Any pet shop recommendations?

My daughter's birthday is coming up and she's asking for a dog as her gift. I've been contemplating as to whether or not..Anyhow, I'm interested in either purchasing a Maltese or Shih Tzu and it seems breeders want an arm & a leg for either dog.

Any shops you may know of that have healthy pets & are reasonable?

Re: Any pet shop recommendations?

I would not go through a pet store...why not try a rescue organization....Save A Pet on Route 112, Port Jefferson Station, next to my husband's animal hospital has a lot of animals. WHy not give them a call...they rescue many local/unwanted animals.

Re: Any pet shop recommendations?

Most, if not all pet shops, sell what are known as "puppymill puppies/dogs" and that is why they are less expensive then a reputible breeder. Please do your research prior to buying. A lot of puppymill puppies tend to have genetic and health problems. They are inbreed and don't have clean bloodlines.

Here is some information on Puppymills...Puppymill

Here is some information from AKC on how to buy a good, healthy dog....

AKC

Message edited 6/6/2006 11:01:14 AM.

Re: Any pet shop recommendations?

Thanks! I will go visit them and hopefully welcome a new family member to our home.

I'm just not ready for all the responsibilities....

Re: Any pet shop recommendations?

Re: Any pet shop recommendations?

yeah, these girls know what theyre talking about.

pet shops are just plain EVIL!

you def dont want to get one form there.

breeders actually cost LESS than pet shops..... but you have to make sure they are "pet quality" rather than "show quality" as show quality are much more expensive.

there is definatly a difference between a reputable breeder than a person who just mated their dogs for $.....

good luck and if you need help just FM.


p.s. maltese tend to be pretty $$$ in my experience... some breeds are just more than others

Re: Any pet shop recommendations?

Having a pet is a big commitment. Giving pets as gifts may not be a good idea. Please make sure youall want to do it.

Re: Any pet shop recommendations?

If you go with a Rescue, a lot of the times the pets are already house trained.

Also, I would research the breeds to see which one would be suitable for your family. Some dogs need more exercise than others.

Good Luck!!!

Re: Any pet shop recommendations?

Not to be negative, but a dog is a HUGE responsibility, esp if you get a puppy. It is rewarding and wonderful but you have to be ready and willing to take on all the work that goes with it -- not sleeping the first few weeks when the pup cries through the night, cbathing/cleaning the pup, frequent walks, brushing teeth, training, to name a few. I would think about it long and hard before you get one since it sounds like you are hesitating. A lot of reputable breeders will not let you buy a dog as a present for precisely that reason.

If you do get a pet, please do not go through a pet store but a reputable breeder or rescue org. Good luck

Re: Any pet shop recommendations?

Re: Any pet shop recommendations?

I wouldn't suggest a pet store. My FH bought me a boston terrier pup for Christmas. He was the cutest. The store gave him all these papers on how Petey got a clean bill of health, it was even signed by a vet.

Less than a months later I was sitting in a emergency pet hospital in Plainview signing papers to allow vets to stop trying to save Petey and humanely put him down


Turns out Petey had a brain tumor that was inherited from birth due to back yard breeding. Something that the vet who was treating Petey his last days said could have been detected early on, he couldn't say whether he could have even been saved but it would have saved him months of pain.

I lost my pet and was up to my eyes in vets bills (close to $2500). I regret not taking petey to a vet sooner but I figured that since he was just seen that month he was purchased by a vet that I had time to find a good vet. Petey was only 6 months old.

Now I'm not going to say the pet stores name but I will say that it's in Southshore Mall in Bayshore. I only say that because after all this they refused to own up that they sell sick dogs.

Message edited 6/7/2006 12:01:55 AM.

Re: Any pet shop recommendations?

chrisitne....... i am so sorry to hear of your loss. thats so sad. unfortunatly, its more common than most people think.
i HATE The Pet Company (in SouthShore Mall), they always have sickly looking pups in there.

im sorry Petey didnt make it

Re: Any pet shop recommendations?

Posted by Lolita4Life

chrisitne....... i am so sorry to hear of your loss. thats so sad. unfortunatly, its more common than most people think.
i HATE The Pet Company (in SouthShore Mall), they always have sickly looking pups in there.

im sorry Petey didnt make it

Re: Any pet shop recommendations?

One summer, I worked in a pet store in the mall (when I was younger and didn't know any better). I was so disheartened by what I saw behind the scenes. They bring in such tiny pups that shouldn't be away from their moms yet and almost all were taken out of the store front at one point of there stay and put in the back b/c they had pneumonia, kennel cough, etc. I quit after coming in one morning to open the store and finding a tiny pomeranian barely breathing. I called my boss at home who told me to feed it some wet food and she would deal with it when she got there. The pup ended up dying in my arms

Re: Any pet shop recommendations?

Posted by Lolita4Life

chrisitne....... i am so sorry to hear of your loss. thats so sad. unfortunatly, its more common than most people think.
i HATE The Pet Company (in SouthShore Mall), they always have sickly looking pups in there.

im sorry Petey didnt make it

Re: Any pet shop recommendations?

I really appreciate all the feedback. I have now considered to really FORGET purchasing at a pet store and just going straight to a rescue shelter.

I'm in shock of how cruel pet shop owners can be just to make some $$ off their sick pets.

THANKS SO MUCH EVERYONE!

Re: Any pet shop recommendations?

We got our pup from NSAL...

Re: Any pet shop recommendations?

Posted by DMcK

Not to be negative, but a dog is a HUGE responsibility, esp if you get a puppy. It is rewarding and wonderful but you have to be ready and willing to take on all the work that goes with it -- not sleeping the first few weeks when the pup cries through the night, cbathing/cleaning the pup, frequent walks, brushing teeth, training, to name a few. I would think about it long and hard before you get one since it sounds like you are hesitating. A lot of reputable breeders will not let you buy a dog as a present for precisely that reason.

If you do get a pet, please do not go through a pet store but a reputable breeder or rescue org. Good luck

Re: Any pet shop recommendations?

Posted by MsMBV

Posted by Lolita4Life

chrisitne....... i am so sorry to hear of your loss. thats so sad. unfortunatly, its more common than most people think.
i HATE The Pet Company (in SouthShore Mall), they always have sickly looking pups in there.

im sorry Petey didnt make it