[QuickSilver]

I am sure you are a caring person, so as aggravating as it may be, please think about what we are saying here. This is not just coming from one or two members, or people with show dogs, or from animal activists. There are so many reasons not to go with this breeder.

I am not sure he qualifies as a puppy mill -- I think he is a large scale BYB, which still perpetuates pet overpopulation and poor animal welfare. I don't understand how you can be so certain he is not a BYB simply because you have talked to him. Surely you know there are excellent con men out there. How do you account for the other things people are saying here: the shady registry, the calls another YT member made, the willingness to release puppies way too early, the fact that the mother is kennelled, the red flags on the website, the shaky health guarantee?

Also: if you are lucky, you will have this dog for twenty years. Isn't that worth an eight hour drive to check the conditions she lives in?

Have you considered that there may even be better breeders who live closer to you?

I am appealing to your heart here, and it is genuinely done out of concern. I volunteer at an animal shelter, and I have to tell you, it is so important to breed responsibly, and to support responsible breeding.