What if your dog didn't come from a rebutable breeder

[Jane Smith]

Apparently when I got my girls (a year apart) I didn't know much about breeders, or what questions to ask, if any.  I am now thinking that I got my girls from puppy mills, and I just feel sick.  I mean I love them, and they are healthy, but to think I contributed to that makes me sick.

 

The reason I suspect this, is I e-mailed the guy that set it up (both dogs were flown in from different states), and told him that I had someone that was interested in a dog from Ethel's breeder, and if he could get me the name of the breeder.  I have not gotten a response and this was a few days ago.  When I told the interested party that I believed I went through a breeder broker type thing, she informed me that it definitely was a puppy mill then and not a rebutable breeder.   Yikes! 

[Kate]

Karen...great minds, my dear! I literally just sent you a message then I saw your message come thru! That is too funny!!! :-)

[F, Calla & Luca]

I know that you didn't mean that : )

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

F makes a good point. It seems to be so hard for many people to differentiate between an on-line puppy broker's site or a puppy mill website, and a good responsible breeder's site. One excellent point is that a reputable breeder will have their own individual site, and your initial contact will be with the breeder herself (or himself), and not with a broker.

Here are some examples of broker sites:

http://www.puppyfind.com/?sid=3e6d48405d18af9fc7368d1373ac7514

http://www.pups4kids.com/

http://purebredbreeders.com/

I'm not going to post any websites for puppy mills or for responsible breeders here, as I don't want to violate any DK guidelines or recommend any breeders, but if you are in doubt, start by checking the breeder's name on our DK members list and doing a Google search for the name. Check mapquest and/or switchboard  for the address. Look for out for more than one breed, lots of dogs, lots of puppies, low prices. Feel free to ask me or anyone else you trust to be knowledgable about buying puppies.

 

 

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Karen I just checked out the Pups4kids site and I see they are offering a 2 year health guarantee??? How can that be? I couldn't actually find a copy of the guarantee. I suppose they could just offer a replacement pup only?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I know this operation personally, as well as owners of some of the poor dogs that have come from her. She formerly owned a pet store. Whatever she's offering, she's a broker.   Book it, take it to the bank. She deals in so many dogs with so little overhead and so high a profit margin, that I'm sure it isn't any hardship for her to offer a replacement pup. She also knows her clientele, and they are not for the most part people who would take her up on that offer. 

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

It is just another way to confuse and deceive people into believing that they are dealing with a reputable breeder. Grrrr!

[Camilla and Darwin]

Thanks for writing this Jane, I really respect and admire your honesty and determination to stand up for what you know is right. I bought Darwin from a BYB, and I make a huge point to educate anyone who asks me where I got him about good breeders and rescue. They never expect the earful I give them. :-)

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Me too! I am sure they are sorry that they asked!

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

When I was fist looking for a dog I almost bought from a broker. Then a friend told me all about unethical breeding and after that I did tons of research before getting my doodle.

Think of it this way. Your doodles led you to doodle kisses, where you have learned so much. Now you can go out and educate others about puppy mills and unethical breeding. Like others have said, everything happens for a reason.

[Stacy, Bruno, Molly and Gracie]

Thank you for your honesty and for your story. I purchased my goldendoodle boy from a breeder after trying for 1.5 years to adopt from 2 different rescues! After numerous correspondence I learned that the only red flag to my app was that we did not have a physical fence. I know how important that can be but I felt like all the other things we had to offer: I am home full time, my husband has his office in our home, dog experience, excellent references, prior fostering experience.... those things did not outweigh the lack of a physical fence. I so admire the work that rescues do that I struggled to purchase a dog, but in the end that is what our family wanted and we got a fabulous dog from a reputable breeder.

 

Our hope is to add to our doodle family and I will again try the rescue route, but I will not be limited to that or be made to feel guilty if we end up going to a breeder again.

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

I hear you Stacy. I had the same problem when I was looking for a rescue before giong to a breeder. I live in an apartment and I think people assume apartment people are somehow less responsible, which is absurd. My dog is far better socialized than most because I take her out and about instead of leaving her to run around by herself in the back yard.

[Jane Smith]

Would they advertise puppy mills and breeder brokers on this site?  The reason I ask is there is an ad that runs on the right side of this screen that says "Goldendoodle puppies CA."  Well, that is the exact same place I went through for both of my girls.  Has anyone gone through these people?  Are they rebutable since they are on this site, or can anyone advertise anything they want?