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Originally Posted by basamx  Thank you for clarifying. I'll be a little frank and hope you can help. My family really likes the temperament and looks of a "shorkie", so I understand now why I shouldn't use the term champion loosely. You're right, in the end it really doesn't matter if the Sire and Dam are from champion bloodlines.
Having said that. My goal is to adopt a Shorkie that has genetically strong bloodlines, so my preference is to find a pup who's parents came from a strong and healthy past. There is a breeder that I found that has a AKC registered Shih Tzu and a IBC and CKC registered Biewer Yorkie. She mainly has been breeding purebreds of each, but does bred Shorkies as well.
Here are the questions that I have asked her so far. I am asking the right things? I just want a pup for my two girls 7 and 3 that will live a long and healthy life. I don't want explain five years from now why their puppy passed away. I guess I'm looking for you advice as knowledge and selective dog owners more than anything.
1) Do you have full Veterinary records for both Dam and Sire? Records that would show the mother and father have had no genetic or health issues.
2) Are the mother and father registered purebreds? If so, do you have documented history of their bloodlines?
3) Has a Vet certified mom and dad recently and can I contact your Vet's office?
4) Have any pups in the litter been sick? If so, please describe.
5) Do you have certificates for a clean bill of health on all of the pups in the litter that you can provide?
6) Do you have a breeders contract? Can you send me a copy of your contract for review?
7) What guarantee do you offer with your puppies?
8) Have the puppies been dewormed?
9) Do you have records of the genetic testing performed on both mom and dad?
10) List of references for pups from Dam, Sire, and other families that have adopted Shorkies from you?
11) What food do you feed the puppies?
12) What documentation did you receive from the breeders when you adopted the Sire and the Dam that I can see when my wife and I come visit? I'd like to see the bloodlines of the parents and proof of long good health. Written pedigree information.
13) Have you every owned show dogs?
14) Have the puppies had any exposure to children? |
I have been a professional pet groomer for almost 20 years now and I will tell you, mixes do not have a particular type or character regardless of the mix. The Shih Tzu mix you are referring to, can look anything from a yorkie to a shih tzu and everything in between including size, coat mixes, type etc. Also you should be aware, mix a Shih Tzu with any other breed and the result is most often pups with very very serious underbites that are detrimental. I have seen these mixes as big as 25 lbs and a terrible temperment.
I groom littermate sisters schnauzer/poodle mix and they look totally different, completely different coats, different temperment. You would never guess they were from the same litter much less same parents.