May I make a few suggestions as to finding the puppy right for you.  I can tell you from experience and the experiences of others the do’s and don’ts of finding a healthy Cavalier King Charles.  My advise goes for any breed of puppy you are considering adding to your family.

The Do’s

*First find a few reputable AKC breeders in your area or within a distance you are willing to travel.  To find breeder names you can ask your vet, talk to dog trainers, look on line at AKC’”s list of breeders for the type breed you are considering. Contact your state’s breed specific clubs, they can give you names of breeders that are reputable.

*Once you have settled on a few breeders ask to come to their homes to visit, handle and play with the puppies.  Observe how and where the puppies are raise, is it in the house with the family.  Is the environment clean, are the puppies clean? 

*Ask to see the parents of the puppies parents, observe their tempermant. It is a good indication of the type of tempermant the puppies may be predisposed to.  Ask if the parents and the breeding line have been clear of genetic problems such as hipdefects, heart complications, breed specific problems.

*Ask the breeder is you can speak with their vet for a reference, they shouldn’t mind…it shows that you are a concerned owner to be. Ask the vet about the general health of the parents, do they have any inheritant diseases that can be passed down to the puppies.  Ask for his reference on the breeder and has he seen the puppies, are they healthy?  Most reputable breeders are very diligent about making sure their dogs are in the best health and condition to breed.

*Once you have decided on a puppy and it is ready to go home the breeder will take it to her vet to give it a check up and any shots that may need.  He will issue a health certificate which you should recieve when you get to take the puppy home. 

*Now that you have you new puppy take it to your vet for an exam, if there is any complications contact the breeder, most are willing to work with you as far as medical costs or advise.

THE DON’TS

*Never buy on line sight unseen especially out of state requiring having the puppy air frieghted to you. Breeders can make the puppy look pretty with props and bows, be cautious it may have underlying health issues.

*Never meet  a breeder you contacted on line or from an ad at a designated area to see the puppy for the first time.  Ask yourself the question…what are they hiding?  This has happened to two different people, each time they were handed a puppy that had severe underlying health issues that required medical attention right away.  In both circumstances each puppy almost lost it’s battle to live during that first week with the new owner.  It was very costly to the new owners.

*If the breeder has you meet at their home but will not let you in, this should be a red flag.  Especially if she does not allow you to see where she has kept the puppies and how they were raised.  If she does not show you the parents or the rest of the litter, be cautious.  If you ask for a vet reference and they do not give it to you, it is another red flag.  As mentioned above the breeder may hand you a sickly puppy, you may feel inclined to “rescue” it.  Bear in mind that it may be a costly rescue.  If the environment it was raised in are unclean it is a good indication that the dogs may not have had the best care and as healthy as you hope.

*The big no is buying from a pet store, especially a chain.  These stores generally get puppies shipped in from puppy mills out of state or back yard breeders.  Most mill puppies/dogs are not raised in the cleanest, nicest or proper environment, born and raised in wire cages that are dirty and crowded.   The conditions some of these puppies are raised in are horrible and can lead to health and behavior problems later on as the puppy matures. The store depends on playing on your emotions, seeing that cute little puppy in their display cages.  Remember when you buy that puppy, there is one more waiting to take it’s place.  The puppy mill owner depends on that also. Puppies to them are income and disposable.   Research this on the Internet, there are several accounts of what really goes on in mills, it is wrong and no animal deserves that type of treatment.

My only advice is to be cautious, well educated and research before you buy. 

Mix breed or designer dogs are bred with the intention and promotion that doing so brings out the best of both dogs in the puppy’s background.  For the most part there generally isn’t a problem, but there are times that this back fires and the worst traits come out in it’s temperament and health instead.   They ask a great deal for some of these designer dogs almost as much as a pure breed.  We have always been of the mind if you like the qualities of a certain breed then why mess with that by breeding two different breeds together. 

This is a good a good reference article-Designer dogs: Fashionable hybrids may face problems later http://www.timesnews.net/article.php?id=3648357

This is also another site about mixed breeds, mills, back yard breeders, health problems in designer dogs, questions and and answers regarding finding a good breeder.  http://home.comcast.net/~NoPuppyMillsVA/Poo-dogs___Designer_Mutts/Health_Issues_in_Designer_Mutt/health_issues_in_designer_mutt.html

If you look on pet adoption sites a majority of the dogs in the shelters are mixed or designer dogs.  The down side to that is the pure breed rescue groups generally do not take them in.  The shelters are left with the burden of re homing the dog, for some the shelter will be the last home they will ever have.  Research the designer dogs, the pros and cons concerning temperament and health concerns that both breeds that make up it’s background may have or be predisposed to.  Sometimes breeding two different breed dogs together that are prone to heart conditions make the odds of the puppy growing up with an increased chance of heart complications.  This goes for the behaviour end of it also. 

All in all, be a informed buyer. It will help ensure that you and family add a wonderful new member to your home.