09/13/2026
LONG POST- if you take the time to read it, you will truly understand The Townsend Tzu.
WHY WE BREED — AND WHY OUR PUPPIES ARE PRICED THE WAY THEY ARE ❤️🐾
We know not everyone agrees with breeding dogs. We’ve heard the comments: “There are already too many dogs.” “Why not just rescue?” “Breeding shouldn’t be done.”
We respect that people have different opinions. But we also believe there is a very important difference between breeding for profit and breeding with purpose, responsibility, love, and an unwavering commitment to the lives you bring into this world.
We don’t breed because we need more puppies.
We breed because we love this breed.
We love the Shih Tzu temperament, their personalities, their companionship, and the joy they bring to families.
And more importantly, we believe that if we choose to bring puppies into this world, we have a responsibility to do it as responsibly as possible.
People don’t always see what responsible breeders actually go through.
They don’t see the nights where sleep doesn’t really happen because you’re watching newborns breathe. Listening for every squeak, every tiny change in tone, every shift in breathing that might mean something is wrong.
They don’t see the feedings every two hours.
The weighing.
The constant checking.
The adjusting.
The worrying.
The decisions that don’t stop just because you’re exhausted.
They don’t see the moments when something starts to look “off” and you don’t wait and hope it passes.
You call the veterinarian.
You make the trip.
You sit in an emergency clinic for hours.
You do whatever is medically necessary to give that puppy a chance.
Because newborn puppies can change incredibly quickly.
And sometimes, despite everything you do, you still lose one.
That is one of the hardest parts of breeding that people rarely see.
There is no “just another puppy.”
Every puppy has a heartbeat.
Every puppy has a personality.
Every puppy has a future family waiting for them.
And when something goes wrong, it hurts.
Breeding responsibly isn’t just about puppies being born.
It’s what happens before they are born.
It’s the planning.
The health considerations.
The veterinary care.
The pregnancy monitoring.
The preparation for delivery.
The possibility of complications.
The emergency funds set aside for when things don’t go according to plan.
And then it’s everything that happens afterward.
Monitoring.
Intervention.
Supplemental feeding when needed.
Constant weight checks.
Veterinary care.
Socialization.
Cleaning.
Sanitation.
Nutrition.
Time.
Sleep deprivation.
Love.
And a willingness to never ignore the smallest sign that something might not be right.
We don’t get to say, “Hopefully it passes.”
We act.
Because these lives depend on it.
AND THAT IS PART OF WHY OUR PUPPIES COST WHAT THEY DO.
Our prices aren’t simply a price tag for a puppy.
They reflect the time, care, veterinary expenses, testing, quality nutrition, supplies, emergency preparedness, daily care, cleaning, socialization, and countless hours invested into every litter.
There are expenses people never see.
They don’t see the veterinary appointments.
They don’t see the reproductive care.
They don’t see the emergency visits.
They don’t see the supplies sitting ready before a litter ever arrives.
They don’t see the hours spent caring for puppies around the clock.
And they certainly don’t see all of the emotional investment.
We aren’t a puppy factory.
We don’t measure our success by how many puppies we can produce.
Our goal is quality over quantity.
We want healthy, well-loved puppies placed into carefully chosen families who understand that bringing a dog home is a commitment for many years—not an impulse purchase.
We also don’t believe that loving animals and believing in responsible breeding are mutually exclusive.
We can love rescue dogs.
We can support shelters.
We can believe every dog deserves a loving home.
AND we can responsibly preserve and raise the breed we love.
Those things can coexist.
At Townsend Tzu, these puppies are not numbers, products, or inventory.
They are lives.
They are born in our home, raised with our family, loved before they ever meet their families, and cared for as if they were our own.
We are a small, family-owned Christian hobby breeder. We aren’t trying to become the biggest breeder.
We simply want to do it right.
And yes, it’s exhausting.
It’s emotional.
It’s stressful.
Sometimes it’s heartbreaking.
But when you choose to bring a life into this world, you owe that life everything you have when they need you most.
That is why we breed.
That is why we care.
That is why we don’t cut corners.
And that is why our puppies are priced according to the level of care, commitment, and responsibility that goes into raising them.
We don’t expect everyone to agree with us.
But we hope that before judging a responsible breeder, people will take a moment to understand what actually happens behind the scenes.
Because you don’t see everything.
But we do. Every single day. ❤️🐾
— Townsend Tzu
Breeding with purpose. Raising with love. Placing with care.
