When you are ready to buy a Shih Tzu dog you are ready to bring a new member into your family and that is a big deal and an important transaction. The Shih Tzu breeder you choose needs to be someone you feel comfortable doing business with and someone you can trust. Also gauge the feeling of the breeder as well. A breeder that does not seem to really care about the dogs he is selling is probably not worth doing business with.
Finding the right Shih Tzu breeder takes a lot of time and a lot of patience. You don’t want to settle on the first one you meet and a good breeder knows that a good owner will do their homework before buying a dog. So you aren’t hurting a good breeder’s feelings by acting responsibly. If in your travels you see any animal cruelty by any breeders be sure to report it to the proper authorities right away.
A good and reputable Shih Tzu breeder makes all of their information very public and wants you to know they have nothing to hide. One of the ways they do this is they join the national breeder registries as a sign of good business. The gold standard for breeding registries is the National Kennel Club but check and see if your breeder is listed with any registry at all. They will tell you if they are and always check it out for yourself on the Internet.
You can also contact the local authorities in your area to see if a Shih Tzu breeder you are considering has any complaints against them. This is a step many people neglect to do but a breeder will smile at you and tell you anything you want to hear while they are trying to sell you a dog.
Remember that a good breeder has nothing to hide so if the authorities know something that you didn’t know then you may want to avoid that breeder.
Your vet is always a great resource for any kind of advice or information you may need on any of the prospective Shih Tzu breeders you are considering. If you are getting your first pet then it would be a good idea to start a relationship with a vet anyway and what better way to start off with your new vet than taking their advice on a breeder?
Your vet is only in it for the health and safety of your pet so their advice will reflect that concern and that is the information you need.
A breeder is someone you will be talking to about your pet for many years so do not be hasty and do not choose one without talking to them first. You have to feel comfortable with your breeder because you will need to ask them advice in the future. So take your time, talk a lot to all of the breeders you are considering, and then make the right choice because this very important decision to you and your family.
