101 Reasons Not To “Simply” Buy Puppies From
i)
Pet Stores
ii)
“So Called” Breeders
1. Health
Issue ala Bad Health: There
are so many pet stores’ puppies come from puppy mills. And who are these puppy
mills? Don’t forget puppy mills are breeders as well. They are the most unscrupulous
breeders. They are not the result of careful breeding and they are usually not
well cared for before coming to the stores. Some common illnesses and
conditions are neurological problems, eye problems, hip dysplasia, blood
disorders and Canine Parvovirus.
2. High
Tendency Having Behavioral Problems: Because breeding is indiscriminate, behavioral
problems are not weeded out generationally. You'll also find that a pet store's
staff is not likely to have any training in dealing with behavior issues so the
puppies continue to do the wrong things, which become habit.
3. Lacks
of Socialization: Pet
stores puppies are often pulled away from their litter at far too young an age,
often at only four or five weeks. The earliest a puppy should be separated from
his pack is eight weeks and most reputable breeders will say at least 10-12
weeks. This lack of time socializing with his siblings means that puppy will
not develop important canine skills. Likewise, a puppy who has not been handled
by people from about three weeks will not naturally socialize well with them.
4. The
Downfall of The Standard: In a broad sense, purchasing a puppy from a pet store and then breeding
her means you are ruining the standard of that breed because the previous
breeders were not concerned with it. Having said that, all of them are “still”
certified as a pedigree breed.
5. Lack
of Information: The
sales personnel of a pet store staff is not an expert on a breed and often not
on dogs in general. They may not even know where the puppies were coming from.
6. Return
at Your Puppy's Peril: Most pet stores in the western world do offer a warranty of sorts where
you can bring the puppy back if he/she has problems. They don't tend to tell
customers that the puppy's fate, once returned, their fate of surviving is
normally ended.
7. Problem
with Housebreaking: Pet
store puppies have spent all their short lives in cages. They do not have the
opportunity to develop the natural canine instinct of eliminating away from
their food and bed. This causes problems when you try to housebreak them.
8. What
You See Isn't Necessarily What You Get: If you see what looks like a Great Dane in the
window, you may find, as he/she grows, that there's a little Great Dane’s
features but mostly he/she looks like a Kutta.
There is no guarantee you will get a purebred dog if that's what you're after.
9. Poor
Value: A puppy
from a pet store generally costs between USD500 and USD2,000 & above (for
normal purebred). This is often more than you'd pay at a reputable breeder who
can ensure you get a healthy puppy and provide support afterward.
10.
Questionable Pedigree: You're paying for a pedigree. When you buy a puppy from a pet store but
it's very likely that it's not genuine. If the papers are genuine, it still
doesn't mean the puppy is a good example of its breed - you need an honest breeder
to prove that.
What are
our options other than pet store puppies? Find a local honest reputable breeder
that knowing the breed.
Local
honest reputable breeders are knowledgeable about the breed they represent and
can help with behavioral and physical issues that might come up later. These
breeders socialize their puppies early on, breed in good traits and breed out
bad ones and they can show you your puppies' parents and share with you their
history.
So the
next time you see that adorable puppy in the window, pause and think about the
downsides. Buying from such a store is, in essence, supporting them and the
horrible practice of puppy mills. And it is also almost a sure bet that you'll
have a bad experience.
