Mills can be small or large, located in someone’s backyard or on a farm or commercial property. Some sell directly from their home to the public through newspaper ads. Others sell through pet stores, and some do both.

Regardless of size or location, mill breeders share one trait: they breed to make money. Since caring properly for mothers and puppies is expensive, these breeders cut corners, disregard the dogs’ health and basic needs to maximize their profits.

Steer clear of any breeder who is hesitant to show you their entire kennel and let you interact with the puppy’s parents. They should also show you AKC papers proving parentage and bloodlines, and provide them to you at the time of the purchase. Get copies of vet records showing proof of necessary vaccines.

Save viewing the puppies until after you are completely satisfied with the legitimacy of their operation. Breeders often bring out puppies as soon as you arrive – a sales tactic that causes buyers to lose caution and buy impulsively because they fall in love with a puppy.

Mill breeders sell puppies too early for healthy development (less than 7 weeks). Puppies aren’t given enough time with their mom and littermates to learn desirable behaviors they need to become well-adjusted companions – like proper potty habits, bite inhibition and getting along with dogs and people.

Avoid a breeder who does not ask you a lot of questions, which show they care about the dog’s future, not just about making a sale.

Mill owners breed many popular breeds and have litters available all the time. If you are looking at ads, be sure to check how many different ads list the same phone number or how many different phone numbers reach the same person.

Remember, almost half of the puppies from mills are sick or incubating disease at the time of sale, including the deadly Parvo-virus, parasites, infestations, skin diseases and infected wounds. Many have serious congenital defects like eye and hip problems and are often prone to serious behavior problems.

Nearly a quarter of the dogs brought to shelters are purebreds. Please consider adopting from a shelter or purebred rescue group before purchasing a puppy from a pet store or breeder.

Information on congenital diseases that occur in purebreds can be found at www.avar.org