You and your family have talked it over and it is time to add a new member to your family. Everyone wants a Shih Tzu and now it is up to you to find the right way to get a good dog for you and your family.

The best way to insure you get the best dog you can get and a breeder you can trust is to do some research and make sure you get a reputable Shih Tzu breeder. A good breeder makes all the difference in the world, so take your time and make the right choice the first time.

The first thing you can do is check with the National Kennel Club to find a reputable breeder in your area. The National Kennel Club will have a listing of most of the very good breeders near you and also some information about the dogs that breeder offers. There are other breeder registries that you can also look into and check out any potential local breeder you may want to deal with. If they are not listed with a registry then you may want to avoid them.

The relationship between you and your Shih Tzu breeder extends way beyond the transaction itself. A good breeder wants to make sure you have a positive experience in owning the dog so they will make themselves available for consultation or whenever you have a question at all.

A good breeder encourages owners, especially novice owners, to contact them if they have any questions or concerns or if they feel they need any advice for the raising of a new dog. A good breeder knows that a good relationship between breeder and owner is essential to the ongoing good health of each dog.

Another good sign of a breeder is how helpful they are with your new dog's diet. A good breeder will offer detailed advice on care and feeding of your new Shih Tzu and they also offer their own personal advice as well, based on their experience. Most breeders will also send you home with a food sample so you know what to get your dog for the future. If you are not getting any of this kind of help from your breeder then you may have a bad breeder.

When you get ready to take your new dog home from the Shih Tzu breeder the reputable breeder will offer you free pet insurance for a six week period after you leave their property. They get it as a free incentive from insurance companies and the hope of the insurance company is that you will want to continue coverage. Free pet insurance is not something a shady breeder can offer or will offer.

Any good breeder will offer many options and pieces of advice to any new or experienced owner. You should discuss with your prospective breeder any of these conditions to see if you are dealing with a reputable breeder or not. A reputable breeder will offer to take the dog back at any point in its life if you can no longer care for it, with no cash refund. That is something you do not get from a shady breeder.