looking for puppy

[4nyitros]

We are looking for a Cairn Terrier puppy for a family dog. I have done all the research on the breed and I know that is the dog we want. But I don't know were to start. I have found lots on different puppies on websites, but I want to make sure it is a good dog and breeder. We live in Washington. We are willing to have one shipped. I am looking for any help on how to find the right good puppy.

thanks

[bradl]

Um, Looking for a breeder in Washington. There are a lot of decent breeders in the Northwest. And, like anywhere, casual, commercial, and careless ones, too. I posted my suggestions in the previous thread just this week. Hope that helps. Good luck. See you at a show, maybe

There are two Cairn clubs in the NW: Cascade Cairn Terrier Club and Columbia River Cairn Terrier Club. Worth checking out.

P.S. I (personally) would never consider a puppy (or breeder) who advertises puppies on a website. Brags about their dogs' accomplishments? Sure! Lists puppies for sale? Never.

[Madwand]

Why not? If the person is selling puppies anyway, what is wrong with a website? Should they also not advertise them in the paper either? Or not even tell their friends about them? Make it a total secret so no one anywhere will know about them? To me, selling a puppy is selling a puppy, whether it's in the paper, word of mouth, or on a website. There is no better medium than a website to get all the information a buyer would need to make a decision. I'll even bet there are some nasty breeders who are not on the internet...

There are only 2 breeders that I know of in my whole state and if neither of them were on the internet, I wouldn't know of them. Whether they are good or bad is still to be determined. No matter how you found out about them, you still don't have to use them if you don't like them when you see them.

[bradl]

I'll even bet there are some nasty breeders who are not on the internet.

Very true.

No matter how you found out about them, you still don't have to use them if you don't like them when you see them.

Strongly agree.

Most of the good breeders I know have the opposite problem - they don't have (nor ever will have) "enough" puppies. It is rare they even have to ask their peers for qualified referrals. So yeah, in my personal experience, newspaper ads (or these days, Craigslist ads) are unusual and a bit of a also. Perhaps in breeds with much larger litter sizes, the situation is different. I don't know as I don't follow other breeds.

Perfectly excellent dogs are also found at shelters and in rescue. So the perspective of my advice is perhaps too narrowly limited to the needs of someone looking for a carefully bred dog of a specific breed, that is a good representative of that breed, from a breeder with a commitment to the betterment of the breed itself.

As always, these are just my opinions. All are welcome to their own, and to share them!