Shih Tzu Puppies for Sale – How to Spot a Good Shih Tzu Breeder
This subject hits home because I lost over $1000 with what was supposed to be a great Shih Tzu breeder in Alabama. Let me tell you my story and then I will tell you what I personally went through for many months.
We lost our male Shih Tzu to congested heart failure which I guess is very common in Shih Tzus. A few months past and my wife and I thought maybe it would be a great idea to get another but a little older. We did some research and found a breeder in Alabama that had an eight-month-old female Shih Tzu. The breeder had claims of selling her Shih Tzu’s to royalty and had professional photos of the dogs. We read all the reviews and my wife was convinced after speaking with the breeder that she wanted the girl.
We paid a $1000 non-refundable deposit. I will continue the story as I go through the warning signs of breeders that I figured out the hard way.
How To Avoid a Bad Dog Breeder
Some dog breeders are simply irresponsible. The term “backyard breeder” is sometimes used to describe dog breeders with little experience or self-taught and believe they know everything. Typically, they breed dogs without taking the time to make good genetic matches, or to have dogs registered with the appropriate kennel club/breed club. Though the backyard breeder is not considered to be as unethical as those who run puppy mills, one can consider a backyard breeder the opposite of a responsible dog breeder.
In our case, she claimed she was previously registered with AKC as a registered breeder but didn’t keep up her membership because it was a big racket to take money from breeders.
Shih Tzu Breeder Warning Sign #1 – AKC Registration
Make sure the breeder is registered with an approved breeder association such as the AKC American Kennel Club. You ask why? While the AKC does not have penal or regulatory authority, AKC conducts thousands of its own inspections each year. Breeders who have major kennel deficiencies may lose AKC privileges (ability to register dogs or compete in events). In some cases, fines will be imposed, AKC privileges may be suspended indefinitely and appropriate law enforcement authorities are contacted. If you would like to ensure that the breeder you are dealing with is in good standing with the AKC.
In our case, the breeder was not registered because she could not meet the standards of the American Kennel Club or any association. I cannot prove it but she likely lost her registration or never had one. She mentioned that she was an animal lover and volunteered at the local Humane Society where she worked with many cats now because dogs were too difficult. That should have been red flag #1. She said she was getting out of the business of breeding Shih Tzu’s but is still in business.
We were told that if we got papers we would have to pay another $3000 and that the papers meant nothing. She said she would write us up a receipt and get a note from the vet stating the delivery date. Don’t leave the premises without the appropriate documentation of the dog’s pedigree, a.k.a. “papers.” The words “American Kennel Club” as well as the AKC logo should be clearly visible. You’ll need to send in this application form to register your dog with the AKC. Be wary of a breeder who refuses/hesitates to give you papers, wants to charge you more for AKC papers, offers papers from a registry other than the AKC, or tells you he/she will mail them to you at a later date.
Ultimately when we got our new little girl, not from this breeder we had AKC papers and confirmed she was registered with the AKC. Our good Shih Tzu breeder insisted on the papers, we didn’t even have to ask.
Shih Tzu Breeder Warning Sign #2 – Shih Tzu Puppy Photos
This is an interesting subject. I know as you read this your saying all the signs were there. Understand we were still morning from the death of our little boy and most of all our 6-year-old Shih Tzu was not eating because he missed his brother so much. We almost lost him because of the depression he was going through, that will be another article.
The Alabama Shih Tzu breeder when asked for additional pictures of the Shih Tzu we put a deposit on stated this, I have all my pictures taken professionally and we would need to pay for them. My wife asked her to take pictures on her cell phone and text them. The breeder said she was technically challenged with taking pictures on her phone and texting them. This is when I knew we were in trouble. The breeder was probably in her 40’s. You tell me someone in their 40’s that doesn’t know how to take a picture with a cell phone and text it. This lady had an excuse for everything and even go very defensive.
The bottom-line is any reputable Shih Tzu breeder will send you photos in fact they want to share images as they prepare for their new home. Once we found our Shih Tzu breeder in Tennessee she sent us pictures every couple of weeks as she was growing. Our new dog breeder knew what we went through with the previous so-called Shih Tzu breeder.
Don’t expect to bring home the puppy until its eight to 12 weeks of age. Puppies need ample time to mature and socialize with its mother and littermates. If a breeder tries to send the puppy off prior to that time be careful and understand they need that time with their mother. Our breeder held onto our new little puppy longer because she hadn’t met the qualified weight to be sent home. Breeders should be willing to answer any questions you have and should ask many of you as well. Breeders will want to make sure their puppies are going to good homes, with people who know what to expect and have made all the necessary preparations.
Shih Tzu Breeder Warning Sign #3 – Shih Tzu Veterinary Records
Can I see the veterinary records of the puppies and their parents?
If the breeder cannot produce these, walk away. If the breeder has the records, but the puppies have not been vaccinated or dewormed (and there are no plans to do so), walk away. The bad breeder we were dealing with said she had no veterinary records but could list the shots they received.
The new good breeder we found produced all veterinary records and handed them all to us at the time we picked up our new Shih Tzu puppy.
Shih Tzu Breeder Warning Sign #4 – The Breeder Doesn’t Screen You
Establish a good rapport with the breeder. He/she will be an excellent resource and breed mentor for you throughout the life of your puppy. You should be encouraged to call the breeder if your dog has a crisis at any stage of its life.
The breeder doesn’t screen you or ask questions about your home environment and the life you can provide for the puppy. A responsible breeder may ask you to sign a contract indicating that if specified conditions of care are not met or you become unable to keep the puppy, he/she will reclaim it.
Shih Tzu Breeder Warning Sign #5 – Observe The Premises
In our case, we were on our way twice to go meet the breeder and pick up our puppy from the first bad breeder and she sent us on a wild goose chase. The first time we were supposed to pick her up the breeder told us she went into heat and we could not take her. She said she had to be spayed prior to leaving being she was 8 months old. Ironically she went into heat that morning when we were an hour into our 4-hour drive.
At this point, I had enough and I got on the phone and started asking real questions. Her first thing out of mouth was, “You Don’t Trust Me”? My response was absolutely not because I never met her in my life. She freaked out when I said no and said she almost crashed her car, wishful thinking, kidding.
We gave her one more chance. Okay, get this, after waiting almost 2 months for the puppy to get through heat she said couldn’t get her into her veterinarian because they lost a vet tech. She said she would take her to a vet in Huntsville, Alabama and meet her there. She said we would need to wear a protective suit to walk into the Huntsville veterinary clinic because of disease. Well, once again we were on our way and she called and said she didn’t want to take her there.
Visit the breeder’s home or kennel and ask to see at least one of the puppy’s parents. Get an idea of what the future holds for your dog in terms of temperament and appearance. Observe the premises. Is the house/kennel clean? Odor-free? Dogs and puppies should be clean, well-fed, lively and friendly. Look for signs of malnutrition such as protruding rib cages or illness such as runny nose/eyes, coughing, lethargy and skin sores. Pay attention to how the dogs and puppies interact with their breeder. Does the breeder appear to genuinely care for the puppies and their adult dogs? Both dogs and puppies should not shy away from the breeder and should be outgoing with strangers.
Finding a Good Shih Tzu Breeder
Here are some good options for finding your new dog (hopefully, we are in agreement that pet store and sight unseen online purchases are not good options. If you are open to adopting an adult dog, let the staff of your local shelter or humane society know what you are looking for- a surprising number of purebred dogs wind up there. I also encourage you to contact breed-specific rescue organizations (google the name of your breed along with the word “rescue”). Life’s unforeseen circumstances (death, divorce, financial woes, etc.) cause many wonderful dogs to end up with rescue groups.
Another good option for finding your new dog is via a reputable breeder. (For the sake of my writing sanity and your reading sanity, throughout this article I refer to breeders with the feminine pronoun.) The word reputable is 
reserved for the breeder who is truly passionate about the breed she fancies. Not only does she possess knowledge about the breed’s history, she knows everything there is to know about their inherited health issues (every single breed has them), temperament, and special needs. She is a wealth of information about breed ancestries (pedigrees) and the reading material on her nightstand likely includes breed-related magazines. Compare this description to what is referred to as the “backyard breeder,” the individual who produces pups without giving significant thought to inherited diseases, pedigrees, conformation, performance, or temperament. Their reasons for breeding have nothing to do with preserving the integrity of the breed; perhaps they want their children to witness the “miracle of birth,” believe in the myth that healthy female dogs must have a litter, or are naïve enough to believe that producing pups is a money-making proposition.
Working with a reputable breeder provides the very best insurance policy that your new pup will have an ideal temperament and the genetic potential for a lifetime of good health. So, how do you go about finding a reputable breeder? I encourage you to attend some dog shows and local breed club functions to do some schmoozing. Take note of any consensus you perceive (positive or negative) about particular breeders. Pay an online visit to the American Kennel Club (if you reside in the United States) and/or the national breed-specific association (i.e. Golden Retriever Club of America). These sites contain referrals to breeders, but in no way guarantees that they are reputable– you still need to do your homework! Once you’ve created your “shortlist” of puppy providers, use the list below of a dozen simple ways to be certain you are working with a reputable breeder.
Conclusion
Ultimately I lost a $1200 deposit, headaches and heartaches, travel time, loss of work, and so much more. Thankfully we ended up with a beautiful little Shih Tzu girl with a breeder that was incredible out of Tennessee. We paid far less and found a trusted breeder. I wrote this article to help prevent this situation in the future for anyone else. If you need the name of the Alabama Shih Tzu breeder, please reach out to me directly.
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