I would like to buy a shitzu or pug. any suggestions? live in blackfoot Idaho?

Answer 1

go to petfinder.com.....this is a site for rescue groups.....just enter your Zip code, and be AMAZED at how many great choices you have !!.....i adopted a Great Pyrenees mix from them, and my dog Sylvester is awesome !!.....check it out.....try it.....do a good deed.....adopt a Shitzu or Pug today !!!.....good luck to you, in your search for a Shitzu or Pug as a new pet !!!!

Answer 2

Pugs are very loyal, and they don't know a stranger! They are excellent with children, and other animals! They aren't yappy either. Their grooming is minimal, especially compared to a shih tzu. They do not have nearly the health problems that people think they do. Now, there may be people on here who have poor quality pugs, but a well bred pug is the best dog you'll ever own. Find a good breeder, that offers a full, 2 year guarantee, not a mere 90 days!

Answer 3

The first place to look is AKC to see what breeders are around your area or for that matter you shouldn't make a choice by location. Many breeders who are in it for the betterment of the animal and their breed will ship the dog to you. Granted you must pay shipping. Some will even meet you halfway. In fact my husband drove almost three hundred miles yesterday to deliver a boxer puppy. One mistake many people make is to buy from a breeder that is in it to make a quick buck. You have to look at this as buying anything that requires a long term relationship.

Look for a breeder that offers a contract to you with health guarantees. We offer a 24 month guarantee with our puppies against the ailments we test for such as hips, cardiomyopathy etc, because we do all we can as far as health testing prior to even thinking about breeding the dog. The contract will also give you a chance to take the puppy to the vet and have it checked out normally within the first week. I know many people do not think about this but they should. If you do find a reputable breeder then ask to see the health testing results or the information (registration number) to check it out yourself at OFA.com.

Unfortunately many people get caught up in how cute the puppy is, but if you don't do your homework then you could be in for some tough and heartbreaking times. If you still need help on AKC's website there should be a link to local breed clubs in your area that could point you in the right direction. If possible check the rescues in your area as well. Good Luck.

Answer 4

Go here:

PUG : http://www.pugs.org/

(Be very very careful that the breeder screens the dogs for hereditary health problem with the xrays, tests, OFA and CERF clearances. A dog can appear fine but still have the condition at a level where they are not (yet) showing symptoms.. The Pug as breed has the following hereditary conditons at at least these rates:

Hip dysplasia - 62%
Elbow dyspasia - 61%
Patella luxation - 8%

These conditons WILL transmit to the puppies of such a dog and will have expensive vet bills. A dog who has these condtions should never be breed.

SHHI TZU http://64.37.122.206/index2.asp

In the Shih Tzu's, nearly 20% have hip dysplasia and 5% patella luxation.

Now, these statisticscome from dogs whose owner/breeders care enough to screen for such hereditary defects and remove such dogs from the breeding pool by not breeding them,and neutering/spaying. Among dogs whose family has not beenscreened fo such problems and simply bred , the rate of these conditions is much higher and thus so are the number of defective puppies who will have substantial medical bills and chronic pain.. All it takes is one parent with the condition to turn out unhealthy puppies.

GO here to read about the conditions and the rateof occurrence.

http://www.offa.org/stats.html#breed

The links after the breed names take you to the National Breed Clubs for that breed which are the only club about the breed that is recognized and accredited by the AKC and it sets the standards for the breed .

The Clubs' websites will give you an ENORMOUS amount of information about the breed - the good, the bad, and the why or why not to get that breed. The clubs websites also have:

(1) a breeders list - all of whom have agreed to abide by the breeders code of ethics (which you can read)

Pug: http://www.pugs.org/indexbreeder.htm

Shih http://64.37.122.206/ASTC/referral.asp?menu=ASTC

http://64.37.122.206/ASTC/clubs.asp?menu=ASTC


(2) a link to the breed rescue for their breed


Do give serious thought to adopting from an adult from a breed rescue. The clubs' breed rescues go to a great deal of trouble to determine the dog's temperament, personality, likes and dislikes (particularly kids and cats and other dogs in the household), health, and level of training. They make a huge effort to match the right dog to the right home - and if they don't have one they think will be suitable for your home, they won't place it. Great way to avoid the puppy training, newspapers, chewing.......They have dogs that are purebred and part-bred (1/2 or so of their breed.) Dogs that come through rescue are so thrilled to have a forever loving home having once been abandoned to a shelter or rescue that they are typically extra devoted and loving. Dogs lose their homes for reason that are not their fault: death, divorce, a move and they couldn’t keep them, financial problems….

If you decide to get a puppy, please use one of the breeders who are members of the breed club. A well-bred pet puppy may not be a candidate for the show ring (that nose being 1/8th of an inch to long or something else very picky) but they will be very healthy, the parents carefully screened for hereditary health problems ( and that involves a LOT more than a checkup at the vet) , and from a breeder who has devoted a great deal of time to understanding the breed and bloodlines. A responsible breeder will have a written contract with a health guarantee for hereditary problems; require that if for any reason you ever have to give up the dog that it comes back to them; and always be available for help, assistance and advice about your dog. Such a breeder will tell you if they don't think their breed is right for you based upon your needs. They want a perfect forever home for the puppies - not the money. (In 43 years in the dog show world, I have never known a breeder of that caliber who has made a profit on their dogs - it is labor of love.)

A puppy from such a breeder costs no more - and often less as poorly bred dogs tend to have very high vet bills over the years - than from a backyard breeder who doesn't do the health checks, knows nothing about the breed or bloodlines, doesn't give a guarantee, never wants to hear about the puppy again and has breed from mediocre or poor quality dogs.


You may find the breeder who has the type of dog you want but no litter on the ground at the moment. Most good breeders have waiting lists -get on it. You may find the breeder and puppy you want but at a distance. Among the really responsible breeders(members of the club) shipping a puppy is quite normal -they want the best possible home for the dog and the written contract is very extensive.

Do ask the breeders on the club list if they have any dogs they bred that they need to rehome - good breeders all require if the owner can't keep one, it comes back to them. It may be a dog they placed and it came back because the owner didn't have time, didn't realize how big it would get, got divorced.... It may be a dog who was a show prospect but as they grew didn't meet their early promise. It may be an AKC Champion they decided not to use in their breeding program because while it did get the Championship, they don't need more bloodstock or find a tiny conformation flaw they don't want to reproduce.

NEVER EVER buy from a pet shop. Those puppies came from puppy mills where the parents are locked in cages, bred until they literally die from it, never vaccinated, never wormed, fed just enough so they don't quite die of starvation, live in filth, never bathed or groomed or cared for, are typically of very poor genetic stock both physically and often mentally. The puppies are shoved off to pet stores with no vaccinations, no worming, no socialization or handling... You are buying nothing but heartbreak at a price higher than what a responsible breeder charged for a pet puppy.

IF A SERIOUS BREEDER OR RESCUE TELLS YOU THAT THE BREED IS NOT SUITED FOR YOUR SITUATION - BELIEVE THEM - NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU LIKE THE WAY THE DOG LOOKS

Answer 5

I have a Shi Tzu. She is wonderful, but let me tell you something. I have to keep her hair cut short because I don't have the time or energy to groom her like she would need with the long flowing hair. You need to brush it EVERY day and it takes a long time... I know they're small dogs and it doesn't seem like a lot of work but it IS. Pugs would be much easier to take care of

Answer 6

Get a pug. I have one and he is my best friend. You should look at adopting one from a shelter.

Answer 7

You can't go wrong with buying a pug. they are absoultly adorable.They will be your best friend for life.
and boo pugs dont drool

Answer 8

i would get a shitzu because i like them better then pugs. but you should get what ever you want.

Answer 9

if u buy a shi-tzu buy a boy cuz they love to be cuddle the girls get spoiled easily

Answer 10

Shi tzu is better. It doesn't have nose infection than pugs & it doesn't drool so much.