Considering a new, furry addition to the family?

We strongly encourage you to do lots of research before you get a pet. Daily we see people get pets that they do not want. They are either too big or too small, too aggressive or too docile, too much maintenance or too much shedding, etc. If you are not sure which breed you are interested in you can ask us, attend a show, visit a shelter, watch one of the animal channels on TV, or read a book.

If you decide to go with a pure-bred pet we have links to the AKC (American Kennel Club for dogs) and the CFA (Cat Fanciers Association for cats) on our Links    page that will give you more information about the breed, and will have information about breeders in your area that may have litters available.

When you select the new pet for your family, it is wise to bring them to us BEFORE you take it home. If he or she has fleas, ticks, worms, or a birth defect, we can either treat them or in some sad cases you may elect to return the pet. If you’ve only had the pet an hour or so, it is much easier to return a seriously ill pet. If you have grown attached over a few days, returning a seriously ill pet can be a very tough emotional crisis.

This is probably the most important hint we will give you: DON’T TELL A BREEDER WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR. ASK THEM WHAT THEY HAVE!

One thing that a lot of people forget to consider is the size of their pet. Many breeds can have great variances in their size. If you are looking for a large Doberman, for example, ask them what size the parents are. Some breeders will answer this with, "What are you looking for?" Tell them you're not sure (because they will tell you that they have EXACTLY what you are looking for), and ask them again what size the parents are – this is a good indication of how big the puppy or kitten will probably be. If they say the parents were fifty pounds each you can decide if that is the size you want.