Siena Rose Pugs

Finding the breeder that is right for you can be a challenging but rewarding experience.  Meeting a breeder that you can feel most comfortable and confident with is crucial. Here, I will outline what to expect and what to avoid. A good breeder will show their dogs in AKC Conformation shows to prove their value to the breed. They will treat all their dogs as family members. They will breed only for their next show prospect and passionate about their dogs, very selective about who they place their puppies with, and most of all, do their utmost to place their puppies in the best homes possible. Placing their puppies in loving forever homes is a #1 priority. A good breeder will welcome you to their home, and show you around their place so you can see how residence and check things out for yourself. While we know not everyone will buy a puppy locally, and many families pick breeders from out of state, some prefer to go to a breeder that they were referred to by a close friend or relative. In that case, their friends or relatives most likely have already been to the breeders home and can inform you of their experience.  A good breeder will have a referral list of other breeders for you to visit. The puppy you buy will be with you for the next 12 to 15 yrs (some much longer), and the breeder will want you to make sure the decision of which puppy you go home with will be the right one for you and your family. They will also encourage you to visit other breeders, look at other puppies, and pick the breeder that best meets your needs. 



What to Watch Out For

RED FLAGS:

1. Watch out for the gossip-monger breeder. This type of breeder will bring up other breeders and tell you whatever they think will discourage you from contacting them. This type of breeder is highly unethical and has an agenda. This could be a BYB (backyard breeder) but it could also be a Show breeder. Just because someone shows their Pugs does not mean they do it for the good of the breed. Anyone with enough time, money or ambition can put a championship title on their Pugs, whether to increase the price of their puppies or just feed their ego. Keep in mind, a good breeder will never talk negatively about another breeder, if for no other reason than that its a violation of the Code of Ethics of the breed parent clubs, as well as AKC. Ethical breeders will encourage you and even suggest other breeders for you to visit before making your decision, not waste your time and theirs talking trash about other breeders.

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2. Beware of the breeder that brings their puppies out to you one at a time. You want to see the puppies socialize with each other. Seeing how they interact tells you a lot about their upbringing and temperament. This could well be indicative of a temperament problem among their adult dogs. Pugs are social creatures you should be concerned about excessive barking and cowering around a newcomer is typical the look at me behavior but a Pug should never growl, snap, or run from you when you offer to pet them.



3. I've experienced this one myself when buying a puppy from a local breeder. After picking out my puppy at 4 weeks old, I was not allowed to visit the puppy in order to bond with her prior to picking her up. I was told that this would be an invasion of the breeders privacy and they didn't feel comfortable having strangers invading their privacy, why did they let me come into their house to pick out a puppy and hand them my money? For that, I was allowed in, but not to visit her and get to know her. At the time I was naive but later came to realize that they didn't want me to see how they were raising their puppies. Sometimes a breeder will have a show coming up and will suggest you meet them at ringside for the first meeting ; especially if the show is held at a location near you. This is a reasonable suggestion, providing they invite you to visit their home to actually visit with the puppies. Young puppies should never be exposed to large crowds of people and dogs until they've had their final puppy shot so, if they suggest bringing 8 or 10 week old puppies to a show for you to see rather than having you come to their home to meet them, run don't walk, in the opposite direction. The single exception to this rule is if the breeder is coming to a show in your area from another area/state and is traveling in an RV or staying in a motel. In this case, it is likely to be more out of respect for your convenience, and the pups will be safely away from unnecessary exposure.



4. Frequently you will find a breeder offering only a 1 or 2 yr guarantee. This is nothing more than a pet shop back yard guarantee. Ethical breeders know that most (not all) genetic defects do not show up until after a Pug reaches two yrs old, and by then your guarantee is no longer valid and the problem is now solely your responsibility. A truly reputable breeder - one that cares about the puppys health and well being - will give you a minimum of 5 yrs overall, and very often a lifetime guarantee for at least the most common breed issues. Genetic problems are a serious matter. I know if one of my puppy buyers had an issue at ANY age, I'd want to be the first to know. Giving a lifetime guarantee with each of my puppies ensures that IF something should develop later on, the buyer will contact me so I can take responsibility for my part.



5. A breeder who offers you a female puppy for free or at a  discount when you are looking for a companion pup, with the stipulation that she MUST be returned to the breeder on her 2nd heat (or any heat for that matter) to be bred, regardless of whether you have any desire to maintain an intact female or give up your Pug for the duration of her breeding-whelping experience. This breeder is looking for a free pass, someone to pay all the bills and provide a home for a girl that the breeder might feel is marginally worth breeding but not worth spending any money to maintain. Obviously the breeder is not doing this to better the breed because if he or she felt the bitch was really worthy of being bred, he/she would not be offering her as a pet to a non-breeder home.



This arrangement it is a win-win for the breeder, as she turns the bitch over to a companion family without relinquishing future use of her uterus, and the puppy will be cared for and loved by the family, who will then have to face the possibility of losing her during delivery as a result of a breeding they don't even want. In this case, once the bitch goes into heat, she will spend the next 4 or 5 months, from breeding through weaning, with the breeder, and possibly undergo surgery one or more times, with all its inherent risks - as well as going from a much-loved house pet to being separated from her family and possibly reduced to living in a kennel. Once the pups are weaned, the bitch is returned to her family and the puppies are sold with the only expenses involved that of the actual breeding/whelping an expense that can be reduced even further if the stud dog is owned by the breeder. This can result in a near-100% profit margin, definitely a good deal for the breeder since all the maintenance expense, risk, and worry over the dangers of whelping is on the family. 



What to Expect When You Come to My House First, you will be greeted by the happy tails of all my Pugs. You will also notice that I live in my pugs house, they don't live in mine. They will smooch you until you give them each undivided attention. Next, I'll offer you something to drink - this is how my family raised me when we had company.You will get to see my pugs personalities, how well they are kept, where they play, eat & sleep. You will be able to walk into my nursery and see where all my babies are born. You will see every one of my puppies at the same time. I want everyone to watch them play together, not individually.

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I will ask you to fill out one of my applications if you haven't done so already, I will also ask you questions. Remember, my concern is that my puppies go to a loving forever home. I will go over my guarantees and my lifelong availability to you as one of my future puppy owners. Together we will go over all paperwork so if you have any questions I can answer them for you.I will go over the health of the Breed in general, to ensure that you have a clear understanding of their pros and cons. I will supply you with pedigrees and references from other individuals that have bought puppies from me over the years. I will also give you in writing my written life time guarantee for genetic health issues.At the time I will  reassure you that you can call me at any time day or night with any questions or concerns. My house has an open door for all my extended pug families.