New Puppy~ Am I making a mistake?

Greetings! It's been nice hearing from all of you. Thanks for the warm welcome!

Many of you have read our tragic story about the recent death of our tiny toy poodle puppy. In search of a new puppy, once again, we actually have decided to try a Shih-Poo. Well, we've located a puppy Shih-Poo that is going to be very small in adulthood, about 5 lbs. or so.

As you can imagine, I've become a little, I don't know, not nervous but perhaps leary. I'm thinking that these little dogs are so fragile. I still want to go with a Shih-Poo, but should I wait for a larger size, like 10 lbs. or so? Or am I just being a nervous Nelly, since this freak accident is still such a recent thing?

Do many of you have tiny Shih-Poos, or other dogs, and do you have any problems? I'm just wondering. Before I put money down on this pup, which we would receive in about 5 wks., I had to ask.

Otherwise, if any of you know of any Shih-Poo puppies out there that are available (I've had a very hard time finding one, without going on a long waiting list), would you email me today, if possible?

Thanks.

 

awww i read your story, i was at a loss for words, i'm so so terribly sorry what happened. it was a freak accident though and very rare. of course i can understand why you would be scared to get such a small dog now though. i have a 2lb longhair chihuahua and i've never had any accidents where he's gotten hurt or anything like that. he's a really really tiny little guy but he's quick, he outruns my siberian husky and they chase each other in the yard. i was always scared my husky was going to step on him but because of his size he's learned to be really quick at his little manuevering.
so basically there's nothing wrong with the little guys, they just need a lot of extra care and very special attention and caution. but if it would make you feel more comfortable i'd say go ahead and go for a bigger shih poo. itty bitty dogs are just convenient for people that like to travel a lot and take their dogs everywhere with them, like i do. i live in los angeles so almost everything is dog friendly, beaches, stores, clothing stores, he comes everywhere with me. if you don't care about being able to fit 'em in a bag on your shoulder though you might not need a 5 lb dog. it's really all your decision, whichever would give you the most peace of mind.
if you did want to keep searching, where do you live? maybe some of us on the forum could help you in your search.
best wishes whatever your decision may be

 

Thanks Gwen. We live in Indiana, but would be willing to travel for a nice Shih-Poo. Of course, we're trying to stay away from puppy mills. But I've even checked pet stores. There are two good places in Michigan. But we are also looking for a multi-colored or light colored puppy that will stay somewhat small, less than 10 lbs. At least, that's what we've been going for. The problem is finding that needle in a haystack, b/c most places have a waiting list of more than 2-3 months. We're a little eager, I guess.

Please feel free to PM me. I appreciate everyone's help.

Thanks alot!

 

some pet stores may look nice & act very friendly, but keep in mind, no responsible breeder would ever sell to a pet store!
there are some of the nicest looking pet stores here in la and beverly hills, but as nice as they may look you still have no real idea where that dog even came from or any idea how much it'll weigh as an adult because you don't even know the parents. 99% of pet stores get their animals from puppy mills and living in the midwest that's going to be really hard to avoid.

when looking for a breeder, this page has helped me a lot, it's not just for maltese. it's really helpful for anyone looking for a good breeder: http://malteseonly.com/breedque.html

the internet can be really helpful in helping you locate a breeder but i've learned the hard way not to buy a puppy off the internet ever again. there are currently a lot of scams going on & it's just not worth it.
some sites like www.breedersclub.net could possibly help you locate some local breeders, but always be sure to check them out in person before making any decision. you could even ask your local vet for referrals, maybe he would know someone that breeds shih poos?
but because you're looking for a cross breed and don't live in a really highly populated area with lots of big cities etc. it could be really hard so you just need to be patient. what am i saying, i haven't even found a maltese breeder here yet that i'd buy a pup from!
all of the breeders i have found so far came from breed club registries, but since the shih poo isn't a recognized breed that isn't much of an option. while seaching i did find this website, did you already see it? maybe they have some litters available right now.
http://caninecuties.com/shihpoos.html
she breeds shih poos and a few other mixes. they make you answer an interview and an application for one of their puppies which means they actually care about where their pups are going, so that's a pretty good sign.

i'll keep looking around and let you know if i find anything, i'm at home sick still so it's not like i'm too busy doing much else

 

Gwen,

That's very nice. Thanks for the help. I actually am very familiar w/the one breeder in MI, and that is where I had found a Shih Poo. Also, today I found a Shih Tzu Bichon. I'm going to post a new question re them. Do you know much about them?

I found a breeder in Iowa. Sounds good, but it's hard to tell. Anyway, I have 3 dogs here I'm deciding on. So, it's looking good. I may have to take two! LOL

Thanks!

 

OOOO GO 4 TWO lol just kidding! I guess it is just up to u on how many u want. Dont b afraid of hurting your little puppy. What happened b4 is just one of those freaky things that happen. It could have happened to anyone. I have a big shihpoo and we trip over her once in a while because she lies down right behind ur feet but she always get out of the way and doesn't get squished so I don't think you should worry too much about that despite what happened b4

 

Please take Gwen's advice about buying from a pet store...don't get one from there, it's not in your best interest to do so!!! [-X

As far as worrying about stepping on my shih-poos, when they were still puppies I worried about it a little (since they only weighed about 3 lbs. when they came home), but I quickly become accustomed to such tiny little things running around, and learn to be careful! So, no, I wouldn't worry about it - of course, you have to be careful, but it's not a huge concern (at least it's not in my experience with two tiny ones)!!! :y_the_best:

 

We decided! And no, we did not buy from a pet store. I know of a couple of people who ended up with great dogs that way, but I don't usually think that is the norm. And thanks for all the wonderful feedback. I'll make a new post.

Trixie, I LOVE the image you have here--with the drawing of the dog. How neat is that?!

Thanks everyone!