that almost all responsible breeders require, to discourage backyard breeders from using their pups.
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I certainly hope the breeder changes her mind to sell to you as you sound like the type to be a pet owner that does not care about the welfare of her pets. I have 2 Shih TZus and a Lhasa, all of mine are spayed as is my daughters Schnauzer. I would not breed just to have a litter of puppies. I am sure you have not had a lot of experience with dogs as anyone knows that the longer a puppy is left with the mother the better off it is. Unless you are going to show , the only reason you would not want to spay/neuter is that you see dollar signs
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This breeder seems to be very professional. 11 weeks is a good time, they will bond to you at this age without a problem and, consider that the later they are separated from their mother, the better behavior, more balanced they will be. Small dogs specially tend to be a real horror show when left alone because mainly they were removed too early from their mothers and they chew everything you don´t want them to- or pee and soil all over your prized furniture. The spay-neuter step is understandable as well, they might not want to have competition on one hand or those dogs might not be of competition level, what we call them ¨toys¨. There might be a scare of hidden disease defects showing with further breeding too. Yet, the price asked could be higher if you decide to go breeding yourself. You could ask this question to the owners and see what they answer, it could clear the question of a hidden disease in the blood line. Remember that having a dog requires a lot of patience, love and compassion. If you just can´t wait the time necessary for the dog to be ready to go, you are not ready as well to be a pet owner!
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