Karen Zakaria Shih Tzu Puppies Not a Breeder Novi, Michigan

We bought our dog in 2008 and never had one issues until 2017 when our dog was stolen from our yard. Our boy Shih Tzu never had any major illnesses or expensive vet bills. We kept him home and never used a kennel to babysit while out of town. He stayed at home or a close family member's homes. Everyone loved our dog "Diego". I was doing a google and glad to have found Karen again and will be purchasing another dog. I personally was not into dogs like that and this was a gift for the family, but after having him so long with no problems I can't help but to buy another one. Karen is one of a kind and she was emotional as well when I told her what happened to Diego after all these years. I don't see if someone had a real issue with one of her puppies she would not have rectified the problem.

Puppy Mill Awareness of Southeast Michigan is looking for victims of breeders, pet stores, and dealers. We have introduced a Pet Lemon Law and need your help. Your testimony to our senators and representatives would be greatly appreciated. Please contact Pam through my website.

http://www.meetup.com/puppymillawareness/


My organization also offers counseling to victims of the pet trade. I have a checklist to provide to you.

Puppy Mill Awareness of Southeast Michigan is looking for victims of breeders, pet stores or dealers. We have introduced a Pet Lemon Law and would like you to help us. Your testimony to senators and representatives would be greatly appreciated. Please email the me through my website.

http://www.meetup.com/puppymillawareness/


We also offer counselling to victims of the pet trade. I have a checklist you can follow.

I have two dogs from Karen. They are both over a year old.  Anytime that I had a question regarding my puppy, she always asked me to come over so that she could help me with any problems I had.  If my dog were sick I would not have waited or hesitated to call Karen.  I know she would have helped me.

Yes, she does have a lot of puppies and older dogs.  She babysits if anyone needs her too.  As many times as I have been over there, which is several during the last year, I have NEVER seen 40 dogs nor have I ever seen close to 40 dogs. Your statement is a bit of an exaggeration.

When I call Karen to talk to her about my dogs, she is busy working with the dogs.  I hear the blow dryer running, I hear her letting dogs in and out and I hear puppies nuzzling into her when I am on the phone. 

If you do research on ShihTzu's before purchasing them, you would have found out that they are a very difficult to potty train. I still lay puppy pads in my room at night for my dogs and they use them every night. 

Karen cares for every one of her puppies and I would not hesitate to buy a dog from her again.  Karen works very hard to make sure there is not inbreeding in her house.  I have heard her concerns and have babysat dogs for her to be sure this doesn't happen.

I feel that this report is just disappointment that your dog is sick.  Honestly, if you would have contacted Karen right away, she would have taken your puppy to her vet immediately.  Her heart is huge and would never want anyone to be disappointed if they purchase a dog from her.

Jennifer

Well, I am sad to report that after over two years of battling her constant illness, we have had to put our sweet little Baby Girl to sleep. She was the most beautiful little girl, ever so quiet and dainty. She spent her last days being allowed to eat boiled chicken breasts so that she wasn't starving to death because of her dislike for all of the prescription foods. On her final day, her bowels turned to complete blood, and there was no longer any humanity in letting her live. Her stomach was literally hot to the touch.

The vet continues to refuse any further payment for her treatment, but has asked that we do everything possible to make the public aware of the criminal practices of running a puppymill. It does not matter that this is in a huge beautiful home in a rich neighborhood with a woman operating who truly does seem to love her puppies. The animals are not properly bred, monitored, or cared for, and no amount of love can fix the hell that our little girl went through, and I am sickened to wonder how many other little babies out there have undergone similar lives. If it were not for my father-in-law our girl would have long since been gone, but his love and dedication forbade that from happening until the point that we all knew there could never be a recovery.

Our little girl will be horribly missed.

RIP Little Girl.

If your puppy came with a pedigree, I would read it. That will tell you whether your dog was inbred (unless it is false, which AKC does DNA tests :-). Were the sire and dam brother and sisiter? But, after you read your puppies pedigree, make sure you research line breeding, which AKC appears to advocate, before crying inbred. It is something I try to avoid, but I am aware of what it is, and what to look for, and why they say to do it, and the reasoning behind it, and why some breeder's choose that route. It is just not my choice, and not considered wrong by the breeding community as a whole. Also, if you truly did take your young puppy to a venue in which other dogs congregate (like pet store, dog park, large chain, and even some groom shops) it is very likely that your puppy picked up it's cold there. I know several people whom have resorted to making this a specific condition of their contract. Do not let your puppy socialize at the vet even, and I even further this by telling my purchaser's not to even put their puppy on the floor, and to carry them to and from the car. Think, where is the first place we go when our animals are ill? It is not possible for them to keep every inch of their clinics disinfected every second of every day. Animals that are hospitalized are generally walked somewhere VERY near the clinic during bathroom breaks. A puppy whom has not recieved all series of it's puppy shot's yet is at an extremely high risk. Not to mention, I believe the current vaccinations for BD are now pretty much obsolete, and not particularly effective. I have also seen several colds develop into pnemonia when treatments such as amoxi and especially clavamox were used. I have seen things like the cyclines (can turn teeth yellow if used in high dosages for extended periods) , tylan (and other erythromycin forms), linc, and in extreme cases gentocin (last resort, and especially since I have seen the others be more effective) work wonders on colds, and even pnemonia. Let's also note that GI problems are a common side effect of many medications. We need to balance the risks and the side effects against whether it will save our puppies lives, and just how likely it is that those side effects will come to pass or not. I have listed some of the treatments I have seen to be effective so that others may participate in their animals treatments if they happen to find themselves in a similar situation. We can research treatments and side effects ourselves, and discuss them with our vets, to the further benefit of our pets. We can offer to sign waivers of liability if we believe a treatment will be the most effective, but is not reccomended. They also come out with new medications to combat the resistance all the time. Unfortunately, the strains seem to be changing and becoming stronger, and the resistance to certain medications can be very high, just like what is happening with us. If you feel that treatment is being prolonged, or your pet is not showing improvement quickly enough, you can ask your vet about a test which examines your particular animal's resistance and sensitivity to particular medications, to further help decide an effective course of treatment. They deserve our respect because they have earned their titles, but they are still only human, and can be just as worried about being sued as our human practioners. This fear can sometimes get in the way of whether our pets live or die. Intestinal problems is pretty vague, and can be from medications as well as a real problem. Stress can cause stomach issues as well. Diet. What are the symptoms? What do blood tests show? What have they already tested for? Tons of questions here. And you can also begin researching on your own to help further diagnostics along. Alot of people fail to realize what a big help we can be to our vets, and the next person whom may come along in a similar situation. I am sorry she (and you) have had to go through all this. Please keep us updated.

The puppy we bought from Karen went to the vet daily for approximately 8 months. She dropped from 8.5 lbs to 5.0 lbs. The vet quit charging for services after we had spent $2,000.00 and says he is using her as a training tool for his new incoming vets. The only test that has indicated the problem showed that inbreeding was very likely present. She is now down to going to the vet only once every 2 weeks. The vet even provides prescription dog food at no cost because of what a terrible case this has been.

Stay away from her puppies.

The puppy we bought from Karen went to the vet daily for approximately 8 months. She dropped from 8.5 lbs to 5.0 lbs. The vet quit charging for services after we had spent $2,000.00 and says he is using her as a training tool for his new incoming vets. The only test that has indicated the problem showed that inbreeding was very likely present. She is now down to going to the vet only once every 2 weeks. The vet even provides prescription dog food at no cost because of what a terrible case this has been.

Stay away from her puppies.

The puppy we bought from Karen went to the vet daily for approximately 8 months. She dropped from 8.5 lbs to 5.0 lbs. The vet quit charging for services after we had spent $2,000.00 and says he is using her as a training tool for his new incoming vets. The only test that has indicated the problem showed that inbreeding was very likely present. She is now down to going to the vet only once every 2 weeks. The vet even provides prescription dog food at no cost because of what a terrible case this has been.

Stay away from her puppies.

The puppy we bought from Karen went to the vet daily for approximately 8 months. She dropped from 8.5 lbs to 5.0 lbs. The vet quit charging for services after we had spent $2,000.00 and says he is using her as a training tool for his new incoming vets. The only test that has indicated the problem showed that inbreeding was very likely present. She is now down to going to the vet only once every 2 weeks. The vet even provides prescription dog food at no cost because of what a terrible case this has been.

Stay away from her puppies.

I also babysit for my vet's two dogs that they purchased from me in the last couple of years.
Puppies are very vulnerable to viruses and illness. I love my babies and would never sell a puppy knowing it has any type of illness. My puppies go in for a "well puppy check. When the puppy leaves my home I have the endorsement of the veterinarian and if there is a problem with any. I keep the pup and have the treatment taken care of before they leave my home. I am not desperate to sell my pups, I do not use this for money for bills. Most of the money that I do clear goes right back into something for the babies. Including vet care and toys and whatever else will add to their care.

It does not behoove me to send out 2 sick puppies or one sick puppy, I would not do that to the dog or the new owner. I don't need the head ache and I love every little puppy that goes out my door. I always say that there alot of little hearts that walk through my door and part of my heart goes with them. I am very emotionally invested in what I do, I am fair with people when they are fair with me.

Thanks for reading this

Karen zakaria

I have been placing and selling puppies and adults for a few years. Yes the puppies are in my home and they do have some accidents. They are puppies. I have a professional who works 24 hours a week for cleaning. Not to mention how I am always on top of the situation. I do train the smaller pups to use the puppy housebreaking pads, especially in extreme weather { hot or cold}.

I advised Jennifer to not take the puppies to the pet store and she iignored that advice so they were exposed to lots of new germs and also to some very frigid temperatures.

Jennifer and her boyfriend or husband(?) had an extreme case of buyers remorse, especially when they decided to take both of them in on a emergency visit and were charged enormous prices. In addition to that more germs and to different virus exposure.

Puppies are babies especially Shih-Tzus when they are exposed to germs and they have only had one or two vaccinitations. Including the vaccine for Bordatella (Which protects them from the Kennek Cough. So I have some questions to who made these diagnoses.

Perhaps the diagnosis was not accurate considering the vet. They were shooting in the dark and it took them several types of antibiotics to get it straight.

My policy on the health of my puppies is I will replace, pay for treatment from my veterinarian. I offered Jennifer all of these ideas. I also offered a refund and I would have taken the puppy(ies) back. She wasn't interested in any suggestions I made. Her idea was for her to keep the pups, get a full refund from me, also pay the medical fees, and if I did not cooperate she would make my life a living hell. Her threat was to not allow me to ever see the puppies again. If I was not caring toward my animals why would she think that woud bother me. I do know she and her husband? will care for and love them. so I have peace with that. I know they are animal lovers, and I Always pray they will have peace over all of these occurances.

I will close with one very important fact. More than half of my puppy sales are from referrals--People in very large families, Five local veterinarians give my name as a source for them to buy a puppy, and then My own vet has purchased two Shih-Tzus fr0m me,

Well, she is finally doing better. She was on an IV for 3-4 days in the vets office, moved from one office to another to create better care. They believe that it is a poor breeding issue, most likely inner breeding and indicative of puppy mill style health. Use extreme caution if you are intending to buy a puppy from her.

If you have had any bad experiences with her or have seen what others here are describing, you should make reports with the city or with Oakland County Animal Control.