papillon from a pet store?

Question

i bought my papillon from a pet store in WY. but i know he wasn't from a puppy mill. i've met the breeder that he was purchased from and seen both his mother and father, along with one of his sisters. but people still jump to conclusions and think that i'm such a horrible person for purchasing from a petshop. even when i tell them he's pure breed and i have the papers to prove it. what can i do to stop people from jumping to conclusions. and is it still wrong that i purchased him there?

thanks.

yes i had him tested for disease at the vet about a week after we got him. he's very healthy. the reason i ask all this is that i was considering breeding him and i always hear that you can't breed petstore dogs... just wondering.

how can someone tell me my dog is "not of a quality to breed" without ever having seen or met my dog? that doesn't quite seem fair...

he's registered with AKC.

you have all been very helpful! thanks so much!

Answer 1

Hello...in your case it wasn't wrong, Kudo's for doing your homework ..BUT..most pet store dogs & cats. are sadly " Puppy Mill Dogs & Cats " :( too many are $money$ not pets :( that is why they are usually the worst place to buy from unless you SEE where they were bred & kept you're not going to know if it was a "Puppy Mill" maybe not even then, there is much greed in Man.. purebred has nothing to do with it !!! Take Care

Answer 2

Even if the breeder wasn't a large puppymill, he WAS a backyard breeder. No responsible breeder would ever wholesale a puppy to a store. They hand raise and socialize their pups, then carefully screen potential buyers. Their puppy's welfare is their first priority. If that breeder was a responsible breeder, he would have had you sign a contract stipulating that you neuter your pup before he reaches a certain age. Backyard bred dogs such as your are not of a quality to be bred.

Here are some suggested questions one can use to determine if a breeder is truly responsible:

1. Is she an AKC registered breeder of good standing and an active member of her breed Parent Club?

2. Are there AKC Champions listed on the pedigree, showing that the breeder spends her time & money to prove the quality of her breeding stock through competition?

3. Are all the animals kept in clean, comfortable, healthy, loving circumstances?

4. Did the breeder conduct extensive interviews with you and every member of your family?

5. Have the sire & dam received all available health clearances, (eg. OFA Hip & Eye, Thyroid testing, THESE VARY FOR EACH BREED)

6. Is she willing to honestly discuss any possible genetic defects that may exist in her line?

7. Does she have a Sales Contract?

8. Does the contract contain a clause stipulating that you spay or neuter the puppy before it reaches a certain
age?

9. Does the contract contain a clause stating that if at any time in the puppy's life, you can no longer care for it, it must be returned to the breeder? (This ensures that no animal bred by this breeder will ever end up in a shelter).

10. Will the breeder maintain contact with you for the life of the puppy to answer questions and help in general?

Answer 3

I personally do not like the idea of a pet store puppy for some of the same reasons you mentioned (possible puppy mill, irresponsible breeder, disease). I also don't think that a pet store is an appropriate place for a puppy to live. Most of the time, housebreaking becomes an issue since, no matter how vigilant the store is, the puppy is force to stay in close contact with their potty stuff. In my experience, and I was a pet store manager, these puppies have social and training issues later. Also, thousands if not millions of pure breed puppies and dogs are destroyed every year so I don't like to encourage people breeding more dogs. Hopefully, I am wrong and you did get a very good puppy from a very good breeder and very good store. I would definitely have a vet check for kennel cough, parvo, etc just to be sure. If I were you, I would just omit mentioning the store and say you got it from a breeder or rescue group.
Please do not breed your dog unless he is actual show quality. Too many dogs are destroyed because there are too many dogs needing homes.

Answer 4

Very possibly a backyard breeder's pup. Reputable breeders will not sell puppies to a petstore.

If you do plan to breed your dog, here are a few things to consider (there are many more considerations, this is just the tip of the iceberg):
- Does he conform to the breed standard? Correct markings and size?
- Are there any faults in the dog? Overbite or underbite, temperament issues, etc.?
- What is his pedigree like, does he have championship bloodlines?
-Are you prepared to go to AKC confirmation dog shows? Championship is not a definite requirement, a non-champion dog can still produce high-quality animals, but you need to verify that your dog fits the standard, and showing in confirmation is one of the best ways to do that.
** Unless you have an animal that is a perfect representation of the breed, do NOT breed that animal! **

Just because a dog is registered with the AKC does mean make it a quality animal, all that means is that its parents were both the same breed and both registered. Purebred does not equal quality, there are many low-quality purebred/AKC-registered dogs out there.

Answer 5

Regardless of where your pup came from, please only breed your dog for the RIGHT reasons - breeding is something that should be left to the professionals who have spent years researching on how to breed the specific dog for the best traits and avoid genetic defects and behavior issues. I'll include some websites with great information in them that may make you think twice before breeding your dog - always consider, many things can go wrong when females whelp pups, the vet costs can be exorbitant if there are any complications (common in small dogs) and your dog could even possibly die. Is that worth it just to get a couple puppies to sell or give to friends?
http://members.aol.com/ktbrit/breeding.html
http://tcmsc.com/breeding.html
http://www.dogplay.com/Breeding/breeding.html

Answer 6

While that particular dog may not have been a mill dog, it doesnt mean the other dogs sold there are not. Do not support pet stores.

And I am always suspect of a 'breeder' who has a 3rd party sell their litters, that is not a sign of a good breeder.

Many mills have "dummy" dogs they bring into their home and pass them off as the Dam and sire, meanwhile 10 acres back there is a barn filled with chicken cages containing dogs. I have seen this on 2 mill rescues I have been on. People who run these mills are con artists,a nd are good at what they do.

Neuter your dog, because you really dont know the background, its best not to breed pet store dogs because you can never be sure of their true lineage(many mill owners fudge registration papers, and while your dog may pass health tests, not just basic health tests, breed specific tests, it doesnt mean the parents did and you could pass on bad genes) and unless you want to seriously get into breeding, its best left to experienced breeders. AKC papers does NOT automatically make a dog a good candidate to be bred. You also cannot how good a dog is by looking at him, all pap pups are cute.

Answer 7

I can guarantee that your dog is not breeding quality, because GOOD breeders NEVER, NEVER, NEVER sell their puppies through pet shops or third parties. NEVER. AKC registered only means that the parents were AKC registered, not that the dog is any good.

I don't think you're "bad" for purchasing from a pet store, just misinformed. Keep researching and you'll understand why a pet store is a terrible place to get a puppy.

Answer 8

What kennel club is the dog registered with?

I have to agree with Ginbark: no reputable/responsible breeder would ever sell their pups to a pet store. The breeder might not be a puppy mill, but it screams Back Yard Breeder to me, and they're just a step away from a Puppy mill.

Answer 9

No responsible quality breeder would ever sell any of their dogs thru a pet store so the breeder is a BYB. Papers do not prove he is a purebred, false papers are very easy to come by and many pet store dogs have false papers and are in fact mixed breeds. Buying anything from a pet store that sells puppies encourages them to put more animals thru hell to produce unhealthy puppies or kitties. By buying a pet from there you help them to torture more dogs. Many pet stores use made up registries to register their dogs. Anyone can start their own registry..ie: People Kennel Club and produce "papers" off their computer.. Even AKC papers do not mean quality or that they are real..

Answer 10

no matter what you do people have the right to their own opinions just because your puppy isnt from a mill doesnt mean that they are dogs from petstores who arent getting a dog from a breeder is better atleast there they each recieve love and are cared for until they are found a nice a home.unlike a petstore they dont recieve the same attention people working there have other stuff to do than to care for them individually they work there for a paycheck they probaly dont even like it but they most likely have no option.but like isaid everyone is entitiled to their own opinions.and your not a horrible person just because you bought a dog from a petstore.regardless you gave that puppy a loving family.so you dont need to feel bad.