Interview with Lavida Chihuahua's

How did you first get involved in Chihuahuas?

I grew up with chihuahua's and have always loved them .. I dont think i picked them i think they picked me .... As for the toy fox ihave always been very involved in chihuahua rescuse and it is thru the rescue of 2 dogs that i meet toy fox terriers and fell in love with the little dog with a big heart ... I love both my breeds dearly and hope this shows on my web site ,.

What was the most appealing part Chihuahuas?

How much love they show . without them my world would be so dull . All that love in such a tiny package .

What were the drawbacks to the breed?

Being a breeder one of the biggerst drawbacks is wanting to keep all the puppies ... So hard sometimes to let go of them .. they are just so adorable .

Would you recommend Chihuahuas to the novice dog owner?

I would if they do thier research and know this is the breed for them ... I always ask why they picked one of these breeds ....

What are the known problems in the breed?

I would say with chihuahuas it is bad patellas . I have tried very hard to make sure i'm not breeding anything with any type of health problem my adults are screen before being bred .

What are you doing to help with those problems?

well myslef after 34 years of breeding and having many of the dogs i bred live to be in their 20's its wonderful to know i have not produced many dogs with any type of health problems ...I think breeder dogs should be carefully screened for things common to the breed.

Sadly there are pet stores/backyard breeders nearly everywhere now, you do you get people to understand about the quality of your dogs compared to those?

i hope my web site shows the love i have for the breeds i raise .... that and years of showing and Finshed Champions i think helps to promote the breeds i raise and the quality of my dogs .

What added problems are seen in the backyard bred/pet store dogs that are not in well bred dogs?

one of the things I hear all the time from customers is how high priced pet shop puppies are for as bad a quality.

Do you recommend Chihuahuas to people with children of all ages?

i screen each customer ... but i don't sell tiny pupies to familys with small children ...

What type of excercise schedule to you recommend for Chihuahuas?

being small breeds they get lots of exercise just being in your home .. but of course they love to go for walks ..

What type of feeding do you recommend for Chihuahuas?

a good quality food ... Not cheap grocery store food ... I feed and reccommend royal canin

When selling a puppy, how do you decide on the sale price?

The quality and pedigree determine the pricing .

What is your greatest expense with your dogs?

My vet ...I don't have dogs needing c-sections often but when they do it is costly .

Would you recommend Chihuahuas to people with other animals?

yes they are great with other animals ... or course any animals should be watched closely when they interact ..

Would you recommend Chihuahuas to someone without a fenced in yard?

No... for safety of the pet a yard should be fenced .

What is the best way to keep your breeds coat looking great?

a weekly bath and a soft brush is about all the care the coats on my breeds need .

When your dogs have finished with their show career and are no longer being bred, what do you do with them?

Many live with me forever .. but those i can't keep are spayed or neutered and placed in a forever pet home .

What measures do you take to screen potential puppy buyers?

Lots of questions .. i like to get to know my customers ... and have made many friends thru my dogs over the years .

Anything else you would like to add?

I love my breeds and i hope that it shows in my web site ... When i speak with people its hard not to have the pride i have for my dogs in my voice ....Without my dogs my life would not be complete ..

Lavida Chihuahua's
They Can't All Be Show Dogs but they can all Be Loved !
Website | Email | Phone: 785-799-6551