How to Find a Breeder With Small Mixes
Before a few years ago, "mix breeders" were unheard of. Today, however, it is a much different story. "Designer breeds," or two purebred dogs coming together to create another breed, are in high demand. For instance, puggles, a beagle and pug combination, and Malti-poos, a blend of Malteses and poodles, are small mixes just as popular--and expensive--as purebred dogs. Before you get your dog from a breeder who specializes in small mixes, however, do your homework.
- Difficulty:
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Instructions
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Talk to your friends, neighbors, relatives and associates. Usually, the best way to find a dog breeder of small mixes is through word-of-mouth. It is important to choose a breeder who has many happy customers, and a good way to get an objective opinion is from someone you know. Additionally, dog parks are good places to visit because if you see the kind of small-mix dog you want, you can ask his owners where they obtained him. Find out exactly what they like about the breeder and anything they may not like about the breeder.
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Ask your veterinarian and the staff who works for her. Oftentimes, a breeder takes all of his breeding dogs and their pups to the same veterinarian for examinations and vaccines. The staff members can tell you of any small-mix breeders they know of and, sometimes, they even can tell you how well the breeders take care of the animals. While you may not know the staff or vet personally, at least you will gain a somewhat non-biased opinion of the breeder.
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Research on the Internet. While this may be your largest source of information, unfortunately, it also can be your most unreliable. Unless you personally know the breeder, it's usually impossible to tell for sure how good a breeder is through her website. Even the testimonials on her web pages could be false. Therefore, if you consider obtaining a puppy from a breeder you find online, visit her, if possible, and observe her and the environment in which she keeps the dogs. Also view the puppy's parents.
Sometimes, it is unrealistic to meet the breeder because she may live in another state. If this is the case, contact her about speaking with her former clients. If you speak with them, take what they say with a grain of salt because you don't know if they are being honest. If the breeder does not agree to you speaking with former clients, consider looking elsewhere.
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