Bringing a new dog into your life is an exciting experience, but it’s essential to do so ethically and responsibly. Puppy mills are notorious for their inhumane breeding practices, and they often masquerade as legitimate breeders to prey on unsuspecting dog owners. By recognizing the signs of a puppy mill, you can avoid purchasing a dog from a cruel operation – and in doing so, you’ll be helping to end the cycle of animal abuse. You might feel like you are saving a puppy from horrible conditions, but buying a puppy from a mill only makes room for the next litter of puppies
Reasons for not buying a puppy from a puppy mill operation:
Unsanitary Conditions
In a puppy mill operation, dogs are kept in small cages continuously, pooping and peeing where they stand or lay. Not only is this a health concern, it will also make it nearly impossible to house train your new friend.
In these unsanitary conditions, dogs regularly pick up parasites and bacteria that will be costly to treat and possibly make your dog sick long term.
Socialization
Puppy mill dogs aren’t socialized at all in the weeks that your puppy is learning all of their social behaviors, including learning not to be scared of new things and people. You might end up with a dog that will have fears all their life since they didn’t have positive experiences and weren’t exposed to anything new and during their first weeks of life. Read more about Fear and Phobias.
Health Testing
No health testing is done on puppies’ parents. Since these operations don’t care about the well-being of their puppies, little if any money is spent on making sure puppies are healthy and free from genetic issues such as hip dysplasia, heart disease, and epilepsy.
Females are bred over and over until they are too old or weak to produce a litter, and are then discarded.
Behavior Problems: Separation Anxiety and Aggression
Separation anxiety is very common in dogs from puppy mills, and is a very hard condition for everyone involved. It’s hard breaking to see your dog having a panic attack every time you leave the house.
Dogs that haven’t been socialized or bonded to people in the first months of their life are also much more prone to issues like aggression. Aggressive behavior is one of the top issues for surrendering a pet to a shelter, often resulting in euthanasia.
Online-Only Sales
Puppy mills often operate entirely online, never allowing potential buyers to visit their premises or meet the puppy’s parents, where they are typically kept in cramped, dirty conditions. Instead, they rely on well-presented photos and videos to lure in unsuspecting buyers. If a breeder doesn’t allow prospective owners to meet the puppy and its parents in person, or if their website does not provide any indications of a physical location or contact details, it’s a red flag that the breeder is not legit.
Unreasonable Prices
Extremely low prices are another red flag for puppy mill operations. Puppy mills are able to sell their puppies at a lower price point than reputable breeders because they do not spend the time or money necessary to properly care for and socialize their puppies. As a result, their dogs often experience a range of health problems that can leave owners with costly veterinary bills. Extremely high prices are also a red flag; just because you are spending thousands of dollars doesn’t mean you are getting a healthy well-bred dog.
Lack of Basic Care Standards
Formal breeding operations should prioritize animal welfare, providing proper veterinary care and attention to their puppies. Puppy mills, however, are known for substandard care of their dogs. If you notice that the puppies or mother dog appear unwashed or in poor health, or if they are housed in cramped or dirty conditions, this is an indication of a breeding mill operation. But just because your puppy appears clean doesn’t mean you are not being scammed by a puppy breeding operation. Puppy mill breeders are smart and will wash the puppy and make it look cute in a basket or some other prop. They will clean up the parents to send you pictures of them, or photos of a dog that may not even be the pup’s actual parent.
Breeding Multiple Types of Dogs
A “breeder” who provides more than one type of dog breed is another indication of a potential puppy mill. Genuine breeders often specialize in one or two breeds with an aim of improving the breed’s quality over time. Puppy mills, on the other hand, prioritize producing as many puppies as possible while ignoring breed standards that ensure healthy dogs. If you are looking for a designer dog like a Pomsky, Pyredoodle, Bernerdoodle or similar mix you will have to be extra careful since these kinds of dogs fly of the shelf in an operation like this.
Buying in Person
Finally, it’s essential to purchase your puppy in person from an accredited breeder. If you’re not buying from a breeder you can trust, it’s best to avoid buying the puppy altogether. Puppy mill operations will happily ship dogs all over the country, they’ll meet you half way to your home and make it very easy to purchase one of their dogs, but they won’t let you come to their home to see how the puppy lived the first weeks of his life. If they do have an address on their website make sure to Google it and investigate.
Choosing a breeder can be a difficult and emotional process, but it is also one that requires careful consideration. Understanding the signs of a puppy mill is an essential first step in protecting yourself and your dog from harm. By buying responsibly and advocating for good breeder standards, you can help bring an end to puppy mills and ensure that all dogs can live happy and healthy lives.
Freak On A Leash can help you find a good breeder to make sure you set yourself up for success and have a long happy life with your new dog. Contact us if you are looking for your next puppy!