The Pros And Cons Of Getting Your Puppy From A Shih Tzu Breeder
Shih Tzus make fabulous pets, especially for those living in small homes and don’t have a lot of time to play with their dogs. Shih Tzus make ideal companions for the elderly and for children. It’s no wonder that Shih Tzus are so popular. Unfortunately, this popularity has also lead to some Shih Tzus being treated very cruelly in the name of making a steady buck. Here is the Shih Tzu information your local pet store, selling Shih Tzu puppies, does not want you to know.
These torture chambers for dogs are called puppy mills. There, dogs have no exercise, usually no vet care and live in tiny wire cages until they can no longer breed, then they are shot or pummeled to death. One central Pennsylvania puppy mill worker defended puppy mills as saying that “Puppies are biodegradable.” (Source: Philadelphia Inquirer.) Very rarely do people buy directly from puppy mills - they buy indirectly through pet stores that sell puppies and through web sites.
Now, you may be tempted to buy a pet shop puppy just because he or she has been so mistreated and you want to make up for it. Don’t do it - don’t even walk in the shops, don’t even look in the windows. Since they are puppies, some schmuck will buy them because they are cute. Don’t be that schmuck. You also need to keep the long-term perspective in mind for the future care of dogs in general.
Shih Tzu breeders offer you not only a healthy, beautiful puppy, but also access to their treasure trove of Shih Tzu information. Reputable Shih Tzu breeders will never stop being concerned for all of the puppies they sell. They might even make a surprise visit just to check up to see if you are good enough for their puppies. The best Shih Tzu breeders will take back a dog at any point in the dog’s life if you have to give up the dog.
Not only are you getting your next best friend from an ethical source, a reputable Shih Tzu breeder, you are getting a healthy dog too. Most importantly, you get the assurance that you and your Shih Tzu are matched in personality and temperament.
All pet store puppies do twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week is sit in a cage and occasionally get to be handled for a few minutes by shoppers. For those of you who are up on your Shih Tzu information, you know this is the WORST possible treatment of a potential pet.
Nobody wins when a puppy is bought from a pet store. The buyer doesn’t win, because they have a sickly and maladjusted puppy. The puppy’s parents sure don’t win, being forced to live in overcrowded wire cages until they are shot for being too old to breed. But the biggest loser is the puppy.
How’s that for pet insurance! And you can often call up a reputable Shih Tzu breeder to ask for help and advice on training your feisty Shih Tzu puppy.
