# Looking for Good Breeder



## aspen14 (Mar 22, 2011)

Hi, 

*First of all, I realize there are threads on this but some of them have filler, and I'm really sorry but I don't have time to scroll through them. But please read, if you have a few minutes and are an experienced Maltese owner. Thank you for your time!! *

I am trying to find a puppy for my daughter for her birthday. She has been wanting a maltese for years, but my husband and I have grown up around big dogs so we don't know what to look for in a maltese puppy. 

We could spend up to $2,000, and would prefer a Female who can come live with us within a week or so (so 12 weeks of age). We'd also prefer if the pup has been started in potty training and has no tear stains. 

Does anyone know a good place to start for looking at "true" breeders, and not backyard breeders? My H and I looked at puppyfind.com but weren't sure how legitimate some of the breeders were (how can we double check if a pup actually has champion bloodlines?)

Thank you all so much for your time,

Susan


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Where do you live? Would you travel for a dog? Would you get one transported?


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

:Welcome 3:
You can do a "search" on particular topics of interest by hitting the tab "search" above on the black line. You will find much good information!
How old is your daughter? Does she understand about taking care of long coated breeds and will she be able to manage that? 
Where are you located and would you be willing to travel to collect a puppy? Females are a bit harder to come by than males and if you are worried about marking---females can also mark in case you are unaware of that. Just last week we had a female w/us for a visit & she marked the persian carpet in our LR while our little guy watched and wondered why he could not do that. :HistericalSmiley:

Anyway, I hope you find a good, local breeder---they are worth their weight in gold.:thumbsup:


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## Cosy (Feb 9, 2006)

You might try the American Maltese Association's breeder list. That's a place to start. You can view the names and info here: American Maltese Association Breeder Referral


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## godiva goddess (Nov 19, 2007)

Cosy said:


> You might try the American Maltese Association's breeder list. That's a place to start. You can view the names and info here: American Maltese Association Breeder Referral


good advice!
also, based on your location (state, city, etc) you should do a search on this forum and look for recommended breeders near your location.


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## bellaratamaltese (May 24, 2006)

This is a good thread to look through

http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/56-breeders/90439-where-did-your-dog-come.html

and as others have suggested, the AMA is a great starting place. 

I wouldn't get too caught up on the 'no tear staining' because there are a lot of different reasons for this, but at 12 weeks old, it's usually caused by teething. 

As far as puppyfind - I would be very careful! Very few good breeders advertise on there and it's hard to weed out the good from the bad. Personally I wouldn't settle for just 'champion lines', I would want to see *champion parents*, esp if you are paying $2000 for a puppy. A breeder claiming champions in their pedigrees should be able to produce the pedigree for you to see without any hesitation in doing so, so that is how you find out about their 'champion lines'. If they don't want to share the pedigree, that is a red flag. 

Good for you for doing your research ahead of time!!


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## godiva goddess (Nov 19, 2007)

^^ agreed Stacy. I also personally had a very bad experience w/ puppyfind years ago before I got Mia. Wouldn't recommend it...the AMA is much better choice, IMO.


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## bellaratamaltese (May 24, 2006)

oh and if a breeder says they don't want to share their pedigrees on the internet because of identity theft issues, another red flag. In order to register a dog on the AKC (if you are the breeder of the litter/dog) the akc requires the date the registration certificate was issued and unless you have it in your possession, the likelihood of guessing the correct date is slim (and time consuming)


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## MyLuna (Mar 6, 2011)

Well, I absolutely wish I had been a part of this forum during the deciding portion of finding a dog and not AFTER the fact.......so you are way ahead of me and maybe others here. I really looked......and even found a few here in AZ.....and talked to one at length, but got a crazy vibe from her.......and then found a female (My girl) puppy ready to go from Vicky Welch at Gumwood in Texas. Luna is beautiful and the Dam is listed as Lawrence's Snowball and the Sire is Gumwood's Beat Goes On. Well, I never did see photos of them prior to purchase or even have the names until Luna arrived with her papers. Vicky gave me bits and pieces of info prior to receiving her and certainly answered my questions (succinctly, but answered) but I never had the 'warm fuzzies' from her if you know what I mean. Now, in her defense, she had a major health issue that she was being hospitalized for within days after shipping my girl to me, so I can only imagine her mind was totally focused on that.....as it should have been. But after the fact I can tell that there should have been a wonderful rapport between the breeder and myself. I wrote after her arrival, and still not much connection and when my partner (who purchase her -for a very hefty fee - for me, wrote to her, he never heard back)......Luna arrived groomed beautifully...in a little crate with all the info and her blanket and food and water and extra food, vitamins she recommends, a container of 'Tummy Ice' and a container of Karo syrup just in case on the ride home.....and Luna was calm......and gave tons of kisses....seemed quite a happy, healthy puppy. I was told she was a 'follower' and not a leader and rather timid. That is really why I chose her. I was looking for a more 'calm' puppy/personality. Well, she is calm when I hold her......and sometimes when I sit her on the couch......but she seems anything but timid. She is often frantically jumping up and down on her hind legs to get out of her pen which is a double iris pen. Anyhow, I am getting carried away. bottom line, you have come to the right place to begin your search and these wonderful folks will help guide. It cost us $250 to have her shipped which appears to be the going rate......and 2,500 for her which seems somewhat high. She is in good health according to the Vet..her baby mouth/bite is slightly off on one side that might correct itself when her adult teeth come in...Oh, I almost forgot..within two days of arrival she had an odd odor in her right ear and I took her to the Vet and she pulled awful, awful black gunk out and examined it under the microscope and it was a yeast infection..not mites or anything, but still. She is on a 10 day course of ear meds. So that is MY story.


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## vjw (Dec 20, 2006)

aspen14 said:


> Hi,
> 
> *First of all, I realize there are threads on this but some of them have filler, and I'm really sorry but I don't have time to scroll through them. But please read, if you have a few minutes and are an experienced Maltese owner. Thank you for your time!! *
> 
> ...


 
Susan, it concerns me that you said don't have time to research a good breeder. Take your time on this. Also, if done right, any puppy or dog you bring into your home will require quite a bit of time to get adjusted to it's new home and will take time to train. Do you have time for training?


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## aspen14 (Mar 22, 2011)

vjw said:


> Susan, it concerns me that you said don't have time to research a good breeder. Take your time on this. Also, if done right, any puppy or dog you bring into your home will require quite a bit of time to get adjusted to it's new home and will take time to train. Do you have time for training?



Hi,

I said I didn't have time to scroll through the "fluff" that is posted throughout many of those stickied threads. Never did I said I don't have time to research a good breeder. An idea or two from experienced Maltese owners will send me well on my way. I did not ask for you all to do the research for me--just asked for some tips.

I was raised around dogs ever since I can remember, and currently own two. I know how to raise a dog. Also this dog is for my daughter and yes, she will have time to train it. We will give it more than adequate TLC. 

Why some people question you personally and your ability to raise a dog when you, yourself, only asked for some advice is beyond me.


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## aspen14 (Mar 22, 2011)

edelweiss said:


> :Welcome 3:
> You can do a "search" on particular topics of interest by hitting the tab "search" above on the black line. You will find much good information!
> How old is your daughter? Does she understand about taking care of long coated breeds and will she be able to manage that?
> Where are you located and would you be willing to travel to collect a puppy? Females are a bit harder to come by than males and if you are worried about marking---females can also mark in case you are unaware of that. Just last week we had a female w/us for a visit & she marked the persian carpet in our LR while our little guy watched and wondered why he could not do that. :HistericalSmiley:
> ...


Thank you! She is 17 and has done alot of research on the proper care of a Maltese; we just don't know what to look for in a breeder.
We are in Texas and would prefer shipping if possible (my H and I work long hours).

I will look at that, thanks.


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## bellaratamaltese (May 24, 2006)

aspen14 said:


> Thank you! She is 17 and has done alot of research on the proper care of a Maltese; we just don't know what to look for in a breeder.
> We are in Texas and would prefer shipping if possible (my H and I work long hours).
> 
> I will look at that, thanks.


There are some wonderful breeders in Texas! I would look at the AMA list as a start. 

One thing that is going to be important for you is to find a breeder than can match the right 'temperament' for you. Some will say that a puppy being alone for hours on end is not a good idea but I think it really depends on the puppy's individual temperament. You are going to want to get a puppy with a solid out going temperament that will not be prone to suffering from separation anxiety and so choosing the right breeder is very important. When you contact breeders, let them know your situation, since I'm sure your daughter goes to school while you are at work, so the puppy would be alone during the day. 

Good luck in your search!!!!


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

I am from Texas also and there are some great breeders there---maybe in your own area! That would be super so you could view any potentials.
To me trust is a biggie w/a breeder. I have had some really great breeder experiences---most of them overseas since I now live in Greece. There is a stickie of where did your dog come from---take a look at that one & PM a few people to get personal recommendations. Come back & ask more questions. Most of us are eager to help!


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## aspen14 (Mar 22, 2011)

Thank you all so much. I have emailed several breeders on the AMA list in my area. Is there anything I should ask for specifically in a Maltese (ex: "black points", which we don't exactly understand) or are most/if not all breeders on the AMA list trustworthy and reliable?


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## bellaratamaltese (May 24, 2006)

aspen14 said:


> Thank you all so much. I have emailed several breeders on the AMA list in my area. Is there anything I should ask for specifically in a Maltese (ex: "black points", which we don't exactly understand) or are most/if not all breeders on the AMA list trustworthy and reliable?


All maltese have black points, that refers to pigment. Some might be lighter than others

I would ask age, parents, estimated adult size, maybe coat type (if it's an easy or difficult coat to maintain) and most importantly, temperament. And ask if you think their puppy would be adaptable to being left alone for a few hours each day or if they feel it would be too stressful.


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## aspen14 (Mar 22, 2011)

bellaratamaltese said:


> All maltese have black points, that refers to pigment. Some might be lighter than others
> 
> I would ask age, parents, estimated adult size, maybe coat type (if it's an easy or difficult coat to maintain) and most importantly, temperament. And ask if you think their puppy would be adaptable to being left alone for a few hours each day or if they feel it would be too stressful.


Great, thank you! We definitely will. 
And when you say some have lighter pigments, does that mean they are a brighter shade of white?


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## CloudClan (Jan 31, 2007)

It sounds like you have a good idea of what you want and have considered that you want to be sure to get a puppy from a reputable breeder.

However, I have to agree with Joy's statement that is soooooooooo important to be sure to take the time do do research. 


vjw said:


> Susan, it concerns me that you said don't have time to research a good breeder. Take your time on this. Also, if done right, any puppy or dog you bring into your home will require quite a bit of time to get adjusted to it's new home and will take time to train.


It sounds as though you have been looking for a while, but hoping to take a puppy home in just one week, doesn't seem like you are giving enough time to this stage of the process. Also, when I fostered and placed rescue dogs we were very cautious about folks asking for a pet for a present because presents tend to lose their luster after the party. A pet is a lifetime commitment. I used to suggest that perhaps the "present" could be the supplies for a puppy and the involvement in the search rather than the actual pet him/herself. 

Now, I have some friends with beautiful dogs available now. My friend Deb Ray at Grace has a boy, my friend Fran at I Lovitt Maltese told me she would like to put some new puppy available pictures on her website soon. They are both in Alabama. What regions are close to you?


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## bellaratamaltese (May 24, 2006)

aspen14 said:


> Great, thank you! We definitely will.
> And when you say some have lighter pigments, does that mean they are a brighter shade of white?


No that is coat color. The black points are like the black nose, lips, eye rims, paw pads and halos to a certain degree (the skin around the eyes) Look at my sig and everywhere there is black, that is a 'black point'. It's not uncommon for maltese to have some beige in their coats (it's not desirable but it doesn't mean bad breeding) so if you have issues with that, ask if the puppy has any color in the coat. 

Since you are just looking for a pet, it shouldn't make the much difference. If you're looking for a certain 'look', then ask what the breeder expects the puppy to look like. Avoid terms like 'extreme babydoll' or 'teacup'. The weight standard is 4-7 lbs with 4-6 prefered, so the puppy's size should fall within that range.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Isn't Tonia of Rhapsody Maltese in Texas? You might want to check her site. She might have some pups available.


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## aspen14 (Mar 22, 2011)

It would be a present, but my D has talked about the dog for years. The only thing that makes it a present is really the time of year. 

I understand and thanks all for your input. 

I have emailed many breeders and am fully committed to the process; if we find the match in a week, great, if not, then we will keep looking.


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

I would also ask how many litters have been produced from this particular pairing and if any health issues have arisen w/in those off-spring that you should know about. I would want to know if the breeder keeps a data base on health issues w/in particular lines. 
Mostly I am interested in health & personality/temperament. You may be interested in other priorities.


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