Puppy Mills give us all a BAD name.
Puppy Mills
- Mass produce puppies for profit (often selling thouasands each year)
- Pushy to make a sale when contacted
- Breed many breeds
- Offer no health care to adults/pups
- Lack adequate housing
- Lack adequate nutrition
- Do not vaccinate puppies
- Do not vaccinate adults
- Inbreed to the point of deformities
- Breed deformed or ill dogs
- Are often USDA licensed
- Sell quantity not quality
- have to regard for the lives in their care
- Knowingly sell sick puppies to the public/pet stores
- Sells puppies before the age of 8 weeks old
- All dogs sold "as is"
- Will NOT take puppy back
- They tend to be very pushy to get you to buy. Most lie to make a fast sale.
Back Yard Breeder
- Breeds any two dogs together (not always the same breed)
- Does not vaccinate adults or puppies
- Does not offer adequate housing for adults or pups
- Does not have pups seen by a vet
- Sells puppies at to young of an age
- May breed more then one breed
- Knows little about the breed they raise
- Will not take puppies back
- All dogs sold 'as is'
- Has no long term goals
Responsible Breeder
- Starts with healthy vet checked vaccinated adults
- Adults and puppies are kept current on vaccines/worming/antiprasite and records are kept
- All dogs receive quality food
- All dogs receive Vet care when needed and as a proactive measure to keep dogs healthy
- Is educated about the breed they raise and tries to educate others
- All adults are socialized and well cared for. Clean and friendly.
- Housing and husbandry is top priority
- Never sells a puppy under 8 weeks
- All puppies are vet checked
- Offers guarantee
- Willing to take a puppy/dog back to keep all dogs they produce out of shelters
- Often offers rescue services in the breed they raise
- Is not pushy and is easy to talk to
What to expect from a Quality breeder:
- To be honest, even if it means losing a sale
- To ask you questions about the home you offer
- Breeds ethically to better the breed
- To have healthy adults and offer healthy puppies for sale
- to have all puppies up to date in vaccines/worming and antiparasite preventives
- To be caring to all of those in their care
What NOT to expect:
- 100% perfection
- to have ESP when predicting size, temperament or confirmation
- To sell to anyone
- False claims such as TEACUPS for sale...
- Them to be perfect or breed perfection, however this should be their goal!
Is this a good breeder? Many fear buying frm a puppy mill. I think everyone in the world has heard the term "puppy mill" now. They are shameless, cruel, unethical, and criminal. They mass produce puppies in filthy unhealthy conditions for profit. Dogs suffer in their care. They have now given ALL BREEDERS a bad reputation by default. The term 'Breeder' has now almost become a profanity as most equate that to the term puppy mills. People hear the word BREEDER and almost run to grab their proverbial pitch forks to ready themselves for the mental and verbal attack on the offending individual who has admittedly to being such a monster. Not all breeders are bad, unethical, uncaring, dishonest or cruel. Breeders are NOT just puppy mills. I would like to encourage everyone to overcome their prejudice and learn to make informed opinions based on individuals and not on simple terms like Breeder. People tend to fly at the speed of light to the wrong conclusions these days. But who can blame them when all they picture is what they have seen on tv, on the news, on animal planet ect. They don't take a moment to use common sense or think for themselves. Propaganda is an amazing tool. Puppy Mills use this method to! To their advantage. They sell "teacup puppies' and 'pocket pets' and such. People use these terms everyday now, and often search for those who sell these 'special' puppies. I would like to clear the air a bit here and help you understand a little about the differences in some of the most common terms associated with the word 'breeder.'
First let me begin by asking you a few questions and see what your thoughts are. Have you been pre programmed?? Would you be an easy target for a puppy mill type breeder? Are these statements TRUE OR FALSE?
1. .Those who show dogs are defiantly a reputable breeder.
2. A reputable breeder has never had anything go wrong with their dogs or puppies.
3. Giving shots to a puppy under 8 weeks old weakens the immune system.
4. Teacup Puppies are just like any other puppy.
5. If the puppy looks healthy when you buy it, then it is not at risk for Parvo or other illnesses.
6. Breeders who have a license and that are USDA approved are the best breeders to buy from.
7. Dogs in petstores are healthy and people should go there rather then find a reputable breeder.
8. Those who do not show the breed they sell know very little about the dogs they raise.
9. Puppies do not need vaccinations before they are 8 weeks old because they are still getting immunities from their mother and are not at risk yet.
10. Reputable breeders breed tiny teacup puppies because that is what most people are looking for.
Answers to these questions can be found below. See how you did. :D
1. Those who show dogs are defiantly a reputable breeder.
This is FALSE! Just because one enters a dog into an AKC show does not make them a better or more reputable breeder then someone who does not show.
Some raise dogs in puppy mill type conditions. Some knowingly breed unhealthy dogs because they win in the ring. Many will bad mouth those who do not show as a way to get more clients and make more sales. Please judge each breeder individually. Call them yourself and find out from them what their practices are and see how you feel about each breeder. Do not always go by what your told as many breeder are ruthless when it comes to competing for sales.
2. A reputable breeder has never had anything go wrong with their dogs or puppies.
This is FALSE! All breeders, good and bad, will have problems with the animals they raise. Raising animals is not an exact science. Not all factors can be controlled despite the best of efforts of the breeder. How a breeder handles such problems though, is what sets them apart.
For example if a breeder finds a dog is producing puppies with bad teeth, a reputable breeder will remove this dog from he breeding program and place it in a loving home under a spay/nuet contract. Puppy Mills will continue to breed this dog and its offspring not caring if teeth are good or bad. They do not have a breeding program. They just produce puppies with no regard to health and quality(most puppy mills use dogs that produce much worse then bad teeth many with fatal genetic problems).
3. Giving shots to a puppy under 8 weeks old weakens the immune system.
This is TRUE and FALSE! Trick question. lol Puppies should start vaccines at the age of 6 weeks. It can weaken the immune system for up to 3 days and that is why they should be vaccinated at this age while still in a 'safe' environment where they were born. They should have this vaccination before leaving and experiencing stress of a new home ect. All ethical breeders should vaccinate any puppy they raise BEFORE it leaves their care. Any breeder who does NOT vaccinate their puppies is a BYB and you should NOT buy from them! Don't be tempted! That puppy could have parvo and you coule have a huge vet bill and a dead puppy.
4. Teacup Puppies are just like any other puppy.
This is FALSE! Teacup puppies are often runts. The term Teacup was created by puppy mills. They false advertise most or all of their puppies as 'teacups' even if the puppy is going to be above average in size. They do this to make sales faster, and to get more money per puppy. See our "TEACUPS" page for more info on this so that you don't fall victim to this practice.
5. If the puppy looks healthy when you buy it, then it is not at risk for Parvo or other illnesses.
This is FALSE! Parvo can have a 9-13 day incubation. So your puppy could be healthy, then suddenly 'break' with the virus. It is very important to only buy puppies that have been vaccinated. Puppies need a series of shots. Not just one. They need at least 4 shots, spaced 3 weeks apart to be protected against Parvo and other deadly viruses. Never take a puppy out to the park, petsmart ect until the puppy is FULLY vaccinated with at least 4 shots. A reputable breeder will explain this to you and give you instructions on how to keep your puppy on schedule with their shots/worming.
6. Breeders who have a license and that are USDA approved are the best breeders to buy from.
This is FALSE. Unfortunately most of the puppy mills out there are USDA licensed. Most USDA kennels are very LARGE SCALE with 100's of dogs in their care. Many are shut down just days after getting a good review from USDA. Our gov needs to make stricter laws in how people treat animals.
7. Dogs in petstores are healthy and people should go there rather then find a reputable breeder.
This is FALSE. 99% of puppies in petstores come from PUPPY MILLS. Puppy Mills sell quantity so dogs can be purchased at a low price and pet stores can resell for profit. Stay away from petstores.
8. Those who do not show the breed they sell know very little about the dogs they raise.
This is FALSE. A reputable breeder LOVES the breed they raise. They are a wealth of knowledge. They do not have to show to understand the lines they work with or to have high standards and goals. Showing is a choice. Not all breeders choose to enter the ring. Not everyone wants to deal with the politics involved in showing. Thats ok. Sometimes breeders who show can breed for the look of the dog often at the expense of the health of the dogs. So can people who don't show. There will be GOOD and BAD people who show just as there are many who don't show dogs. Use common sense, ask questions, and get to know your breeder. Ask for refs and trust your judgement. Don't be afriad to keep looking.
9. Puppies do not need vaccinations before they are 8 weeks old because they are still getting immunities from their mother and are not at risk yet.
This is FALSE. This is often told to customers by puppy mills. Vaccinating puppies should begin at 6 weeks of age. Puppy mills do not like to pay for vaccines. THey would have to vaccinate hundreds of puppies! So they come up with logical sounding lies to tell customers. Never buy an unvaccinated puppy.
10. Reputable breeders breed tiny teacup puppies because that is what most people are looking for.
This is FALSE! Ethical reputable breeders breed for healthy dogs. Teacup size puppies are not healthy and breeding undersized dogs would be a HUGE health risk to the parents and potential puppies. Ethical breeders breed with in the breed standard using healthy dogs that fall in the 'normal' range for the breed. Larger puppies and smaller puppies may be the result of good breeding practices, so many breeders will have both to offer on occasion, but they do not breed for it.
What is a puppy mill?
Very simply it is a place that markets dogs as items. Little to no care goes into the dogs. They are mass produced and even sick deformed adults are used to breed. No vaccines are given, so most puppies produced there will be sick and or die very young. Puppy mills only care about the sale of the dog, not the dog itself or you the new owner.
These links will show you some pictures. But use caution, they are graphic and heartbreaking. Only click on the link if you can handle seeing animals in pain or ones that have passed away. Selling to someone who runs a facility like this is my worst nightmare, this is why I am so picky about where my puppies go. These people are why I no longer wish to sell my dogs with Full AKC or AKC papers. I only want my fur kids in the best loving pet homes!
Many of the sites you find now online are puppy mills. Most PET STORES buy from PUPPY MILLS. Be sure to SEE where they come from, ask many of questions, and protect yourself! Below is a video from the humane society. It shows a behind the scenes view of a well known HOLLYWOOD pet shop. It shows how many pet stores operate and shows some footage of puppy mills.
Inside a puppy Mill a very in depth site
So what is a puppy mill?
They are those who mass produce unhealthy dogs in filthy dangerous conditions for profit. Most puppies are very sick when sold as they have not been properly cared for, and have grown up in filthy conditions, and have not been vaccinated. These puppies most often end up in pet stores, and now online via broker sites.
What is a Backyard breeder? One who breeds dogs on a smaller scale in unhealthy conditions. Most just breed two dogs together with no forethought into why, or if they should. They do not vaccinate adults or puppies. Most are not cruel or neglectful the way puppy mills are. They just are under educated. All breeders keep dogs in the 'back yard' but it is the lack of proper care and selection that deems the term "Back Yard Breeder". They are not just anyone who raises dogs that doesn't show. That is a myth that only show breeders are best or that their dogs are more healthy. Some show breeders breed for the overal LOOK of the dog and not the health. Their goals are to win in the ring, and some (not all and not generalizing here)
What is a reputable breeder? This is a person who raises dogs with strong ethics and morals. They start with healthy sound vaccinated adults, and breed with goals to better the breed. They offer a clean secure environment for their dogs and puppies. All dogs are vaccinated and wormed on schedule. Puppies see a vet before leaving. They are educated in the breed they raise and try to educate others. They care about their reputations and uphold strong ethical practices to secure a good reputation for themselves and their dogs. They care about where their puppies go, and are not pushy when selling. In fact some may find it rude when asked questions by such breeders in regards to what they can offer their puppies. They will not sell to just anyone.
How do you find a good REPUTABLE BREEDER??
Here are some other links I have found with some GREAT recourses for you. I want you to educate yourself, so you can make a well informed choice when you buy a puppy, even if you do not buy from me, I don't want to give people who run puppy mills encouragement to continue to hurt animals and humans. If I can keep just one person from buying from a puppy mill, this page has been effective and both you and I will be happier for it.
Puppy Mills give us all a BAD name.
 | ||||||
