I have written this page for one reason.  I love dogs.  I adore dogs.  And without the proper information a person
can make a mistake that not only affects that individual himself, but also promotes some very bad practices and
people. I only want to educate.  This page is not even meant as an endorsement of myself or my dogs.  Forget
about me and my breeding program while reading this page.  It applies to ALL breeds!!  This page is meant to 
protect dogs and the people who love and acquire them. 

We show and breed the chihuahua because we love and enjoy the breed, want to improve it
and provide people with healthy, well-socialized chihuahuas that are wonderful representations
of the breed.  However, there are many individuals out there that breed chihuahuas carelessly
and/or for profit only.  I urge anyone that is interested in acquiring a chi to PLEASE go to a
reputable and ethical breeder. Here are some tips to remember:
 
A reputable breeder will:

Ask you questions:  Some may seem a bit personal, but remember: we love our dogs
and want them to go to the best homes possible.  We have done so very much more than
simply pairing a male and female.  If what is behind your prospective puppy does not concern
you, then perhaps a hamster or another short-lived pet might be best for you.  Fifteen years is a
long time to live with an unhealthy or mean dog.

Answer your questions:  He or she will be patient and willing to speak with you at a
time convenient to both parties.  If the breeder states that no genetic/hereditary problems have
ever plagued her lines, she is dishonest. 

Have nothing to hide:  The breeder should allow you to see his or her chihuahuas and
where they are housed if seperate from the home.  The dogs should be clean, well kept, and
appear healthy. The house may not be spotless, but the dogs should be. If the house stinks,
the dogs are covered in filth, the cages are disgusting - leave and leave quickly.

Stay in contact:  He or she will be available for questions or conerns throughout the dog's
lifetime.  The breeder should also offer to take the dog back if ever the buyer cannot keep the dog. 
The breeder is forever responsible for the dog she/he created.

Preferably Exhibit their dogs:   Breeders that show their dogs are adhering to the
written standard for the breed and judging their dogs accordingly.  This means that a chihuahua
will look like a chihuahua, and act like a chihuahua.  Breeders that do not show are likely not very
knowledgeable not only when it comes to how a chihuahua should look - but on important health
and genetic matters as well and you may very well pay for their mistakes!  There are exceptions of
course, but if you want a chi that looks like a chi go to a show breeder.  On the other hand, if the
show breeder is obviously more interested in ribbons and awards and her status than in her
individual charges, seems unintersted in or brushes off your questions pertaining to potty
training and other pet-related issues - go elsewhere.  Unfortunately, there are those
breeder/exhibitors who are more interested in winning than the well-being of their dogs.

Contracts:  A contract outlining what is expected of both parties at the time of purchase and
beyond.  Many breeders state that said pup should be seen by a veterinarian within a certain
period after puppy is obtained/purchased.  Often general care is mentioned and what to expect
if the dog becomes ill or dies or simply needs to be placed elsewhere.  A breeder SHOULD
ALWAYS take back (not necessarily buy back) one of his or her dogs if the situation arises.  
There should be a clause to this effect in the contract.  The breeder brought the dog into this
world and he/she should be responsible for the dog's entire life. 

Stand Behind his or her dogs:  A good breeder will offer a refund or replacement
puppy should the puppy become ill, disabled, or die strictly due to a hereditary problem. 
Examples, crippling patellar luxation, hydrocephalus, epilepsy. This is an ethical breeder's worst
nightmare and he or she should work with you and honor the contract.

Watch out for the following:

Again, ALL dogs deserve love.  That is without question.  The reason for this section is that too
many breeders breed "purebred" dogs with no attention to the breed standard.  This results in 
various terms used to describe dogs that are not much different than any dog you can find in a
shelter.  Terms such as "deer-head", "rare" (typically referring to colors that are rare for a
reason - such as blue which commonly comes with a condition known as "alopecia" which
results in hair loss and probable immune-related issues).  Most exhibitor/breeders stay
away from this color for that reason.  Now we have merle in chihuahuas,which I believe came
about due to the miniaturizing of the australian shepherd.  A mix.  What is wrong with this? 
Breeding dogs should be a serious mission to preserve orbetter the breed.  Breeders that
intentionally breed chis that go against the standard are doing little more than breeding
glorified mongrels, which you can obtain from your local animal shelter and save a life!  
I recently received an email from one such breeder criticizing me for educating people about
the term teacup.  She uses the term.  It is not endorsed by reputable breeders, the CCA, or the
AKC.  I aksed her why she used the term.  I received no answer.  Of course, the answer is money. 
I consider the term fraudulent because I have seen so many eight to ten pound chihuahuas
that were obtained from a "breeder" who sold them as teacups. 
And you better believe they paid for that term.  Quite possibly more than they would have paid a
responsible and ethical breeder/exhibitor!
If they'd only done a bit more research.

Instead of patronizing these careless breeders, go to your local animal shelter and save a life. 
If you really want a purebred chihuahua, do your homework or at the very least contact the breed
club, the CCA for breeder referrals.  Link will be provided soon!

Stay away from individuals offering the following:

- Rare colors or patterns for higher prices.

- Guarantee of adult size (not possible!)  An educated guess based on experience and one's lines
is all you can offer new owners!  A guarantee is crazy and probably goes along with a "T-cup".  
Hmmm, perhaps I should start up a new type of chi for financial gain....nah, I'll stick to the
BREED STANDARD!

 - Teacups, short hair, long haired.  These terms are not used in our breed.  We have smooth coats 
and long coats.  Again, teacup is not a recognized term.  No knowledgeable breeder will use it.

A NOTE ON MERLES:   There is much controversy over the merle pattern in chihuahuas.  I will not go into detail about the genes responsible or the problems such as blindness, deafness, that can occur from two copies of the merle gene. 
What I will say is that I believe that the merle pattern was created very recently by crossing the chihuahua with another breed that is known for carrying this pattern, such as the dachsund.  What this means is that the merle chihuahua is likely not a purebred. 
The debate over merles has become such a nasty, hateful ordeal.  Although I have no interest in the pattern itself, I can understand that some breeders may like this look and want to incorporate it into their breeding program.  It doesn't really matter now how or when the merling gene came into our breed.   The CCA voted and the pattern is allowed.

So, bottom line, merle is now in our breed.  Period.  We can choose not to incorporate this pattern into our lines.  Some breeders are working with merle yet keeping it separate and DNA'ing their dogs accordingly.  I think this is the wisest action, but ultimately it is here regardless and non-merle breeders will need to be careful about using dogs from other breeders so as to prevent the hidden merle from entering their breeding program.  Responsible merle breeders are out there thankfully.  But the majority ARE pet breeders, puppy mills, back yard breeders and the like.  So be careful!  If the merle pattern chihuahua appeals to you, find a responsible and careful breeder who does DNA testing.  Here is a link to one such breeder.  She does DNA testing on all dogs as well as general health clearances.  Please note that by offering this link I am in no way advocating the breeding of merle chihuahuas, but it is out there and one's best bet is to find a breeder who is careful and responsible about breeding this pattern.

 Poor Quality Breeders:

There are so very many sites on the internet by these breeders.  These are typically the first to
come up on search engines under general searches or sites dedicated to breeders - and lots of
them!  They often have kennel names such as "Cuddley" or some other silly name and do not
show their dogs or even care about the breed standard.  Often these dogs barely resemble a
chihuahua and the prices are astounding!  Remember, any tiny chi puppy (and they are ALL tiny at eight weeks!) is cute.  If you want a chi that looks like a chi as an adult, go with a show breeder.  Poor quality breeders may love their dogs or they may just flat out
rip folks off.  They may not be serious about breeding, not study like they should or keep up
with the health issues pertaining to their breed.  Better to search for personal breeder sites
and ask breeders if they show in conformation.  Showing is not elitist and is not a beauty
contest.  Breeders who disregard this important element are often breeding indiscriminantly
and carelessly.

Puppy Mills:
A puppy mill does not have to be huge (but many are) to be a puppy mill.  These people offer
many breeds and likely sell to pet stores.  They breed for profit only and care nothing about the
dogs.  A person who breeds many breeds cannot possibly be taking the time necessary for
continual education, socializing the puppies, and they most certainly do not exhibit their dogs. 
These places are only breeding for profit, and do not care if their charges have health problems
or even if they resemble the breed.  Many dogs from such places will have issues with house
training, poor temperaments, and even crippling genetic defects such as luxating patellas. 
Remember - a person who loves his or her dogs will NEVER, EVER place them in a pet store
 to be sold.  And if they don't love them, why would they care if they are sound?

Backyard Breeders:
A backyard breeder is a person that has a couple of chis and decides to breed them perhaps
for the fun of it or for the kids to see.  The dogs are probably not breeding quality, the people
know little about chihuahuas, and you will likely find their ad in the newspaper classifieds. 
Again, they usually know nothing about what is behind their dogs, whether they are sound,
or if they even look like chihuahuas.  While these folk are certainly not evil such as the puppy
millers and internet breeders, buying a puppy from BYB's is not recommended.

Internet Breeders:
I have seen so many "internet breeders" promising a happy, well adjusted pet with just the click
of a button.  The difference between the "Poor Quality" breeders above and the internet breeders
is that the full intention of IB's is to scam, while the PQB may love dogs but not know what they
are doing. Internet breeders have photos of chihuahuas galore, and for the reasonable price of
only $1200!!!  Or more!!  It is sad, these sites have pathetic looking chis and some have hundreds! 
I have noticed some that even warn of puppy mills.  Nice try. They ARE puppy mills.  A reputable
breeder does not have dozens of puppies available at all times. It would be impossible to properly
care for, socialize, and evaluate dozens of puppies at a time. These are simply the internet version
of puppy mills.  Some reputable breeders may have but one or two litters a year - BUT they can
and should refer you to another good breeder that does have puppies available.  There are plenty
of good, ethical breeders out there!  Please do not support these "internet breeders" as they are
doing great harm to the world of purebred dogs.

Be careful of breeders who advertise show quality puppies!  A show prospect should
be at least six months old.  Unethical breeders might offer an 8 week-old pup as a
show prospect.  This is irresponsible and greedy - an eight week old pup can change
dramatically from eight weeks (or twelve) to six months and you will have paid a
fortune for a pet!  Educate yourself - go to dog shows and especially specialties - so
you know the difference between pet quality and show quality.

Finally....mixed breed producers:

The mixed breed has become popular as a designer breed.  Poos and puggles and on and on.

This is sad.  The animal shelters are full of mixed breed dogs and you won't pay ridiculous prices.

These are not breeds.  They are mixes, or mutts.  It is irresponsible and dangerous to do this and

those that continue to breed mixes are inconsiderate and simply out for profit.  Don't
be a sucker.  If you want to spend money on a dog- buy a purebred.  Uneducated folks
throwing two breeds together are asking for trouble.  All of our AKC recognized breeds were bred
for a specific reason.  For example, herding, hunting/retrieving, or simply companions.  Many of
the breeds when crossed can produce horrible temperaments, deformed bites, and other health
issues. 

Bottom line, it is stupid to buy a mixed breed dog.

A chi is a chi is a chi....six pounds and under.
If a "breeder" advertises teacup chihuahuas - RUN!  Why?  Because there is no such thing as a
teacup chihuahua.  But the price the term commands is real enough!!  A true breeder adheres to
the written standard of the breed which states that a chihuahua is not to weigh over six pounds. 
That's it.  The word "teacup" was created by those less ethical and greedy to lure in prospective
puppy buyers with very small dogs.  Truth is, you can not breed for size.  A very small chihuahua
can occur in any litter and a large one can occur from two tiny parents.  A very tiny chi that 
weighs less than three lbs. may not be healthy or may not live very long. 

 I know someone that saw a woman at a flea market carrying a puppy that appeared to be a terrier
of some type.  My friend approached the woman and asked her what kind of puppy she had. 
The woman replied, "a very rare teacup chihuahua".  Trying to keep a straight face, my friend
asked politely, "how old is he? how much does he weigh?"  The woman answered proudly,
" three months and eight pounds".
There is a lesson or two to be learned here.  Read and learn everything you can about your
chosen breed before buying, and do not promote the irresponsible breeders such as the one
where that poor woman bought her puppy. 
For additional info regarding the term T-cup click here.

Pricing/Adoption fees:

You will find much variation in pricing for chihuahuas.  There are internet sites as
mentioned above that offer chis for outrageous prices.  Many use gimmicks and
false advertising.  Most barely resemble a chihuahua!  I can think of one in particular
(email me for the kennel name) that states "For those who can afford the best". 
This is simply a way to convince folks that her dogs are superior ONLY because
they cost more.   I've seen the dogs, most are not good representations of the breed.
People such as these do not have the breed's best interest at heart and simply want
the money.  You also have the ads that advertise that celebrities own their dogs. 
Well, to put it bluntly, celebrities can be stupid too!

Be careful and ask questions.  Be more intelligent and well-informed. There are
always people ready to rip you off.  Why not buy from a breeder with outrageous
prices or the celebrity gimmick?  Because money is the most important factor in
their breeding practice and in order to make money breeding dogs you MUST be
doing something wrong.  Improper care, poor nutrition, filthy facilities, careless
matings, the list goes on and on.

Some people ask me how much my chis are and when I tell them they say
something along the lines of "I'm not wanting to spend that much".  That always
baffles me because my adoption fees are VERY reasonable.  In fact, I paid what I am
asking now over ten years ago!  These folks will likely go the newspaper classifieds
route.  And sadly, they will get what they pay for and then pay more in vet bills and/or
have people ask them what kind of dog they have.

Don't go this route.  You will be sorry in the end.  Asking price for most reputable
breeders is not much more than your back-yard-breeder will ask and MUCH less than
what the rip-off artists command.

Please, do your homework and find a responsible,ethical, show breeder. 
You will have years of love, lifetime support, and the pride of a beautiful,
well-bred chihuahua!