DEDICATION

DEDICATION

SHEER JOY HAVANESE (formerly Diadem Chis)
SHEER JOY HAVANESE
SALSA RETIRED
AUTUMN's Litter
FOODS & FEEDING
2020 CHANEL LITTER
NUVET VITAMINS
NUJOINT PLUS
HAVANESE Testimonials
CHI COLLECTION 4 SALE
VACCINE INFO
Toxic Dog TOYS, Plants, Air Fresheners?
Finding a BREEDER
LINKS'N LEARNING
More LINKS
Favorite Quotes
DEDICATION
DIADEM CHIHUAHUAS
A STAR is BORN!
Previous CHIHUAHUAS
CHI Testimonials
CHAMPIONS -- 1994 TO PRESENT
WATCH a LITTER GROW! 1
WATCH a LITTER GROW 2!
MERLE CHIHUAHUAS
MERLE ARTICLE--Dr. Willis
FUN CHI PIX 1
FUN CHI PIX 2
FUN CHI PIX 3
TEACUP CHIS / AKC STANDARD
RUSSIAN TOY DOGS
Russian Toy Resources
Russian Toy Stormie
Russian Toy Splash

Russian Toy STANDARD

Email me at diademchis@juno.com This page is dedicated to those honest, ethical low-volume show breeders who work so hard to produce healthy, loving puppies and share the ones that aren't show quality with pet buyers as neutered companions.
I would like to give you a tiny glimpse of the heartache we go through to produce your much loved companions. Please treasure them and treat them as if they were born in your own home. I LOVE to SHOW! Personally, I HATE BREEDING but it's the only way I can get another puppy to show and continue my bloodline. I would like to share an experience I recently had to show you that every breeding we do puts our dams at risk. My Champion longcoat male was bred to a dear friend's healthy 4-year-old Champion smoothcoat female. When it was time (she knew it would be a c-section), my friend asked me to meet her at her vet's to help catch puppies. Her vet is an hour's drive from me, and I was reluctant to leave my dogs that long, but I went. Her vet examined the female, and while my friend held her, the Lactated Ringer's IV drip was put in her vein. Suddenly, her heart rate dropped, her gums went white, and she gave a little yelp. The vet put an oxygen mask on her and she died in my friend's arms. He quickly operated, removed all four puppies (all girls) and we revived them, but their dam is dead. Two vets worked on her for almost an hour, but were unable to resuscitate her. This was terribly distressing. Seeing that poor female lying on the table dead was the worst shock I think I've ever had. I was just stunned. The vets have no idea why she died. She gave her life for these puppies. My friend was able to give them to a surrogate mother, but she has very little milk, so my friend is feeding them every two hours, day and night. Please remember this story when we put you through the wringer and grill you before we allow one of our precious puppies to join your family. Our puppies mean so much to us. Our hearts are often broken when puppies die or the ultimate tragedy happens, as in this case, and a treasured Champion dam dies. Update: I'm thrilled to report that all four puppies are healthy and alive at 1 1/2 years old!

	Please buy from a show breeder, not from a puppy mill or backyard breeder or pet store. No ethical breeder would EVER put their puppies in a pet shop. Exhibiting their dogs at dog shows demonstrates that the breeder cares about the future of the breed and wants to improve their breeding stock. Check out my 'Finding a Breeder' page foe more information.

	Some questions to ask to screen for a good show breeder: Ask the breeder how many litters they have a year (no more than four or five, or they are breeding for profit, and if they ALWAYS have puppies available, BEWARE). Ask them where their dogs live (in the HOUSE is good, toy dogs should never live outside; no dog should permanently live outside). Ask them if the puppy has to be neutered (if it is pet quality, a neuter contract should be required). Ask what registry they use, AKC & UKC are the ONLY legitimate American registries, ADBA, CKC (Continental KC, not Canadian KC), NAPDR, UAKC, APRI, APR, APA, ACR, etc., are backyard breeder registries (see http://www.nopuppymills.com/index.php? page=registries).

	A few more red flags: Do they have many puppies available from multiple litters? (bad) Do they take VISA or PayPal? (BAD--credit cards invite impulse buying.) Are litters advertised before they are even born? (VERY BAD--this is a sure sign of a 'pups-for-bucks' breeder.) Are puppies advertised before their eyes are even open? (BAD--how can they know the quality of the puppy?)

	Ask them how many dogs they have (could you give quality care to this many dogs?). Ask them why they did this breeding (to have puppies to sell is NOT a good answer). Ask what they feed their dogs (whatever is on sale at the grocery store is NOT a good answer!) Ask what age they place their puppies (toy dogs should NEVER leave home before 10 weeks at the earliest).