I don't think it is wise or effective to place rather or not your a puppy mill based on how many dogs you sell a year. I show, breed and train shelties, belgian malinois and german shorthaired pointers and I am in no way shape or form a puppy mill. I have had 1 litter total of Beligan malinois in 4 years (not per year, 1 litter total), and as for the GSP's I've also only had one litter and only have two shorthairs total in my house (mother and daughter, one is an International and AKC CH. and the other is a pup).
Anyway my problem with baseing rather or not your a puppy mill based on how many dogs you sell a year is this: IT DEPENDS ON WHAT BREED YOU BRED! Since the average Malinois or GSP litter is at least 7 pups per litter, have two litters and your a puppy mill??? I don't think how many you sell a year or even in cases how many breeds you have make you a puppy mill (of course 12 breeds- isn't what I'm talking about).
What makes someone a puppy mill and not a breeder are the following: not doing genetic testing on their dogs, not breeding to improve the breed, not socilizing puppies, not keeping shots, wormings, and other health related stuff up to date, not caring who buys your puppies as long as you sell them, selling puppies to pet shops and brokers, breeding mixed designer breeds (face it they are mixes!), not supporting rescue organizations, not caring what kind of conditions the dogs are kept in, not keeping up teeth, grooming or making sure the dogs and fed the right amount, and anyone who breeds dogs that they know for a fact have genetic, health or temperment problems is deffintally a puppy mill! Basically if you don't care about the welfare of the dogs, and they are not family members and you are not working to improve the breed and breeding anyway then you are a puppy mill.
Ashley |