Has Anyone heard of Nikki M in Arcadia, CA?
 

Hi everyone! My name is Pam and I am new to YT. My apologies for the long post but I really wanted some insight from more experienced buyers/breeders. I have been actively looking for a yorkie for the past couple weeks and came across a local breeder named Nikki M. from Arcadia, CA and wanted to know if anyone has had any experiences with her.

I can't remember where I found her from, maybe breeder.net but she told me she had 4 puppies available. I contacted her earlier in the week and expressed my interest and she called again today and I went to meet her at the house. She told me to call her when I got off the freeway. I called her twice on the way there - once because I was running late and the second time because I was lost. She did not pick up. I finally found the house and she opened the door and told me to give her a few minutes because someone else was picking up their dog. She asked me to wait in my car, which I thought was peculiar.

After she was done with the other family, I went inside the house and she asked me if I wanted a boy or a girl. I told her I wanted a boy and about 10 minutes later, she brought out a boy. He was simply adorable. I proceeded to ask her some questions and she answered them for the most part, although it seems that she did so hesitantly. I told her I have been doing some research and sometimes health problems don't surface until 5 or 6 years of age. Her dogs come with 1 year congenital guarantee, she hasn't had problems before (this is her second litter and she says she only breeds once a year), and told me that sometimes, health problems can't be found and there's nothing she could do about it. She said she spends a lot of money on the parents (whom she bought from a well known breeder) to make sure they are healthy.

She told me that another person was interested in the dog and that she would give them an answer once she knew mine. I asked her if that meant I had to make a decision right then and there. She said yes. She was asking $1400 for the dog, which I thought was a little steep since she didn't seem like a professional breeder to me, and it wasn't a decision I was ready to make at that instant. I told her I wanted to show my mom the pictures I took on my phone, she told me to email the pictures, and I told her that my mom doesn't use the computer. She then told me that I could put a deposit down on the dog to hold her and let her know later so that she can tell the other interested buyer that the dog was spoken for.

I have always grown up with dogs in the family but for the most part, we get them from friends or adopt them from the pound. This is the first time I am looking to buy from a breeder. I preferred that it was local because if there was a problem with the dog, I could bring it back directly to the breeder. I'm just wondering what I can do to protect myself as a buyer. This particular seller seemed awfully pushy to me, which is what led me not to buy the dog, among other things. Are breeders normally this pushy when they supposedly want their "dog to be put in a good home"? What questions and answers should I be looking for from sellers and what red flags should I be aware of. Any help would be awesome. Thanks!

Yes, I have met her before... this was when I was looking for the third addition. I would stay away from her. So many things about her that are red flags. Please PM when you can.

She's a liar... it's a good thing you didn't make that decision right there and then. She will push and push you to buy. I have experience that with her before.

Hi Pam and Welcome to YT
I dont know of her..but red flags for me...
Why did she bring the puppy out?
From where? I'm just saying this because all my puppies are in x-pen when people come. And Mom is here running around.
I bred my females a couple times with a smaller better stud then mine.
So I could not truthfully say that dad was there , every time.

But you should be able to see Mom /dad (if possible) and see how they act...Their temperment etc. And I see no reason AT ALL for her to "bring a puppy out" from anywhere.....

And she SURE sounded pushy to me too!!!!!

Just wanted to welcome you to YT! Sounds like you have great instincts. Good luck with your puppy hunt :)

Thank you
 

Thank you for your input. I'm glad I didn't buy from here. Too many shady things going on.

Just wondering though. I am from Pomona, CA. Does anyone know of a reputable breeder. I have contacted a few and they either do not have dogs or haven't contacted me back. I'm 24 and looking for a puppy of my own and hoping to spend no more than $1000, $1200 at most if from a really well known breeder. I really bond well with my dogs and I'd hate to spend less and have it get sick but I'm definitely looking for a price break of possible.

Thanks again!

Just wanted to welcome you to YT and wish you luck looking for your new pup!:p

HI just wanted to say great instincts. I too have had a hard time finding a good breeder and had a few instances like yours. I also did not buy from them. I have found the breeders I liked best were asking me a lot of questions and would answer any question I had. If they did not know the answer they got it and answered. No breeder should have anything to hide. If they are wanting a good home for their so called babies they would rather keep it them selves then sending it home to the first person willing to pay what ever price! This is what I have found. I really had to do research and get my references in tact before getting my yorkies I have now. For both parties their should be a lot and I mean a lot of questions. As they say the only stupid question is the one not asked. Good luck on your search and I hope you find a good breeder in your area. I know it takes a good long time for most people like me with limited resources. I now found YT and am also new here but this place is great and I really am glad I found it. A lot of great info here.
Tracy :aimeeyork

Welcome to Yt good luck in your search!! I know you will find the right puppy and breeder for you.

Go to the YTCA site and look up a reputable breeder in your area. Most of these people are very nice and are reputable and are always willing to help. If they dont have a pup, then they usually know who does. Good luck!! Welcome to YT:)

Do not buy from her!
 

I purchased a Boston Terrier puppy from her and she did the same sneeky things. Not letting me see the parents, and bringing the puppy out for me.

There were so many things that upset me but we did end up buying the puppy. But beware of her and do not buy from her. The contract that I signed does not have her name on it and so I can't hold her accountable for anything if my puppy get sick. And she is. She came with Giardia that I am having a really hard time getting rid of.

This woman is all about the sale. When I first called her she convinced me to buy a boy and so my husband and I went out there to get the boy and she had sold it out from under us. And since then she had a girl she was trying to sell that one to us for more. We love our puppy but we did get scamed by this woman.

And the shots that she gives them are not accepted by my vet because there is not vet record. She gives you an index card with dates and names of shots but no actually doctor's name or record. So I had to pay for the shots again which I was ok doing because I didn't know if she had given them or not.

And I was suppose to recieve papers for my puppy to be able to register her as a pure breed but several months later and I still have not recieved them.

Be careful when you go to a breeder. Always see the parents and get the puppy you want, not the one they want to sell you. I should have listened to my instincts, but we have a puppy we love and it isn't her fault the woman is a bad person.

Avoid Nikki from Arcadia (or Nicky, or Nicki)
 

My wife and I recently bought a Boston Terrier from her. While our new pup is adorable and we love her dearly, this "breeder" should be avoided, because she's utterly unprofessional and essentially gave us a "bum" dog.

Without spending too much time on it, the basics are that she did a number of things that I'd consider pretty unscrupulous. First, we agreed to purchase a male from her, but by the time we got to her house -- despite that we'd made an appointment to pick up said male, after agreeing on a price, etc., and telling her we were *on our way* -- she'd sold it out from under us, apparently to a higher bidder who'd placed a "deposit" over the phone. (She failed to mention this option to us, incidentally.) Not only that, but she had the gall to answer the door with the boy in her arms, only to tell us that sorry, this one was spoken for, but if we wanted, we could have a female -- provided we were willing to pay an additional $400 for her.

That was only the beginning.

Now, if it weren't for how happy we were with the female, I'd have gotten up and walked out at that moment. Bad business. But another side of me knew it wasn't the dog's fault that her breeder was an idiot, so we played with her (the dog, not the breeder) for an hour or so, and ultimately decided to buy. We were told she'd had all but one of her shots, so we'd only need to get the final one, and after getting the hard-sell on a handful of extra crap we didn't need (a kennel, various accessories, etc.), and signing a bunch of paperwork, we left.

Then we discovered our new pup had Giardia. Which she still has. And we're still trying to treat it, with no luck so far.

Moreover, the vaccinations she gave the pup couldn't be accepted by our vet, because she (the breeder) had administered them herself. So we ended up having to do them all over again. Nice.

She (the breeder) also refused to allow us to see the pup's parents.

I'm sure my wife would/will have much more to add to this, so I'll leave b concluding that if anyone's considering buying a puppy from anyone named Nikki or Nicky or Nicki or Nicole in Arcadia, CA, don't. Avoid her. She does not deserve to be doing business and is giving a bad name to a lot of good breeders out there just trying to raise and find good homes for their dogs.

Wow....people will appreciate that heads up.

Just an fyi many breeders vaccinate puppies themselves...it's a common practice and most vets will accept that documentation.

amazing you were told to wait in the car...it appears she is more motivated $$ placing the pup than choosing the right family. You were right to walk away if youre not comfortable with the breeder!

good luck in your search and welcome to YT

Giardia is easily treated with flagyl, you should see a difference in the stool within 2-3 days, the puppy should be on it for 7-10 days.

It is not abnormal for breeders to give their own shots the label on the shots are transferable to the puppys personal health records, the vet will see the brand, lot number and expiration date...I have yet to have a vet not accept my records. I would never recommend redoing the shots, you can easily over vaccinate a puppy, youre lucky you didnt have any issues.

If a breeder tells you the puppy is sold when you arrive then leave, she too appears more interested in the money than the proper placement. You should feel comfortable with the breeder you never know when you will need to communicate with her again, if there are issues from the start, she will not be there for you in the future.

Welcome to YT hope your girl gets better soon

I have a question. I have noticed when someone new comes here and posts about a breeder, suddenly there are more new people that have never posted before that know the same breeder :confused:
I'm just wondering how you all came to the same site at the same time, having experiences with the same breeder?

Very observant and I had the same thought as you :confused:

I wonderd the same thing Hmmmm.

I am not trying to disrespect by any means, I would just hate for a decent breeder being attacked over one person having a disagreement with them, and following it up with either mulitple accounts on a forum, or having their friends get online and tell stories about them. I am not saying this is the case here, but reading a lot of breeder reviews I have noticed the same pattern.
If people are having a legitimate problem with a breeder, by all means people need to know if they intend on buying a dog from them. However, there is a such thing as slander, and if I were a breeder that was dealing with something of that nature, I would exersize all avenues of having a person prosecuted for it.

Research Research Research
 

Did I say Research? Its so important to make sure that everything is on the up and up before giving your money to a complete stranger. Ask for references, Vet referrals and breeder referrals. Do Google searches but also searches on msn, ask, yahoo, ect......Different things come up on different search engines. This is one of the best websites that you can utilize as well. There are many experienced people on here. Good Luck!!!!

I originally started this thread and it wasn't my intention to "slander" the breeder. I tried researching to see if anyone else had mentioned this breeder before but I didn't find any information and so I started my own thread. I don't think that it is slander when people are referencing their own experiences. I wanted to make a note of mine. I am a first time buyer and looking for a lot of input. If people are writing about the similar experiences with the same breeder, it should be known that this breeder is questionable. There are too many "breeders" out there and it's always good to know the pros and cons of a breeder.

If it's evident that there are only cons about a breeder, then it should set off a red flag to those who are considering purchasing a puppy from this breeder. I think the advice given here should be taken into consideration.

and by the way, I posted ONE post about my questionable experience. I did not have any disagreements with the breeder. I just didn't like her style and left. The others are from other YT members.

I bought Bobby From Nikki, My experience with her was just OK. Now I love my baby very much. I have not recieved any registration papers from her even though she promised them to me. I did see the mommy doggy. She said that the daddy was being a stud at the time. She did spend a few hours with me. Even went shopping with me to get Bobby his first needs. I thought she was very attentive. She did give him his shots, and yes the record is on an index card. But she is going to Vet school and currently works at a clinic so I did not think anything of it. (I was also not as ready as I should have been when I bought him because my hubby just decided to get him for me for my bday) She also did the Micro chipping.

Bobby has been very healthy. He is a great baby. He is a little bigger than what she had said, but he is just a doll. I bought bobby from her in August. He was 11 weeks old at the time.

I dont think I would buy from her again, because of the registration papers and because I am now more experienced and have read tons of Yorkie talk postings! THere were red flags now that I am aware of, but Bobby is a very healthy happy baby!

Do not get dogs from Nikki!
 

I too had a very negative experience and feel like she is just out to make a buck. I don't think that people are saying negative things here to slander her but I was pressured into putting a deposit on a Boston and later told that it was a non-refundable and that I had 2 days to make a decision. I think that anyone who truly loves dogs would never pressure anyone. She was also very unprofessional - first she changed the appointment from 11am to noon after we had already left (we live about an hour plus way). She told me her friend had shown up to take her to church and that she had forgotten. At 12:30pm she had not shown up so we called...she said she would be there in 15 minutes. Another buyer arrived and we all waited until she showed up at 1:30p...ironically - no friend was driving her as she pulled in by herself.

She basically peer pressured me into putting a deposit for a dog I was uncertain i even wanted (I need to fly often with the dog so she has to be UNDER 15 lbs). Since there was another buyer that really wanted the dog..she convinced me to put a deposit down and to think about it. I saw the dogs mom but not the dad and I was a little surprised how big the mom was. Nikki told me these pups were very very small for their age and that I would never find small bostons like this again! I foolishly put down a deposit. Immediately when i left I realized i made a mistake. I called to cancel and was not only told it was non-refundable but that i had 2 days to make a purchase or loose the deposit!! I was so upset. This was supposed to be a happy day and instead now i'm out $300 and don't have a pup. Long and short is she has not returned calls or emails. I'm going to fight this out with my credit card company but my recommendation is that she's all sales. Anyone who genuinely loves dogs would never pressure such an important decision. Furthermore, other breeders i met later warned me that other folks had complaints and felt they too had been duped.

It seems to me that the two new people you are referring to are married since they are from the same town and they are talking about the same dog..

From my experience,, one red flag usally leads to another. As soon as you get those butterflies in your gut..Start asking questions. If it seems as though you know more about the breed then they do..you most likely do. Take control. This is no place for pressure. If you are being made to believe this is your only chance then leave..This is not a breeder this is a con artist using innocent animals to make a buck. Dogs are not in short supply. Take your time, do the legwork, Call local veterinarians..the staff will most likely let you know if they have a yorkie breeder as a client. You are the buyer...you have the right to be cautious and the right to sleep on it with no pressure. Don't let Caifornia be any breeders excuse for high prices..I lived their for 26 yrs and know the game..haha. Gold Dust has nice yorkies..only a state away..

I purchased a pug from her about 1 year ago. We too had to wait in our car so I guess she is selling lots of dogs. She is basically a back yard breeder. I love my dog but it had a congenital defect (LCP disease) that we had to have surgically fixed. She said she had never heard of the disease. I would not buy from her again. Also, you should look for the "puppy lemon law" in California. Breeders have to take back dogs or help pay for medical expenses. My advice is to find someone else.

Help!!!
 

I stumbled across this website and am so glad that I did. I see that I'm not the only one who has had issues with Nikki. I'd be very interersted in talking to all of you. Please let me know if your concerns were addressed.

Thank you.

Lisa

nikki sue her
 

Me and my girlfriend got a shih tzu from her in august. We thought we were the only ones being scammed, but after finding this forum, we saw that many others were treated this way. We too have never gotten registration papers. Luckily our puppy didnt have any major problems. Has anyone thought of filing a claim?

The puppy lemon law of california states: Failure to Produced Advertised Registration Papers: yes, within 120 days, otherwise return dog for full refund or receive refund of 75% of purchase price if you keep the dog.

We are actually thinking about filing a claim and whoever would like to participate with us in righting a wrong please contact me. thanks. This cannot be kept going on any longer.