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FlDebra · 10-28-2006, 05:07 AM

You make some excellent points. Another would be that we should not assume that all puppies from pet shops are coming from puppy mills. I know our local pet shop gets their Yorkies from a lady near here who breeds from her home. They offer up the name and location for the asking and you can check for yourself. My mom had a pet store years ago and she did not buy from puppy mills but she did not always have dogs and cats for sale either. It was usually the occcasional pet owner pleading for her to sell their last pup or find a new home for their own pet. She mostly dealt with tropical birds and tried diligently to avoid the abusers. Talk about some horror stories -- people smuggling them in to the country wrapped in nylon hose so they don't make noise or move -- arriving barely alive. She made sure to find people who bred their own and had a facility open to visit. Responsible pet store owners can still do some investigative work to make sure they are not buying from abusive sources. And responsible pet purchasers can do a little investigative work to find the source of the pet store puppies. Some may wind up pleasantly surprised.

And sometimes you never know. I bought our first 6 month old Yorkie from a loving owner who was having health problems. She had a very nice, clean home and obviously spoiled her Yorkie. But when we unexpectantly lost her, a little research on her breeder led us to the town puppymill. So, although I thought I was buying from an excellent source, originally she had come from a cement block building with no a/c and no heat, a building stacked with cages and adult Yorkies who never know play.

This time around I am buying puppies that I have seen as newborns and got to socialize a little along the way. Both come from home breeders who are very knowledable and have years of experience with their own Yorkies. I got to interact with the parents of both puppies and see just how loving, alert and happy they are. This is ideal for me, but I know it is not the only way to wind up with an excellent pet or even show dog.

10-28-2006, 05:07 AM	#5
FlDebra Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: FL Posts: 7,651	You make some excellent points. Another would be that we should not assume that all puppies from pet shops are coming from puppy mills. I know our local pet shop gets their Yorkies from a lady near here who breeds from her home. They offer up the name and location for the asking and you can check for yourself. My mom had a pet store years ago and she did not buy from puppy mills but she did not always have dogs and cats for sale either. It was usually the occcasional pet owner pleading for her to sell their last pup or find a new home for their own pet. She mostly dealt with tropical birds and tried diligently to avoid the abusers. Talk about some horror stories -- people smuggling them in to the country wrapped in nylon hose so they don't make noise or move -- arriving barely alive. She made sure to find people who bred their own and had a facility open to visit. Responsible pet store owners can still do some investigative work to make sure they are not buying from abusive sources. And responsible pet purchasers can do a little investigative work to find the source of the pet store puppies. Some may wind up pleasantly surprised. And sometimes you never know. I bought our first 6 month old Yorkie from a loving owner who was having health problems. She had a very nice, clean home and obviously spoiled her Yorkie. But when we unexpectantly lost her, a little research on her breeder led us to the town puppymill. So, although I thought I was buying from an excellent source, originally she had come from a cement block building with no a/c and no heat, a building stacked with cages and adult Yorkies who never know play. This time around I am buying puppies that I have seen as newborns and got to socialize a little along the way. Both come from home breeders who are very knowledable and have years of experience with their own Yorkies. I got to interact with the parents of both puppies and see just how loving, alert and happy they are. This is ideal for me, but I know it is not the only way to wind up with an excellent pet or even show dog. __________________ FlDebra and her ABCs Annie, Ben, Candy Promoting Healthy Breeding to the AKC Yorkshire Terrier Standard Last edited by FlDebra; 10-28-2006 at 05:12 AM.