Chengden Chows and PuppyFind breeders in general

General discussions about Chow Chows.

Moderator: chowadmin

Post Reply
GhostDad
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2016 7:12 am

Chengden Chows and PuppyFind breeders in general

Post by GhostDad »

Hi all,

I'm new to the forum. I have been searching for a Chow Chow for a while, either a rescue or a puppy. One of the places I've become familiar with in my search is puppyfind.com. Unfortunately, many of the breeders I find there are somewhat shady; quite a few seem to be backyard breeders, and some I would even qualify as puppy mills. Because of this, I've become distrustful of pretty much every single Chow Chow listing on that website. How do people in this forum feel about puppyfind.com?

One of the breeders I found in puppyfind.com is Chengden Chows. Is anyone familiar with them? There's barely any information about them on the web, except what's in their Facebook page. Has anyone in this forum bought puppies from them? If so, how would you rate your experience with this breeder?

Thanks in advance for any answers.
Briahna
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 28
Joined: Sun Jan 17, 2016 2:34 pm

Re: Chengden Chows and PuppyFind breeders in general

Post by Briahna »

I would be wary of using any online "puppy search" websites. They are magnets for scammers and puppy mills. I'm not familiar with Chengden Chows though. What state do you live in, if you don't mind my asking? I can direct you to some certified breeders if that's the route you want to go. Or you can look into Chow Chow Rescues of New York. They have small branches around the nation and they specialize in rescuing chows and getting them to good homes. If you take this route, however, be prepared for a VERY LENGTHY application process and a home visit or two. Petfinder.com will generally have a compilation of most of the pets available for adoption in shelters and that website is actually how I learned about Chow Chow Rescues of New York. You can also ask about fostering a pet if you're not sure if you want to adopt straight away.
GhostDad
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2016 7:12 am

Re: Chengden Chows and PuppyFind breeders in general

Post by GhostDad »

Thanks Briahna, I already have a list of dogs from PetFinder that I'm investigating and some of those are from Chow Rescue of Central New York.

I'm in the New York City area, so breeders from NY or northern/central NJ would be perfect.
Briahna
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 28
Joined: Sun Jan 17, 2016 2:34 pm

Re: Chengden Chows and PuppyFind breeders in general

Post by Briahna »

Well that's great. I get their name wrong sometimes, so I apologize for that. Haha.

I would say they are a good route. Buying a dog from a good breeder will cost you a few thousand dollars at least. Adopting a rescue (especially from Chow Rescue of Central New York) will give an abandoned dog a "forever home" and you'll pay MUCH less, especially since their shots and vaccinations are usually already taken care of. If I remember correctly, there is just a small rehoming fee to adopt from Chow Rescues of Central New York. Another benefit is that often times since these dogs are being taken care of in foster homes, they are better socialized and more adaptable. In my experience, rescue chows that have been in foster homes are friendlier and they tend to warm up to people quicker. This isn't always the case though. Either way, I hope it all works out! I would love to know what you end up deciding.
jaslov
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2016 4:46 pm

Re: Chengden Chows and PuppyFind breeders in general

Post by jaslov »

Hi! I actually am new to this forum as well. I signed up just to reply to this thread(lol).
My family and I have recently adopted a cream male puppy from Chengden Chows. At first, we were skeptical just like you. Because the puppies aren't exactly cheap and it is an online purchase where there is risk of scammers. However we absolutely fell in LOVE with our puppy(who is now named Chowder) when we saw pictures of him posted on puppyfind, so we contacted Chengden Chows and asked many questions about the process of purchasing the puppy from them. If you decide to purchase a puppy, Chengden Chows/Michelle will send you an invoice on paypal where you will pay for the puppy with a credit card. Our family decided to use a credit card just incase the breeders were a scam, that way we would have a chance of getting our money back if anything were to happen. Once we paid, Michelle emailed us the tracking number and flight information that our puppy will be going on(we live in Nevada so we had to get the puppy shipped). Can you imagine the excitement! But we were still on our toes until we actually received the puppy. You can track your puppy if you are having him shipped and Michelle will tell you the time his flight lands so you know when to pick him up from the airport/cargo facility. I definitely recommend adopting from this breeder they answer all questions you may have and provide AKC registration, shot records, and a little bag of the food your puppy was eating with your puppy. We've had our baby for a month now and he has only had 4 accidents in the house! He is really well behaved around different people and dogs as well. We have some pics of him up on our instagram that we made.

https://www.instagram.com/creamchowchowder/
purplepenguin
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Mar 12, 2016 10:51 pm

Re: Chengden Chows and PuppyFind breeders in general

Post by purplepenguin »

I'm a hopefully soon-to-be Chow owner with a lot of questions about acquiring my new baby. I have decided to purchase a puppy from a breeder rather than adopt, as I have cats, a Pom/Chi (Taylor, 7 mo.) and a pit bull (Juno, 2 yr.). I also work at a doggy day care and take my other two every other day, so the new addition would need to be very well socialized from a young age to feel comfortable there. I considered a rescue, but I have little hope of finding a rescue Chow to fit the bill within a reasonable distance, and and I also don't have a fenced yard so lots of rescues won't consider me. I have found a breeder in Loganville, GA who has a great website and good reviews on her Facebook page. She has maybe a dozen breeding chows and she also fosters and lists rescues for adoption. All of her dogs look healthy and well taken care of, and her property looks nice. She allows you to visit your puppy at 6 weeks, after their first vaccine. Her puppies are sold on limited AKC registration and microchipped, dewormed, vaccinated. I've texted with her a little and she's well-spoken and asking questions about my knowledge of the breed, my other pets. My concern is this: her dogs seem oddly reasonably priced at $850-$1050 depending on the parents. I'm asked to pay a $200 deposit to be put on the waiting list, with the rest due at pickup at 8 weeks. She doesn't seem to show her dogs- is this why they're not $2k? She also doesn't have their health certifications listed- does this mean she doesn't do them, or do I need to ask to see them? Her health guarantee is only for 72 hours from pickup, and she offers only replacement puppies, not cash refunds. What happens if my puppy develops hip displaysia or entropion? Are these hallmarks of a shady breeder? Or is she just a hobby breeder who doesn't make much off her dogs? If she is a good candidate, is it typical to pay a deposit to be placed on the list, before pregnancy is confirmed? Any positive comments are appreciated- I really want to make a good call and get a happy healthy Chow from a reputable breeder!
Rory's Dad
Rank 3
Rank 3
Posts: 1708
Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2011 6:48 am
Location: Mansfield, MA USA

Re: Chengden Chows and PuppyFind breeders in general

Post by Rory's Dad »

Purple, even though you didn't list the breeder name, I was able to do a google search based on the location and took a quick look at the site.

Her dogs do seem to be clean and well fed, so I won't discredit that. However, they do not appear to be of a quality that would demand higher prices than she is asking. They appear to be of a decent pet quality, but that doesn't take into account any temperament considerations. She does not show the dogs because they would not do well. The AKC Conformation shows look to recognize and reward dogs of particular breeding quality. The basic mission of these shows is to evaluate dogs for breeding based on the standards of the breed. Top quality breeders do test the dogs for genetic disorders, and they list them like the badge of merit that they are, so if not listed I would say 95% chance they are not being done.

The limited registration means that you need to have the dog altered (most likely at your expense, within a limited time) to ensure that the dog/bitch does not produce any litters. If the purpose was to protect the breeder from continuing a Championship line without their input they would insist on a Co-Ownership. Limited registration is more about preventing a substandard quality from being bred into future generations. I would also question the guarantee. You should be entitled to have your own vet examine the dog. If they identify any issues you should be able to return the dog for a full refund.

A deposit to get on a waiting list, even for yet realized litters, is fairly common among top breeders.

If you are looking for a pet quality Chow, they may not be the worst choice. I would ask a few more questions. You should look at the breed stock though and decide whether those of the type of Chow you want. They mostly appear to be 'open faced', 'athletic type' dogs. Nothing wrong with that, but if you are looking for that 'bear' chow, you probably wont see that with them.

In the US, Show dogs are going in the complete opposite direction. We are seeing way more 'closed muzzle', 'stocky' types...also referred to as the bear type chows. I currently have a Rough Coated male that is somewhere in the middle of that, and a Smooth Coated Chow. Both are AKC Champions and show regularly. Pics are posted on this site and you can view to compare with the dogs on the breeder site.
purplepenguin
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Mar 12, 2016 10:51 pm

Re: Chengden Chows and PuppyFind breeders in general

Post by purplepenguin »

Thank you so much for your input! I do prefer the open-faced chow in lookss. I am going to visit her ranch and see her adult dogs and the parents of the litter next week. I am also planning to neuter him at 6-8 months based on my vet's recommendation. Her health contract requires you take the puppy to your vet within 72 hours of purchase and exchange if there are any problems. She doesn't offer a cash refund though. I am looking more for a good temperament and health than show quality. Should I have my vet accompany me on my 6 weeks visit and examine him before I pay in full?
ylrebmik
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Mar 20, 2016 11:09 am

Re: Chengden Chows and PuppyFind breeders in general

Post by ylrebmik »

Hi,
I am getting a chow chow from that specific breeder in Loganville, GA. She is wonderful! I have her #, email, and facebook. We talk about every other day, whenever I have questions and she answers all my questions and lets me know of anything that's needed to know. My furbaby was born on February 7th and she sends me weekly updates of him! She's a very very sweet lady. I'm getting my furbaby next week on the 29th =) His parents are Titan and Delilah!
Shellneil
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2016 6:31 pm

Re: Chengden Chows and PuppyFind breeders in general

Post by Shellneil »

Hello all. I am Michelle of chengden chows. We do offer chow chows to pet homes. No we do not show them at this time because we do not believe that is a prerequisite for quality .We have a large family that take an active part in our endeavors. We love them all as family and they are very social when they arrive in thier new home . Our goal is quality health and temperment .
User avatar
FurParent
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 83
Joined: Sun May 22, 2016 4:15 am

Re: Chengden Chows and PuppyFind breeders in general

Post by FurParent »

I don't know about that breeder and don't know if he has a good reputation, but if you planning to get a new furbabies it's better for you to adopt than buying another kind of breeders even if this breeder's has a good reputation or you can have new chow chow on the rescue.
Chow Tribe
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 23
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2016 12:49 am

Re: Chengden Chows and PuppyFind breeders in general

Post by Chow Tribe »

Umm,I wanted to comment about the neutering or spaying;most vets now ask you to wait till they are about a year,so they can mature a bit more.There are less health issues with more mature chows being altered.
Post Reply