[nasajerry]

Hi there,

I am an animal lover and have had many pets. It's been more than 15 years since I have had a dog. My wife and I are looking for a tiny dog. Perhaps a Pomeranian. We live in the San Francisco east bay area. We would like to get a puppy fresh from a reputable store or breeder. Purity or show quaility doesn't matter to us. Just healthly and small. Any advice would be good. We don't even know where to start looking.

Jerry
PS: Price doesn't really matter either

[lil mutt]

Can you consider adopting? Most of dogs from shelters are very sweet and loving when they feel love and affection with their new home. Good luck and welcome to the board.

[werner77]

Most small dogs are easy care pets. Some do however shed more hair than others. So that might also be something to think about when selecting a dog if you mind hair sticking to everthing.

[DoggieVogue]

I don't know how to find a reputable breeder. If you are willing to adopt, try petfinder.com . There are puppies on there too!

[Lara's mom]

Being a lover of Jack Russells, I highly recommend them. Just make sure you research whatever breeds you narrow your choice down to before you actually begin looking. In Canada we have a magazine that comes out every year that has a list of reputable breeders. I imagine there must be something similar where you are.

As for determining who is a reputable breeder, this is what I looked for when I bought my first Jack Russell. I bought my second one from the same breeder.

A good breeder should:

Ask you a lot of questions to determine if their breed is right for you.
Determine whether you are looking for a show quality puppy (they will cost more) or a pet quality puppy.
Have both parents on site although this is not always possible.
Have spotlessly clean surroundings.
Be prepared to spend a considerable amount of time with you to answer your questions and tell you about their particular breed.
Have happy and healthy puppies who were raised in a home as opposed to a kennel situation. (This is important to me; not so much for others.) If you see runny noses or discharge from the eyes, evidence of diarhhrea or the puppies don't seem playful, go elsewhere.
Expect you to sign a binding contract to have your puppy spayed/neutered if you choose a pet quality dog along with a stipulation that if for some reason you cannot keep the dog you have purchased that it be returned to the breeder to be rehomed.
Be available after the purchase of the puppy to answer any questions or concerns you may have.

I've probably missed a lot of things that hopefully other members can fill in but, at least you've got a start.

BTW, don't rule out going to a shelter to adopt a puppy. You will often find incredible dogs who have been surrendered either because the owners circumstances have changed or because the owner did not "do their homework" and ended up with a dog that was unsuitable for their lifestyle.

Good luck in your search!!!