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Shorkies
adopted in North Carolina
Shorkies
adopted in South Carolina
We
often are asked questions about a
breed called the shichon. They are a Bichon Shih Tzu We do
not breed them get to big and are very high strung and can
be nippy . If you are interested in finding out more about
them you can visit
www.shichon.net
and it tells you alot about shichon puppies and what you
need to know when considering one
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The growing popularity
of the Shorkie is not without its downsides. Unfortunately, there
are many Shorkie breeders appearing on the scene who appear to care
little for the dogs they raise or for the customers they get. These
types of breeders are commonly referred to as backyard breeders (byb)
and/or they could even be puppy mills/puppy farms.
What is a puppy mill, and why should you care whether the puppy you
buy comes from one? Puppy mills are large-scale breeding businesses
producing large numbers of puppies for profit, and only for profit.
They do not try to better the breed. They are like factories
manufacturing puppies! – and they are run by people who have no idea
about or concern for genetics or any kind of responsible breeding
program. It’s all about greed and money, not the well-being of the
adult dogs and the puppies. In fact, most puppy mills are deplorable
in their treatment of both the breeding dogs and the puppies
produced – kenneling them in filthy conditions without proper
veterinary care, nourishment or socialization. And when the breeding
parents can no longer breed, they are killed, starved to death or
they are dumped near death and left to die in some remote place.
Puppy mills may sell through classified ads, websites and pet stores
which typically work through a broker or a middleman. The best way
to not support puppy mills is to deal directly with a breeder,
research and do your homework on him and check his references – both
those from the breeder’s other puppy parents and from the breeder’s
vet. Responsible breeders will never knowingly sell to a broker, a
pet store or a byb.
What is a byb? Backyard breeders are people who breed for many
different reasons. Their one common bond, however, is that they
usually know very little about what they are doing. Some bybs breed
just for the sake of breeding, some so that a beloved dog they
already own can be reproduced for themselves or a friend, some so
their children can see a birth, and, of course, some do so to try to
make a few bucks. Whatever the reason, it usually comes down to
someone who breeds dogs without understanding the breed standard and
the genetics of achieving it, nor are they doing the necessary
genetic testing to troubleshoot problems. Some may not understand
why they shouldn’t be breeding, and they may start out intending no
harm. But they’re breeding for reasons other than improving the
breed – and sometimes they even get in over their heads, ending up
with too many dogs to care for properly. Like the puppy mills,
usually bybs also sell through classified ads, websites, brokers and
pet shops.
We Want People to Take a Stand with Us and Say No to Pet Shops!
When a breed becomes popular, which is what’s happening with the
Shorkie, backyard breeders, puppy mills and puppy farms want to jump
on the bandwagon. They spring into action, and mass production,
i.e., puppy manufacturing, begins in order to meet the demands of
the public. Not only is mass production of puppies the largest
contributor to pet overpopulation, but the quality of the puppies
being produced is diminished significantly. In fact, breeds are
ruined by indiscriminate breeding for profit without consideration
for health and temperament. The mass production breeders sell their
puppies to brokers who go around buying up the new, hot breeds. The
broker then turns around and sells to the pet stores. Much as a pet
store may claim to use reputable breeders, it’s sadly not the case –
a reputable breeder would just never knowingly sell to one! Each pet
store puppy sale encourages puppy mills and bybs to churn out more
and more innocent puppies (and kittens), who are in turn again
brokered back to pet stores for more sales. The sick cycle never
stops.
Breeders should be responsible for the lives they bring into this
world, especially when you consider that approximately 130,000 dogs
and 60,000 cats are killed at pounds every year. Breeders should not
be indiscriminately breeding and contributing to this tragedy.
Impulse buying is the goal of irresponsible breeders who breed for
profit and greed and who are out to make a quick buck. These
breeders know that it’s hard for many people to resist the
temptation to buy that cute puppy or kitten sitting in a pet show
window. In fact, they count on it, and they know emotions will tug
at people’s hearts and cause them to ignore that these poor pet
store animals come from bybs, puppy mills and puppy farms!
As to the puppy’s health, I’ll acknowledge that, yes, it is
sometimes possible to get a healthy puppy from a pet store. But ask
yourself this, do you really want to take a risk that is more likely
to lead the other way with heartbreaking repercussions lasting for
years? Do you really want to support people who have taken no
interest in the puppy’s genetics, health and temperament and who
don’t care about where or how their puppies end up? Purchasing your
puppy from a pet store gives you just that and helps continue the
mistreatment of defenseless animals, which I’m very sure is not your
intent. However, the truth is that when you make such a purchase,
you are helping puppy mills to stay in business. The truth is that
pet store puppies come from backyard breeders, brokers and puppy
mills, though the stores will always deny it. By purchasing your
puppy at a pet store, you are contributing to the wealth of very
people who abuse and torture animals. Take a stand with us. Say,
“No!”
I get probably 50 calls every week from people all over the USA
telling me about the issues they have had with a breeder of a
Shorkie or that the puppy itself has died or is very sick. The only
thing I can tell them is to contact the breeder they got the dog
from. If there had been a problem with an SCA breeder, I could
assist them. But I have no jurisdiction over breeders that are not
SCA members. So, please, before working with any Shorkie breeder,
check with us to see if it is a breeder we recognize and work with.
As I’ve said, I will be glad to personally let you know if the
breeder you are considering is an SCA breeder. (Email pricelesspups@yahoo.com;
or telephone 253-238-7936, Pacific Time Zone.) I will happily help
you. The Priceless Pups family is championing the need for change in
the USA when it comes to ethical breeding practices. It’s time for
responsible breeders to take a stand and step out and away from
breeders who are breeding without understanding what they are doing
and/or are just out to make a quick buck. We are doing everything in
our power to ensure we are breeding to better the Shorkie breed. If
breeders are doing nothing to better the breed, then what business
do they have breeding at all?
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