Big news - fluffy package

OK. Jon-Jon and I have been talking about this for a while. I didn't want to share with you guys yet because we wanted to make sure we were serious. We know that this is a big decision - big responsibility and big money! So we've started some preliminary research on finding the perfect puppy for us -

We weren't ready to get a puppy for quite some time, even though we've been wanting one. For goodness sake! When are we ever home? But Jon2 is going to have three weeks off very soon. This will give us (OK - HIM!) time to acclimate the puppy to its new surroundings. What about never being home? Well, The Man will most likely have a trailer at his next job site and he is allowed to bring a dog to work,. So puppy will most likely go with him nearly every day to work. I hear it is quite possible for me to bring a tiny dog to work, too but I kind of doubt that. I have, however, a friend close by who said that as long as my dog is not possessed, she will take care of it once a week and she works within five minutes of my work place.

My heart is set on a Maltese. From the research we've done online, this breed is the most compatible with our ideal puppy traits. But we've come across two problems. The first is that we do not know Maltese breeders in our area. We've looked them up but we don't know them from a bucket of paint. The second is that the one breeder that was referred to us by a coworker wants $1,700 for her puppies. I won't even tell you why that's a problem for us.
I'm not sure where that leaves us. If any of you know of a good breeder or know someone that knows someone, please help a sister out. We are very loving couple who would give a puppy a very nice home. And if not a Maltese, a reputable place we can buy/adopt a small dog, pure or mixed*? Open to most small dogs except a chihuahua. Or any other dog that may pee if you look at it funny. I cannot stand nervous dogs.
*If you're wondering why a small dog, it's because small dog=small poop. I can't deal with big poop.

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10/26/06: (Please read my last comment.) And here I go, already breaking my promise! This was taken by the seller. She is MUCH cuter in person/doggie. (I took a picture of her with my phone and I've discovered the gal just isn't photogenic! It's OK, though. She's cute - she looks very much like a lhasa apso puppy.) Oh, and we have a name. I'll introduce you when I post a picture that WE take a picture of her. Maybe she will learn to flirt with the camera by then ;)