What question should I ask when buying a mini Chihuahua?

Question

I'm interested in a puppy a lady has and I going to see it on Saturday and I was just wondering what are some other questions I should ask the owner before I decide to buy it?

Hey, I just wanted to say thanks for helping me find good questions to ask the breeder and about the puppy. I found most of your answers very useful, thanks so much!

Answer 1

Any question you would ask for any other dog:

Where are the puppy's parents? What are their personalities and do they have any medical problems?

- Personality quirks tend to be genetic this early, as well as genetic diseases. If the mother had any diseases while she was pregnant, there's a chance that the puppy could've caught it.

How old is this puppy? Has she/he been weaned, housebroken, spayed/neutered and all her/his shots?

- Puppies taken too early tend to have major problems later in life. If the puppy isn't spayed or neutered, inquire about a voucher for the surgery. Puppy shots should be administered early.

Also ask what the puppy has been eating. It could adversly affect their digestion in an already stressful situation if you change their feed abruptly and make them grumpy. Ask about a contract stipulating that you may return the puppy if it shows genetic defect, or reimbursement if the puppy dies for no reason of your own

One of the major ones is if you may play with the puppy in a quiet room alone to scout her/his personality.

If the person refuses any of these questions without reason, then go elsewhere to buy your puppy. You should only buy from respected breeders if at all possible; backyard breeding lands thousands of pets a year in shelters where they are killed.

Hope this helps (:

Answer 2

First off there is no "mini" chihuahua. They range in weight (AKC) 2-6 pounds though there are larger chis up to 10-12 pounds.

I do warn against going for tiny chis. There are a lot of health issues. I know 2 that just over 2 pounds. One may have a liver shunt, and hydrocephalus. The other has CDA (color dilution alopeca), a poor immune system (she's constantly sick), arthitis (at 17 months old!!!) and possiblely other problems (kidneys may be bad too).

As for questions, ask about how big the puppy may be, if the joints in the parents are healthy, ask if the parents have good teeth. Be aware of buying a blue dog (that's where CDA comes from). Ask about history of CHF (congestive heart failure), epilepsy, Meet the parents if you can (so you can get an idea of temperment and adult appearance).

Watch out for people who have a lot of litters around (especially if they are of different breeds), you may be walking into a puppy mill situation. Oh and ask about how they raise the puppies. Ideally you are looking for a situation where the puppies are raised under foot. They are puppies that are used to being handled, and used to the sounds and activities of a home. You are also looking for a breeder who doesn't let the puppies leave until 12 weeks. 12 weeks gives the puppies the time they need to learn from the parents and each other and to make sure they are stable (small chihuahua puppies often suffer from hypoglycemia-low blood sugar, the breeder will know by then if the puppy may have an issue).

I hope you find your ideal puppy, good luck.

Answer 3

first of all, this person should be a responsible breeder NOT a backyard breeder who lets her dogs breed whenever and whereever.

Second, there is no such thing as a mini chihuahua. Be careful, many a scam artists go around saying things like mini and teacup just to scam you out of more money. Non AKC chi's should be around 3-400 at most.

The reason I bring up backyard breeders is because they are often unhealthy. Ask to see the parents and see if they're in good health (ie. no discharge from the eyes or dirty ears, etc.) Ask to see the vet check to make sure the parents are up to date on their shots and exams. Ask to see the living quarters of her dogs. (don't ask for these things ahead of time, s/he could quickly clean up and you'd be no wiser.) Ask when the ***** last had a litter and when she had one before that. If this is a backyard s/he A wont answer or B s/he'll give you something vague (same as A basically but more wordy as to confuse you) or C s/he'll tell you every six months. BE CAREFUL if the latter is the case. In my opinion one litter a year is enough (almost too much) - I know a lot of breeders who do it every two. Helps her (the *****) re-coup from the birthing and weaning of the pups. Every six months is definitely too much!

See if they ask you questions about your lifestyle and how you plan to keep your chi and what foods to give him/her. If s/he's out to make a quick buck she won't care.

If s/he denies you to see the parents or where they live or vet records, I'd be leery. If s/he asks you no questions, I'd be leery. Also note, the vet exams should show if the dogs have any anormalities they could have passed on to the pups.

I hope the breeder passes with flying colours and you get a beautiful, healthy chi! :)

Answer 4

You could ask her about the parents to see if they were healthy; I know some people will have their dogs checked out to make sure they are healthy enough before they breed them. You could ask how the puppy acts, like is it really hyper or is it quiet, does it have to go to the bathroom a lot, is it potty trained, has it been around other animals and if so does it get along with them. The lady you are getting it from should be able to give you some idea of whether this dog is right for you. Otherwise, I would recommend researching the breed to see what you are in for.

Answer 5

I breed chihuahuas and have seen alot of inbreeding in this breed. You need to look at it's teeth to see if it is parrot mouthed or an overbite
the teeth should line up ask to see both parents if she says it is a mini then the parents should be small also. Make sure the hair is soft if it is a short coat or long some cross them with a terrier and try to sell them as a wired hair chihuahua and there is no such thing. Don't be a victim

Answer 6

Why a mini?
Isn't a 5 pd dog small enough?
Are you rich? you will need to be ready to spend a lot of money on vet bills?
There is no such thing as a "reputable" breeder of mini chiahuahuas?
Read the book a "perfect match" and buy your dog from a Registered AKC Breeder.
It will be cheaper in the long run.

Answer 7

A "MINI" Chihuahua? DO NOT BUY THIS PUPPY!

"ARE YOU A BACKYARD BREEDER?" (answer will be yes)
"DO YOU SCREEN YOUR DOGS OF HEREDITARY DISEASES?" (answer will be no)
"ARE YOU A REPUTABLE BREEDER?" (answer will be no)

There is no such thing as a mini Chihuahua. There is one size for the Chihuahua and you can see that size on the AKC website. Anybody claiming to sell TEACUP, MINI, TOY or MINIATURE Chihuahuas are backyard breeders who are either selling a) RUNTS, b) MUTTS and/or c) UN-HEALTHY pups with lots of health problems.

Answer 8

Hey just make sure you ask what food the breeder feed it and also try to see the parents alot of behaviours are passed down!!! good luck with everything!!!

Answer 9

Hello There-----I read your question and had to mark it right awat and look forward to reading the answers in the hopes that some kind person can give us advice on how to select a real good quality pet-----If I find the right answers I just might be looking for a chihuahua also------------GOOD LUCK

Answer 10

very long hair is nice but requires maintenance and u have to grow this out for a long time