FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
We are always getting questions regarding our kennel and/or our dogs. Below is a review of the most common questions we are presented with:
How long have you been breeding, how much experience do you have with the chihuahua breed: I grew up raising dogs with my grandfather. From the time I could walk I was taught everything about breeding and raising puppies. I have always had a love for animals and I know how much joy they bring us. That was the foundation for our kennel, bringing others the joy of having a puppy. We first started with raising rat terriers.They are truly wonderful dogs but my heart is with the chihuahua breed! My fascination with the breed started with our first chihuahua Precious. Before committing to buying a chihuahua we did tons of research on the breed. Once we had her we were hooked. We started breeding chihuahuas in 2007. Since then we have learned and experienced so much. With each litter I learn more. I do not pretend to know it all, as we all learn something new each day. I will continue to learn and do everything in my power to better the chihuahua breed. Be it just a pet or a puppy we hope to become a champion, I put in the same amount of time, love, and devotion into each puppy we raise.
How much are your puppies:
We put a lot of time and money into our puppies. They are raised on premium food and a lot of care go into them. You will not get a "cheap" puppy from us. All of our puppies are healthy and extremely well socialized. Price should not be the only factor that determines your decision when it comes to buying a puppy. Sure you may get a cheaper puppy, but that will not guarantee you a healthy one. That being said, AKC with limited registration start at 600, Please contact for pricing on full AKC registration. All puppies come with a one year health guarantee and 24/7 breeder support.
Are your dogs kept in kennels: While we are a registered kennel, we are not your typical kennel. All of our dogs live inside of our home and are part of the family. They have their own area in our house off of the kitchen and we do let them out to be with the rest of the family. All of our dogs are crate trained and sleep in their crates at night and when we are gone. This is the best way to ensure they are all together and would be easy to rescue if there were a fire. During warm days we do have a kennel outside for the dogs to play in. They do not stay in the kennel over night or when its too hot or too cold outside, and never unattended.
Do you have Teacup Chihuahuas:
We get this question a lot! People contact us wanting a "teacup" chihuahua. I simply tell them that we breed chihuahuas, not cups! AKC categories the chihuahua into two groups, Long Coat & Smooth Coat. Beware of breeders selling puppies labeled as teacups, pocket pups, micro, tinies, ect. There is no such thing! The Chihuahua breed standard states between 2-6 lbs. We do on occasion have puppies who mature at or under 2 lbs. These puppies require special care and we will not sell one of our smaller babies to a family with children as they are very fragile. Puppies will not leave until they reach 1lb, be that at 8 weeks or 6 months! So that being said, do we breed teacups? No!
Do you breed merles: All breeding stock at Miniature Miracles Kennel is from merle free lines. While we do not discriminate against merles we have chosen to not add nor breed the merle gene. If you are considering breeding merles please be responsible and do your research. Irresponsible breeding can cause major health issues.
How are your puppies registered:
Miniature Miracles Kennel has recently went from breeding both CKC & AKC chihuahuas to just strictly AKC. We do realize that a certain registration does not make one dog better then another. How ever our goal has always been to show and in order for us reach this goal we must keep in mind both the amount of dogs we can have and what quality they must be. We do have three ckc girls we will be keeping back for pets. If you are interested in a ckc registred dog we have several friends who breed ckc dogs and are more then willing to put you in touch with them.
Are chihuahuas good with children:
While I can not speak on behalf of all chihuahuas, all of our puppies are raised around our three children and very well socialized. They are used to being handled and played with by our kids. They will used to the normal day to day noises that come with children.
You say you start socialization with your puppies the moment they are born, what do mean by that: We try our very best to be here when each mother is delivering. The moment the puppy is born is held. We handle each puppy several times a day, petting ears, nose, feet, stomach, head. They will be used to being on their back, having fingers in their mouth and ears. We start nail trimming around 2 weeks of each and they get a quick clip bi weekly. We brush the puppies coat each week so its used to basic grooming. When the puppies start to walk around we take them out and let them play. Once the puppies start eating we will get them used to having someones hands in and near their food and taking things from their mouth.Our puppies are not timid and there's a reason for that. Puppies may be uncertain at first when you take it home, but they warm up very quickly. We know that these puppies are going to be someones family, and they are raised in our home with that knowledge. No one wants a shy, scared puppy. The sooner your puppy gets used to you and your smell the easier it is for your puppy to make the transition, which is why we encourage new owners to visit with their puppies often.
What kind of a health guarantee do you offer: Our puppies are covered under a 1 year health guarantee which protects both you as the buyer and us as the seller. We cover all genetic health problems in our guarantee. We do not cover any injury or death caused by neglect, exposure to weather injury, choking, poisoning, ect.
Do you guarantee the size or color of your puppies:
As it is stated in our guarantee, we DO NOT guarantee size and/or color of your puppy. Any breeder who will tell you that they do, are lying. A number of things go into determining the adult size of your puppy. Genetics plays a huge role in the mature size of a puppy. We can give you an estimate of how big we expect your puppy to mature to , but that is just an estimate. As far as color goes, a puppy's coat can change as it grows. Just because it is born one color, does not mean it will stay that color. Take a blue hued chihuahua: this puppy may be a very nice blueish color at birth then turn to a fawn as it matures.
We don't believe in vaccinating our pets, will my puppy still be covered under your guarantee: While we understand some people may have their own beliefs when it comes to vaccination, we do require that each and everyone of our puppies be vaccinated in order to be covered by our guarantee. This has nothing to do with personal beliefs but everything to do with protecting ourselves.
What happens if my puppy were to become ill or pass before they come home:
Unfortunately this does happen. If your puppy were to pass while in our care ot to become ill we will either replace your deposit or transfer it to another litter either current or future. We have 180 days to refund deposit if you decide you would prefer a refund.
What if I can not get my puppy after paying: Disagreements with family, landlords, health, or any other reason are not terms for a refund. If you put down money on a puppy then decided you cant/wont get the puppy, you will not be given a refund. That puppy will be placed back up for sale for a lower cost. However any amount that you have paid may be transferred to a future litter, this is at breeders discrection. We are always willing to help buyers with a payment plan and will hold puppies past the 9 week period under certain circumstances.
Can we visit with our puppy: YES!!! Generally we will hold puppy visitation every Saturday from 2-4 pm. Details will be discussed a few days in advance. We do ask that you not show up for visitation without speaking to us before hand. Things do come up and we may not be able to have visitation that day. You must follow our rules when visiting, which you can find on the right hand side under Rules for visiting.
Why do you have so many rules for visiting:
We have set forth the rules for visiting our kennel for the safety of our puppies and adults. Diseases are spread very easily and often people searching for a new puppy will do whats called " kennel hopping" where they visit several different pet stores and kennels. This is very dangerous and we must protect our fur babies. Everyone must follow the rules to ensure the health of our present and future puppies.
Questions regarding deposits:
We will NOT hold a puppy without a deposit. All deposits are 100% NON REFUNDABLE. The only time a deposit will be refunded is in the event that a puppy should become ill or pass while in our care. Deposits are generally 200 for limited and 300 for full unless other wise noted. A puppy application must be filled out and approved before you place a deposit on a puppy as well as our deposit contract.
Can I put down a deposit on a certain litter:We will only accept deposits once a litter has been born. However you may put your name on a waiting list for a certain litter. When that litter is born, families on the waiting list will have first pick after ourselves. Puppies are on a first come first serve basis. If you are on a waiting list and we contact you then you have 24-48 hours to get back to us. If you do not contact us back in that amount of time, we will ask the next person on the list.
I have filled out the puppy application, now what: Once your puppy application has been filled out and approved, you will be required to speak with us over the phone. We have a deposit contract that you must fill out and return to us before you can place a deposit on a puppy.
What forms of payment are accepted : We will accept a personal check, money order, or paypal for the deposit at 4% of the price. The remaining balance must be paid in cash before you can take your puppy home.
Will you do a payment plan: After placing a deposit on your puppy, we will gladly set up a payment plan with you. However as stated above, your puppy must be paid in full before you may take your puppy home.
What comes with my puppy: Puppies 400 and above will include a very nice puppy pack! You can view our puppy pack on the right hand side. Puppies prices below 400 will come with a limited puppy pack.
When can my new puppy come home: We have changed our policy regarding when puppies can leave for their new home. From now on puppies will not leave our home until they are atleast 9 weeks of age and have reached 1 lb. Puppies will have been vet checked atleast twice and recieved two sets of puppy shots. This is in the best interest of the puppy. We will not let a puppy go home before 9 weeks. NO EXCEPTIONS! Our puppies start weaning around 6 1/2 weeks. They are started on canned puppy food around 4 weeks but are not fully weaned until 7 weeks. Puppies must be weaned and eating drinking well on their own for at least 1 week.
What will happen when I come to pick up my puppy: When the time comes for your puppy to come home we will contact you to set up a pick up date and time. Please allow for at least 1 hour. During this time we will have you sign our contract, we will help you fill out your AKC puppy application and collect the fees for that, go over basic puppy care with you, and give your puppy time to socialize with you. We do not allow quick pick up and all forms must be signed before your puppy leaves. We may ask if we can take a picture of you with your new puppy for our scrapbook. You are welcome to deny the picture. Your puppy kit will be ready for you, provided you received one, and we encourage you to use your new crate to take your puppy home in. We will show you how to properly secure it in your car so your new puppy is safe on the ride home. You will receive a signed contract from us, care info, puppy recipe, coupons, your receipt , and other such items in a folder so you can keep it all together. We will also provide you with a cute bag to take home all of your new goodies for your puppy. Expect a call from us 24-48 hours after you have gotten your puppy home. We like to check up on our puppies to make sure all is well and they are settling in fine. You are more then welcome to call before that and any time after if you have any questions or concerns. We are always available to help any way we can!
Shipping regulations: You have several options when it comes to shipping your puppy. We will allow you to fly to our nearest airport and fly back with your puppy IN CABIN.Under certain circumstances we may have a friend fly with your puppy to your nearest airport and back. We may also fly your puppy to your nearest air port. The shipping fee is the buyers responsibility. Fees will vary depending on time of year, availabilty of transporter.
What if something comes up and we have to rehome our new puppy: While we hope this never happens, we understand that sometimes certain circumstances come up and you can no longer keep your puppy. We do ask that you contact us immediately if this problem arises. We do state in our contract that if for some reason your puppy must be rehomed we have first right of refusal.This means we have the first right to purchase the puppy back for the original purchase price .We are always available to take in your puppy and may even temporally keep your puppy until the situation changes. We will do this on a short term basis. If your puppy needs medical attention during this time the responsibility is still yours. However we will not charge a boarding fee as long as the arrangements are temporary. Under no conditions shall a puppy be sold to a puppy mill, broker, or animal testing facility. Doing so violates our contract and legal actions will be taken.
Questions regarding registration: All puppies are sold on limited registration unless other wise agreed upon. Buyer must have puppy spayed or neutured by 9 months of age and proof must be sent and recieved by breeder by 12 months of age. Failure to do so will result in legal action and the difference in pet price and the price for full breeding rights must be paid along with any court and lawyer fees that arise. If puppy is sold with full breeding/show rights this does not quarantee the puppy to be of breeding and or show quality. AKC puppy application will be filled out at our home when puppy is picked up. Fees are to be paid to us at that time as we send the papers in ourselves to guarantee proper registration. If your puppy is being shipped, you will need to send us the payment for the registration and the papers will be sent to you.
IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT ARE NOT COVERED IN THIS PAGE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US. WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IN A TIMELY MANNER.
