Originally Posted by hockeymom

If you are just looking for a pet, then it really would not matter about the registration, but if you were wanting to show or breed, then it does matter. When I refer to “breed” I am indicating a reputable breeder, not a puppy mill, or any of the other indiscriminate people that just breed to make money, and are not doing their best to keep the integrity of the breed.

Diva pup…I thought your guide lines and definitions were right on target!

Originally Posted by diva pup

.

Here are our Dog Owner's Guidedefinitions to help you decide:

Hobby breeder: A breed fancier who usually has only one breed but may have two; follows a breeding plan in efforts to preserve and protect the breed; produces from none to five litters per year; breeds only when a litter will enhance the breed and the breeding program; raises the puppies with plenty of environmental and human contact; has a contract that protects breeder, dog, and buyer; runs a small, clean kennel; screens breeding stock to eliminate hereditary defects from the breed; works with a breed club or kennel club to promote and protect the breed; and cares that each and every puppy is placed in the best home possible.

Commercial breeder: One who usually has several breeds of dogs with profit as the primary motive for existence. The dogs may be healthy or not and the kennel may be clean or not. The dogs are probably not screened for genetic diseases, and the breeding stock is probably not selected for resemblance to the breed standard or for good temperament. Most commercial breeders sell their puppies to pet stores or to brokers who sell to pet stores.

Broker: One who buys puppies from commercial kennels and sells to retail outlets. Brokers ship puppies by the crate-load on airlines or by truckload throughout the country. Brokers must be licensed by USDA and must abide by the shipping regulations in the Animal Welfare Act.

Buncher: One who collects dogs of unknown origin for sale to laboratories or other bunchers or brokers. Bunchers are considered lower on the evolutionary scale than puppy mill operators, for there is much suspicion that they buy stolen pets, collect pets advertised as "Free to a good home", and adopt unwanted pets from animal shelters for research at veterinary colleges or industrial research laboratories.

Backyard breeder: A dog owner whose pet either gets bred by accident or who breeds on purpose for a variety of reasons. This breeder is usually ignorant of the breed standard, genetics, behavior, and good health practices. A backyard breeder can very easily become a commercial breeder or a puppy mill.

Puppy mill: A breeder who produces puppies hand over fist with no breeding program, little attention to puppy placement, and poor health and socialization practices. A puppy mill may or may not be dirty but it is usually overcrowded and the dogs may be neglected or abused because the breeder can't properly handle as many dogs as he has. Puppy mill operators often denigrate hobby breeders and their dogs in attempts to make a sale.

Unfortunately, some people who are well-ensconced in your local dog scene could be categorized as operating puppy mills. Prospective buyers should be careful to question anyone they are considering as a source for a puppy.


I copied and pasted this from another site.

Originally Posted by diva pup

Kim, I cannot find the site again.It was an art site is about all I can tell you. I do not think the person had an "agenda" any more than I do. It was just another web page that is against puppy mills.
I posted it because you wanted a definition and I thought it was pretty accurate. I think I must be a little confused as to what you are looking for. Did you want a legal definition?
IMO A commercial breeding facility is no different than a puppymill. They are both a breeding for profit business with no concern about the genetics of the dogs they are breeding. As long as they are the same breed or at least in the ballpark of the same breed.
And an FYI, Did you know that APRI will register dogs with a limited AKC pedigree? So the breeders that sold these dogs on pet contracts because they didn't feel they were of quality to breed for whatever reason the "reputable" APRI registry will register for breeding.

Originally Posted by diva pup

For petes sake Kim!!!! First of all that is NOT where I got those definitions, I got them from some canine artists site, mary somebody, I really did not remember. I am fairly new to copying and pasting unlike some, so forgive my mistake.
But if you did think you knew, why you didn't just say so is anybodys guess.Second, I went back and reread part of the thread you posted and did not get the idea that posting the definitions caused people to think you were defending mills, I think playing the "devils advocate" AGAIN caused people to think you were defending mills. Dawn

Originally Posted by red98vett

I actually don't think the wrong idea was given by you Kim - you stated dogs are pack animals and needed only each other - probably were perfectly fine in cages.... and that the place looked good to you.... when most of us saw a puppy mill.

Dirt floors and selling to PETLAND didn't seem to bother you - and THAT is why I had a hard time with that whole thread - no matter what was right there - you kept defending it and finding reasons to back up what you wanted to say. I'm all for different opinions but I know for a FACT that my yorkies would be MISERABLE in a cage - and so are most other dogs.

A Mill is a Mill. Not a nice place. Period. There was no misunderstanding from what I read - I'm not saying you are FOR mills....I'm just stating that you sure defend lots of brokers and questionable sites such as that one. It's been an ongoing thing for months...we seem to have the same threads that go the same way as that one you just linked to.

I don't think you were misunderstood at all. You were VERY explicit in your posting and defense of the site in question. It's done and over - can't you just leave it be ? from THAT thread ... a great new ANTI-PUPPY Mill site evolved so actually...in was in part thanks to you.