© Working Dog Chihuahuas by Midwest, 2007


Buyer Frequently Asked Questions

Midwest Chihuahuas requires that this page be read by future families

We are located in Barton County, Kansas and work with families nationwide.

Thank you for viewing this page! I get a LOT of questions on a number of subjects when it comes to adding a Midwest Chihuahuas puppy to your family. In order to make your experience more fulfilling, this page was designed. We still welcome any questions as we strive to make the best Chihuahuas for our families! This page will change and grow! Please note that when possible, information is grouped by subject.

Please note that Midwest Chihuahuas does not offer 'sight unseen' sales. Deposits and payments taken by Midwest Chihuahuas are to hold the puppy for pickup or delivery. The sale is not completed until the buyer has met us at our home or other designated location, viewed the puppy and health information, sign contracts and leave with the puppy. By reading this page (and initialing and electronically signing a puppy application) you acknowledge that your electronic signature indicates a full understanding of all terms and conditions on this page, as well as agreeing to be bound by them and the contracts indicated on this website. This electronic signature agreed to be as legal as hand signed. We will not ship unaccompanied, NO exceptions. Options Available on this page and the flying page in further detail.

Also, Midwest Chihuahuas maintain a small breeding program of three active breeding females as of 2022. We have a single short coat stud in our home as well who is a result of four generations of our in-home program and is basically retired. Our primary stud is our only other Chihuahua, long coat, Max. We DO NOT have USDA License because, quite frankly, we aren't a large enough breeding program to meet their guidelines, so we are not required to have any USDA license. All our dogs are individually licensed here in Kansas, are microchipped and have current rabies certificate and licensure. Please contact us for further questions.


On to the Q&A

Question: How much do Midwest Chihuahua puppies cost?

Answer : Our puppies are priced comparitively to the market price for Chihuahuas. If you are looking for a cheap puppy, we do not have "cheap" puppies. We are sure you are searching for a nice looking, healthy and well-socialized puppy. One without physical and emotional issues. Our parents have been hand selected because of their conformation, intelligence, temperament, size, lineage, healthy coat, and color. A great deal of thought and planning goes into selecting each parent and who to match together to create your puppy. Our dogs are fed premium foods (we feed Hills Science Diet) and given routine veterinary care plus emergency care and c-sections that can be as high as $4000.00 dollars. Each puppy is handled several times every day. Time and care are given to allow for your puppy to receive love and attention in a non-stressful environment receiving a variety of experiences to prepare him or her for their new life with you. We sit for hours, sometimes days with a pregnant mother during her labor and delivery. We spend hands of time each day with each adult dog enjoying training, play and relaxation as it is necessary to give love and care to the parents and doggy housemates, not just their babies.. Remember you will have this puppy for an average lifespan of 12-17 years. Selecting a puppy is very important. A lot of you may have heard horror stories about purchasing a pet store puppy or a "cheap" puppy from an unknown background and breeding. I often hear that "I do not want a show puppy or to breed". Here at Midwest Chihuahuas we have good looking, well socialized healthy dogs and puppies. Each puppy is priced based on color, coat, size and pedigree. You MAY find a cheaper puppy but in the end, it may not be a bargain. We will be glad to spend time with you on the phone, or by email helping you select the right puppy for you and being available to you after the puppy goes home with any questions you might have. The small cost difference between a "cheap" puppy and a quality puppy might just save you years of health issues and behavior problems and expenses. Generally, our puppies start at $2000.00. Puppies released on spay/neuter contract will not have papers released (if applicable) until proof is provided to us. The average is about $3500.00 (pet only, mandatory spay/neuter) and all puppies come with a five-year genetic guarantee and lifetime support. Puppies are priced individually, and littermates can have varied prices. Prices on puppies will change as puppies change and develop. ONCE A DEPOSIT IS RECIEVED ON A PUPPY THE PRICE WILL NOT CHANGE.


Please contact us if you have any questions about finances and discounts. We are able in the case of working dogs that go to homes with a trainer lined up, to work with insurance companies to help place puppies that go forward to working prospect homes. Also keep in mind we only offer DIRECT transfers on our bred here puppies, which means you MUST meet us when taking possession of your puppy. We feel this is best. You can come to us by car or plane or one of us can come to you.

Question: Do you ever have a sale on puppies or offer any discounts?

Answer: Generally, the only reduction in the price of a puppy is for military or union families although we do have a discount available for retirees on fixed income. Also, on some occasions a puppy, young adult, adult or rescue may be released for a discounted price. However, we never have a "sale" on puppies. Information on discounts and payment plans are on our Discounts page on this site.


**Please note, only one discount is applied per puppy, we choose the largest available discount**

Question:  I have seen a lot of Chihuahua breeders, how do I know which to pick?

Answer:  In your search for the perfect Chihuahua puppy or adult for you, you will likely come across many different breeders offering a variety of colors and sizes of Chihuahuas for a wide range of costs.  It is true that some breeders are more or less reputable and responsible to their offspring and their families as others.  Here we have just a small list of "red flags" to watch for when considering a breeder. Again, not all breeders with one of these flags are bad, but a combination of them should be avoided. For other questions, please, email us!

     *Breeder has a variety of breeds for sale:  Generally I do not recommend buying from anyone that breeds more than one breed in their home.  Small breed breeders sometimes have two breeds and these can be considered, however, any more than that is a red flag that this may be a mass breeder and not as accountable for their offspring.

     *Breeder has more than many, many Chihuahuas and out of home kennel: Sometimes you will meet a breeder that has an outdoor facility that is immaculate and house-like.  These are few and far between but do exist.  We feel that unless that is the case, do not purchase from these breeders.  Puppies in this environment never get enough socialization skills early on and neither do the parents.  Oftentimes, these puppies never see a Veterinarian prior to coming to you or only see one for a health certificate to fly unaccompanied (which we do NOT allow, no exceptions).  This socialization and proper care are vital in providing you with a healthy and well-rounded addition to your family.

     *Breeder lists puppies by number (ie: Sadie #5 or Chihuahua #113): There is just no reason to ever purchase a puppy from this type of breeder.  You are just ASKING for trouble.  These people DO NOT know their dogs and do not know the details or personalities of the puppies.  It does NOT matter how nice or professional their website looks (anyone can buy a good website if they do not maintain it themselves (we do our own) and it is simple to do), they are simply keeping records by a number.  Please do not consider these puppies even if you think they are cute or you think you can "save them".  Supporting these breeders in any way only means they continue to profit.

     *Breeder who takes a long time to answer calls or emails, does not answer them or will not make a contact number available to you:  


Everyone gets busy.  Everyone gets colds.  Everyone gets behind and everyone has days where they just don't feel like emailing or getting on the phone.  This is true for every human and every breeder.  I get particularly busy when we have one or more litters here, particularly early on as I spend hours a day with Mom and the kids.  I have knee problems from my military time and sometimes I just need a break.  However, that being said, I email every family at least once a week.  I send photos generally weekly and if I can't, I will let you know and do so promptly.  I do my best to be available for your call and will answer within 24 hours. Emails are generally answered the same day.  If we are extremely busy and overwhelmed, it will likely be a short email telling you we are swamped, sick, whatever and will be in touch when available. If your breeder does not do this it is a warning sign.  This can happen before or after you pay them money.  Watch out for these breeders.

     *Breeder has no guarantee agreement  or worse, breeders website says something like they 150% guarantee against genetics for life:  This one is easy.  Breeders come and go and like previously stated, anyone can have a website and easily for free. Saying you guarantee something (especially doing the over 100% thing), without having anything in writing is meaningless.  A 3 day, 30 or 90-day guarantee or 6-month guarantee is worthless.  You are nearly never going to find any genetic problem in that amount of time even if your puppy has one.  A one-year guarantee is okay as long as it is specific and properly protects both the buyer and seller.  We know our lines and every Midwest Chihuahuas parent has had extensive testing, genetic screening, and patella evaluation. We know our lines which is why there is a five-year genetic guarantee on every Midwest Chihuahuas puppy we sell. This applies only to puppies from our own bloodline.

There are other things to watch for, but this is a good place to start!

Question: How do I know if my puppy is long or short coated?

Answer: It can be difficult to know what type of coat your puppy will have when breeding our long coat studs to a short coated female.  This is where genetics come in and although we would GLADLY explain this to interested parties, most people want the simple answer.  Put simply, sometimes we know right away if the pup has a very thick coat.  However, by the time the puppy is a couple weeks old, generally, we can tell you.  Keep in mind that a long coat Chihuahua will develop their coat for the first two years of their life! 

We will generally have some long coat litters, some smooth coat litters and some split litters (both LC and SC in the same litter) from our champion sired stud Max.  Our female, Latte, is a smooth coat that carries the FGF5 long coat gene and will produce long coats when bred to Max. Our females, Liberty & Dinah are long coat and their litters, when they occur, will be completely long coated when bred to Max. Also, our girl Moonbeam (who is growing up is a super sweet and loveable girl) is a long coat female.


We used to have more breeding dogs in our program but chose to come out of retirement in the second half of 2022 through late 2024 at the request of our previous clients who are looking to add another puppy from us during this time as well as requests from the general public at large.

Question: How much do Chihuahuas shed?  Do long coats shed more?  Are Chihuahua's hypoallergenic?

Answer: Chihuahuas are NOT allergy free dogs.  However, they are generally low shed. Long coat Chihuahuas shed LESS than smooth coats as smooth (short) coated Chihuahuas shed year-round and long coats only shed twice a year. Please read our page on Shedding in Chihuahuas for more information.

Question: How large will my Chihuahua get?  Do you guarantee the adult size of my puppy?

Answer: There are many factors that determine the adult size of your Chihuahua.  The adult size of your Chihuahua is, in part, determined not only by the size of the parents of your puppy, but also the size of the parents, grandparents, etc that came in the line well before your puppy was even born.  We at Midwest Chihuahuas try to have as much background information on our breeding parents as possible.  Other factors that determine the size of your puppy as it grows are food choices, excersize routine and individual metabolism.  Our puppies are NOT guaranteed for size.  We try to generally give a good ballpark of size, but no breeder can ever be sure which is why sizes are not guaranteed, simply estimated.  This is true in the case of our puppies, our Mom's tend to "overfeed" the babies when they are little and as they mature their weight shifts.  Our "average size" offspring are 4.25#.  However, we have puppies that range from just a mere 2.15 - 7.5#. We breed for short, cobby Chihuahuas with apple heads and short noses. We feel height and build are more important than weight but intelligence and socialization are the most important part of our breeding program. We feel you will love the personality of your puppy and that all Chihuahuas we produce are small but most importantly, healthy!

Question: When can I pick up my Midwest Chihuahuas puppy?

Answer: Midwest Chihuahuas puppies will never be released until medically cleared by our Veterinarian Team here in Barton County, Kansas.They will be released when considered fit for transfer including being in good physical health and at a low risk of problems from being separated from their mother. Typically, this is age 8-10 weeks but in the case of certain puppies, they may need to remain here due to our feeling they are not yet ready to transfer up until 12 weeks of age. Even after your puppy comes home, you will need to feed it several times a day, monitor the input and output of the puppy and keep strict watch for any signs of hypoglycemia, a serious and life-threatening condition which can affect any small breed dog (information on hypoglycemia is available on this website).  Puppies are NEVER released until they are at least 8 weeks old and this may be backed up further in the best interest of the puppy. We tell families to expect your puppy to be ready at the 9-10 week point and be prepared to add them to their homes in this time frame.

Question: How can I get my puppy?  Do you ship puppies?  Can you meet me somewhere?

Answer: Please refer to our Shipping Options page for complete shipping information. Keep in mind, charges for veterinary services needed for your Chihuahua's flight including appointment, health certificate, airline approved carrier and our expenses are the responsibility of the buyer. Thank you!

Question: How much is a deposit? Are deposits refundable?  Can I get my money back if I change my mind? 

Answer: Deposits are 100% NON-REFUNDABLE.  However, in some circumstances, Midwest Chihuahuas may move a deposit to a future litter or other puppy if available including their "back up" litter if applicable.  This is our choice.  NO deposits will be transferred after a puppy is 4 weeks old (to the day).  In the event of illness of a puppy making it not fit for sale, the deposit will be transferred to a future litter or returned to the buyer within 60 days of the determination. All payments made on a puppy after 4 weeks of age are non-refundable or transferable unless due to the illness of the puppy as determined by our vet.  Deposits are generally 1/2 the full purchase price of your puppy and are due within 3 days of choice, priority mail with tracking via US bank cashiers check or PayPal.

Question:  What if something comes up on my end and I can't get a puppy after paying money?

We at Midwest Chihuahuas understand that circumstances of life happen.  That being said, all deposits are never refundable as previously stated.  Change of mine due to landlord disagreement, family disagreement, finding another puppy you like better, finding another breeder you like better, health, children, a general change of mind, etc. are not refundable.  Until your puppy turns 5 weeks of age, 50% of any payment you made above and beyond your deposit MAY be refundable at our discretion.  However, any change of mind (not involving the health of our puppy being considered not fit for sale by Veterinarian) after your puppy turns 4 weeks old will result in NO REFUNDS regardless of reason.  In this case, your puppy will be released at a very low rate to another approved family.  We will not "double sell" a puppy.  ALL PUPPIES MUST BE PAID IN FULL BY 6 WEEKS OF AGE (to the day). Failure to pay in that time frame constitutes forfeiture of puppy.

In the case of PET puppies, should any reason (up to and including death of puppy) preclude a family with a deposit or full payment on file be unable to obtain their puppy, it is agreed that Midwest Chihuahuas has up to 60 business days from date of incident or occasion to refund monies paid for said puppy. THIS IS ONLY IF MIDWEST CHIHUAHUAS IS UNABLE TO COMPLETE THE SALE.  No refunds if buyer fails to complete sale for any reason.


If any dispute is ever to arise between buyer and seller, litigations are agreed to be held in civil claims filed in the County and State of the breeder at the time of the issue. Also, Midwest Chihuahuas purchase agreement calls for damages due to any liable, slander or negative publicity taken under by anyone against Midwest Chihuahuas or owners. It is agreed that contracts are legally binding by both the seller and the buyer.

In the case of BREEDING APPROVED puppies, should any reason (up to and including death) preclude a breeding home with a deposit or full payment on file be unable to obtain their puppy, it is agreed that Midwest Chihuahuas shall move monies paid to next available litter with a breeding prospect slot available only.  THIS IS ONLY IF MIDWEST CHIHUAHUAS IS UNABLE TO COMPLETE THE SALE.  No refunds if buyer fails to complete sale for any reason.

Question:  What methods of payments are accepted?

Answer: Midwest Chihuahuas will gladly accept your payment via bank ACH or wire transfer, bank or credit union cashier's check (drawn on a United States bank only), PayPal Friends & Family ONLY (with fee), or USPS Money Order within three days of choice of puppy with overnight or priority tracked mail only. Midwest Chihuahuas is NOT RESPONSIBLE for US Postal Service delays. When in doubt, always send by the fastest means possible. Final payments are accepted via USPS Money Order/Bank certified check (drawn on a US bank or credit union only) or PayPal FRIENDS & FAMILY ONLY. All puppies must be paid off by 6 weeks to the day of age to prevent forfeiture of puppy.  This may be negotiable (in writing ONLY), please contact us if you need to.

Question: How do I get approved to get a puppy?

Answer: The first step in bringing a Midwest Chihuahuas puppy to your home is filling out the puppy application on this site (Including Veterinary address and phone number for Vet check) and clicking submit on the bottom of the application. You MAY get to a blank page, please scroll up and you will see the information. After review of that application we will determine if you think that we would like to consider you for a puppy.  Many times we will ask follow-up questions via phone or email and we do not approve a family for a puppy without first having a phone conversation with the prospective family.  Once approved, you will be advised of waiting list options and the like. You will hear from us within 48 hours typically of application and will let you know if we need more information.


Question: How do I know that I will get the puppy I want?

Answer: At Midwest Chihuahuas we believe in pairing the right puppy with the right family. I have heard from breeders that say personality is developed when the puppy is older and adjusts to it's new home. We completely disagree. Your puppies personality will continue to develop with you, but I believe it is obvious from early in their life. We can tell you the personality of every pup we produce and try first off to place puppies in homes based on matching temperament, personality and the type of home life the puppy will go to. We do our best to match you with the puppy of your dreams, but ask our families to be flexible and remember you may need to wait to get exactly what you are looking for but it is worth the wait.

Question: My application has been approved and a litter is born, what is my next step?

Answer: Being approved for a puppy puts the family on the waiting list should they choose. Know that once approved for a puppy, we will try upon the birth of the litter to match puppies based on sex, color and personality. With the exception of anyone on the Tier One level of the waiting list (for Tier One information please email midwestchihuahuas@gmail.com), all families are offered the same opportunity to choose a puppy. Since everyone is pre-approved, it is a matter of choosing your puppy and paying your deposit. Our puppies tend to place before they are much more than a month old, so please keep that in mind. We have a considerable amount of interest in our puppies and want the best puppies for our future families. We will work with you to make your dreams come true!

Question: Can I pick which puppy I want in person?

Answer: No. Please keep in mind that since we do have multiple families on our waiting lists at any given time, that approved families always select and deposit on puppies well before 8 weeks of age. Puppies are held three days while we wait on your deposit. If we have any puppies in our home, under 8 weeks old that are not yet inoculated, we will not allow visitors to our home due to the risk of spread of disease. Puppies that are sold to other families will never be allowed to be touched by anyone other than us and our Vet staff.

Question: We have picked our puppy and paid our deposit. Can we come and visit our puppy before bringing it home?

Answer: Yes. After 8 weeks of age, if your puppy will require being held longer. Know that we have rules on handling and being exposed to our puppies that our future Chihuahua families, our families, friends and visitors must strictly follow. Until your puppy is at least 8 weeks of age we do not allow it to be handled without use of our vinyl gloves and a disposable mask to prevent any germs or infections being passed to the puppy. In any case of visiting your puppy, you may only handle your puppy. Puppies may only be picked up from their mothers and returned to their mothers by either Dennis or myself. Only Dennis, myself, our vet staff, and a friend who can take over in the event of our illness, will handle your puppy.

Question: What will I need to purchase for my puppy? What items do you provide?

Answer: Midwest Chihuahuas sends every puppy home with everything your baby needs for a great future! Our puppy pack is valued at $250 and is included in your purchase price. Everything including a month of more of their diet (Hills Science Diet), a plethora of hand chosen healthy AMERICAN treats and toys, blanket made with your puppy in mind. Please check our Puppy Pack page for additional information. Puppies with a standard discount still receive a puppy pack. Puppies reduced to under $3500.00 will only receive a limited puppy pack.

Question: How can I be certain I am getting a healthy puppy? Is there any guarantee?

Answer: Midwest Chihuahuas PROUDLY offers a FIVE-YEAR guarantee against genetic defects that affect the quality of life your Chihuahua will have. Please look for more information on our Guarantee page. Please know that new legislation in the State of Kansas considers "lifetime" of any canine to be 5 years so we must stay in line with the law on how long we can fully cover your puppy.

Question: Should my Chihuahua become ill and it is determined that this is a life altering genetic problem that is covered, do I have to give my dog back?

Answer: ABSOLUTELY NOT! We have noticed that nearly every guarantee we have found calls for the return of the inital puppy purchased. We feel that owners fall in love with their puppies instantly and just because your puppy may have fallen ill, does not mean that you feel comfortable then giving him/her up. We will allow our families to KEEP any puppy that is found to have a qualifing illness (once verified) but are also completely willing to take back ANY puppy who has any illness for which the family cannot or chooses not to handle personally. We leave this decision soley to the buyer and are PROUD to make this offer to our families that others do not! Either way, if the genetics guarantee is excersized, we still offer to allow you to have another Midwest Chihuahuas puppy.

Question: If I cannot keep my puppy after I assume ownership, what are my options?

Answer: All Midwest Chihuahuas puppies are placed ONLY on a FIRST RIGHT OF RETURN AGREEMENT. That means if for any reason you are unable or unwilling to keep your Chihuahua, it is to be returned to us at no expense to us (including transportation). We do not ever want any of our puppies caged up, abused, unloved or unsocialized/undersocialized. This is in effect for the LIFE OF YOUR DOG. We never want a puppy bred here, regardless of age to ever end up in shelter or other re-homing facility. This is NON-NEGOTIABLE and by initialing reading this page on our Puppy Application you agree to this and all other terms on this website.

Question: Will my puppy come with registration papers?

Answer: YES! Homes approved to SHOW or BREED a puppy from us will receive AKC Registration so that they may be in AKC shows and if approved added to your approved breeding program. Pedigrees however are available, and adults are Embark Health and Genetic screened and yes, our stud Max is AKC Full registered, CH sired.

Midwest Chihuahuas will also begin registering our adults and puppies with ACA (American Canine Association) and registration from that registry is also available to families who prefer it.


Question:  How often are your females bred?  What is your breeding schedule?

Answer: Midwest Chihuahuas females are bred under a schedule that is set up in the best interest of our girls and monitored closely by our Veterinary staff including an outside Veterinarian specializing in reproduction.  As a general rule, our females will breed two heats in a row with one heat off breeding in between and do that twice before retiring.  However, that can vary for a number of reasons.  Our girls are health checked and screened prior to every mating, after every mating and, of course, monitored daily here throughout their pregnancies and nursing periods.  Any complications on the part of our Mom's during the labor and delivery process will stop the next planned breeding cycle and put their break period into effect.  We are very vigilant not to "overbreed" our females and we do not believe in breeding females of advanced age. Midwest Chihuahuas works hard to make the lives of our mom's and all of our animal family members wonderful! 

We welcome additional questions and are sure this page will grow as time passes.  Never hesitate to ask questions!  We offer lifetime support on our puppies so your relationship with us continues beyond your purchase!