Hi All, i am a long time shih Tzu fanatic finally decided it’s time. my first mistake was going to a pet shop where I had seen a shih tzu advertisement. I wish I never went in pet shop, tis pretty sad , I wish I could rescue all of them. anyway I did fall in love with the shih tzu I went to visit. Here are my questions… 1. Is is really bad to buy a pup from a pet store? I wanted to use a breeder but couldn’t find one nearby. Pretty sure she came from a puppymill but they were telling me her father is pedigree. 2. Please see pics of her eyes , do they look okay to you. Kind of looks like something is wrong. 3. She had hernia and nose repair after birth, is that something to worry about ? 4. See pic of mom and dad (pic 3)any idea of how she will look like as far as body type ? I kind of wanted a full size shih tzu that looks like the 4th pic attached. I kind of just want to rescue her from that place but I know I am a first time owner and don’t want to struggle If she is going. Have all these problems.
It is difficult to walk away, but as a first time owner, I HIGHLY recommend you do so. More than likely, she is a puppy mill dog. As long as people continue buying these dogs, whether out of ignorance or a desire to "rescue them", the puppy mills will continue to breed dogs indiscriminately. The truth is, if you buy this puppy, you are NOT rescuing her. You are buying her from a puppy mill / bad breeder. A quality breeder will NEVER put their puppy in a pet store to sell. EVER. I recommend you check out the American Shih Tzu Club at www.shihtzu.org to get information about the breed, quality breeding, warning signs, etc, BEFORE you get a puppy. While I realize you want a puppy now, it is better to wait for a puppy from a quality breeder than to buy from a puppy mill / bad breeder. If you are not set on getting a puppy, you can contact quality breeders regarding adult dogs they may have. Some may be returned or may be retired breeding dogs and some may be true rescues from puppy mills, etc. If you want to rescue a dog, adopt through a legitimate shelter or rescue group.
I couldn't agree more. It was interesting to see the result of nasal surgery in photo 2, but it is so sad that a baby puppy has had to endure this. It is hard to forecast whether there will be any further problems - a vet would be the best person to ask - they do a lot of remedial operations in flat faced breeds. Hopefully the situation will improve when all breeders concentrate on health matters rather than the saleability of puppies.
Thank you both. I’ve decided to wait and buy from a reputable breeder. I still feel very bad for her.
It's hard not to feel sorry for her. And our instincts all say "just buy her and get her out of there" - but doing so only encourages these people to keep doing this for the money.
To select a healthy puppy, it is important to do your research. Observe the litter mates in action, and survey their overall appearance. Do they all play together or is there a quiet one that retreats to a corner? Watch them move to see how they stack up with one another. In order to choose the right puppy, you should talk to the owner to ask about appetite and eliminations, then observe the litter's activity level and general attitude. Finally, survey their overall appearance do the puppies' coats shine?
