Chihuahua's are small but buying one is a huge commitment.

Before you consider bringing a Chihuahua into your home,

there are some questions you need to ask yourself.

 

 

• Am I am ready to commit 15-20 years caring for this dog?

  • Chihuahuas live a long time. Who will care for your dog is something happens to you? What happens if you meet a partner who doesn't share you love for CHi's? What if you want to travel?

• Can I afford it?

  • A quality Chihuahua NZKC registered puppy will cost between $1000-$1500 depending on the dog/breeder and transport costs. They also require regular dentals (under General Aneastheic - min $300), vaccinations ($60 p/a) and should be fed on high quality food to avoid digestive issues.

• Am I buying from a puppy farmer?

  • Once you've made the decision to bring a Chihuahua into your life, you need to make certain you are not enabling puppy farmers by buying the first cute puppy that pops up on TradeMe. Most reputable breeders do not advertise on TradeMe as they have waiting lists for their dogs.

  • Chihuahuas can have chonic health problems such as patella, heart conditions and Syringomyelia (a painful spinal condition responsible breeders go to great lengths to eliminate). Is the dog health tested? Is it DNA tested to ensure it is not inbred? If the dog is cryptorchid (only one descended testicle) it must be neutered to prevent the retained testicle from turning cancerous, which can be expensive if the testicle is still caught in the abdomen. If you are getting a male puppy, make sure it has two descended testicles. 

  • Ask to see the home the dogs come from and ask to be shown around. BE VERY CAUTIOUS OF BREEDERS WHO REFUSE THIS. Puppy farmers will advertise that their dogs are loved like children, kept in the home and run in a forest everyday filled with rainbows and unicorns, when in fact, they live in stacked cages.

  • Beware the breeder who claims they love their dogs so they don't believe in registering them. And realize  that a Dogs NZ registration/pedigree is not a guarantee of quality. Only Dogs NZ Accredited Breeders health test their dogs prior to mating and limit the number of litters they have. We know of none making profit! A breeder who tells you having a code of ethics is a bad thing is puppy farming, make no mistake about it.

 

 

 Download our brochure about buying puppies here.