# Is it possible to get a good and healthy puppy for $500?



## Madamehilton (Jul 7, 2012)

I have been wanting a little Maltese since i was 4 years old, i am now 18 years old. Through out these years my mom lied to me "ill get you one when we move", or "ill get you one when we buy a house. We moved,we bought a house, and i even had her ex-boyfriend fighting constantly to actually buy me one at the age of 13 and her lie was "until we more to a bigger house", the house is already HUGE. Anyways, she promised to buy me one after finishing high school as a gift, but she does NOT want to spend over $500 on it. i am so scared to the point that i no longer want a Maltese because i am afraid she is going to get it from a pet store, puppy mill, backyard breeder,etc. Because i know the ones that are well breed and their owners take care of them and registered with AKC are so expensive. i have checked the ones in Florida (where i live), it costs about $2000 and UP. i have been wanting it for YEARS, i dont want to buy a pet store one and end up with crazy vet bills or for him to die, ill go crazy. imagine a dream comes true and than falls apart :crying:
My question is, is it possible to buy an affordable healthy Maltese puppy? and where can i find this without using pet stores,etc

THANK YOU ALL IN ADVANCE​


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

There are some rescue babies around if you check rescue sites. Where are you located? Please don't give up & settle for a BYB or pet shop---you would be buying trouble.


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## StevieB (Feb 2, 2012)

Can you get a 12 week old puppy from a reputable breeder with a health guarantee for $500? Probably not. But you could probably get an older "teenage" puppy or retiree for that. If you're tempted to "buy" a pet store puppy or a BYB puppy, then instead you need to get a rescue as they're all from puppy mills or BYBs as well. You're getting the same quality of dog with the same health risks, but at least it will have been fully vetted and spayed by that point so you'll have a better idea if there is a health problem. And you'll be saving a life rather than supporting the puppy mills. Keep in mind, if you get a puppy, you've got a load of vet expenses that you'll incur that first year, healthy or not. So if your mom is limiting the budget to $500, is she accounting for the cost of spay/neuter, shots, supplies, grooming etc that will go on top of that? If she buys from a pet store or BYB, how is she going to feel about vet bills for URIs, ear infections, possibly Parvo?

I will just say this now - DO NOT BUY A PUPPY FROM A PET STORE OR FROM AN ONLINE SELLER OR FROM A FLEA MARKET. DO NOT BUY A PUPPY UNLESS IT COMES FROM A REPUTABLE BREEDER WHO HAS TAKEN THE NECESSARY STEPS TO ENSURE THEY ARE BREEDING HEALTHY DOGS. IF YOU CAN'T FIND THIS IN YOUR PRICE RANGE THEN PLEASE CONSIDER A RESCUE!!

Does it HAVE to be a puppy? How is your mom going to feel about poop and pee accidents in her house, and a puppy keeping her up all night crying when it first comes home? Sounds like she's not much of a dog person? Just things to consider! 

I do wish you the best of luck and I really appreciate that you found us and are asking the right questions, as you will get good honest answers!


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

You know your situation better than anyone else but I'm going to tell you my experience. I purchased an african grey parrot when I was 18 years old. I still have him, and honestly, if I knew then what I know now, I would never have purchased him. I really believe when we are 18 we need to focus on our future, wether that be, going to college, or just moving out on your own, getting stable in a job, getting your own place and getting settled.

You need to know where YOU are going to be and you need to be stable so that you can decide, at that time, if it will be the right thing for you to get a dog. You may get out on your own and discover that dogs don't fit into your lifestyle-maybe you'll be a cat lover, maybe you'll not want pets at all.

I know you've dreamed of one since you were tiny. I dreamed of having a horse since I could talk, I drew them, wrote stories about them, volunteered at ranches just to be near them, I was obsessed... then I got out on my own, grew up, and realized that they just don't fit into my lifestyle-and you can ask anyone, I was all about horses.

I also always wanted a german shepherd and somehow ended up with malts.  

That little of money is going to get you either a rescue, a puppy from a shelter, or a puppy mill/backyard breeder dog. I think the best bit of advice I can give is get out on your own-find out where YOU are going and who YOU are going to be and then decide if it will work for you. Life isn't over at 18 or 20 or 25, or good grief, I didn't get my own dog till 33!


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## ckanen2n (Jan 2, 2012)

I understand how you feel - I wanted a puppy all my life, but my dad did finally buy me a toy poodle when I was 12. Have you graduated from HS and are you going to college? Dorms do not allow puppies and it sounds like your mom really does not want a dog. If I were you, I would focus on college and/or career first. Once you are out on your own, a maltese would be perfect for apartment life and you can train your fluff as such. Maybe in the meantime, you could volunteer assisting a maltese breeder or handler and end up with a very good price on a beautiful pup - when you have your own place. I know how it feels to be impatient, but my father taught me a very valuable lesson which I will always remember - "If you can't afford the best, wait until you can!"


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## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

Many people say that you should go for a rescue, but (please forgive me) that is the same as going to a puppy mill or BYB, the difference is that the puppy mill or BYB doesn't profit. I love all dogs and when I can I contribute to help rescues, but I am selfish too. I went to a highly reputable breeder for my puppy and I spent the money. While I want to help all poor innocent little dogs, I also want to support the sport and art of careful breeding. You need to decide where you are and what is important to you. Essentially, those of us who love dogs support rescue or show breeders. It is a choice and either is a good choice in my never humble opinion. Just as long as you don't allow cost to enter the equation. Never choose rescue over show breeder because of the price. The upkeep costs quickly exceed the adoption costs no matter which route you go.
I have the utmost respect for people who take on rescues, but I have seen that the little ones reward the people who adopt them one hundredfold.
I never want to see the art, science and love of purebred dogs fade into oblivion because good people only rescue.
Either way is good. But buying a dog for $500 from a newspaper ad is not supporting either. It was the way we got a puppy twenty years ago, but today it is not the best way to go.


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## mss (Mar 1, 2006)

I agree that people should not adopt a rescue dog_ solely _because they think they can get a purebred dog that way more cheaply than they can get one from a resputable breeder. Sometimes a dog you adopt from a rescue will have more problems down the road, sometimes fewer. Legitimate rescues care about the well-being of a dog. It's something positive. And it should be from the adopter's perspective, too.


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## zooeysmom (Aug 1, 2011)

shellbeme said:


> You know your situation better than anyone else but I'm going to tell you my experience. I purchased an african grey parrot when I was 18 years old.
> 
> I didn't get my own dog till 33!


Shelly, this is so weird--I got my parrot when I was 18 and my first dog on my own (Zooey) when I was 33! 

To the OP--you have gotten great advice. If I were you, I would definitely wait a few more years until you're out of college. You've waited this long, so why not just a few more years? Plus, if you want to go the show breeder route, you can see if you can save up enough money for a pup. Or maybe you'll decide to rescue, which seriously will get you the most loving dog possible in my oh so humble opinion... :thumbsup: But just wait it out. Your household with your mom doesn't sound like a welcoming place for a pup (I'm sorry about that). Focus on you and your future for now.


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## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

A rescue isn't the same as a BYB or a puppy mill. The fluff you adopt helps them to keep rescing puppymill puppies and BYB puppies or unwanted dogs in a kill shelter.
$500 for a rescue puppy ,it will probably be less than that, will not only rescue that fluff but allow more to be rescued...

If you want a puppy from a reputable breeder it will be a lot more and no guarantee it will be issue free,but hopefully that breeder if reputable will have a health guarantee.

You get what you pay for when you get a $500 puppy from just any place...

At least with a rescue,sure it's a chance that it might not be healthy too, but if it is healthy,you've done more than buy a puppy, you did a good deed that goes beyond just adopting.

If you want a guaranteed high quality show quality puppy, it will cost a lot,no way around that, you have to decide, what the budget is, what you're willing to spend and what you really want in a fluff.


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## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

I re-read my post and realize I didn't say it quite right. Let me try to clarify. If you get a rescue, chances are it came from a puppymill or BYB and therefore would pose the same health risks, because the parents aren't screened for genetic illnesses. Which is not to say that it would definitely have come from one of those places or that it would certainly have health issues...not at all. Of course, many dogs from shelters are perfectly healthy, and rescue organizations screen for health problems and correct them with good medical care before putting them up for adoption. 

Sometimes, you have something in your head, that comes out wrong when you are trying to be brief.


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## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

shellbeme said:


> You know your situation better than anyone else but I'm going to tell you my experience. I purchased an african grey parrot when I was 18 years old. I still have him, and honestly, if I knew then what I know now, I would never have purchased him. I really believe when we are 18 we need to focus on our future, wether that be, going to college, or just moving out on your own, getting stable in a job, getting your own place and getting settled.
> 
> You need to know where YOU are going to be and you need to be stable so that you can decide, at that time, if it will be the right thing for you to get a dog. You may get out on your own and discover that dogs don't fit into your lifestyle-maybe you'll be a cat lover, maybe you'll not want pets at all.
> 
> ...


:goodpost:You said it so well.


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## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

I reread your post and didn't pick up on your mom's now obvious reluctance to get a dog when you were younger...
Are you planning to go to college or move for a job soon? Doesn't sound like your mom is too keen on helping you take care of a dog...
Maybe you could wait until your life is a bit more settled. 

You could take some time, and volunteer at a shelter, it would be good experience and you get to love on doggies all day too. I know it's an added benefit for me, I love dogs, I have 4 maltese and a cocker spaniel, I volunteer so I can give those dogs the love they didnt' have and hopefully they will get adopted and live in their own happy home...


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## babycake7 (Jan 30, 2012)

I agree with those who suggest that perhaps you need to wait and save. You are 18 and there are so many changes that will happen in the next several years of your life. Puppies are like kids and they need secure, stable home environments. You are living with your mom and based on your post, it doesn't sound like she is 110 percent on board with the idea of a puppy. The last thing that you want to do is get a puppy, face the inevitable housebreaking issues, and then find your self if a standoff with your mom because she can't deal with the puppy messing in her house. Then you may find yourself in a situation where you have to give up the puppy. This is how so many puppies end up in rescues and shelters in the first place. When getting a puppy it's not just "is now the right time?". You have to ask yourself if the next 15 years are going to be the right time. It's a commitment for a lifetime and if you are 18 now, the next 15 years may bring college, moves, new careers, boyfriends, marriage, babies, etc. I would definitely wait until you are more stable and on your own. That being said, no matter what you spend $500 or $2500, the cost of the puppy is the inexpensive part. The upkeep will always be more and it will be on going. And that's not considering emergencies. You must have a financial safety net to care for your puppy. Now is the time to continue to save, dream, save, dream and save some more. Lastly, yes, please be wary of any Maltese puppy that is $500. At the very least, question that situation and price very seriously. Generally, you get what you pay for in life.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

mss said:


> I agree that people should not adopt a rescue dog_ solely _because they think they can get a purebred dog that way more cheaply than they can get one from a resputable breeder. Sometimes a dog you adopt from a rescue will have more problems down the road, sometimes fewer. Legitimate rescues care about the well-being of a dog. It's something positive. And it should be from the adopter's perspective, too.


:thumbsup: Well said!

And let me add that most rescues do not adopt to anyone under 21 for the very reasons brought up already. You have too many life changes ahead of you and can't offer a dog the proper stability.


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

zooeysmom said:


> Shelly, this is so weird--I got my parrot when I was 18 and my first dog on my own (Zooey) when I was 33!


:blink: I got goosebumps...


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## bonsmom (Feb 22, 2010)

Your mother is not responsible for making your dream come true. Perhaps her dream is to live in a dog free home, and that is her right. Maybe her love for you made her make promises she couldn't keep. In any event, I agree with the other words of wisdom here. Think of what the next years will bring, and plan accordingly. Don't make your mom's mistake. Don't promise a pup a forever home and then not be able to keep your promise!
Best of luck with your decision!


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## SammieMom (Nov 13, 2010)

Sorry, but NO. The costs these breeders incur is much higher than a person breeding for profit only. Maybe rescue will work for you, but you need to think this through beyond the $500.00. Trust me, I have been there with 2 puppies from a BYB. One died and the other is now over 3,400.00 in medical bills and he is ONLY 2 yrs old. The joy of owning a dog is also about how they behave, and a Maltese can be difficult if not socialized and bred properly. Remember it's not about just having enough money with a reputable show breeder, it's going to be more about them finding the right home for the few puppies they sell. 

Be careful with these people (byb), they are very good at what they do. One will gladly take $500.00 in this economy and convince you they are experienced / great breeders all the while. :w00t:

So many great posts here for you. :thumbsup:


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## lydiatug (Feb 21, 2012)

Yes, so much very good advice here. My stepdaughter's mother gave her a rescue puppy (pom-yorkie) just before she graduated high school. She is just the cutest thing you've ever seen! This has posed many problems, which she is working through, but these little dogs often have a very small comfort zone which can wreak havoc on their little systems. Long story short, she is now at college and has a small apartment just so she can have her baby by her side...that is after Chewie lived with us for a year and a half and it took us over 6 months to get her to eat regularly (it was all about the routine). Now she is having fits trying to get her to eat anything at all and its a constant drama (college kids have no routine), not to mention the vet bills she can't really afford. Luckily she has us, and we love that little dog as much as she does, so we help out. 

Just remember anything worth having is worth waiting for and developing patience builds character. Best of luck to you!


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## silverhaven (Sep 6, 2009)

Everything said is true. My daughter also can't wait to have a little one of her own, but she knows that at 25, she isn't properly settled yet. Still in rented accommodation and teaching jobs being very hard to come by is still making a living at minimum wage. So she is waiting until she is more stable with more money coming in.  it isn't easy but you just have to do the right thing.


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## gidget'smom (Mar 11, 2012)

I'm sorry to have to add another, "I'll have to go with not at this point in your life," but even if you managed to find a Maltese out there for $500. and it is relatively healthy, I'm going to ask you to spend some time on this forum reading some of the day to day concerns people deal with over their beloved pups. As someone else pointed out, food issues can take months of time to figure out and it can get very expensive as food that you would want you pup to eat is pricey. Grooming--a maltese requires MUCH grooming that can be rather expensive. Even routine well-check visits, vaccines, and spay/neutering are not cheap. Potty training, socialization and your own companionship are things to consider. Maltese do not do well being left alone for long periods of time--they are lap dogs. If you are in school and have a social life where will that leave your dog? Also, most importantly, as someone else pointed out you should be that dog's forever home. Please consider ALL of these and the other posters' concerns carefully before making you final decision.


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## missalita (May 4, 2012)

I must say, that, while I agree with most of you from a practical standpoint looking back (a responsible grown-up's point of view), I'm very glad I never waited until I could afford a dog to get one. Or until I was on my own. I bought my first dog with babysitting money at age 16 and he was my baby. He went everywhere with me. When I met my husband, we went on doggie dates. When I got married, he came with me. When I had a baby, he lay on the baby blanket. He was my first 'baby'. Could I afford expensive food and doggie supplies? No. Could I afford vet care? Not really but I managed somehow. When I shopped for my first apartment, their pet policy was my first priority. It CAN be done. And I'm so glad I didn't wait until I could 'afford' it. If I had, my first dog would have been at age 40.

And by the way, my son has a lab and is in college. She goes everywhere with him that he can take her. She waits patiently at his apartment when she can't. It CAN work.

I'm just saying don't paint everyone with the same brush and discourage this girl completely. Not everyone will ditch their pet at the first opportunity.

I say she should apply at a rescue and let them tell her if she has a proper home for a maltese. (Although I'm very glad no one screened me when I bought my first puppy.)


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## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

missalita said:


> I must say, that, while I agree with most of you from a practical standpoint looking back (a responsible grown-up's point of view), I'm very glad I never waited until I could afford a dog to get one. Or until I was on my own. I bought my first dog with babysitting money at age 16 and he was my baby. He went everywhere with me. When I met my husband, we went on doggie dates. When I got married, he came with me. When I had a baby, he lay on the baby blanket. He was my first 'baby'. Could I afford expensive food and doggie supplies? No. Could I afford vet care? Not really but I managed somehow. When I shopped for my first apartment, their pet policy was my first priority. It CAN be done. And I'm so glad I didn't wait until I could 'afford' it. If I had, my first dog would have been at age 40.
> 
> And by the way, my son has a lab and is in college. She goes everywhere with him that he can take her. She waits patiently at his apartment when she can't. It CAN work.
> 
> ...


Me too...back in the good old days. There is no right or wrong. We try to eliminate puppy mills and discourage what we label as back yard breeders. In the end you find your loving dog however you find him or her. If it happens that you get an eight week old puppy from an a person who has two dogs that they love and thought they should breed...well, like ain't perfect...kiss your puppy and let's just celebrate.

So many of us Malt moms are mature women who now have the time and money to devote to our dogs...but guess what...we were young once and we had dogs who we loved with all our hearts who came from ...sigh I don't know where. Maybe our experience with carelessly bred dogs has led to heartbreak we want to save our fellows from enduring. I have some mixed emotions ...confused emotions...but all I really feel that if you have the love to give...that is the number one ingredient...with love you can do anything.


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## CloudClan (Jan 31, 2007)

Just to add to the discussion on age. I got my precious Cloud when I was 18 and in college. Yes, I had the support of my folks to help me at the time. But honestly, I think every situation is different. I am so very grateful that Cloud came into my life, especially at that time. We shared so much in the nearly 16 years we had together. 

I don't think being 18 should be the factor to discourage anyone from getting a dog if that person is ready to be responsible and to love their animal. For sure, in my rescue work I saw plenty of people who were at an age when they should have been old enough to be responsible who weren't. Again, it is very individual.

Please do not get your dog from a BYB or Mill. I say this not because of the finances of the decision but because it is so important not to support these folks. There are too many out there who do not care properly for their dogs and it just perpetuates the suffering of those poor animals. 

Rescue is a great avenue. I have had several beautiful animals that came through rescue. So is working with a good breeder for a retiree. The alternatives are out there. Good luck in your search.


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## LuvMyBoys (Jan 2, 2012)

CloudClan said:


> Just to add to the discussion on age. I got my precious Cloud when I was 18 and in college. Yes, I had the support of my folks to help me at the time. But honestly, I think every situation is different. I am so very grateful that Cloud came into my life, especially at that time. We shared so much in the nearly 16 years we had together.
> 
> I don't think being 18 should be the factor to discourage anyone from getting a dog if that person is ready to be responsible and to love their animal. For sure, in my rescue work I saw plenty of people who were at an age when they should have been old enough to be responsible who weren't. Again, it is very individual.
> 
> ...


 
:smilie_daumenpos::goodpost:

I have (and have had) a rescue and a retiree...I will never get a dog another way. Best experiences of my life.


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## ashleyannewells (Jul 28, 2012)

I was the same way and I just got mine for free from a woman who was moving and could not keep her dog!!


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## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

I was 19 and Al was 26 when we got our first dog...

We got our first cocker spaniel, Max, when when we were engaged, Max stayed at Al's place and I'd go to take care of him during the day when Al slept..he worked nights. Max stayed alone at night but Al left the keys with a trusted neighbour to look in on him until we got married a couple months later...

A after we got married Al got me Buffy,another cocker when I was diagnosed with cancer. She and Max were the perfect medicine for sure....

We had a series of breeds through out the years,due to my volunteering at shelters and we lived in the country so people would dump fluffs of all flavours on us...

We never really knew about Malts,since we lived in a very rural area,wasn't until we traveled for business that we saw them...

We chose cockers because Al's mom always wanted one but couldn't afford it.
We were in tough times, I was going through cancer treatments ans we lived in a trailer,barely scraping by but somehow we managed to feed our fluffs.

I'm not advocating irresponsibility in dog ownership...we made sure we had money for the fluffs,no matter what. A pet is a financial outlay, true. As long as they have good quality food,with one tiny Malt that should be too bad, you can get 18 pounds of high quality dog food for $40 and it will last a couple months or more easily.
I bought Rylee a 30 pound bag of Wellness puppy (for his joints), lasted him over 8 months...
If you can save $40 per month in a vet fund,those big bills won't be so burdensom...

It can be done, we didn't wait until we were financially well off but we did save and build a little money back before hand...for planning.

Al was working a pretty low paying job,then got laid off for three months,then was back 6 months and had surgery that put him off for another two months.

I guess people on forum, we get a bit sensative about these situations since we've probably all had someone come up to us and say,"we can't afford our dog" and want to give it away... only to find out the dog was cutting into their fun money..not like they were laid off or lost their home...

Whatever your decision,we stand behind you and we're here if you need us...


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## victoriamukhin (Aug 29, 2012)

Yes it is possible to get a healthy puppy for under $500. I bought Abli from a responsible person that wasn't a breeder but was a loving dog owner. He cared a lot about his dogs and even told me that if I ever needed, for some reason, to get rid of the dog that he would rather me call him and give the dog back to him than put him in the pound. He went out of his way to help me with any questions that I might of had. He was just all together awesome!!!


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## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

Yes, of course. Sometimes you are blessed. You just need to know all the possibilities...pros, cons, traps and all. Then you need to make an EDUCATED decision, based on what you need. I think you did that and found your "all together awesome" pooch. Now, you MUST (please) post a picture and share your joy.


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## SamiPix (Oct 16, 2012)

I'm new here, and I just rescued/rehomed a lovely little girl. She is 6 months old, and it sort of fell in my lap from the feelers I had put out there. I met her first family, and they couldn't keep her due to landlord chaning his mind, but I paid a fair price around what you're looking to spend, she came with all of her papers, shots papers, and had just recently been checked out by the vet in August. It's possible, however, it's going to take some homework on your part. I've been very warmly welcomed here, and I'm sure if you would be willing to get a rescue or rehomed Maltese that the lovely people here would point you in the direction of folks who precisely that or who have the hard-luck situation that brought Azurebelle to me. 

You don't mention where you live, but another good spot I would imagine would be calling actual reputable breeders in your area, explaining your situation and requesting that they keep you in mind in the event they hear of anyone who needs to rehome or even if they happen to have a baby who is not show or breeding material, and I remember this from when I got my Wolfgang. He was a yorkie but at 3.5 pounds the breeder just couldn't see putting him though the rigors of showing, etc., and I seem to recollect he was also under the "legal" size. Forgive me this was almost, what, 14 years ago now, but the point was he couldn't be shown even though he was technically perfect, just very tiny. Also, as it turns out Wolfie had a mind of his own and probably wouldn't have taken too well to being told what to do and was known to go tearing out of a room on rails and run around like top for 10 minutes for no other reason than he basically felt like it, so there. That said, I acquired Wolfie for $1000 because of this fact which was about half of what she would have sold him for if he was to go to a show home or to a home where he would be a stud, neither of which I was inclined to participate in because I believe that both things should be left to the experts, especially breeding. When you're dealing with microminiature puppies you're opening yourself up to a whole hornets nest of potential complications. 

The above said, it is possible to find a baby for $500, I'm sure of it, especially given my own experience with Azurebelle, who came home this morning and past experiences. Just be patient, and do your legwork. Get on the phone call the National outfit for Maltese get a list of reputable breeders within driving distance and start calling and putting a bug in their ear, maybe send some cookies with a thank you note for their time because remember these folks are busy especially if they are actively on the show circuit. Any time they give you, be grateful for because they're the ones who can help you find your baby and then educate you if you need immediate answers and there's no one online here to ask. If you're sincere about your love and commitment, I can't imagine anyone would turn you away and you never know what happenstance may turn out that that person is the person who points you in the direction of your baby or actually provides a way for you to get what you're looking for.  

Lastly, when you speak to people, maybe suggest that you would be willing to do a layaway plan on a future planned litter. I know with my Yorkie connection she had it planned down to the exact months of the year. Possibly very anal, or maybe just crazy organized, but it would seem to me if you found someone that plans their situations like that you can offer to do a layaway for the weeks before the birth and up to the point when you can come and choose one, that's what I did with Wolfie during his mother's pregnancy up until the day I took her my last payment and brought him home.

Again, I'm new here, I may be talking out of turn but it is what I did and had Azurebelle not been too good to pass up, it's probably what I would be doing right now.  That's not to say there isn't another Yorkie in my future sometime because assuredly there will be, but for now he's still a little twinkle of thought in the little minds of his mom and dad somewhere in the ether and for now I have my Azurebelle, my Freeway and the Screamer, uh, wait, no that's not right, and Tikki... 


Suz aka Sami
Freeway, Tikki and Azurebelle's Mommy, and Eternal Mommy to Theodore E. Bear and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who have gone to play on the other side of the rainbow bridge.


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## CorkieYorkie (Apr 10, 2012)

18 is probably the WORST age to get a dog at, much less a PUPPY... I can relate though, my parents didn't get me a dog til I was 16... 4 years later and I was off to college, missing my pup  needless to say, it was my parents' dog, not mine. I was more of a sister to Tiger than a mommy!! I alwasy have resented my parents' selfishness in getting themselves a dog rather than their kids. 

But anyways, I did not get my own dog until I was 26 aka I was ready to settle down and had already been settled down (living with my bf, working, not partying, etc.) and was okay with the fact that I would have to always come home to let him out and not go out and do my own thing, etc. 

Think HARD about that... you will not get to go straight form work/class to have drinks with your friends, you ahve a dog that needs to be let out. 18 is not only when you officially become an adult, it's when you open your eyes to the world in a whole new way and find out who you REALLY are. It is probably the worst time to be tied down with a dog IMO.... just think very hard about if now is the right time.

And definitely rescue... that way you don't ahve to deal with puppy issues... of course, it may have baggage, but I will always advocate rescue dogs over even a reputable breeder. Sorry, just how I feel.


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## Leila'sMommy (Oct 20, 2012)

Just from your saying that you don't want to buy a puppy from a pet store, puppy mill or BYB tells me that you are smart enough to know how to make a responsible decision. How many 18-year-olds even think that far when they want something? 

As for your mother, I don't know her, but please don't harbor unpleasant feelings about her for not getting you one earlier. Maybe she's just not a pet-person and she can't help how she feels. Or maybe she knew she would wind up being the person who would end up doing most of the care...potty training, taking to the vet, etc and wasn't wanting to do that. I know most kids say at first they will do all the feeding, taking outside, cleaning up after, etc, but after the newness wears off, it's usually the mom who ends up doing it all. As for the cost, there are a lot of people out there who think people are crazy if they spend even $200 on an animal. In my opinion (and I'm sure most of the people on here would agree with me), those people just don't understand. I know my husband probably thought I'd lost my mind when I told him how much it would cost to get a Maltese even though he went in on half of the cost with me anyway to get Leila. What I'm saying is your mother may not realize what it cost the breeder just to get the puppies to the age that they're old enough to go to their forever homes. Maybe if you could educate her by getting all the information on that that you can for her. Another thing about your mom is most mothers know their children better than they know themselves and she may have felt that even though YOU thought you were ready for a puppy, she knew what all is involved in raising one and that you weren't ready for that and in order to keep from hurting you by just saying no, she tried to just keep putting you off. *Be thankful for your mom...it's better that she did put you off with the excuses than to have given in, it not work out, and a puppy wind up who knows where.*

As for the cost of the puppy...the cost does not end when you buy one. Call the vet and ask about the costs of all the exams, shots, deworming, spay/neuter, flea & heartworm prevention/treatment, etc. It's not cheap! Not even including all that for Leila, I have only had her a couple of months and have spent well over $1000.00 on her already. Granted, there are a lot of things she didn't need but I wanted them for her and I can afford it. Are you going to be ok with a puppy if you can't afford to spoil it? Also, even if you get one from a reputable breeder, there are still some things that can happen beyond anyone's control that can cost thousands of dollars at the vet. Keep reading on here about some of the health problems people have had. I would highly recommend buying pet insurance if you can't afford to pay the bills should something happen. And even then, the insurance doesn't cover 100%. I could go on and on about some of the accidents puppies I've known of that have cost friends/family thousands to perfectly healthy puppies/dogs. No one saw it coming and they are good mommies/daddies, but accidents can and do happen even when you're careful in trying to prevent them. What would you do if your puppy got sick or hurt? This breed can live for many years if healthy and nothing happens to them. Are you up for this kind of commitment? If you want to go on a trip with your friends or family and can't take your puppy, do you have someone who can take care of it for you? 

I'm not trying to talk you out of it if you truly want a Maltese puppy and are really ready...just trying to show you it's not just the cost and the expense doesn't stop there. If you do really want one, are ready for one, and can afford all it takes to raise one, I do wish you the best. I don't think you're going to find one from a reputable breeder under $500 unless it's older, but you never know. I knew of one who practically gave away her last litter of Yorkies for $300 because of some unexpected financial problems. Granted, that doesn't usually happen but it can.


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## nwyant1946 (Jan 2, 2013)

Mia is 2 1/2 years old and was gotten from a reputable breeder after they used her as a breeder for awhile. I believe my neighbor paid $300 for her and she is wonderful. Even with all she's been through the last few months...changing owners twice...she has settled in nicely with us and has bonded well. She's house broken, is getting along with our three cats and is just wonderful. There is a lot to be said for an older dog...puppied are cute, but Malts keep that cuteness into adulthood...I think anyway...


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## *Missy* (Oct 7, 2011)

Sorry didnt know this was so old!


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