Once you’ve decided that a Toy Fox Terrier is the dog for you, it is time to decide what role he will play in your life.  Are you looking for a pet that will be a wonderful companion?  Do you have children in your home?  Are you looking for a more sedate cuddly dog or an active athletic buddy to take on long romps?  Are you looking for an obedience or hunting dog?  Perhaps you’ve always dreamed of having a fabulous show dog or you are interested in breeding.  Whatever the answers, the first step is to locate a reputable breeder and honestly communicate your plans to him.  Reliable breeders will not misrepresent their dogs and genuinely try to match the right puppy to the right home.   The Breeder has invested a lot of love, time, and money in her dogs and wants to know her puppies have found loving responsible homes.  This should be the first and foremost concern of a reputable breeder.

Although a knowledgeable breeder should be able to label puppies as show or pet prospects by two months of age, it is impossible to know whether a puppy purchased at an early age will mature into a show specimen.  It is also impossible to determine an exact size on a young puppy, but a ballpark should be possible. When it comes right down to it, purchasing a young puppy for show is a gamble - you’re betting on the breeder’s track record, the quality of the pedigree behind the puppy, and the appearance of the puppy at a young age.  Rarely do attractive puppies from mediocre pedigrees mature into a winning show dog and top sire or dam of the breed.  Conversely, even a dog with an excellent pedigree may develop some undesirable trait during the course of development.  Lastly, it isn't just how a dog appears, but what he will produce that ultimately benefits the breed.

Any problems that arise with a new puppy or dog should be reported to the breeder immediately.  In addition, a reputable breeder will always take one of their dogs back and be willing to find it a new home.  A reputable breeder also provides health guarantees in writing on her dogs and should be willing to send you a copy of her contract along with pedigrees and photos of the puppies and their parents.  Although ancestry is important, don’t be fooled by pedigrees and titles alone. There are dogs out there with ill deserved titles and a title does not guarantee quality.  Likewise, there are quality dogs who have never seen a show ring for one reason or another.  That being said, don't be fooled by backyard breeders - they simply do not have the knowledge to engage in breeding and the dogs have most likely have not gone through a health screening process.  The first stop in choosing a reputable breeder is to look for someone who has been active in the ring and their breed club.  Once you have the initial list of show breeders you begin to make your final selection.  After all, you aren't just purchasing a puppy, but you're embarking on a relationship with the breeder.  Judge the dogs for yourself, or have a canine professional take a look at the photos, contract and other information provided by the breeder.

Most quality breeders only sell dogs into pet homes on spay/neuter contracts in order to insure the future quality of the breed and that their dogs will not be used improperly or backyard bred.  A spay/neuter contract simply stipulates a deadline for altering the dog and states that the papers will not be forwarded until proof of alteration is received by the breeder.  In addition, most reputable breeders actively show their dogs, participate in breed clubs and only breed top show quality dogs that are registered with AKC and UKC.

A word of caution, be careful of Toy Fox Terriers (or any other breed) for sale in pet shops as they are not bred by reputable breeders.  These dogs are not bred for quality or adherence to the standard.  They may have a number of health issues and will most likely be extremely off-type.  As a result, these dogs can be difficult to live with and often end up in rescue.  In addition, they are often advertised as UKC registered when in reality they are Universal Kennel Club registered.  This is a separate registry that places no purity restrictions on the bloodlines and therefore is not reliable.  A good dog comes from a conscientious breeder who cares about her dogs and is trying to improve the breed.  Beware of the mass breeder as well.  You should be able to tell the sites when you see them.  They always have multiple puppies available and breed many litters a year with little apparent concern for quality.  You may even see some Champions on some of these sites, but be forewarned a Champion degree does not necessarily indicate quality!  Another warning sign of this type of breeder is not only the sheer number of puppies they produce, but they often breed and sell other breeds as well.  Now, I'm not talking one other breed or perhaps even two if it's a quality vs. quantity breeder.  I'm talking about these sites you'll see where the breeder is mass producing two or more breeds.  Often you'll see sites touting rare colors and teacup sized puppies - again a warning sign.  Protect yourself and don't support the further misuse of these dogs - steer clear of pet stores, puppy mills, mass breeders and backyard breeders!