The DOs and DO NOTs of Chihuahua Buying

There are some things you should know before you buy a Chihuahua of any color !

 

BUYER BEWARE-- please be careful of Internet puppy sellers. While the Internet is a wonderful and informative place, unfortunately it has enabled anyone to open up shop. After many years in the breed, I would be very leery of many of the overnight experts that have developed as a result of the Internet. These people are mostly interested in just money and typically do not have years of experience in the breed. They always have multiple litters available (sometimes multiple breeds) and will sell indiscriminately to anyone and will ship puppies all over the country!

Conversely many reputable breeders have web sites and will stand behind their dogs. There are reputable Chihuahua breeders in all parts of the country and I would highly recommend that you do not buy sight unseen over the Internet. Unless you know the breeder in question (and they come with recommendations), it can be a highly risky proposition at best. I receive calls and emails weekly about complaints of Internet breeders. Usually once the sale is completed, you are on your own!

Ideally you should try to buy a puppy locally where you are able to see the litter, the relatives and the conditions in which the dogs are kept. If you need help finding a reputable breeder in your area, Email me and please include your name .

 

 

1 DO NOT buy from a reproducer with no name registrations, APRI, CKC,( continental kennel club ),NKC, ACA, APA, APR, WKC, NAPDR, IKC. These are unregulated registries and there are basically no restrictions for registering dogs. They have no system of kennel inspections. If reproducers are using registries other than AKC there must be a reason , such as AKC's DNA requirements and record keeping. It is against AKC policy for breeders to charge more for AKC registration papers. If the reproducer is doing this, run !

2 DO NOT buy from a reproducer claiming "show quality" puppies and they do not show. No ifs, ands, or buts. They have no idea what they are breeding. These reproducers cannot decipher show quality in a puppy under 4 months of age and not at all if they are not actively exhibiting. You can look up their dog by putting the AKC registered name in a search engine such as google. Show catalogs and results are available online. Ask them for proof they show. International Championships are only available through FCI.

3 DO NOT buy from a reproducer online if they do not even have their name on their web site. How proud can they be of their dogs? What are they hiding?

4 DO NOT buy from a reproducer using any of these terms to describe the dogs, teacup, rare color, miniature, designer lines, tiny tiniest. Chihuahuas are one breed, there is no such thing as a toy or standard, teacup. These are descriptive terms that are used by unknowledgeable reproducers.

5 DO NOT put down a deposit on a pup not born or a pup under 8 weeks old. Be wary of reproducers that allow Chihuahua pups to leave before 12 weeks of age. If they decide which puppy is yours and you don't agree, in many cases your deposit is non-refundable.

6 DO NOT buy from a reproducer that only shows partial pedigrees. If that is important to you, ask to see the whole pedigree. Otherwise know that they are promoting their pups off the work and showing done by legitimate breeder/exhibitors, something they have no knowledge of and yet they use it to sell dogs. A champion in the 3-4 generation is no guarantee of quality.

Recently some have decided to "cross-breed" and now the merle gene is popping up in Chihuahuas. Some are also claiming that this is a natural mutation of genes.

The opinions of three experts in the genetic field , are that it is "highly unlikely" that a mutation has occurred. ( C A Sharp , Dr George Strain,Dr M Willis) Merle Chihuahuas are the result of cross breeding period

Those that want to include the merling gene should have to prove that including the merling gene in a breed where it had not previously existed, will do no harm to the current gene pool.

7 DO NOT buy the new "rare merle" Chihuahuas. This is not a color pattern that has been in Chihuahuas. It most likely appeared after some bred a Dachshund or a Sheltie to a Chihuahua. They can have a vast array of health related problems, including deafness, blindness, and PRA. Most will be over the size for the standard. ( 6 lbs) In the breeds were this color normally occurs, they have limited their acceptable colors to 3-4 only. Chihuahuas can have almost unlimited colors and only breed experts are knowledgeable enough to know the genetic problems that can be caused breeding to certain color patterns.

At this time none of the merles we have seen have been tested for these genetic conditions. Testing is expensive and if the parents are not tested then the results of the offspring should be suspect. Be aware that some states have "puppy lemon laws" and these sellers could be heavily fined for selling pups with health defects.

 

THE CHIHUAHUA CLUB OF AMERICA HAS NOT ACCEPTED THE MERLE CHIHUAHUA AS SOME WILL CLAIM, RATHER THEY HAVE DECIDED NOT TO ALTER THE BREED STANDARD TO DISQUALIFY THE PATTERN AT THIS TIME.

There has been talk among merle chihuahua breeders of selecting the best genes when breeding dogs and they include the admonition " Don't throw the baby out with the bath water". The reason the analogy of " Don't throw the baby out with the bath water", does not apply in this situation is because merle breeders are in a sense trying to "get the baby dirty on purpose". Adding bad genes and then selecting individuals that have the least amount of problems is breeding three steps backward, one step forward. If you don't have these problems what sense does it make to add them? It would take decades to put the breed back to where it was before merle was added. This is selfish breeding and merle breeders are grasping at straws and using articles that relate to breeds that have had merle as part of the breed since that breed's inception. This does not justify the damage that they may cause the Chihuahua gene pool.

Caveat Emptor

( Let The Buyer Beware)