Please ask lots of questions of any breeder from whom you are thinking about purchasing a puppy. They should provide you with copies of KCI certifications. Don’t just take their word for it. This is a lifetime commitment, so please choose carefully. You might spend a little more money initially when you buy from a reputable breeder, but you will end up spending much more in vet bills if you buy a puppy that develops numerous health problems.

Since the last few years, the Bichon family breed is gaining more popularity and is in demand in India. Most of these ‘Bichon’ dogs are not available otherwise, as there has been a strict ban on the import of dogs into India since 2016. Seeing the increasing popularity of the Havanese breed, many agents/ backyard breeders have become smarter. They get away by selling mix-breed puppies of Lhasa, Shih-tzu, Maltese Pomerians and Spaniels either as fancy breeds or as Havanese. For a novice first time buyer, all these puppies look the same and they can get fooled easily. This is indeed a clever ploy to mask mixed-breed puppies. In the long run these puppies will not only suffer from serious genetic conditions but will also have major behavioural issues.

Whether you purchase your puppy from me or from someone else, keep in mind these rules and questions so you don’t get cheated. Any breeder coming to you with fancy and unusual breeds should immediately ring warning bells for you.