Concerned about new puppy litter

by Christopher
(Wilmington, NC, USA)

We are considering buying a female shih-tzu pup from a lady a few hours away. We went to her house to see the 4 week old pups last Sunday.

The puppy has a good-looking coat and was the only playful one of the litter. She approached me and began nipping at my fingers and when I picked her up she licked my face. I did notice fleas on one of the other pups in the litter.

The home these dogs are being bred in is rather dirty, and the pups mother acting exhausted and gunshy. These flags have me ready to call the whole thing off. What is your professional opinion after hearing all of this?

Thanks!



Hi Christopher
I can only give you a personal opinion based on my own experience... and that would be to not buy from this breeder I'm afraid.

A dirty environment, fleas on the puppies, and an exhausted/skittish momma dog are NOT good signs. It doesn't necessarily mean that the puppies are likely to have serious health issues, but it's much more likely that they could have temperament problems and not be as strong or healthy as they should be.

If I were you I would be looking for another breeder. It's tempting of course to want to 'rescue' a pup from a bad environment, or feel sorry for it and want to give it a better life - and that's natural. I've felt that way many times myself. BUT, unless you have the financial resources to care for a pup who may be sickly or have health issues from the get-go, and the patience and experience needed to raise a pup with a poor temperament, then it's best to look elsewhere.

Of course, the above examples are 'worst-case-scenarios' and the pup you picked could be a healthy and happy one, but the risk is definitely there.

I wish you the best of luck with whatever decide and the new pup you pick.