# Breeder near Santa Fe NM.



## Jayl65 (Jun 28, 2012)

Hi all,
I've been looking for reputable breeders near Santa Fe, NM. It seems we dont have any in the state of NM. Ive contacted breeders in CO,TX and AZ. It seems hard to get them to reply to me. My search has been in neighboring states since I am willing to drive to see them in person and pick up a new pet. I was naive when I first started the search not knowing the cost of a show quality pet Maltese. I quickly found out that my original budget would not fly. My concern is for a healthy pet bred to the Maltese standard. I have looked at websites where the dogs do not look correct to my eye. I realize that I am unknown in the Maltese world but I cant help feeling that Im not considered good enough. The show circuit is over my head and I dont want to participate in it. I also dont want to support puppy mills and back yard breeders.

I want a healthy puppy or teenager from a good home. I have been looking for a boy and have found a beautiful boy from a breeder in Scottsdale AZ. The breeder has been super helpful and I hesitate to list the name here but feel really good about it.

My question I guess is recommended breeders who actually want to sell their Maltese? 

Is there such a thing as 1st and 2rd tier breeders? It seems that show breeders consider only other show circuit parents to adopt. Breeders that don't list pedigree, but say they have champions in their bloodlines seem to be second tier to me with prices still being high, but not as high as show breeders. Finally I come across breeder that list no pedigree with prices in the $600.00 to $800.00 range. They scare me.

So Im left wanting the 1st tier breeders to contact me and even consider speaking to an underling like myself. And what Im calling 2rd tier breeders whos dogs look good and I feel are healthy but have less information about. At least I feel like I can connect with these breeders and actually getto have a conversation with them and feel like I could own one of their Maltese. 

1st tier breeders pricing? $1500 to $2000 or more for a male.
2rd tier breeder pricing ? $1000 to $1800 for a male.
Random breeder classifieds $500 to $800 for a male. 

Advice and recommendations please!


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## bellaratamaltese (May 24, 2006)

Hi and welcome to SM!

Honestly, show breeders only 'sell' show/breeding dogs to other show breeders that they feel comfortable working with, so that is different than puppies that need to go as pets. Pet buyers, such as yourself, are very much appreciated by reputable show breeders. There is no 'underling' mentality (at least none that I've come across) If someone is trying to buy a 'pet' that they want to breed, that is a different story and that is when a buyer will usually experience a bit of 'attitude' from a breeder. 

I'm sure you've looked through the AMA breeder list but I will give you the link just in case!

American Maltese Association

If you don't hear back from a breeder, it doesn't hurt to try again because sometimes emails can get overlooked and phone calls missed. 

Good luck!!


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## Kaiser (May 10, 2012)

Welcome to SM, Jayl65!

The way I see it, there's really no 1st, 2nd or 3rd tier of breeders. There's only a Show Breeder or Backyard Breeder [BYB]. The difference between them are:

1. Show Breeders are those who show their dogs in competitions and aims to make a champion out of them. They are dedicated to producing quality pups that fall within the guideline set by AKC. The sire/dam are usually tested for any hereditary problems and are always up to date with their vet check.
BYB just breed "for fun" or profit. They are normal pet owners that just so happens to have a male and a female dog and decided that they want to have puppies to sell them. Sometimes it could also be one of those 'accidental' breedings. The sire/dam has never been tested for any hereditary issues, therefore you don't know if the pup will have hereditary issues in the future.

2. Show Breeders screens prospective puppy buyers and makes sure that their puppies are going to good, suitable homes. 
BYB just sells their puppies to whoever has the money.

3. Show Breeders will never place a puppy younger than 12 weeks old (sometimes more if the puppy is small).
BYB will usually let the puppies go at 8 weeks old.

4. Just like what Stacy said, Show Breeders will not place show quality puppies to normal pet owners. It's not because they feel we're unfit, it's just that they want those puppies to reach their full potential and win a championship. BUT, that doesn't mean that their pet quality puppies are inferior. I'm not a show breeder so I can't say exactly what criteria they use to differentiate the two. We have a couple of SM members who are show breeders so I'm sure they can answer that for you.
BYB have no notion of what a show quality or pet quality puppy is. But since they don't show, it doesn't really matter for them.

5. Show Breeders will require you to sign a contract stating that you need to get your puppy neutered/spayed when they reach 6-8 months old and will only give you a limited AKC registration so you cannot breed or show the pup. 
BYB doesn't require you to get your pups fixed and will give you full AKC registration.

6. Show Breeders will not shy away from showing you the pedigree of the sire or dam. They know the history of their dogs and will tell you straight out if they are champion-sired or not. 
BYB, especially the ones pretending to be show breeders, will just say that their pups came from a long line of champions but won't have the pedigree papers to back up their claims. 

Overall, I would definitely recommend going to a show breeder if your heart is set to getting a Maltese puppy. Their prices may be high but the peace of mind of knowing that your puppy came from a good, healthy background is priceless. One major vet bill from an unhealthy pup can cost you thousands and a lot of heartache. I also hope you don't mind me suggesting that if price might be an issue right now, maybe you can consider adopting from a rescue? There are a lot of poor sweet ones that are in desperate need of a loving home and you sure sound like you're going to be a good pet parent. 

Stacy gave you a good place to start your search for a breeder though. But just a head's up, not all reputable breeders are a member of the AMA. So feel free to check threads here to know what breeder/s are mostly recommended by our fellow SM members.

Good luck with your search and hope you stick around!


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## educ8m (May 19, 2010)

Kaiser said:


> Welcome to SM, Jayl65!
> 
> The way I see it, there's really no 1st, 2nd or 3rd tier of breeders. There's only a Show Breeder or Backyard Breeder [BYB]. The difference between them are:
> 
> ...


:goodpost:


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## babycake7 (Jan 30, 2012)

Just wanted say "hi" from a fellow New Mexico resident! I loveeeeeeeee Santa Fe! Lucky you to be living there. I wish you all the best in finding your perfect fluff. I remember when I was searching for mine. I know the feelings of frustration and disappointment but DON'T GIVE UP! The right fluff will cross your path when it is meant to be...

Keep us posted and we look forward to pics when you find your baby!


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## socalyte (Nov 15, 2010)

Welcome to SM! So glad you joined and are asking such very good questions. Others have recommended great resources (AMA breeder list and rescues). Would you consider a young adult? When show breeders want to retire their dogs from the show ring because they either don't show well or do not like the show ring among other reasons, they will often sell their dogs for pretty reasonable prices. It's another avenue to consider when contacting show breeders.


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## bellaratamaltese (May 24, 2006)

Kaiser said:


> Welcome to SM, Jayl65!
> 
> The way I see it, there's really no 1st, 2nd or 3rd tier of breeders. There's only a Show Breeder or Backyard Breeder [BYB]. The difference between them are:
> 
> ...




Great post! Unfortunately though, there are some breeders who will give the impression of being reputable show breeders but their goal seems to be more profit oriented than proving their breeding stock in the ring. These are mostly identified by breeders who may have one or two champions (usually nothing recent) but they always have puppies for sale but nothing out showing. Or buy a champion male from another breeder, always have puppies available but shows none of their own breeding (because there is no profit that way). 
I wish it was as cut and dry as 'show breeders' vs. 'backyard breeders' because sometimes the lines can blur a bit.

Show breeders do not typically place show puppies on a show contract with 'normal' pet buyers but that doesn't mean the puppies placed are not show quality. Often times show quality puppies ARE placed as pets (but with limited akc registration and a spay/neuter contract) My first maltese pet Lucy is a perfect example










She is a show quality pet who is spayed and on limited AKC registration and can never be shown in the breed ring but can be shown in the Junior Showmanship ring and has been for the last 4-5 years. She has a lot of miles on her, LOL! I tried counting how many times my daughter has shown her in junior showmanship and I lost count after 100. Lucy will be 7 in october but still loves every minute in the ring. 

There is very little that will get a dog disqualified in the show ring (per our standard) so even an incorrect bite will not get you DQ'd (which is a very common reason that puppies are placed as pets rather than kept for show) 

To the OP, I know it can be very frustrating searching but don't give up! Good pet homes are VERY important and typically, there is no 'my puppies are too good for you as a pet' mentality (but as with everything in life, there are always exceptions) If you were searching for a show dog, it would be a different story but you just want a well bred pet and there is nothing wrong with that! If you aren't getting responses, it might be that breeders do not have anything available. I know I'm bad at returning phone calls so i say just keep trying.


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