WHO IS YOUR BREEDER?
With so many breeders to choose from, it can be difficult to find a good one. It's best to find a breeder you are comfortable with and then select your puppy. You should feel comfortable in talking with the breeder long after you take your puppy home, so you will have someone to help you through the puppy growing stages for those times it's not important enough to call the vet, but you really would like some re-assurance about something.
The internet makes it so much easier to find a puppy than it was many years ago. Unfortunately, it also makes it easier for those who are just producing puppies to make quick money. Yes, we all expect to be paid for our puppies, but a good breeder does health testing/screening before breeding, and cares more about the dogs than the money. A good breeder has a lot more expense involved in raising a puppy than one who does not care.
Anyone can create a beautiful website, show you pictures of cute puppies, and tell you a nice story; you need to be extra careful. The Havanese Club of America web site www.Havanese.org has a very nice page on selecting a good breeder. Many of the National breed clubs also have good advice for the new puppy buyer. The HCA has a breeder referral person, as do most of the "local" Havanese clubs (also listed on the HCA site).
LOOK FOR
- Recommended by one of the established breed clubs
- Responds well to your inquiry and your questions
- Provides AKC registration papers at no extra charge
- Competes in AKC or UKC (in the USA) shows to gain the Champion title which demonstrates that others (judges) feel this dog meets the breed standard
- Gives you full registered names and numbers of their dogs; not just call names
- Encourages you to check out health clearances on the www.offa.org web site
- Is willing to let you visit before you select a puppy
- Has the mother and possibly the father at their home
- Prefers that you come to them to pick up your puppy or that they deliver to your home.
- Practices early stimulation and education of the puppy to encourage mental growth and soundness. We begin at day 3.
WATCH OUT FOR
- Wants to save you time and mileage by meeting you in a parking lot - they don't want you to see where the puppy comes from
- More than 3 different breeds from the same person
- Worthless guarantees - read very carefully. There are often conditions that are unreasonable.
- Havanese need to be raised in the home, not in a kennel
- Unfriendly or fearful puppies or adults
- If you feel uncomfortable, follow your instincts and look elsewhere.
I have found this site that may be helpful to anyone looking for a puppy.
Please keep in mind that anyone can make a claim on this site, it may, or may not, be true. Just another tool for you to use in your search for a good puppy.
