HOW TO PICK ANY DOG BREEDER
Opinion By Karen DeAngelo
Professional Breeder since 1986

 THIS IS A VERY UNPOPULAR PAGE WITH CROOKED BREEDERS ON THE NET
WHO IN MY OPINION SHOULDN'T EVEN OWN A DOG!
              Educational page on HOW TO SMELL A RAT IN THE DOG BUSINESS.

There are many good breeders out there,
and this tells you HOW TO FIND THEM.
This page is for CONSUMER EDUCATION.



SOURCES TO FIND A GOOD BREEDER

 #1 ASK A VET! They KNOW who is who!
SHOP around for a GOOD vet!
READ Consumer Reports July 2003 Issue on Vets and Pets.
Just like Doctors for humans, there are good and bad.

#2. RESEARCH. Start with the NET.  READ.  
Take at least a MONTH to search the net
and MAKE NOTES! LOOK at the dogs they are selling!
DO THEY MEET THE  AKC STANDARD? 
Most other registries have a lot to be desired, like TRUE LINEAGE.
NO ONE DNA's BUT AKC!

LOOK at the information provided by the seller...
SOME people do not even GIVE THEIR NAME or LOCATION!
They HIDE, not giving you too much to go on,
because they are RUNNING from something... like the city officials.
LOOK in DOG MAGAZINES to get web addresses and START THERE!

Many show breeders use free web sites because they have few pups a year
and their money is used for showing. HOWEVER, people who are novice or
don't show, spend any money on advertising.
 Do you think they spend money on good dogs?
GET REFERENCES from many customers.
 
#4. PROFESSIONAL BREEDERS have protocols of HEALTH.
If a person tells you, "My dogs don't have WORMS, so we don't worm the pups",
They don't worm without a fecal exam?
This person is a NOVICE.

#5 PEDIGREES
If a person does not have a pedigree of the parents, go elsewhere.
This person who does NOT even know the lineage will not know the genetic problems in
certain lines! THIS IS NOT A BREEDER. THEY ARE A PUPPY-MILLER!
Pedigree depth of 3 generations is where the breeder is able to control
traits bred in the dogs. Some of my dogs are 5 generations bred by me.
That is why our pups have a certain "look". Like family traits.
Here is an example of a pup we choose to breed:

Also: heavy coated, fabulous proven genetically clean pedigree,
4th Generation Glory Ridge Born,
Great head, loving, curious personality, large enough to carry pups in a healthy way,
small enough to love on lap. Symmetrical markings, white feet, tail, blaze, even mask,
flat face, square body.

"Glory Ridge Patriot Miss L"
 
#6. If the person has few litters a year, and does not show,
 they are a part-time hobbyist.
You can chance it, but you might want $1200. stashed in the bank for
vet bills.

#7. KENNELS are IMPORTANT TOOLS for a PROFESSIONAL.
Forget this garbage that IF you have a KENNEL you are a PUPPY-MILLER.
IF YOU BREED JUNK, YOU ARE A PUPPY-MILLER if you have ONE LITTER!!!!!
Stud males urinated all over to mark territory.
A breeder who does not have a kennel, either has to cage the stud or 
lets him pee all over the house.
SOUNDS LIKE A PRO TO ME!
PROFESSIONAL Breeders DO NOT ALLOW visitors IN the kennel!
We are DISEASE conscious and it's NOT that we are hiding anything...
we don't want to adopt the GERMS hiding on YOU!
Like PARVO!!!!
So back off the inspection! The INSPECTORS for the STATE demand this practice!
WHAT? The breeder isn't STATE licensed?
If they operate illegally, they don't have enough honesty to be selling pups.

#8. FORGET the garbage that IF a dog is BRED every heat, the person is a PUPPY-MILLER.
FACT: NATURE skips heats. Dogs MUST be bred every heat if you don't want UTERINE DISEASE. (That does NOT mean a dog CONCEIVES every heat!)
This is QUOTED from 2 of the nations TOP VETS!
Progesterone levels stay up 2 months in dogs not bred. 
This is why you should spay your dog before the first heat. 
KENNELED dogs DO NOT come into heat as often as house pets!
  
#9. "GOOD breeders belong to American Shih-Tzu CLUB".
Who says THAT?
American Shih-Tzu CLUB does!
There are good breeders NOT in ASTC.

#10. Get a guarantee that is at least a year for kidney disease.
 Most kd show up by 12 months.

#11. Make SURE your pup has parvo shot at least 10 days BEFORE you get it. 
This is still no guarantee if it was nursing on Mom, unless it is the NEOPAR PARVO VACCINE which overrides maternal antibodies

12.Pups should be weaned by 6-7 weeks. 
Pups should be on solid food 2 weeks before you get it.
Pups digestive system develops normally when fed solid food. 
Some sick pups thrive until they are weaned.
Especially ones with liver shunts.
They die when weaned. it could take up too 2 weeks.
Sooooooo...you take a pup home at 6 weeks (which is against USDA law, by the way)
and it DIES. The producer tells you it's YOUR fault. 
NOPE! It's THEIR fault.
NO pup should leave a home before 8 weeks. 
This 2 weeks may be the only chance a breeder has to 'test' the health of the pup.

13. GENETIC TESTING.
UNRELIABLE.
Just because a dog is a winner in looks, doesn't mean he's a winner in genes.
Don't be fooled.
Even the best breeders get stung.
There is NO 100% guarantee that a dog will not develop disease, just like a human.
Some blood tests and urine tests are very good predictors of future bad disease,
but not always.

14. If you see a shih-tzu you adore, ASK THE OWNER for the breeders name.
ASK them if the breeder was helpful after the sale.
Ask if the dog is healthy.
Ask if the dog turned out like the breeder claimed.

 15. BROKERS
USDA LAW is that if you resell pups for another breeder and make a profit, you are brokering. YOU MUST be USDA LICENSED to do this.
Many shih-tzu sites SELL PUPPY MILL DOGS that they buy for around $100.
as their own for several hundred dollars.
THEY ARE NOT LICENSED USDA Brokers.
They DO NOT tell you they are brokering.
There are HUGE fines for brokering without a license.
BE SURE THE DOG YOUR BUYING CAME FROM WHERE YOU ARE BUYING IT FROM!!!
If they are not upfront about this, go elsewhere.
IF THIS HAPPENS TO YOU, TURN THEM IN TO USDA!
I was a USDA Licensed Broker for a year @ 1995. I bought dogs from
good breeders I know from my professional organization. I hand picked them
and sent them to a person on the East Coast who resold the dogs out of her home.
People got great healthy pups from these breeders I choose.
Unfortunately for me, the person on the East coast ripped me off
$4000. in puppies and I stopped providing this service.
My business was all I could handle at Glory Ridge, and so
I dropped my USDA license. People hold this against me that I bought pups from commercial breeders (who despite what you hear on the news, aren't all bad!).
Animal rights people (who love to harass breeders) think you have NO RIGHT to OWN
an animal and we should have NO RIGHT to breed animals.

16. NUTRITION IS ESSENTIAL!
Does the breeder know SQUAT about it? ASK! If they feed SOY based food...RUN!
By-products are also junk.
Dogs are NOT vegetarians and need MEAT sources of food.
You feed your shih-tzu table scraps?
Don't complain it's the breeders fault when the dog gets sick!
Dog food is formulated to dog's nutritional needs.
RAW MEAT FAD DIETS ARE CAUSING LIVER DISEASE!
WET FOOD IS CAUSING DIGESTIVE DISEASE!

YOU WANT TO BE A BREEDER?
ATTEND SEMINARS AND 
APPRENTICE UNDER AN ESTABLISHED  BREEDER.

I want to make it CLEAR that ALL pups from Glory Ridge
ARE GLORY RIDGE DOGS. 
 WE MAY PROMOTE
OTHER KENNELS ON OUR SITE.
WE DON'T BUY THEIR PUPS FOR RESALE.
CONTACT THEM TO BUY PUPS FROM THEM.
WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR PUPS,
WE JUST BELIEVE THEY HAVE GOOD DOGS 
AND CAN BE TRUSTED.
I have to tell you I have lost confidence in recommending
very many people. I find most people don't care what they
breed, as long as they make a buck.
Other breeders on the net are buying pups from 
LOCAL PUPPY MILLS and BACKYARD BREEDERS AND
selling them to the public as their own!
THIS IS ILLEGAL BROKERING!
YOU MAY BE BUYING A $100. Puppy mill dog
FOR A FAT PRICE UNDER SOMEONE ELSE'S NAME!
IF THIS HAS HAPPENED TO YOU, REPORT THEM TO THE
USDA FOR LEGAL ACTION!!!


NOVICE (according to Webster)=
 One who is new at any business; one unacquainted or unskilled; 
one in the rudiments; a beginner; an inexperienced or untrained person.

If you want to buy a dog from a novice, it's a free country!
Just know what your getting for your money.

DON'T be swindled by some novice who bred their dog
  to a local pet and zapped it on the net for a FAT PRICE.
BE A WISE CONSUMER!
BEWARE OF PEOPLE WHO OFFER STUD SERVICE
AND DON'T BREED THEIR OWN DOGS WITH LOVER BOY.
WHAT DO THEY CARE IF FIDO THROWS HEREDITARY DISORDERS?
IT'S ALL ABOUT MONEY!
YOUR MONEY.

I am a breeder who services my clients.
Does YOURS?
Please don't expect me to give you free advice on another's dog.
If you want advice, BUY A DOG FROM ME.
THAT comes with the PRICE of my dogs!
I am NOT as expensive as you may think!
You pay MORE in a PET SHOP.

Don't go looking for liable/slander on the web.
A person who publicly slanders another is a lawbreaker.
Breeders who slander others are
lawbreakers at heart.....
and they want you to TRUST them and buy their pups?
Law, or lack there-of, enables them to lie to the hilt and
no one cares to stop them short of civil court.
They LIE about Me, and they will LIE to you.
It's ALL about MONEY.

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