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Supporting a breeding program that has a specific focus and goal that aligns with your values should be a priority. After all, if no one cares where to get their next companion from, it simply encourages the irresponsible sources to offer the most supply, variety and compete on price, disregarding everything else that is truly … ⭐️ What to look for when researching a breeder. Read More »

What if I told you the puppy sale is meant to be an interactive and collaborative process between a buyer and a breeder? No one side is in more charge of the situation than the other. Yet, many future owners approach it with level of disdain. They are the ones paying the money after all, … ⭐️ Why I wish puppy sales were not a part of being a breeder? Read More »

Long weekend is approaching, which means many of the dog owners are packing up and getting ready to travel. Having all the essential gear makes everything super easy and stress free. Here is our list: ▪️ Kibbles/food, treats and water▪️Joint supplements (if applicable)▪️Collapsible dog bowl x 2▪️Dog bed – waterproof is best▪️ Veggie snacks (carrot/ … ⭐️ Road trip essentials. Get ready for the summer. Read More »

At times I get a question from people inquiring for a puppy: Can I bring my current dog to meet a puppy before I commit to the puppy? (The below applies to all adult dogs and especially to seniors) I don’t usually recommend having the first interaction between the puppy and the senior dog outside … ⭐️Respect your senior dog Read More »

️ There are several initial concepts I want every chihuahua owner to know before bringing a puppy home. They aren’t complicated and will help explain some of the dog behaviors.   Puppy area – minimize initial stress by setting up the area the for the first week the same way as it was at a breeder’s … ⭐️Key concepts to know before getting your chihuahua puppy Read More »

️ Someone recently asked me: “Why there is such a little number of chihuahua breeders?” And it’s a good question….There are many producers, but there aren’t many reputable ethical preservation breeders in Canada. A breeding program is very time and effort-consuming, as well as requiring ongoing sizeable investments into the program in order to maintain … ⭐️Where did all the good breeders go? Read More »

“We decided to wait until Spring to get a puppy” – a common response many breeders receive, luckily, I haven’t had it much myself thanks to the families who we build relationship with before they adopt an Applegarden puppy.  1 – But let’s look at “winter puppies” from breeders’ perspective…Many breeders, including myself, will have … ⭐️I Do Not Want A Winter Puppy Read More »

It is common to see dog owners discuss on FB and other forums the number of litters and dogs a good breeder has to have and no one seems to agree on the same number. The truth is….THERE ISN’T ONE! Some people can’t adequately care for 2 dogs, while others can maintain 20 dogs in … ⭐️Breeder Red Flags for Puppy Buyers: How many dogs and litters should a good breeder have? Read More »

Did you know plaque can lead to heart disease? Plaque overtime turns into tartar that eventually causes gum inflammation and exposes blood vessels that bacteria enter and finds its way into the heart.Dental Health is an absolutely vital part of dog care and should never be left unattended to. To minimize any plaque and tartar … ⭐️Importance of dental hygiene for your dog Read More »

“General Appearance: A graceful, alert, swift-moving compact little dog with saucy expression, and terrier-like qualities of temperament.Temperament: Alert, projecting the ‘terrier-like’ attitudes of self importance, confidence, self- reliance. “ – AKC Chihuahua Breed Standard I want to start with a trait that is commonly misunderstood and not researched – TERRIER-LIKE QUALITIES OF TEMPERAMENT. This highlights … ⭐️Ideal Chihuahua Home: Do you tick all the boxes? Read More »

Another controversial topic here, but I believe a very important to touch on as it is commonly misunderstood by the dog lovers not involved professionally in the canine world. I hope I can shed some light on the subject. “CAREER CHANGED” is a term widely used by the Service Dog community (guide dogs for the … ⭐️ Career Changed and Retired Dogs Read More »

It is commonly known that there are foods that are toxic to dogs like raisins, chocolate, etc. But do you ever think of which plant can harm your furry friend? I enjoy having flowers and plants around the home and trust my dogs enough not to eat them. But you never know when they decide … ⭐️Toxic plants for dogs Read More »

Each purebred breed was created with a purpose to do a specific task. Either it’s hunting, guarding, herding or companionship – like being there for royals to warm their hands when heating wasn’t yet available. Each breed currently present has its own breed standard that indicated what body structure, coat type/colour, temperament, working qualities, movement … ⭐️Breed Standard. Why is it such a big deal? Read More »

⠀In an earlier post I explained why a Standard is important for breed history preservation. Let’s now consider what benefits do you, as a buyer, get with a puppy that is coming from a Preservation Breeder (PB).⠀ PBs are concentrating on improving the overall health, temperament and body structure of their breed and in particular … ⭐️What do you need to know about Preservation Breeders? And why are they your friends? Read More »

In one of the Wednesday Weekly Quizzes on Instagram I had a question about the Breeder Red Flags and it was quite interesting to see responses and feedback from people following this question. Therefore, I decided to make a post out of it with explanation to the provided choices. ⠀ Question: Which of the following … ⭐️ Breeder Red Flags for puppy buyers Read More »

First of all let’s clarify, there’s NO such thing as teacup chihuahua since the breed doesn’t separate into toy/mini/standard like poodles, for example. Chihuahuas can be on a smaller scale or on the larger scale but it’s still one breed. The term usually used by irresponsible breeders, simply and only as a marketing term to … ⭐️Why you should reconsider a Teacup…⠀ Read More »

⠀To start, you adopt in both cases and you shop in both cases. No one takes the first available dog from a shelter, you choose a dog and pay a fee for it = shopping. You select an appropriate size and temperament in both cases and you take a dog home to care for and … ⭐️Why buying a dog from a responsible preservation breeder is as important as adopting from a shelter? Read More »

I don’t bake often and not a big fan of cookies usually, but these are something special. They are crispy on the outside and soft inside. I try to make them for every holiday for our family. And it’s always fun to decorate them. ⠀ Ingredients 2 & 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon … ⭐️ The Best Sugar Cookies Read More »

Answer these questions: Do you want a well socialized dog? Do you want a physically healthy dog? Do you want a mentally healthy dog? Do you want a dog with good temperament? If you answered YES to these questions, then you want a show quality dog!⠀ To start, dog shows are not the same things … ⭐️ I don’t need a show dog, I just want a pet… Read More »

I’m following a couple of chihuahua groups on Facebook and regularly see people post that they picked up a puppy at 7 weeks and some mention that the puppy was given vaccine at 6 weeks. Every time this gives me goosebumps. Chihuahuas are the smallest breed and it makes their puppies the smallest of all. … ⭐️Why you shouldn’t take a puppy away from mom until at least 9 weeks old? Read More »

⠀⠀⠀ “What do you all think? Deer head or Apple head?” ⠀⠀ It’s one of the most common discussion questions in any chihuahua owners’ group. While we have an exact definition of the look of an “apple head” in the breed standard, what is “deer head”?⠀⠀ Well, it’s up to individual interpretation. Some may think … ⭐️ Deerhead or Applehead Chihuahua Read More »

Sometimes we get very protective of our little ones. But we must understand that teaching a dog being independent and cope with stressful situations from young age will help its adaptability. ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ Socialization is key and involves much more than having a pup meet people of all ages. It includes familiarization with different sounds, … ⭐️Confident dog = Happy dog Read More »

I have a separate tack box for all my dog grooming supplies most of which are for show prep. However, there are some basic grooming tools every Chihuahua owner should have. Chihuahuas are a “minimal grooming breed”; therefore, there are not much to groom other than maintaining a sanitary trim. It includes trimming nails, feet … ⭐️Checklist: Chihuahua Grooming Supplies Read More »

Congratulations! It is always very exciting to have a new furry addition to your family. As a responsible owner you try to get everything ready in time and organize your schedule accordingly to welcome the puppy. It may feel overwhelming to think of all the items you must not forget to purchase before the puppy … ⭐️Checklist: Preparing for a new puppy Read More »