Buying a 2 year old Maltese

Question
I recently lost my 12 year. old Shih Tzu and am looking to buy a 2 yr. old Maltese registered female from a well known breeder. She wants $1000.00 the girl is about 6 lbs.and has had two litters and now is spayed. Question: I am a pensioner and want to know if this is a good idea to purchase this little girl?

Answer
Hi Audrey,

Thanks for writing to me about your plans.  Why don't you consider rescuing a Maltese?  There are so many put to death every day...check on Petfinder and also your local shelter.  A rescued dog will worship the ground you walk on forever.  

$1000 for a 2 year old dog is outrageous in my opinion.  How does she justify this price?  If she is no longer using the dog for breeding (good thing for this dog) she should just be trying to find a good home, not try to make money on her.

For every heat that a dog goes through her chances for cancer increase dramatically ...so this little girl has a higher chance of developing breast cancer than a dog that was spayed at an early age.

There are many things to consider..I am in favor of rescuing a dog on death row.

Best of luck,
Shelley Davis