Where to buy a Maltese puppy, near Red Bank NJ?I live in Red Bank, New Jersey and I am looking to buy a Maltese puppy at a reasonable price somewhere nearby. Somewhere in the Tri-State area would be nice, Id be willing to to as far as New York but would prefer something around New Brunswick or Pennsylvania. Id prefer the puppy be close to newborn, but I can... |
Try shelters and breed rescues. 1/4 of dogs entering shelters are pure bred dogs. They are not all mutts. You could also try petfinders.com They are a great place that works with shelters, not backyard breeders/puppy mills the way so many sites do. If you feel you must go through a breeder, please, find a reputable one.
Some things to ask a breeder:
When looking at puppies ask to see, you must see, the results of
the parents OFA ( Orthopedic Foundation for Animals ) scores for
hips, elbows and patella. Also ask to see the CERF ( Canine Eye
Registration Foundation) BAER (hearing) and Cardiac results. Do
not accept any excuses for not having them a reputable breeder
can show you. They can also trace the parents lineagefor several
generations. If the sire was off site they will still have the proof.
They can provide a pedigree of the pup. Not just registration papers.
Pedigree means they can list at least three generations back from
the pup. They can tell you the pro's and cons of the breed.
How to find a reputable breeder
Once you have decided on the breed you are looking for, visit the internet and find the NATIONAL BREED CLUB for your breed. Review all the information about the breed and find the web pages or phone contacts of breeders that are listed there. National breed clubs almost always have certain standards and ethics quides for any breeders which are listed on their pages.
Step2
Prepare a questionnaire of questions you want to ask the breeder. This is a good one:
What health guarantees do you have?
Can you give me a vet reference?
Can I visit your kennel and if so, when?
How long have you been breeding?
Do you enter your own dogs in AKC events?
Can you send me a sample copy of your contract?
Do you sell your litters to pet stores or brokers?
(there is NO responsible breeder that will sell to a broker or a pet store, since it is too difficult to follow through on who is getting your puppy!!)
The LAST question should be "how much do your puppies cost?" but it is of course an important question
Step3
Do make plans to visit the kennel and while there check the following things:
Are the dogs healthy and happy?
Does the kennel owner know each one by name?
Do the dogs have places to run outside their pens?
Are the pens clean and roomy?
(even if the home is a mess or in an uproar and not very neat, the kennels should be clean and all dogs should have food and fresh water available)
Is the whelping area in the house?
(puppies should be raised INSIDE a home for at least the first four weeks in order to get all the necessary social and physical attention needed in the first few weeks)
Do the sire and the dam act friendly and sociable?
(sometimes the STUD dog may not be available, the female may have been shipped elsewhere for breeding)
http://www.ehow.com/how_2256622_responsi...
If you want a Maltese then you have 2 responsible options. 1 Get the dog from a reputable breeder by visiting the breed club @http://americanmaltese.org/ama_breeder_2... 2. You can adopt one via http://petfinder.com or your local shelter.
NO reputable, responsible breeder sells newborn pups. The youngest you will get a dog is 8-10 weeks old.
