You have decided you want to bring a new Shih Tzu puppy into the family. Before you start scouring the internet for Shih Tzu Puppies for sale, you must figure out what type of breeder you want to work with. There are a lot of breeders that sell Shih Tzu puppies. But, are they ethical and responsible Shih Tzu breeders? Before you visit a ton of websites looking for available Shih Tzu puppies, read on to learn what questions to ask to help you find an ethical Shih Tzu breeder.
Question 1
Does it almost seem too easy to purchase a Shih Tzu puppy from the breeder? This is often a red flag in my opinion. Most Shih Tzu breeders who care about the future of their puppies don’t just give everyone who applies a puppy. Conscientious breeders often have applicants fill out a questionnaire. If the candidate meets application requirements the breeder usually follows up with a phone call, a video conference call, or even a face-to-face meeting.
It is usually easy to spot a reputable Shih Tzu breeder. They work hard to get to know their puppy applicants before promising them a Shih Tzu puppy. Deciding to trust a family with a puppy isn’t usually an instant decision. Ethical breeders want to be sure that the puppy’s needs will be met by the potential family. Matching Shih Tzu Puppies to the right family is essential to the well-being of the puppy and the family.
Question 2
Is there a contract with a health guarantee in place? An ethical Shih Tzu Breeder should have a contract with a health guarantee in place. The health guarantee is put in place to protect prospective puppy owners in case the unthinkable happens. What if your Shih Tzu puppy contracts a genetic disease when he or she is 9 months old? Will the breeder refund you the purchase price? Nobody wants to think of these types of things when they’re searching for a Shih Tzu puppy. But, the reality is that things can happen. Your breeder must be fair and just in these types of situations. A health guarantee helps bring peace of mind to puppy owners.
Question 3
Do the breeding parents in the program go through health testing before producing a litter? Each breed of dog is susceptible to certain diseases. Responsible breeders should rule out common health conditions in breeding adults before a mating occurs. For instance, Shih Tzus are a pretty hearty breed. The parent breed club doesn’t require any mandatory health testing. But, it still is a good idea to run a genetic panel on adults to be sure there aren’t any hereditary conditions lurking in the lines.
Question 4
Does the Shih Tzu breeder offer lifetime breeder support? If you run into an issue with your puppy after go-home day will your breeder be there to help you figure out a plan of action? A good breeder will always be there to help clients through the good and the bad for the puppy’s entire life. An ethical breeder genuinely cares for the puppies and wants to help make sure they’re living their best lives.
Question 5
Find out the type of environment your puppy is being raised in. Are the Shih Tzu puppies living indoors or outdoors? Are the puppies being raised as part of the family? There is a big difference between a puppy that lives in a breeder’s home and is part of the family. Puppies that receive daily human interaction and love typically have much better social skills.
It is also important to find out if the puppy spends his days in a crate or a larger enclosure such as a puppy playpen. If the puppy spends the entire day in a crate alone how will he or she learn about the world? Puppy Socialization is so important in the first few months of life. Make sure your puppy has plenty of opportunities to socialize while under breeder care.
Question 6
What type of food is being fed to the parents and offspring? High-quality food is essential when it comes to optimal health. A breeder who feeds cheap kibble probably isn’t helping set your future Shih Tzu puppy up for success. We are what we eat to a certain degree. The same thing goes for our dogs. A puppy’s delicate gut microbiome blueprint develops during the early stages of life. If your puppy is fed high-end food the benefits may last a lifetime.
Question 7
Do the parents live on the property full-time? Shih Tzu puppies should have access to mom and littermates for at least the first 10 weeks of life. Shih Tzu Puppies learn lifelong skills from their mother and siblings during the important first 3 months of development. Also, find out if the parents live in the home, outdoors, or in a separate building. It is important to know the type of care the parents receive as well.
Question 8
Do the puppies receive a head-to-toe vet check before go-home day? The Shih Tzu puppies should see a veterinarian before they head home. A veterinarian may find something upon exam that the family to be needs to know. An honest Shih Tzu breeder will be transparent with future puppy owners.
Also, all core vaccinations should be given by the veterinarian. Not all vaccines are stored properly. If a vaccine isn’t temperature regulated it may not be effective. Vaccines such as DHPP must be administered properly to protect against deadly diseases such as Parvovirus. Furthermore, make sure the puppy is up to date on deworming.
Question 9
Are the puppies in the litter going through developmentally appropriate socialization protocols? Puppies learn more during the critical socialization period than at any other time in their life. The puppies’ brains are like little sponges during this period of development that takes place from weeks 3 to 12. Shih Tzu breeders must educate themselves on proper ways to socialize puppies during this critical period of development.
Question 10
Have the parents and puppies gone through temperament testing? It is important to know the temperament of the parent dogs because temperament is hereditary to a certain extent. It is unethical to breed a Shih Tzu with an undesirable temperament. It is also awesome if the Shih Tzu Breeder temperament tests the puppies in the litter. Temperament testing isn’t a guarantee of adult personality but it does give a basic idea of the puppy’s emerging temperament which is nice to consider when choosing a puppy.
To sum things up, when looking for available Shih Tzu puppies remember to search for a reputable and responsible Shih Tzu breeder. Shih Tzu Breeders all sell cute puppies but may operate their program in a very different fashion. You may pay a little more for a puppy from a program with all the extra bells and whistles, but isn’t it worth it in the end knowing that your puppy received the very best care from the start of life?
