The Differences Between Puppy Mills and Professional Kennels

You've probably heard the term Puppy Mill and have seen the video footage of dogs in cramped and filthy cages. But, along with inhumane living conditions, there are other differences between puppy mills versus professional kennels. This article explains the many differences between those who run puppy mills and those who are professional, responsible, breeders.

The biggest differences between professional, responsible breeders and owners of puppy mills are attitude and purpose.

Owners of puppy mills are in it to make money. Profit is their priority and one way that puppy mill operators increase their profit is by running the operation cheaply. Dogs are confined to cages or small runs and suffer from overcrowding and/or long-term confinement. Dogs in puppy mills do not receive all the veterinary care they need because vet care is costly, especially for the larger number of dogs a typical mill has, and most veterinarians will report a puppy mill.

Responsible dog breeders, on the other hand, are not just breeding dogs for money. They want to promote positive characteristics in certain dog breeds. They do make money selling the puppies, but it is a much different situation and the attitude is very different from puppy mills.

Breeders spend money on proper veterinary care. They take good care of the dogs because they care about them, and because they know that animals used for breeding must be well cared for if they are to produce the best litters. Breeders do profit from selling the pups but, after veterinary costs, food costs (breeders are selective about food they feed their dogs) and other costs, they don't profit as much as one might think.

Responsible, professional breeders love dogs and, therefore, take good care of them. They provide proper housing and allow visits to their home. Breeders do not keep dogs in unsanitary conditions or cages with bare-wire flooring or other unsuitable flooring that could injure the dog's paws.

Professional dog breeders are knowledgeable about special needs of the breeds they raise. Also, they are more than willing to discuss the dogs and show the dogs and their facility because they enjoy what they do and they enjoy discussing the breed. The AKC encourages people to visit a breeder's home to meet the dogs and the owner before buying a puppy. Blindly buying a puppy is never endorsed or encouraged.

Responsible breeders know that mental health of an animal is important. Dogs kept in small cages go "stir crazy" and are unhealthy mentally and physically. Breeders will allow playtime-- and they know that all dogs, including small dogs such as Pomeranians, need room to move.

Pet stores and puppy mills

Pets of Bel Air, an upscale pet store in Bel Air, California, recently came under fire when The Humane Society of the United States alleged the puppies at the store came from puppy mills. Investigators from the HSUS had traced puppies sold at the pet store to several puppy mills. Pets of Bel Air had told customers that the dogs came from private breeders. It is unfortunate that anyone seeking to buy a puppy should not trust the word of a pet store--but that seems to be the reality much of the time.

Unless a pet store can give you the name and real address of the breeder so that you can speak with the breeder and inspect the home or kennel, do not buy a dog from a pet store. When you buy a dog from a pet store without checking the true origin of the dog, you might be putting money in the pockets of puppy mill operators.

An exception to this is stores such as Pet Smart. Pet Smart, in Kansas and other areas, allows rescue organizations (here the organizations are PALS animal rescue and the Kansas Humane Society) to place pets up for adoption in the stores. These are often rescued pets or pets that have been relinquished by an owner to a shelter. They have received veterinary care and are current on shots.

Puppy mills still exist because they continue to be profitable. In the long run, the way to stop puppy mills is to impact their profitability. The way to do this is to only adopt from shelters, rescue organizations, or from responsible breeders.