# Rude breeders



## Maltmom (Feb 6, 2006)

I have been looking for a female malt for a few months now. I have a little boy, Clifford, who is my heart and soul. I know that responsible breeders are so, so busy and probably bombarded with calls and silly questions. I really do understand that. That is why I always email breeders rather than call them. I figure they can email me back when they get a chance. When you call, you never know if the time is good or not.

I've done all breed rescue for years so I know what some pet peeves regarding people wanting to adopt. I used to hate when I got emails that said "how much for your dog?" or "is the dog still available?". It's like, tell me about yourself, tell me about what kind of home you will provide this dog, don't make me play 20 questions with you.

So when I've sent out emails to breeders, I tell each one about my life, the fact that my husband and I are in our 30's, we won't be having children, I work from home, I have years of experience working for a vet in the past and I've done rescue for years, I own a malt, etc etc. I think that we really are a wonderful home for a malt if I do say so myself! 

I was reading a thread from Jan 2005 regarding this topic so I thought I'd start fresh. I know people suggest looking breeders from the AKC or the AMA. I have emailed every single breeder that is even close to my area and not one has contacted me back. Not one!







It's been weeks so I've given up hope of hearing from any of them now.

Now I would never in a million years buy from a pet store, because my conscience would never let me. But for the first time, I can see why people end up at pet stores or just opening up their classifieds section and buying a dog from there. The process is so frustrating. Also I know people suggest going to dog shows, but I'm really leary of doing that. There is a pet board that I belong to that has a few breeders and showers and they have all said that one of their biggest pet peeves is when they are at a show and people try to talk to them. They said they have a million things to do and they are under a lot of pressure as it is and people asking them questions about their dogs or how to get a puppy is very annoying.

So I don't know what to do! I was originally looking to spend about 1500 but now I'm even willing to spend 2k on a female. I would love a pup anytime between summer and Christmas so it's not like I'm in a hurry either.

Also anyone know why some breeders don't put prices on their websites? I've had a few breeders contact me whose websites I found just by looking them up on the web. One told me her females started at 2800. Another told me 1800-2k for a girl. This was last month when 1500 was my limit. It would make things so much easier if all breeders put prices on their site. Wouldn't it save buyers and the breeders a lot of time if they put prices there so this way if they are way out of your price range, you can just not waste each other's time? Anyone know why many breeders don't put prices? 

thanks for letting me vent







I'm embarrassed that I'm new here and coming off as so negative.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

> I have been looking for a female malt for a few months now. I have a little boy, Clifford, who is my heart and soul. I know that responsible breeders are so, so busy and probably bombarded with calls and silly questions. I really do understand that. That is why I always email breeders rather than call them. I figure they can email me back when they get a chance. When you call, you never know if the time is good or not.
> 
> I've done all breed rescue for years so I know what some pet peeves regarding people wanting to adopt. I used to hate when I got emails that said "how much for your dog?" or "is the dog still available?". It's like, tell me about yourself, tell me about what kind of home you will provide this dog, don't make me play 20 questions with you.
> 
> ...


If you found a lot of good breeders in VA, I'm shocked. 

If you don't get a response via e-mail, they may simply not check their mail often. Call. I usually e-mail and ask when is a good time to call. If I don't get a response I call during the day and expect to leave a message. If I'm long distance (and I always am), I leave my e-mail so they can tell me when to call or if they want to call me back they can do so collect. 

Not all good breeders have web sites. Those that do often have them more to show off their dogs than to advertise puppies. If you are seriously interested in a pup, you can call or e-mail. It wouldn't even occur to me to look for a price on a breeder's web site...


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## Mystify79 (Apr 6, 2004)

When I was looking for my Yorkie I went through some similar issues. I started out e-mailing everyone on my breeder referral list and when I only received one response I started calling. I ended up leaving messages for about 85% of the breeders and not a single one called me back. I don't know whether I came off the wrong way or what but it was really frustrating. I truly was close to giving up hope but I kept calling and kept e-mailing.. I'm sure I annoyed most of the Yorkie breeders around Texas with my constant e-mails. I did start getting a trickle of e-mails and phone calls back. Some of the breeders apologized because they had been away at shows and what not. After a while of this I finally got in contact with a really sweet breeder who referred me to Pixie's breeder. It was a pain in the butt having to go through so much but it was worth it. I bought Tuffy from a newspaper ad and he has had some health issues as well as growing up to be a big ol' boy w/ a really cottony coat so I really wanted to make sure to go to a reputable breeder for my Yorkie. Keep up the e-mails and calls and hopefully the breeders will realize how serious you are about getting a puppy from them. On the topic of shows, I've never had a breeder be rude to me at a show when I tried to get info from them. The ones I've spoken with always seemed to be happy to chat with me. But I guess it depends on the show and the breeder. Good luck on your search!


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## Maltmom (Feb 6, 2006)

JMM no I've hardly found any breeders in Virginia. I went from the AKC list and the AMA list which had a lot of the same breeders and I emailed everyone in VA, MD, WV, PA, and NC. I figured that was about as far as we could travel. I really would prefer to see the parents and the breeder's house and not have the puppy shipped. Ever since the Hollybelle incident, I really learned that reputation doesn't really mean much.


Then I also went looking on the internet for what looked like reputable breeders and emailed them as well. I got answers from the ones with websites....well, some of them. But it was all a dead end. Either prices were way too high, or they weren't planning on any litters, or they were keeping their females, etc...

At least some of the breeders w/ websites emailed me back but not one of the breeders from the AKC or AMA list did. 
I guess I'll start calling people, but I thought that email would be easier for them to contact me at their convenience. Phone calls often lead to phone tag which is even more frustrating.

So is it common to not hear from breeders? I start to take it personally but do they do this to everybody? I just don't know what to do. 

Mystify, I'm glad it's not just me. I guess I'm learning a lesson because in the past I would tell people to find a dog through the akc or the breed club of their breed and I made it sound so easy. I used to hear people complain about how hard it was to find a certain breed and I thought they were just exaggerating or not trying hard enough. Boy was I wrong!

VA and the rest of the south seem to have cornered the market on byb's just like the midwest has its puppy mills. It is so, so hard to find a good breeder.


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## abbey (Apr 4, 2005)

You're not alone.







I know exactly how you feel. I started calling breeders to look for Abbey a playmate & I never seem very satisfied when talking with them. They seem almost, well, offended with my questions. To me if you are going to buy something, not only expensive but that will be part of your family for the next several years - you should be entitled to ask questions. I want to make sure I find a good breeder though, especially with the Amish Country so close to where I live & I know people have alot of problems from dogs they have gotten from there. Until then, I think Abbey is satisfied being the little Princess she is!


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## Maltmom (Feb 6, 2006)

Abby is gorgeous! May I ask where you got her? I know what you mean w/ being so close to Amish country. Nothing against Amish and I know not all Amish are puppy millers but around Lancaster PA and around Shenandoah VA there are many Amish communities and we have to be so careful. That's why I really want to be able to see a person's home and how all of their dogs live. Seeing websites like www.nopuppymills.com makes me ill.







I just don't want to be a part to that kind of cruelty in any way.

It seems like all the goodies are on the east and west coasts. What's up with that? I didn't realize the south was so lacking in good breeders. No wonder they are so hard to get a hold of. They are probably swarmed with requests.


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## msmagnolia (Sep 8, 2004)

I am sorry that you have had such poor response. When I was looking for Sadie in 2004 I did the same thing that you did - sent a long letter with our family situation, current pets, etc. I actually got pretty good response. Maybe at the time that I was looking there just happened to be breeders who had puppies available. One thing that I did that you might consider, is that I asked that even if breeder did not have any puppies available or planned, maybe they would know of another breeder who could help. This is the way that I was connected with Sadie and Sassy's breeder. There have been several threads on SM in recent weeks regarding people looking for pups. Search through those and maybe you'll find some breeders in your geographical area that you could contact. I hope that someone on SM can assist you.


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## abbey (Apr 4, 2005)

Abby is gorgeous! May I ask where you got her?

Thanks so much!







We certainly love her! I get sooo many comments on Abbey whenever we have her out anywhere. Of course, around here maltese are not commonly seen or heard of - for some reason. My hubby keeps saying - I think Abbey's perfect, we should just go back to her breeder. Which, I probably will end up doing - she is perfect in everyway to us - I just have this crazy desire to have the silky coat. Abbey has a cottony coat but not a really bad one, so I guess maybe you just have to give & take alittle. I am thankful she is sooo sweet & that she doesn't have much tearstaining.







I'll pm you the info. May be quite a drive for you though!


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## charmypoo (Sep 11, 2004)

I know you have been hesistate to pick up the phone but sometimes that is the best way to do it. Breeders get tons and tons of email and they don't often have time to respond to all of them. You can try calling them in the afternoon or around 8:00. Be mindful if they are in a different time zone.

I remember I wrote about Nibbler and didn't get a response. I decieded to call her and if I didn't .. he would have been sold to someone else.


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## ConnieVa (May 9, 2005)

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You are RIGHT there are not many good breeders in Va.


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## Furbaby's Mommie (Jul 10, 2004)

[/QUOTE]


You are RIGHT there are not many good breeders in Va. [/QUOTE] 

But you are so close to so many other states. How far would you go?


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

You might plan a trip to the Harrisburg dog shows in April...there are usually a good number of Maltese entered there.


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## kodie (Aug 24, 2004)

great.. this topic makes me kinda nervous about asking questions or even contacting breeders...


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## ConnieVa (May 9, 2005)

> You might plan a trip to the Harrisburg dog shows in April...there are usually a good number of Maltese entered there.[/B]



Actually the dog show is in June. It's held 2 miles from my home and I attend every year. This year there were not as many Malts as there usually are. I hope there are more next year. 

The show is held in Harrisonburg and Staunton. Both towns are within 30 miles of each other.


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## Maltmom (Feb 6, 2006)

Kodie's mom why does the topic make you nervous?

That's great that there is a dog show in VA! So it's in June? I'd love to check it out. Thanks JMM and ConnieVa!

Frosty's mom, I'm willing to drive to West Virginia, Pennsylvania, north Carolina, Maryland, Delaware, anyplace that is within a 6 hour ride. Because we'd have to turn around and come straight home. If we drive longer, we'd have to stay in a hotel, and at that point the cost is just too high. I'd rather pay more and have the puppy shipped from a super breeder. 

I want to thank all who have PM'd me helping me find breeders. I feel so much better now and I feel like there's hope! You all are a wonderful bunch with great taste in dogs!


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## Kisses-4-Princess (Dec 4, 2005)

I've been looking for a puppy for a few months now too. I guess I was very fortunate in that I got a response from almost everyone I contacted except the ones on the AMA list. For some reason, I was able to get a response from all the top breeders that were not listed on that list. I got replies from only about 3 people on the AMA list. 

As far as trying to contact breeders. I would email them and wait a few days, if they did not reply, I gave them a call. I got responses from almost everyone. Even if they did not have any puppies available, they informed me of when they will. As I was very very cautious about finding a good Puppy, I asked very specific questions- a few times even requesting the information of the Vet they took thier puppies to, and I have called the Vets for reference on the breeder. They didn't seem to mind at all. I do understand when they are very busy- just imagine having to read so many emails everytime you log on and keeping track of who is who. Just be patient--- it will all be worth it in the end. You WILL find that perfect puppy for you!... as I did.


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## kodie (Aug 24, 2004)

> Kodie's mom why does the topic make you nervous?[/B]


haha.. cause i'm shy...


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## Laceys mom (Nov 12, 2004)

When I was looking for a maltese it took me 9 months to find a breeder that I liked and who liked me, then another 5 months waiting for Lacey to be born and take her home. That was such a long year for me, but it paid off. Lacey is a wonderful little puppy that I just can't imagine life without. Keep looking, I know how hard and frustrating it can be.


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## Maltmom (Feb 6, 2006)

Thanks all for the support. As I told another member, I thought finding a malt from a breeder would be an easy and exciting experience lol. I had no idea how hard it would be! I know it will pay off in the end though.

another malt question, I notice on breeder's websites, some pups have ears that kind of stick up. Is that normal? Clifford's ears are kind of longer and droop. Don't malts have floppy ears? Or is it okay for their ears to perk up?


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

Have you contacted Cindy Guardino of Silkess Maltese? She is here in North Carolina, the Winston-Salem area. She is probably the only reputable breeder in the state. The rest are mostly byb's.

http://www.wtv-zone.com/cameo5252/SilkessMaltese.html


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## Furbaby's Mommie (Jul 10, 2004)

> Thanks all for the support. As I told another member, I thought finding a malt from a breeder would be an easy and exciting experience lol. I had no idea how hard it would be! I know it will pay off in the end though.
> 
> another malt question, I notice on breeder's websites, some pups have ears that kind of stick up. Is that normal? Clifford's ears are kind of longer and droop. Don't malts have floppy ears? Or is it okay for their ears to perk up?[/B]


NO they are lop-eared. Read the AKC standard for Maltese.


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## Maltmom (Feb 6, 2006)

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I hope these pics work. I realize in the one pic it looks like the pup is on his back, but I've come across breeders selling puppies on their website and the pups have ears that look just like that while the pups are standing up. So is that a dead give away that the malt is not purebred? Or do puppies' ears tend to perk up a little more when they are so young?

I adopted Clifford as an adult so I really am not sure what exactly a puppy should look like. 

Lady'smom, I *think* Silkess is one that was either out of my price range. I think. I have to go back and check my breeder list. I'm writing everything down otherwise it gets too confusing. I could swear I contacted them, but maybe not? They look really good and their pups are beautiful!


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## charmypoo (Sep 11, 2004)

Some Maltese with higher ear sets may have their ears stick up as a puppy. As they get older, it may drop with more weight from their hair. I have seen the ears drop after but they never stuck up as much as the photo you sent.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

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No, I meant Harrisburg, PA. It is a much larger show circuit and tends to get a good Maltese entry.


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## Furbaby's Mommie (Jul 10, 2004)

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If the ears stuck up like the pic, I'd say there's a Westie in there somewhere.


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## Brinkley & Neyland's Mom (Jun 14, 2004)

but that pup is on his back...maybe they are just flopped that way?


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## OneMalt4me (Jan 22, 2006)

> but that pup is on his back...maybe they are just flopped that way?
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I agree, it really looks like the pup is on his back ... . therefore the ears could just be flopped back because of his position. Ask the breeder for another picture of him standing upright.

But in all cases, if you have any doubt- it might be safe to keep searching


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## Maltmom (Feb 6, 2006)

oh yeah this pup is definitely on his back, but I saw some pictures of breeder's puppies where the pups were standing up and their ears still stuck up like that! I have to try to find some pictures. But I didn't know if that was normal for puppie's ears to go up like that or if it was a shady breeder breeding mixes. 

So it's not normal for ears to go up like that? I wonder if I asked a breeder that what they would say? Mixing malts with westies is not cool. Talk about different personalities! Not to mention, as adults, they look nothing alike. At least to me they don't.










Okay this is from Diva pup. If we aren't allowed to post pictures from breeder's sites please tell me and I'll remove it! I don't want to break the rules. I've seen a few pups that looked like this guy with ears that stand. To me they don't look purebred malt, but I'm no expert.


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## charmypoo (Sep 11, 2004)

Pure bred Maltese can have ears that stick up.

Diva pup is known to be a puppy broker. I would never consider buying from them. In my mind, people who sell to celebrities like Lindsy Lohan are not likely to be the best breeders.


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

> Pure bred Maltese can have ears that stick up.
> 
> Diva pup is known to be a puppy broker. I would never consider buying from them. In my mind, people who sell to celebrities like Lindsy Lohan are not likely to be the best breeders.[/B]


I agree about Divapup... I'd stay away from that one.


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## TheButtercup (Mar 3, 2005)

a friend from another forum has a Chrisman pup has a pup who had ears like that for a long time LOL. poor tuffy looked like she was part BAT!







(or twin to our Boom Boom, here!)

her ears DID in fact go down when she grew enough hair to weigh it down eventually. and she IS all malt. she's a beauty, too.























ann marie and the "my ears are floppy and bouncy...like a bunny!" buttercup, who isnt nearly as graceful as a bunny....


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## Maltmom (Feb 6, 2006)

oh I forgot to add that I would never, in a million years buy from Diva Pup. The only place worse than Diva Pup is Wizard of Claws. DP and WOC are proof that spending a lot of money doesn't necessarily get you a better dog! Their prices are outrageous and yet they are notorious brokers. Who buys from them?







I mean for those prices you could get a Chrisman puppy. I looked at DP because I figured if anyone had pics of a malt pup that wasn't purebred, they would.

So ears sticking up on a puppy are okay then? Because I've seen that quite a few times on breeder sites, but only on the puppies, not the adults.


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## wagirl98665 (Jan 5, 2006)

> I have been looking for a female malt for a few months now. I have a little boy, Clifford, who is my heart and soul. I know that responsible breeders are so, so busy and probably bombarded with calls and silly questions. I really do understand that. That is why I always email breeders rather than call them. I figure they can email me back when they get a chance. When you call, you never know if the time is good or not.
> 
> I've done all breed rescue for years so I know what some pet peeves regarding people wanting to adopt. I used to hate when I got emails that said "how much for your dog?" or "is the dog still available?". It's like, tell me about yourself, tell me about what kind of home you will provide this dog, don't make me play 20 questions with you.
> 
> ...





After just reading what a hard time you're having finding a breeder I happen to think of someone in Bklyn, NY. In your other post you said that you were willing to travel all the way to NC so why not NY? I used to live in bklyn and know that it's only about 250 miles from Wash DC. I don't know what part of VA you live in, but it might not be that bad of a trip. I don't know the breeders name right off hand, but if you're interested I'll find it for you. You can email [email protected] And I'll look it up for you. This lady by the way has awesome puppies!


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## Maltmom (Feb 6, 2006)

Mikey'smom thanks for your help! I was willing to travel to NY no problem but in my searches I found that the further north I went, the higher the prices were. I found all the northeast breeders to be way over 2k closer to 3k range. That was why I was leaning toward traveling south rather than north.


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## HappyB (Feb 28, 2005)

Below, you will find copy and paste of typical requests from prospective puppy buyer. I just got the latest one from George a few minutes ago. My reply is always send me your phone number, and we will talk further by phone. I feel those who are serious will do so. The others are just price shopping.

We are looking for a female. Could you send info.,
pic's, price, history, etc?
Thanks 
George


We are looking for a maltese puppy…. Do you have any, and prices please. Thank You

Pam


I am looking for a female Maltese puppy. Could you please e-mail me and let me know if you have any or not. My name is Shirley and I live in , Tn. Let me know where you are located. Thanks!


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

> Below, you will find copy and paste of typical requests from prospective puppy buyer. I just got the latest one from George a few minutes ago. My reply is always send me your phone number, and we will talk further by phone. I feel those who are serious will do so. The others are just price shopping.
> 
> We are looking for a female. Could you send info.,
> pic's, price, history, etc?
> ...


Gosh, you are nice to spend your time talking to them before you know anything about them. Rather than waste your time, why not ask them to answer certain questions via email and then if all that sounds good, follow up with a phone call. The price might end things right away and that way you don't waste time talking to someone who can't afford your pup or if you don't even have a pup, you can just tell them so and be done with them.


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## Maltmom (Feb 6, 2006)

I think like you Kallie/Catcher's mom! I know when I was doing rescue, I was working full time and so limited with my time. I could answer emails at work. So I send any interested people on online application first. Many times, just what they filled on the application would end it for me. And I'm sure breeders deal with the same kooks I had to in rescue. You wouldn't believe some of the things people would say. 

I lived in Florida so I got quite a few "my dog was eaten by a gator so we need another one" or "my dog got hit by a car again, how much are your dogs?"









so when contacting breeders, if they didn't have an online application, I wrote them a short story about my life and then ended with asking about prices. I figure, it really didn't matter how wonderful they were, if their pups were $3,000, there was no point in even talking to them.

But if people prefer phone calls, hey, I'm fine with that. I just picture playing phone tag all day. I always thought emails were much less invasive and allowed a breeder to read all about me, and then either call me or email me at their leisure. I always leave my phone number and email. 

But I hear you HappyB. One sentence emails do come off as people just price shopping. But from a buyer's point of view, it's like, you have to find someone who is in your price range first and foremost and then select a breeder from there. I'm sure it gets annoying though. I really like when breeders have online applications. I feel like it makes it easier for both of us.


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## HappyB (Feb 28, 2005)

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I am happy to talk with anyone who is interested in a Maltese. If they can't afford my prices, it still gives me a chance to educate them on puppymills and byb. I talk with them about the type health problems dogs can have, and suggest questions to ask breeders they are considering, if they seem to need/want this information.
Those who are just price shopping or being nosey usually don't email me back with a number. 
I do have an interview process. We do get some people who need educating about how to find a good breeder, and if presented with these questions first before getting to talk with the breeder, they might just ignore this and go on to the next person. Remember, I don't have many pups to sale, so I'm usually sending people elsewhere. I would like to send them away with a little information to help them in their search.


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

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Gosh, that is really nice of you to do that... I so hate talking on the phone, esp. to strangers. I'd probably email them a bunch of articles about puppymills, etc. instead! lol .... That is wonderful that you take your time to speak with them and educate them like that ......


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## charmypoo (Sep 11, 2004)

The bottom line is that if you are enforcing a strict limit of $2000 and wanting Maltese from good/famous/championship (don't know what the right word is) bloodlines, you will be very limited in selection. I can name about 3-4 good breeders off the top of my head that will charge $2000 for a female pet but that is just not really the going rate anymore. Most breeders are selling pet females for $2500 and up. If you want a lower price point, maybe she should consider a pet male or possibly a retired champion.

The alternative is to go to a "byb". Despite common belief, I know of some decent breeders who would be considered as a byb. I know they love their Maltese and care for their Maltese. No .. they may not be as well educated on the breed as others but they aren't ignorant. These breeders generally charge under $1500.

Buying a Maltese is different from buying a car. A person can't be looking around for a "deal" because there isn't one. They have to pick and chose what they want and what is important to them. They have to make some scarfices. 

It really scares breeders when a pet owner comes with a long list of demands. After all, they just want someone to love their puppies even if their nose is a little pink or one of their paw pads is pink .... or they grow a little bigger or stay a little smaller.


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## ConnieVa (May 9, 2005)

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Sorry I mis-read the word.


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## Maltmom (Feb 6, 2006)

Charmypoo, I must have come across wrong or something. I personally, couldn't care less about champion bloodlines. I find it very impressive what show breeders do, but I want a maltese pet. That's it. I would like a female pet who is healthy and has a good temperment. But a show dog doesn't interest me at all.

I agree that there are a lot of breeders out there who would be labeled as a byb because they don't show. But they love and care about their dogs very much and they breed for health and temperment. This is what I'm looking for.

I figure if I can't get just a pet maltese for 2k, then I need to find another breed.








But the reason I want a female is because Clifford does much better with females than males. He can tolerate other males, but he doesn't bond with them. I think having a female with a male will be a good match. 

I wish I had begun searching last year. Breeders are going up, up up in prices. I just found a breeder a couple weeks ago, www.majestymaltese.com. Their prices as of Friday were around $900 for a female malt and they also have maltipoos that were around $500. Just today I look at their site and now the maltipoos are $900 and the malts are $1500! In the course of a few days, their prices went up. It's crazy!

But actually with the help of so many wonderful people here, I have a few good breeders who have very reasonable prices that I'm looking at. I figure with a 2k limit, I should be fine just finding a pet. We'll see!


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

> Charmypoo, I must have come across wrong or something. I personally, couldn't care less about champion bloodlines. I find it very impressive what show breeders do, but I want a maltese pet. That's it. I would like a female pet who is healthy and has a good temperment. But a show dog doesn't interest me at all.[/B]


Maltmom, I felt exactly like you when I got my first Malt, Rosebud (RIP), and when I got Kallie. I would see the high prices and would think, hey I don't want a show dog and I don't need champions in the pedigree; I just want a loving pet. But my opinion changed based on the information I've read.

From what I have read here on SM and other sites, I have come to the conclusion that even though we don't want show dogs ourselves, when buying from a breeder who does show, then we are more likely to get a Malt that is close to standard, assuming that is what we want. If they are breeding proven champions then the chances of their offspring being close to standard are pretty good. Sometimes one of the parents isn't a champion but a good breeder, from what I understand, will use these Malts because they have proven that their offspring are close to standard or can be shown. After all, consider CH Risque Business ROM the sire of 106 champions.... neither of his parents were champions! But they weren't pet store Malts, either. www.marcrismaltese.com

My main concern with BYB is the quality of their breeding stock. In the case of my first Malt Rosebud and Kallie, both sets of parents were from pet stores. So both of them were/are pretty far off from standard. Maltmom, I may have you mixed up with someone else, but I thought I had read that you were looking for a Malt that was reasonably close to standard. Unless there are a lot of champions in the pedigree, I don't see how you can then be sure of that. Of course, it might turn out that your puppy ends up looking and acting like a Malt, but IMO it is a crap shoot.

Those of you who are more experienced in this than I, please jump in here if I am misunderstanding something.

There is a great article about this subject on the Bhi-Jei site.

http://www.bhejei.com/ethical.htm

Here are some threads from SM with some good info:

http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=6421

http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=5582


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## HappyB (Feb 28, 2005)

> > index.php?act=findpost&pid=151775
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You have presented some very good points. I would like to add one thing here, which is one of the things I see as being so misleading for people selecting a pet. 
There is a growing trend for some breeders to go out and buy the dog with the best pedigree they can find (some are champions), and breed it to whatever is in their kennel. They have very little understanding of standard and the lines in the dogs, they are just building a pedigree to sell pups. There are known instances of champions being sold into these places because they were not considered the quality the original breeder or the person who got the champion on the dog wanted. They may produce cotton coat or bad topline, or poor pigment. So, they dumped them for a sum of ten to fifteen thousand at times. Then, this breeder with ten or fifteen females goes to breeding, charging more for their pups because they have a champion. 
These are NOT show kennels. They have no intention of putting their dogs in the ring, and their main goal is lining their pocket. They charge as much, and sometime more than people actively involved in the sport of showing.
If I were looking at a dog, I would be wary of people like this.


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## charmypoo (Sep 11, 2004)

> I wish I had begun searching last year. Breeders are going up, up up in prices. I just found a breeder a couple weeks ago, www.majestymaltese.com. Their prices as of Friday were around $900 for a female malt and they also have maltipoos that were around $500. Just today I look at their site and now the maltipoos are $900 and the malts are $1500! In the course of a few days, their prices went up. It's crazy![/B]


Hi Maltmom,
I must have misunderstood and I apologize. It shouldn't be very difficult to find a pet Maltese for under $2 K. I have came across a lot of wonderful pets but just not show quality which is what I am looking for.

Are you sure MajestyMaltese breeds maltipoos? I am pretty sure she only breeds Maltese. I am surprised.

I wish you good luck and I will let you know of any cutie pies I see.


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## LexiAndNikkisMom (Apr 13, 2004)

> > index.php?act=findpost&pid=151775
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I just went to Majesty Maltese's website and don't see anything about maltipoos. Are you sure you saw it on there site? I don't even see anything about their prices.


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## Maltmom (Feb 6, 2006)

oops! It's www.majesticmaltese.com. 

Majestic Maltese is the one that has maltipoos. I've seen so many breeders, I get the names confused. My apologies to Majesty Maltese!

Am I correct to assume that a breeder who has maltipoos or any mixed breeds is one to steer clear from? That's always been my understanding.


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## izzysmom (Nov 6, 2005)

My breeder is in the Pittsburgh area, and she's fabulous. She is really dedicated and passionate about bettering the breed, and breeds 2-3 times a year, max. If you google "josymir maltese" her website and contact info should come up. Please let me know if I can help in any way!



> JMM no I've hardly found any breeders in Virginia. I went from the AKC list and the AMA list which had a lot of the same breeders and I emailed everyone in VA, MD, WV, PA, and NC. I figured that was about as far as we could travel. I really would prefer to see the parents and the breeder's house and not have the puppy shipped. Ever since the Hollybelle incident, I really learned that reputation doesn't really mean much.
> 
> 
> Then I also went looking on the internet for what looked like reputable breeders and emailed them as well. I got answers from the ones with websites....well, some of them. But it was all a dead end. Either prices were way too high, or they weren't planning on any litters, or they were keeping their females, etc...
> ...


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## Treplow14 (Feb 8, 2020)

Maltmom said:


> I have been looking for a female malt for a few months now. I have a little boy, Clifford, who is my heart and soul. I know that responsible breeders are so, so busy and probably bombarded with calls and silly questions. I really do understand that. That is why I always email breeders rather than call them. I figure they can email me back when they get a chance. When you call, you never know if the time is good or not.
> 
> I've done all breed rescue for years so I know what some pet peeves regarding people wanting to adopt. I used to hate when I got emails that said "how much for your dog?" or "is the dog still available?". It's like, tell me about yourself, tell me about what kind of home you will provide this dog, don't make me play 20 questions with you.
> 
> ...


It’s Brutal ! They don’t call back or they tell you a litter is due on a certain date and then they never follow through ...and you wonder is my puppy born ?am I going to get a puppy but no one calls! ! I don’t think I know of another industry like this💔💔🔥


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## Treplow14 (Feb 8, 2020)

izzysmom said:


> My breeder is in the Pittsburgh area, and she's fabulous. She is really dedicated and passionate about bettering the breed, and breeds 2-3 times a year, max. If you google "josymir maltese" her website and contact info should come up. Please let me know if I can help in any way!


I will try her 🙏🏻🙏🏻Thank you


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## Bubble boy (Apr 10, 2020)

Maltmom said:


> I have been looking for a female malt for a few months now. I have a little boy, Clifford, who is my heart and soul. I know that responsible breeders are so, so busy and probably bombarded with calls and silly questions. I really do understand that. That is why I always email breeders rather than call them. I figure they can email me back when they get a chance. When you call, you never know if the time is good or not.
> 
> I've done all breed rescue for years so I know what some pet peeves regarding people wanting to adopt. I used to hate when I got emails that said "how much for your dog?" or "is the dog still available?". It's like, tell me about yourself, tell me about what kind of home you will provide this dog, don't make me play 20 questions with you.
> 
> ...


i was noticing in Arizona the breeders are asking 4,000 for a female. There were a few of them asking that much! I bought my 1st malt from a pet store. He was 2,000 14 years ago? I didn’t plan on getting a dog that day? he did have health issues too? Plus he was a lot larger than I see here? But I loved him! I decide to get another one since he passed 5 months ago now. This time a girl. I found a breeder and put a deposit on one. She is 2,500. Luckily I got a stimulus check to help me cover her cost. But now the girls are more than that in calif. I figure I would rather get a puppy from a breeder, than a puppy mill? What I don’t understand is that dogs that are mixed like Yorky and Maltese cost more than a Maltese? Who knows? I would think a full blood dog should cost more? One guy at the beach said that his dog cost 4,000 was a poodle and golden retriever? My friends think i should not pay a cent for a god? i think you get what you pay for. Plus research helps too! Hope you find your baby soon mine is now three weeks old!


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## Bubble boy (Apr 10, 2020)

Bubble boy said:


> i was noticing in Arizona the breeders are asking 4,000 for a female. There were a few of them asking that much! I bought my 1st malt from a pet store. He was 2,000 14 years ago? I didn’t plan on getting a dog that day? he did have health issues too? Plus he was a lot larger than I see here? But I loved him! I decide to get another one since he passed 5 months ago now. This time a girl. I found a breeder and put a deposit on one. She is 2,500. Luckily I got a stimulus check to help me cover her cost. But now the girls are more than that in calif. I figure I would rather get a puppy from a breeder, than a puppy mill? What I don’t understand is that dogs that are mixed like Yorky and Maltese cost more than a Maltese? Who knows? I would think a full blood dog should cost more? One guy at the beach said that his dog cost 4,000 was a poodle and golden retriever? My friends think i should not pay a cent for a god? i think you get what you pay for. Plus research helps too! Hope you find your baby soon mine is now three weeks old!


Dog not god


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## The A Team (Dec 1, 2005)

Maltese are crazy expensive anymore!! I guess the price of everything is going up everywhere, so everything they need to purchase is more expensive too. Don't know what the answer is, but I have to say back in October I had a retiring show breeder offer me a very pretty female pup for a great price...unfortunately, I was on my way home from a road trip...picking up a new puppy. (figures...lol) If you're on Facebook, there is a group called something like Maltese Show Breeder puppy and retiree avability group - I never remember the exact name. They are a group of show breeders who have puppies occasionally. Good luck with your search.


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## wkomorow (Aug 26, 2011)

Rescues are another option. AMAR, SCMR, NCMR are all reputable rescues for Maltese. Show breeders also have retirees as Pat mentioned. Casper is a retiree. I was originally looking for a rescue, but the perfect dog never emergered, so I began looking for a retiree. Casper and I could not be happier. Some breeders also have fairly young dogs that they held back to potentially compete, but decided they were not the best choice for the ring. I know that some breeders are slow in responding, and often a personal connection can be useful.


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## hayley's mom (Aug 11, 2018)

Maltmom said:


> I have been looking for a female malt for a few months now. I have a little boy, Clifford, who is my heart and soul. I know that responsible breeders are so, so busy and probably bombarded with calls and silly questions. I really do understand that. That is why I always email breeders rather than call them. I figure they can email me back when they get a chance. When you call, you never know if the time is good or not.
> 
> I've done all breed rescue for years so I know what some pet peeves regarding people wanting to adopt. I used to hate when I got emails that said "how much for your dog?" or "is the dog still available?". It's like, tell me about yourself, tell me about what kind of home you will provide this dog, don't make me play 20 questions with you.
> 
> ...


Your experience seems to be the norm and not at all unusual - breeders are notorious for not returning emails or phone calls. We went through probably 12-15 breeders looking for a 6-12 month old female and we were Willing to pay their exhorbitant prices and it was still like pulling teeth -and truthfully we were looking for a rare, premium product - because they usually keep the best females to show or breed -so the females are always harder to find - regardless of your price range. I’m just going to go out on a Limb and tell you yo just Just keep emailing them and calling until you get an answer / you must be very persistent to get their attention but as someone else has already mentioned- $2,000 for a female from a top AMA breeder probably isn’t realistic - just telling you my own experience- best of luck to you !!


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## Abella's Mommy (Mar 31, 2019)

Here in CA from my experience I'd say triple that if you want female top notch pedigree. 
🐶 🌻🐾


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## Abella's Mommy (Mar 31, 2019)

Just realized this is an OLD post - sorry!


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