This article was written with the purpose of informing people on the difference between a quality kennel and a puppy mill. I urge anyone who is in the process of purchasing a puppy to visit and to see how the kennel operation is run before making any type of transaction. Many kennels in operation are what we call "puppy mills" when it should be called "puppy prison". For decades, thousands of dogs and puppies have been tortured, locked up in little cages with barely enough food to survive let alone health care. Most of the time a puppy mill will comprise of several different breeds but it is not uncommon for a puppy mill to comprise of a single breed. The adult dogs are malnourishly bred without any focus on the health of the dog repeatedly, until they stop producing, high enough numbers of puppies or die/be killed. Confined in small living quarters such as cages are the normal living arrangements for these dogs.
Strategies that puppy mills use and beware signs
1.) Puppy mills may forge important health, registration, etc. documents.
2.) Puppy mills may not want you to visit their premises. Many times may have gates in place at the entrance to their location. Instead of coming to them to pick up your dog or puppy, they will want you to meet them at a given location.
3.) Puppy mills will have a USDA license to sell puppies to pet shops
4.) Puppy mills may hide their dogs and puppies at another location
5.) Puppy mills may build a expensive website with lots of glamorous beautiful pictures to represent something they are not
6.) Puppy mills may lie not really knowing who the parents is of a particular puppy or puppies, they will lead you to believe that the parents are one set of dogs and actually may be another set of dogs
7.) Puppy mills will use the lowest valued form of food they can find
8.) Puppy mills may feed the dog just enough for the dog to live and produce
9.) Puppy mills will normally sell a variety of breeds
10.) Dogs and puppies may live in little small cages at a puppy mill
11.) Dogs and puppies of a puppy mill may have socialization problems
12.) Dogs and puppies of a puppy mill may have heretic problems such as hip dysplasia that you will not be aware of
13.) Puppy mills focus is quantity not quality
14.) Dogs and puppies of a puppy mill will have a slim chance that the dog or puppy up for purchase is full blooded
15.) Dogs and puppies of a puppy mill may freeze in the winter and swelter in the summer
Steps to take to avoid a puppy mill
1.) Ask the breeder for vet references.
Do some research, call the vet and ask about the breeder and the welfare of the dogs and puppies2.) Take a look at his accommodations for the dogs and puppies
3.) Ask to see registration papers for the dog, call the company of the registration papers to do research on the dog and breeder.
4.) Ask the breeder for general people references
5.) Do a surprise visit at the breeders location
6.) Ask for all the vet records on the dogs and puppies
7.) Check the socialization patterns of the dogs and puppies
8.) Look at the overall appearance of the dogs and puppies
9.) Examine the neighborhood of the location of the breeder if you see somebody stop and ask some common questions about the breeder
10.) Ask for names and numbers of past clients of the breeder, ask the clients about their dog or puppy purchase
11.) Do not be afraid to ask questions concerning the owner and dogs.
12.) Prepare a list of questions before you visit the breeder
13.) Ask for a sample of the food he feeds the dogs and puppies check it over for freshness and quality
14.) Ask about shots and wormings the dogs and puppies have received
15.) After you purchase a puppy take it to the vet immediately for a health check-up
16.) Notice how many dogs and puppies the breeder owns and how many different breeds the breeder has
