Puppy Mills  

by Claudine Kosier

When you're ready to add a puppy to your family, be very wary about where you get your puppy from. Some people want a purebred dog because they want a specific look or personality traits in their dog and they might go to their local pet store because it is convenient. This decision will have a buyer unknowingly supporting the puppy mill trade.

Puppy mills are not a new problem; they've been around for years and unfortunately since the demand for puppies continues, puppy mills stay in business. People who run puppy mills sell their pups through pet stores, the Internet and some even place ads in your local newspaper.

The problem with puppy mills is the manner in which the dogs are treated. The dogs are kept in small cages and bred continually for years upon years with little to no human companionship, exercise, good food or love. When the dogs can no longer produce litters of puppies at a rate that is making a profit for the puppy mills, they are simply killed and less commonly abandoned or sold to other puppy mills. Puppy mills themselves are not illegal and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspects and licenses the breeding facilities as long as they meet "minimum care requirements" and breeding facilities that sell direct to consumers are not currently required to have a license or be inspected at all.

Dogs are social animals and crave love and companionship, puppies born from puppy mills can have a myriad of health and behavior problems and these issues often aren't found until an unsuspecting person has fallen in love with a puppy in a pet shop window and adopted it only to find the dog has serious health issues down the road or is a discipline problem due to the bad start they got. Almost any behavioral problem in a dog can conquered through daily working with your dog and gaining his trust. Rewarding good behaviors with dog treats is a great way to use positive reinforcement with when training your dog.

If you're ready to add a canine companion to your family be very aware puppy mills are a big business. Please consider finding a reputable breeder if you feel you must have a pure bred dog. Check with the American Kennel Club for a breeder in your area or make a trip to your local Humane Society, you just might find your new family member waiting and ready to go home with you! Saving a life from a local shelter can be an incredible and very rewarding experience.
About the Author

Claudine Kosier is the owner of Chasing My Tail.com, a company dedicated to providing top quality & unique gift items for pets and their people.