Buyer FAQ's

Remember you will have this puppy for an average life span of 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 for any questions you might have.  The small cost difference between a "cheap" puppy and a quality puppy just might save you years of health issues and behavior problems and expenses.

Generally, our puppies start at $600.00.  Puppies released on spay/neuter contract will not have papers released (if applicable) until proof is provided to us. Puppies range in cost from $400 - $1500.  All puppies come with a lifetime genetics guarantee and lifetime support.  Please contact us about pricing concerns or problems. We work with our families!

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

Answer:  Generally, the only reduction in price of a puppy is for military or union families.  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 of the available discounts.**

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 10 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 enviornment never get enough socialization skills early on and neither do the parents.  Oftentimes these puppies never see a vet before coming to you or only see a vet for their health certificate to fly.  This socialization and proper care are vital to a healthy, 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. E-mails 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 checking to see if it is an urgent matter.  That being said, there are many breeders who can go days and days without emailing you back.  Sometimes the same for phone calls or never call you back at all.  This can happen before or after you pay them money.  Watch out for these breeders.

     *Breeder has no guarantee, agreement/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 lifetime genetics guarantee on every Midwest Chihuahuas puppy we sell.

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 at least one longcoat in each litter. Our foundation stud Rufus as well as his sons, Mason and Rajesh, are longcoated.  Additionally our females Dairyand Oksana are longcoated. Satinka has produced longcoats as has Jezebel and MooMoo. Zoya should be able to produce them also based on her lineage (LC parent).  Some litters are exclusively long coated.

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

Answer: Chihuahuas are NOT allergy free dogs.  However, they are generally low shed.  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 4.5#.  However, we have puppies that range from just under 2 - 6.25#.  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, Brent Couts, to be in good physical health and at a low risk of problems from being separated from their mother.  Even after your puppy comes home, you will need to feed it several times a day, monitor the imput 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 of age and this may be backed up further in the best interest of the puppy.

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.  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, deposit will be transferred to a future litter and any balance paid will be returned to the buyer within 30 days of determination. All payments made on a puppy after 4 weeks of age are non-refundable or transferrable unless due to the illness of the puppy as determined by our vet.  Deposits are on a sliding scale and are no less than $250 and are generally 1/2 the full purchase price of your puppy.

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 not refundable as previously stated.  Change of mine due to landlord disagreement, family disagreement, finding another puppy you like better, health, children, 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 disgression.  However, any change of mind (not involving the health of our puppy) after your puppy turns 5 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).

Question:  What methods of payments are accepted?

Answer: Midwest Chihuahuas will gladly accept your deposit via personal check (allowing up to 21 days to clear), Banks transfer or USPS Money Order within three days of choice of puppy with mail tracking number, cash (in person only) or Paypal Credit/Debit option - no paypal checks (you are responsible to add 5% to cover the charges from paypal).  Final payments are accepted via USPS Money Order/Bank certified check (drawn on a US bank only), Paypal (Credit/Debit) or Cash only.  Receipts are ALWAYS provided.  All puppies must be paid off by 6 weeks of age to prevent forfiture of puppy.  This may be negotiable, 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 and emailing it to us at the address stated on the application.  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.

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 of 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 temperment, 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 patricia@midwestchihuahuas.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: You are welcome, with notice, to come to our home and choose a puppy that you feel will best suit your family.  However, please keep in mind that since we do have multiple families on our waiting lists at any given time, that should an approved family choose the puppy you are looking at, it will be given to that family.  Puppies are held three days while we wait on your deposit if not picking a puppy in person. Please keep in mind that unless you can come early in a litter, it may not be possible for you to get the puppy you had in mind the first litter.

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

Answer: Yes. 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 6 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.  You will be required to use our restroom to wash up with our anti-bacterial liquid soap prior to entering the nursery.  You must be seated at all times when handling a puppy.  If you have selected a 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.  Finally, if one of our moms in the nursery gets upset by a visitors presence, you will be asked to leave the nursery in the best interest of our puppies and moms.  Only Dennis, myself, our vet staff, our daughters (when here) 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 an assortment of items.  Please check our Puppy Pack page for additional information.  Puppies with a standard discount still receive a puppy pack.  Puppies reduced to under $500 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 LIFETIME guarantee against genetic defects that affect the the quality of life your Chihuahua will have.  Please look for more information on our Lifetime Guarantee page.

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 also are 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:  Will my puppy come with registration papers?

Answer: We can apply for Continental Kennel Club papers for your puppy.  All puppies placed as a pet will be on a spay/neuter contract.  This must be done before your puppy has finished it's sixth (6th) month of life.  Once proof is provided to us of the procedure, papers will be released on your puppy so that you may register 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 vet staff.  As a general rule, our females will breed two heats in a row with one to two heats off breeding in between.  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.  No females will be bred if a c-section is required to have their puppies, instead, they will be spayed after weaning of that litter and either live out their life here or be placed with a loving, nurturing family.  However, to date, Midwest Chihuahaus has had no c-sections in any of our litters and work 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!