Puppy mills are large breeding facilities with little or no regard for the safety and health of the dogs in their care. They mass produce purebred puppies and, as a result, have no ability (or desire) to properly care for and raise the dogs. I’m sure you’ve heard about puppy mills and the horrific conditions the dogs in them are subjected to, so I won’t go into that. However, if you are considering getting a dog, you need to know what a puppy mill is, how you can recognize if a dog is a puppy mill dog, and what to do if you come across one. This will help you avoid inadvertently supporting puppy mills and prevent you from purchasing a potentially sick, non-socialized, genetically defective puppy that may require more attention and care than a regular dog.

Here’s how you can avoid puppy mill dogs:

1. adopt your puppy from a shelter or breed rescue group! Animal shelters and breed rescue groups usually spend the most time making sure the right dog goes to the right home. They are not in it for the money, so you can be sure that their primary motivation is the health and happiness of the dog. You’ll be working to solve the overpopulation problem that exists for both dogs and cats, and together you’ll avoid the problem of puppy mills. Keep in mind that many animal shelters will advertise online on sites such as Petfinder, and many will also partner with pet stores on weekends and during high traffic times to showcase their animals and stir up public interest in adoption. However, if you’re looking for a puppy at a pet store, make sure that the display is actually done in conjunction with an animal shelter or breed rescue group, and not just the store’s own display.

2. don’t buy your puppy from a store, newspaper ad or the internet. Dog breeding farm puppies are sold directly to the public through the mills themselves, newspaper advertisements, pet stores and the Internet, and it is the consumer demand for purebred puppies that drives the growth of puppy mills. Dogs don’t stay around puppies for long periods of time, and pet stores and breeders realize that most people who buy dogs want a puppy. As pet stores and breeders try to make a profit, they must have a ready supply of puppies on hand. It is this cycle that perpetuates the problem of puppy mills.

4. Visit your puppy’s breeding facility. If possible, take a trip to your puppy’s breeding center. This can tell you a lot about your puppy’s life since birth. Even if you can’t go see the facility, pretend you are going to when you talk to the pet store and/or breeder. Is the breeder hesitant to let you visit his facility? Is the pet store skeptical about revealing information about the breeder? If so, something may not be right.

5. Once you arrive at the facility, don’t be fooled by the facade. Many facilities have a separate area for potential puppy owners to greet their puppies. Obviously, this part of the breeding facility will be clean, well kept and attractive. Ask to see the rest of the facility. Make sure you see where all the puppies (and adult dogs) live on a daily basis. Ask to meet other puppies and bitches. When you visit the breeding facility, ask to meet the other puppies the breeder is selling. Remember, you may not be allowed to see puppies younger than 4 weeks. This is to protect the puppies from any diseases you may be carrying and is standard procedure at the breeding facility.

6. In puppy-processing plants, dogs raising puppies are usually both present, malnourished and sickly, because their sole purpose is to reproduce, and they are forced to do so as often as possible. Find out how many dogs there are in this facility and how many litters these dogs produce each year. Any breeder who has more than 1 or 2 litters a year may not have the time to properly care for and socialize the puppies. Any breeder with “unexpected” litter is definitely not doing their job. Make sure the bitch is not starting to “over breed”. Also, pay attention to the bitch’s (or dog’s) tendencies. Are they friendly or timid? Do they seem afraid of you? Do they run lively or lethargic? These are the parents of your puppy, so make sure they have the traits you are looking for in a dog.

7. Ask your breeder questions. Take some time to ask your breeder lots of questions. Remember that owning a dog is an investment, not something you should invest in lightly. You need a lot of information before you can make an informed decision. Here are some important questions to ask: How many breeds of dogs does this facility breed? One is better, two may be acceptable, but more than two is problematic.

8. can you see the breed of your puppy? If you don’t understand the lineage, ask the breeder to explain it to you completely. Your breeder should be able to provide you with a four-generation breed and give you information about all the dogs in it. Let your breeder ask you questions. Give your breeder the opportunity to ask you questions. He should be concerned about your home environment, how much time you’re going to spend with your puppy, and why you’re looking for a puppy (or this particular breed) in the first place. Make sure your breeder shows interest in where his puppy is being placed. If he doesn’t have questions for you, or doesn’t seem to care about your answers, it’s time to issue a warning.