After some pondering, you have decided that your family is ready to welcome a new member into your lives. Your house seems to be dog-proofed enough for a rowdy playful puppy and you believe that the Tibetan Mastiff is highly compatible with your lifestyle. The next step would be to pick a good breeder whom you will get your puppy from. Good dog breeders don't just sell their puppies in order to get their hands on some cash. They don't sell their puppies to just anyone who shows up. Good dog breeders know their dogs. They have taken extra steps to make sure that these puppies are healthy and that they have received the necessary care needed during the first few months of a dog's life.
Instructions
It is best to contact breeders from a Tibetan Mastiff club or any dog association. Why? First, you can be sure that their puppies are purebred. Second, most of these clubs make sure their members take good care of their dogs---some of these dogs are even of champion lineage. Third, these breeders have had years of experience with the Tibetan Mastiff and can help you with any questions you have or can share their experiences with you.
A good breeder will tell you the ups and the downs of owning a Tibetan Mastiff. You should have second thoughts when buying from someone who would tell you that taking care of a Tibetan Mastiff is very easy. A breeder who knows the challenges of taking care of a Tibetan Mastiff would also know how to handle these challenges and you would know that he had addressed these at one point.
Assuming that the breeder you have talked to doesn't have a puppy available at the moment, you shouldn't hesitate in asking if he can refer you to another breeder. Who else would know good breeders than breeders themselves? Be wary of breeders who bad-mouth other breeders. A good breeder respects his colleagues.
Don't be afraid to ask the breeder about his practices and philosophies about taking care of the Tibetan Mastiff. You can have him present to you ribbons from dog shows or evaluation from experienced third parties. If your breeder has not joined any dog shows, you can ask him how he evaluates his dogs. You can also ask him what his goals are for his kennel and find out if he is well-versed about Tibetan Mastiff health issues, temperaments, training and other fundamental information.
Once you have a candidate breeder in mind, set a schedule to visit his kennel so you can see the dogs' living environment. Take note of the set-up, of the condition of the dogs, of the dogs' socialization patterns and of water and food availabilities.
Feel free to ask for medical certificates of the puppy's parents in order to know if they are in good health. Ask your breeder how many sets of litter he raises a year. A good breeder would often only have around two litters per year in order to be able to focus on his dogs more. Those who have more than this often just breed dogs for money.
A good breeder would not release his puppy before the age of 8 weeks. Any shots and medical check-ups before this time should have been provided by the breeder. A good breeder would also make sure that during this time the puppy has had sufficient socialization so as to avoid temperament problems.
Although you might think it is unnecessary, a good breeder would contact you several times and ask you questions about your home, family and lifestyle before actually letting you buy his puppy. This is to make sure that you are ready to take care of your Tibetan Mastiff. He would also be more than willing to help you with raising your puppy and to work with you in case you would need to relocate your dog.