Almost any dog lover could tell you that puppy mills are terrible and you should steer clear! They keep their dogs in small living quarters which are usually filthy, the dogs are bred way too often, the dogs are not socialized with humans. These disreputable "breeders" do not care about the breed, they do not care about where the puppies go or what their future holds, they just care about making a buck. The result of that is the puppies often have genetic health issues that remain hidden for some time, or that are only evident after a few weeks in their new home. The puppies usually have poor health in general and do not have good temperaments.
Some pet stores buy their puppies from commercial "breeders" regulated by the Department of Agriculture. However, even these puppies tend to be unhealthy and unsocialized (despite what the shopkeeper tells you!). This is because they breed for quantity, not quality. It's all about SALES!
I feel compelled to write about this because there's a new pet store in our small town of Huffman, not to mention I saw a mobile puppy mill at our local gas station. I just knew I had to write about this topic. Let me tell you a few reasons you may want to rethink buying from a pet store before I answer to the question in the title.
1. Bad Health: the disreputable "breeders" do not health test the sire and dam, or the puppies. They fail to feed a good diet. Therefore the puppies often develop illnesses and conditions like neurological problems, eye problems, hip dysplasia, blood disorders, etc.
2. Behavioral problems: pet store staff have little to no training experience so the puppies will continue to do what gets results and the behavior becomes habit long before he goes into your home.
3. No socialization: Pet store puppies are generally taken away from their mother and littermates at a very young age, often about four or five weeks. The earliest a puppy should be taken away is eight weeks and most reputable breeders will say at least ten weeks. Lack of time spent with mother and littermates means the puppy will not develop important canine skills. If the puppies are not handled and exposed to different sights, smells, sounds, environments during their first socialization window which ends at seven weeks, there is a big chance your puppy become anxious, fearful, and aggressive in the future. One bad experience during this critical period can last a lifetime for your dog.
4. Lack of information: Members of the pet store staff are not experts on the breed and sometimes not on dogs in general. Purchasing a puppy from the pet store means you will not get the facts on the breed or likely any help with behaviorial or other questions.
5. Return at Your Puppy’s Peril: Most pet stores do offer a warranty of sorts where you can bring the puppy back if he has problems. They don’t tend to tell customers that the puppy’s fate, once returned, is usually euthanization.
6. Housetraining is 10 times as tough: Pet store puppies have spent all their short lives in cages. They do not have the opportunity to develop the natural canine instinct of eliminating away from their food and bed. This presents a problem when you try to housetrain them.
7. What You See Isn’t Necessarily What You Get: If you see what looks like a Maltese in the window, you may find, as she grows, that there’s a little Maltese in there somewhere but mostly she looks like a Terrier. There is no guarantee you will get a purebred dog if that’s what you’re after.
8. Poor Value: A puppy from a pet store generally costs between $500 and $2,000. This is often more than you’d pay to a reputable breeder who can ensure you get a healthy puppy and provide support afterward for as long as your puppy lives.
9. Questionable Pedigree: You’re paying for a pedigree, or AKC papers, when you buy a puppy from a pet store but it’s very likely that it’s not genuine. If the papers are genuine, it still doesn’t mean the puppy is a good example of its breed – you need a reputable breeder to prove that.
10. Special Ordering a Puppy?: "We can special order you a puppy and have her in within 2-5 business days." How do they do this? What does this even mean? Apparently you can put in a special request for a puppy and they will somehow magically get this puppy within a week. What I have found out is there are basically dog farms all around us that we don't know about and they are pumping out puppies like clockwork. The store can put out a notice and whoever has the puppy that the person needs is found and they ship it over ASAP. ...My heart just sinks.
11. Don't Forget Adoption: There are actually TONS of puppies that come into the shelter or rescues who are very cute and very healthy. Our Border Collie mix named Beau came from the All Border Collie rescue and he has an amazing temperament, personality, health record, and they actually raised him until he was about 5 months old until we purchased him from the rescue. If you don't want a purebred dog, but want an adorable puppy, please consider adoption from a shelter or a rescue of your choice! (I highly recommend ABCR for anyone who wants a Border Collie!)
12. Epigenetics: Epigenetics literally means "above" or "on top of" genetics. It refers to external modifications to DNA that turn genes "on" or "off." These modifications do not change the DNA sequence, but instead, they affect how cells "read" genes. Epigenetics tells us that we are what you eat, feel, and act in the world in which we live, breathe, and have our existence. We may also have epigenetic markers passed down from the lifestyle choices made from our recent ancestors which can negatively impact how our genes are expressed. What causes epigenetic gene malfunction and DNA mutations? Environmental toxins (think chemicals, BPA, pesticides, and processed kibble), negative emotions, unhealthy lifestyle choices, generational influences. If the pet store puppy's parents and their parents had a poor diet, were exposed to environmental toxins, negative emotions (being locked in a cage all your life can do that), then your puppy can potentially inherit their parent's illnesses.
The price of that puppy in the window is $3500 for a "Micro Teacup Yorkie" that is said to be 2.5 lbs when reaching adulthood. "Teacup" is a buzzword used by disreputable breeders to attract buyers' attention. Most "teacup" dogs are just runts bred with runts over a few generations. In other words, they are not healthy, and they are not recognized by the AKC as being a legitimate specific size or variation on the breed, so the meaning of these terms is highly variable. A 5-pound dog, technically a standard size Yorkie who falls within breed size requirements, might be labeled as teacup by someone, but the dog technically is not a teacup dog by the rules of the breed registry.
The overall price? Consider the health problems that may occur as your puppy mill puppy turns into an adult and your adult turns into a senior. If your dog winds up with hip dysplasia or a thyroid issue you can easily spend $1500 in one vet visit, then will have a compromised quality of life, or shorter life. Great breeders aren't cheap and are hard to find, but they are cheaper than the best dog hip surgeon, or the veterinary behaviorist! Of course, buying from a great breeder won't guarantee your puppy to be 100% healthy and well-adjusted, but having generations of checked health screens and behaviorial clearances definitely increase your chances of having a healthy, happy dog.
~If you need help finding a breeder, just holler at me and I will do everything I can to help you.~
Til next time,
Katie
