Do dogs from pet stores come from...?

Question

...puppymills or private breeders? In the pet store they said the dogs come from private breeders and not puppy mills, but I dont know if I should believe them.

Answer 1

Both. Anymore the petstores buy them from puppy brokers who have them shipped from puppymills and private breeders. However; no reputable breeder would ever allow their offspring to be shipped across country to never know where it goes.

There are other stores that purchase or take peoples accidents and sell them which is just as bad too.

Not long ago my daughter her friend and I went to Jacls to find a piece for the lizard tank and petsmart didn't have it. We walk in they did have cute little mixed mutts for $800. My kid told her friend very rudely in front of the employees don't touch them we have babies at home. She is 14 but knows they are the most likely diseased pups anywhere. These animals someone allowed to get into this world and do not take care of them. We rescue mommas from kill shelters and take better care of them than breeders that say they love them.

If a pet is in a store stay away whoever allowed the breeding didn't really care about them and certainly didn't put any money into making sure parents were healthy.

Answer 2

Private breeders can still be puppymills. Personally, I wouldn't buy a puppy from a pet store--I think keeping them on display in those small cages is cruel (puppies need to run about, explore, figure out who they are and what they can do, etc.). They are also prone to catch things like kennel cough and fleas/ticks even internal parasites from another puppy being kept there. If you must have a pure breed dog, go directly to the breeder so you can see how the dogs are being kept, what the personality of the mom and dad dogs are, maybe even have a better selection of puppies. Usually when you talk tot he breeder, he/she will have a good idea of the personalities of the puppies too so they can match you to the puppy closest to what you want/need. And then you'll not have to wonder if your pup actually came from a puppymill or not.

Answer 3

Well I guess it all in how we look at Private Breeders and how many different breeds they have. I not sure what classifies a puppy mill. I assume it a person with more than one breed that breed as often as the dog is ready.
So, a Private Breeder could be classified as a puppy mill if they breed a dog every time it ready. A puppy mill is privately owned, so, that technically makes them a Private Breeder. I would assume if the dog looks healthy and like the breed it supposed to be then it from a reputable breeder.
http://www.canismajor.com/dog/puppymil.html

Answer 4

Do not believe the pet store as they are lying. ALL puppies in a pet store come from puppy mills. It is a fact of life. Why don't you go back to the pet store and tell them that you would like the names and numbers of the breeders that they purchase from? Tell them you would like to contact the breeders to possibly view the parents and ask about bloodlines and championships and such. Watch and see the reaction of the employees or owners. Should be interesting. Whatever you do do NOT buy a puppy from the puppy store. It is likely to have health and temperament problems. You will also only be contributing to the puppy mill cycle.

Answer 5

NO reputable breeder will knowingly sell a pup to a pet store or for resale. It's right in the code of ethics of almost every breed club - so if they violate that part of the code of ethics what about the parts concerning say heath? Now tha is not to say every private breeder is a reputable breeder so technically that could be true (but don't bet on it - if they have a USDA lisence their a puppy mill admitadly one on the top edge of the scale (they actually give the dogs food & water..)

Answer 6

Well, I would have to say that most do. Try to google the pet store you're considering. Some have complaint forums warning against them. I can usually tell what puppies are from reputable breeders at my local pet stores by looking at the tags on their cages - I live in New York, but most of the breeders live in Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and other southern states! (Which is where a lot of puppy mills are, coincidentally). Consider a shelter puppy. There are plenty to go around, trust me.

Answer 7

Pet store puppies come from puppy mills! Do not get one - you don't want to support puppy mills.

Think about it - do you really think a private breeder, one who loves his dogs, puts a lot of time and effort into breeding, is going to sell their puppies to some store, never knowing what kind of homes these puppies are going to get? Never! A real breeder has questionnaires prospective owners have to fill out to determine if they're going to be a good home for that puppy.

Answer 8

I think I would ask the definition of "private breeder". Anything that is not public, that is government owned, is technically private. Private just means owned by a person, who just might be popping out 100 dogs a year, aka puppy mill.

Answer 9

Pet stores can get puppies from both. If they are a reputable pet store, they should be willing to give you a proof of history without hesitation.
If you are looking for specific breed standards, you should find a private breeder. That is the best way to be sure your pup meets high breed standards (but even then you cannot be sure).
If you are just looking to adopt of cuddly companion or to resuce a little pup who needs rescuing, it does not matter where he came from as long as he is healthy and happy and you give him a good home.

Answer 10

If you want to get a great dog but still want a specific breed check into rescue groups that specialize by breed. Get the dog you want and save a life. OR Go to your local shelter. Many great dogs in need there as well.

Pet store dogs are almost certain to be puppymill dogs. Be careful there!