The One Thing You Should Never Buy Online is Your Puppy!
(Please watch the We The Puppies video above.)
Yes, online is great when it comes to shoes or purses, but when you are adding a furry new member to your family it could be a grave mistake. There are many dangers to buying a puppy based on a photo. First and foremost, there is no way to know the health or temperament of a puppy based on a photo. The majority of dogs sold online come from abusive puppy mills, where they are taken from their mothers too early, put in a crate and shipped, trucked or delivered somewhere. These puppies can be sick upon delivery and have long term health, anxiety and genetic issues, not to mention the stress of traveling. And after making an online purchase, many buyers end up with a sick dog, or scammed and receive no dog at all. Here is why you should always pick your puppy up in person, meet the mother dog and see where she lives.
Meet the Mother… And See First Hand Where Your Puppy Was Born
Do your homework. Any breeder can be a puppy mill. It’s so important to meet the mother dog and see where and how she lives, learn about what red flags to look for. Responsible breeders don’t send their puppies to the first person that sends a deposit, they want to meet you and encourage you to visit their home, so you can see where the puppies and their mothers live. After an in-person visit, it’s up to you. Did the dogs there look happy or well adjusted? Were they afraid of people? Does the breeder use Paypal, Venmo or other quick payment methods? Does the dog come with a contract? Responsible breeders will always take their dogs back if you are unable to properly care for it. A good breeder truly cares where their puppies will be living.
USDA dog breeders and Amish dog breeders sell and ship puppies online and through puppy broker websites. They are considered commercial dog breeders. We do not recommend ever buying a puppy born in a USDA breeding farm. Many of these breeders sell puppies on several different online platforms and are mass shipping puppies while giving the appearance of being small family breeders.
As for the websites listing hundreds of puppies for sale with popular dogs such as sheepadoodles, bernedoodles, cockapoos and French Bulldogs that claim they do not use and do not approve of puppy mills, can easily get away with saying those statements as they are very subjective. Please see our Puppy Mill Watchdog page.
Help Us Eliminate the Horrific Cruelty and Abuse of Puppy Mills
Most people don’t know anything about puppy mills. Any breeder can be a puppy mill. They are large or small dog breeders that breed puppies for profit. They can have anywhere from 10 to hundreds of breeding dogs. The mother dogs end up being breeding machines, kept pregnant in cages day and night. Worst of all, they are denied vet care. These dogs are never groomed or allowed to exercise. And many of these dogs are living and breeding with painful untreated conditions. And of course, these conditions can easily be passed on to their puppies. The best way to eliminate puppy mills is to never purchase a puppy online or from a pet store. Meet the mother dog and see the conditions yourself, first-hand. Keep in mind, your dog will be part of your family for 14 plus years, so please make sure you do the right thing when it comes to buying that new puppy. Here are photos of legal puppy mills.