Doodle in a pet store

[Karen & Maple]

So I've been looking for an obedience class for both my husband and myself to bring our 4 month old to. We've been challenged to find one that fits our schedule. While I wasn't to happy about where this class was being held (Puppy Express), the trainer seemed good (retired cop K-9 trainer). I didn't want to delay any more on getting started, especially with socialization. His company is independent and he holds the class at different locations each night in the area. I've never been in this place, only snarled every time I drove by, assuming they sell puppy mill pups. Thursdays work best for us,it very close to our house, so I agreed. Anyways sure enough, we went tonight, and find a 6 month old Doodle in one the glass pens. He's obviously a standard who barely fits in the cage. And while I'm not happy about any of the puppies being in this store, this really bothered us. He was much older and bigger than the other puppies. I asked the trainer if he knew where these puppies come from. He said to the best of his knowledge they are not from mills. Most where AKC certified. I was pleasantly surprised to find the store was clean, and I did like that they carry high quality holistic food (such as the ones on our list). But still, something didn't smell right. Not sure if there's anything that can be done. Not sure of the arrangement this trainer has with this store. I hope we're not supporting mills in some way.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

This so sad! I have a cousin ( by marriage) who found a GoldenDoodle in a mall pet store in Miami. The salesperson told her it had AKC papers! They also wanted $2500.00 for him.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

First, there is no such thing as AKC papers for a doodle, or for any other mixed breed dog. They are not recognized by the AKC.

Second, purebred dogs born in puppy mills can have AKC registration papers. The AKC sells them to anyone who breeds puppies whose parents are both the same recognized breed, whether it is a private breeder or a puppy mill. 

Third, ALL PET STORE PUPPIES COME FROM PUPPY MILLS. PERIOD. END OF STORY.

Jackdoodle was purchased from a pet store by his original owners. There are lots of goldendoodles and labradoodles sold in pet stores. I don;t know why anyone is surprised by this.  

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Agreed Karen. My cousin had emailed me about the dog, and it basically told her all of the info you stated above. She went back to the pet store and asked to see the papers. The woman told her they were kept off sight so elsewhere and insisted the pup had papers!. LOL..my cousin is a pretty vocal person and argued with the saleswoman, who called over a MGR., who escorted my cousin out of the store.
Our discussion was, later, she wanted to go back and save the dog. She understood about not subsidizing the Petstore and if she purchased the pup, another would only take it's place....but it was still hard for her to leave the pup behind.

[Karen & Maple]

I really was not surprised by this. But still saddened and concerned that maybe I shouldn't even be in there for the class. But I really wanted to get to a class sooner rather than later. The trainer is supposedly not affiliated with the store. They just let him hold it there. I suppose in an effort to build up business? I did find anouther class further away that will work with both our schedules, at a training facility, I'm planning on attending. But it doesn't get started for a few more weeks.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

If you are certain that none of your money is going to the pet store, then you are not supporting puppy mills by taking a class there. However, I am concerned as to how dog savvy this trainer is if he really doesn't know where pet store puppies come from. And if he does know, he's being untruthful with you, which is not a good thing either. It also seems strange that anyone who loves dogs and is empathetic towards them would choose to hold classes in a store that sells puppies. That would bother me. My guess is that he has an "arrangement" with the store owners whereby they recommend him to their puppy buyers. 

I would also be concerned about diseases. Pet store puppies are known to harbor all kinds of parasites and infectious diseases. I would not want JD walking around in areas where those puppies had been playing or pottying, let alone a young puppy. 

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

All pet store puppies are puppy mill puppies.  The favorite story is "these aren't puppy mill puppies, they come from private caring (backyard) breeders."  What caring breeder puts a pup in a cage at a pet store? These pups are usually sold and transported by puppy brokers. Sometimes they're purchased at auction.  If he's 6 months old and he hasn't been sold, his time is running out. Awful but true.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

They are all from mills, Rose. We would all like to believe that some of them are from a nice couple who just had an "oops" litter, but they are from puppy mills. There is required documentation on puppies sold in pet stores, by law. It is possible to know where they come from, and we do. It's important that everyone who claims to love dogs is aware of this. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Not legally it doesn't. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

You have no idea how much you are contributing to their harm by defending anyone who sells puppies in a pet store. It is you who are misrepresenting the facts. Do some research. It is well documented that pet store puppies come from mills. There is a huge movement, at least in the US, to make it illegal to sell puppies in a pet store, and it already is in many states. This is because of where those puppies come from. If it was an honest business, why would anyone be passing laws against it? 

Nobody who loves dogs would dream of selling puppies in a store, no matter what the circumstance. As long as there are people in denial perpetuating this myth and telling anecdotal stories about the nice couple with the oops litter, the puppy millers flourish and dogs continue to suffer and die in puppy mills. 

[Stephanie and Ragley]

Before anyone gets upset by what you may have meant by that comment, can you please explain how you were applying that term to this situation so that we can all sigh and say, "oh I thought she meant ____; I'm glad I misunderstood"?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

And FYI, the pet stores buy from brokers, not directly from the mills. 

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I believe that all puppies sold in a pet store come from Puppy Mills. An "accidental" pregnancy compounded by placing an ad in the paper for any Tom, Dick, or Harry to show up and take those pups is not only careless, but very dangerous in my opinion. Who is to say the person who showed up from the store actually worked for the store and was not some unscrupulous person posing as such? And for that matter, any store that would purchase a litter of pups from someone off the street is just one more reason why puppies sold in pet stores should be avoided at all costs. I hope selling puppies in pet stores becomes illegal everywhere soon.

As for the class, if it were me, I would talk to the trainer and tell him my concerns. Who knows maybe he will listen and change the location of his class.