[Alice Ana]

i'm excited to do up Alice's hair :wub: so i was wondering how long it has to be to put bows in it. she'll be 10-11 weeks old when i get her :blush: so i'm not sure how long her hair will be. will i be able to put bows in around week 13 or 14 once she gets settled in? thanks

 

[Ladysmom]

I would start with just using a band to make a topknot before adding bows. Get her used to having her head and hair brushed and the feel of a topknot first. Her hair doesn't have to be very long to catch it up in a band.

 

[Alice Ana]

thanks. where can you get the bands? does walmart carry them? are they like the small, simple black ones?

 

[LJSquishy]

Alice should be 12 weeks or older when you take her home. Hopefully you are getting her from a reputable breeder who follows this guideline (I haven't heard who you're getting her from).

She probably won't have quite enough hair to make a big topknot when you get her, so usually you just put a band in and make a little mini-ponytail until it gets longer. If you try to put a bow in right away, she will probably shake/scratch/rub it out. Marj (Lady'sMom) makes single topknot bows that are a good size for smaller pups as they are lighter weight. Also, you can try the "pixie pairs" since those are even smaller. You can slowly work her up to accepting having a bow in her hair by first getting her used to the bands alone, and then by putting a bow on for a few minutes at a time.

 

[LJSquishy]

thanks. where can you get the bands? does walmart carry them? are they like the small, simple black ones?

Bands that are not actual grooming bands for dogs are generally too large and they also will break the hair.

You can order grooming bands from Show Off Products

They have been my favorite (although London doesn't have a topknot anymore). I buy the Medium size 5/16" Fine Weight bands. They come in either Black or Yellow.

 

[Alice Ana]

thanks i have actually already purchased bows from petsmart. some of them clip in and are kind of heavy. the other actually come with a band. apparently they fall apart though :/ i took one out to look at it and it fell apart on me pretty quickly. i kept the rubber band and bow so i could glue everything back together. i'll go out and buy some bands when i get my license. thanks again.

if you check out my introduction post, it might help you understand my situation a little :/ the best breeder with reasonable prices (my parents will not let me "waste" my money on a dog) was in Missouri (5hrs and 35mins away). we even asked them to hold her an extra week. they are going to. i do have a lot of questions to ask them... even though my mom said not to bug them :/ i just want to know their reasons for selling their puppies so early and i want to meet the parents and i want to know so much more about their background. apparently they're an old couple who have only been breeding for about 4 years..

 

[ilovemymaltese]

if you check out my introduction post, it might help you understand my situation a little :/ the best breeder with reasonable prices (my parents will not let me "waste" my money on a dog) was in Missouri (5hrs and 35mins away). we even asked them to hold her an extra week. they are going to. i do have a lot of questions to ask them... even though my mom said not to bug them :/ i just want to know their reasons for selling their puppies so early and i want to meet the parents and i want to know so much more about their background. apparently they're an old couple who have only been breeding for about 4 years..

ASK THEM away. :thumbsup:What's the worse that happen? Nothing. Breeders don't mind if you bug them. If they DON'T want to answer your questions, then I would be skeptical. LOL I purposefully turned away puppies from top show breeders and went to a tiny breeder in NC for my Gigi just because she was very easy to contact, I could contact with anything at anytime and she always had all the answers. You're about to make a HUGE and important investment, you don't want to make a mistake. If you "get in trouble" with your mother, its worth it. LOL

 

[Cosy]

The little bands are orthodontic bands. I don't know where you can buy them other than online. Maybe if you know a dentist locally?
I do hope you reconsider and call around to some showbreeders to see what they can offer you at the price you can afford. I'm so afraid you will wind up paying so much more in vet bills if the pup comes from a home where pedigrees are not studied and breedings
are done to improve the breed, rather than just to have pups and sell. There are so many serious illnesses and problems that can arise from backyard breeders (greeders).
Does your mom realize that there are shots (rabies vaccine and parvo among others) that need to be given to the pup after you get her? It's a must. Also, premium dog food is important. Grocery store dog food is not for these little dogs.

 

[Ladysmom]

Oh, dear. Missouri is known as the Puppymill Capital of the US because there are more puppymills there than in any other state.

Have you checked to make sure your breeders name isn't on the USDA "puppymill" list?

http://www.prisonersofgreed.org/ListA2006.pdf

I can promise you that if you get a puppymill puppy, you will have huge vet bills over its lifetime which may not be very long. It is not a "waste" to spend a little more to get a puppy from a reputable breeder. It will be the best investment you ever made.

Sadly, some people spend $1,000 in vet bills in the first few weeks on puppy mill puppies. If the puppy has a genetic condition like a liver shunt or slipped kneecaps, you will have to spend several thousand dollars on surgery.

"Bargain" puppies can cost you a fortune in vet bills and break your heart. You also will get a puppy who grows up to be pretty far from the Maltese standard. Dogs weighing double digits with curly coats are common as larger Bichons are often mixed in. There is no guarentee your puppy will even be purebred. What registry does this breeder use? There are lots of "alternative" registries out there besides the AKC which aren't worth the paper they are printed on.

 

[LJSquishy]

Oh, dear. Missouri is known as the Puppymill Capital of the US because there are more puppymills there than in any other state.

Have you checked to make sure your breeders name isn't on the USDA "puppymill" list?

http://www.prisonersofgreed.org/ListA2006.pdf

I can promise you that if you get a puppymill puppy, you will have huge vet bills over its lifetime which may not be very long. It is not a "waste" to spend a little more to get a puppy from a reputable breeder. It will be the best investment you ever made.

Sadly, some people spend $1,000 in vet bills in the first few weeks on puppy mill puppies. If the puppy has a genetic condition like a liver shunt or slipped kneecaps, you will have to spend several thousand dollars on surgery.

"Bargain" puppies can cost you a fortune in vet bills and break your heart. You also will get a puppy who grows up to be pretty far from the Maltese standard. Dogs weighing double digits with curly coats are common as larger Bichons are often mixed in. There is no guarentee your puppy will even be purebred. What registry does this breeder use? There are lots of "alternative" registries out there besides the AKC which aren't worth the paper they are printed on.

:goodpost:

 

[Alice Ana]

thanks everyone (again!) for all the info. i used to have braces, so we have a LOT of bands from that too.
and yes, my mom knows all about vaccinations. here is Alice's current info (she's 8 days old): Registered/registrable (AKC, NKC, etc.), Current vaccinations, Veterinarian examination, Health certificate, Health guarantee.
we know all about shots and are going to take her to the vet within 72 hours of getting her. my mom and dad have had many pets in the passed (our current 5 year old dog, Greta (wiener dog..), was cheaper than the Maltese i'm getting and had no papers :/ ). they do know a lot on the shots and which ones to get and which ones to avoid. we already have our vet picked out. they are great with pets and really know their stuff. it doesn't hurt that they're pretty close to us either all of our animals go to this vet.

i guess the best thing to do now is ask questions and be prepared.
i checked the whole puppymill list. wow, it almost made me sick to look at it. luckily, our breeder is NOT on the list. it was a long search though

i honestly think the reason the price is so low is because they are older and are not planning on making a profit out of breeding dogs. i checked all the other puppies they had and i only saw about 4 or 5. in addition, they had excellent reviews by people purchasing other dogs from them (i made sure none were bad or i wasn't going for this breeder). here is a tiny bit of info about how they raise their dogs:
"We are a small kennel all dogs are inside with outside runs. We are
USDA inspected and the dogs are played with often. We are retired and just
love dealing with the dogs they are part of our family.All puppies have
shots up to date."

this looked okay to me for just a short summary. ? :/

here is the contract:


These terms and conditions are entered into and agreed upon by both Breeder and Buyer, who acknowledge the moral and legal worth of this contract. AGREEMENT

The Breeder transfers all rights, privileges and responsibilities associated with the ownership of puppy to the Buyer with the following condition subsequent.
(1) Deposit of $150.00 on execution of agreement. Final payment to be made on or before the puppy leaves the Breeders premises. If the balance is not paid this agreement shall be cancelled and the Buyer forfeits the deposit given hereunder.
(2) Breeder warrants that the puppy is in good health and has received appropriate medical care and worming at the time Buyer assumes ownership. The puppy has been examined by a licensed Veterinarian with a clean bill of health. All appropriate shots for the puppy’s age have been given and a record of this vaccination history is supplied.
(3) If, as a result of the examination, the Veterinarian determines that the puppy is not in good health, then the Buyer shall elect to keep the puppy or receive a complete refund of all monies put toward the purchase price of the puppy and further performance under this contract shall be null and void.
(4) Should life threatening diseases or disabilities be discovered by Buyer within 72 hours after receipt of purchase, and attested to in writing to Breeder by Buyers’ Veterinarian, Breeder will provide Buyer with a replacement breed quality puppy as soon as such a puppy is available to Breeder. NO CASH REFUNDS. NOTE: The Breeder does not assume any additional liability for possible genetic defects in puppy, and will under no circumstances by responsible for vet bills resulting from any such condition. All litigant issues will be held in the state of Missouri. (5) No warranty shall be considered to cover or in anyway involve the following:
A.) Temperament of the puppy as it matures into full size. While breeder sees that its puppies have very good temperament, individual animals cannot be guaranteed.
(6) If Buyer chooses a replacement puppy, Buyer and Breeder shall make prompt arrangements within 10 days of receipt of veterinarian certification for return of the puppy sold herein to Breeders place of business. Buyer shall be responsible for taking good and reasonable care of the puppy until Breeder receives it. Costs and related expenses of returning the puppy to Breeder shall be the obligation of the Buyer.
(7) If Buyer requests delivery to a designated location, Buyer is responsible for all cost. NOTE: The Breeder does not assume any liability for any injury to said puppy after delivery.
(8) Puppies can be stressed and appear ill or nervous due to change in living environments. Please allow 8-10 hours before handling puppy.

This agreement is made and signed by both parties to insure the well-being and protection of the puppy/dog. If the Buyer breaches any part of this agreement, the Breeder is released from any obligation under this agreement.
______________________________

(Signature of Buyer)​

DATE: ________________________​

______________________________

(Signature of Breeder)​

DATE: _________________________​

what do you think of it? i'm going to send them an email, are there any good questions i can ask them? thanks!

 

[Ladysmom]

,
here is a tiny bit of info about how they raise their dogs:
"We are a small kennel all dogs are inside with outside runs. We are
USDA inspected and the dogs are played with often. We are retired and just
love dealing with the dogs they are part of our family.All puppies have
shots up to date."

this looked okay to me for just a short summary. ? :/



what do you think of it? i'm going to send them an email, are there any good questions i can ask them? thanks!

I hate to tell you, but since they are USDA inspected, that means they are a USDA licensed kennel, what we call puppymills.

If you care to share the breeder/kennel name, either publicly or you can send me a pm, I will see what I can find out for you.

 

[Alice Ana]

Oh my oh my...

I just sent them a message. I asked these questions:
1. How much does the father weigh?
2. Will I be able to meet the parents?
3. Could you possibly tell me about the parents' temperaments?
4. Do you take pictures so we can watch them grow up?
5. Are the puppies introduced to different noises such as a groomer, small kids, and traffic?
6. Do you groom them? When do you start?
7. Do you start housetraining at all?
8. Have you had any genetic problems in the past?
9. How long have you been breeding?
10. How many litters do you produce a year?

yikes... that makes me sick... how do you know that they are a registered puppymill!?

here is where we found her...
Maltese Puppies for Sale: Sallys Girl1
you should be able to get any info you want from there.. i think..

....wow this is really embarrassing...

 

[cleooscar]

I'll leave the puppy mill questions to the others as I live in Canada. As for top knot, you should remove it daily (and redo it again) so her hair doesn't mat up and break. It'll also get Alice used to the brushing and combing. You should also touch her paw pads, rub her tummy, get her used to being handled on her back, brush her teeth and wash her face, and clean her eyes daily (we use Spa Lavish Face Wash, Bausch & Lomb Collyrim for Fresh Eyes Eye Wash, and Petrodex Enzymatic Dog Toothpaste). You may want to invest in a good brush and a comb as well as a shampoo and a conditioner.

 

[Alice Ana]

I'll leave the puppy mill questions to the others as I live in Canada. As for top knot, you should remove it daily (and redo it again) so her hair doesn't mat up and break. It'll also get Alice used to the brushing and combing. You should also touch her paw pads, rub her tummy, get her used to being handled on her back, brush her teeth and wash her face, and clean her eyes daily (we use Spa Lavish Face Wash, Bausch & Lomb Collyrim for Fresh Eyes Eye Wash, and Petrodex Enzymatic Dog Toothpaste). You may want to invest in a good brush and a comb as well as a shampoo and a conditioner.

thank you that's on my "To Do" list:thumbsup:

 

[bellaratamaltese]

Judging from the information on their site, they are not breeding for any reason except for profit. Discounted puppy page? Of the puppy listings they have, they are selling three different breeds.

For $350, this might be a 'bargain' right now, but might not be a bargain later on down the line. I hope they answer your questions honestly!!

 

[Alice Ana]

i do too! for some reason the website's name is under Paul, the lady we talked to is Brenda, and the guy who we email is Mike DeGraw. very confusing... i'm going to keep asking them questions and just pray that Alice is healthy and lives a long life. she's only 8 days old, so i can't predict the future. unfortunately, we already put down a deposit. fortunately for Alice, she will have a good home no matter what happens. i am concerned about all the other puppies though...

 

[Ladysmom]

Oh my oh my...

I just sent them a message. I asked these questions:
1. How much does the father weigh?
2. Will I be able to meet the parents?
3. Could you possibly tell me about the parents' temperaments?
4. Do you take pictures so we can watch them grow up?
5. Are the puppies introduced to different noises such as a groomer, small kids, and traffic?
6. Do you groom them? When do you start?
7. Do you start housetraining at all?
8. Have you had any genetic problems in the past?
9. How long have you been breeding?
10. How many litters do you produce a year?

yikes... that makes me sick... how do you know that they are a registered puppymill!?

here is where we found her...
Maltese Puppies for Sale: Sallys Girl1
you should be able to get any info you want from there.. i think..

....wow this is really embarrassing...

If they are USDA inspected, they are licensed by the USDA which means they are a large commercial kennel - what we call a puppymill. They may be licensed under a different name. I notice they make reference to a daughter Brenda (no last name) on their website. Ask them what their USDA license number is.

I can answer a few of your questions myself.

Puppymill puppies are raised in cages and receive the minimum human contact and handling. As a result, they are very often difficult or impossible to socialize. Behavioral problems, including aggression, are common.

Puppymill puppies are notoriously difficult to housetrain as they are born in cages to mothers who have spent their whole life in cages. Many have never even walked on grass. They have learned to poop and pee in their cages so this is the behavior the puppies copy.

Genetic conditions are rampant in puppy mill puppies. Millers don't "waste" money on health testing and just keep breeding sick dogs. At $350 for a puppy, it's easier to give you a replacement.

Don't expect them to give you straight answers.


Puppy Mill Facts

• Dogs at puppy mills typically receive little to no medical care, live in squalid conditions with no exercise, socialization or human interaction and are confined inside cramped wire cages for life.

• Breeding dogs at puppy mills must endure constant breeding cycles and are typically confined for years on end, without ever becoming part of a family.

• Dogs from puppy mills are sold in pet stores, online and directly to consumers with little to no regard for the dog's health, genetic history or future welfare. Consumers should never buy a puppy from a pet store or Internet site; instead, visit an animal shelter or screen a breeder's facility in person.

• Twelve states have passed laws over the past two years to crack down on abusive puppy mills.

90 Dogs Rescued from NJ Puppy Mill : The Humane Society of the United States

A puppy from a reputable breeder is raised inside and gets used to household noises and humans. They are usually started on house training and many come almost potty trained. Reputable breeders carefully screen for genetic conditions and extensively heath tests both parents before breeding.

 

[Alice Ana]

thank you. i'm going to ask them all about that. what happens if they don't answer the questions?

 

[Ladysmom]

thank you. i'm going to ask them all about that. what happens if they don't answer the questions?

I'm sure they will answer your questions. They just won't be truthful.

For $350, you are not going to get a puppy who is socialized, groomed, tested for genetic conditions, started on housebreaking, etc. You have to go to a reputable breeder for that. You will pay more upfront, but nothing like what this puppy is going to cost you in vet bills over her lifetime. And you can't put a price on heartbreak which is a very real possibility.

Walking away from the $150 deposit if it is non-refundable will still be the best decision you could make.