recognising puppy farms?

[yllas]

I started researching, as best as I could, local whippet breeders.
I read advice about how to avoid puppy farmers, and went into it with a critical eye.

It seems to me that some puppy farmers, especially with the assistance of social media, are really getting clever at making their establishments look unlike what we think of as a puppy farm.

Set up photos and videos to demonstrate dogs all living in the home must be pretty easy to do, when out back they have kennels...(which may be clean and heated, but still is a very different thing to living in the home)

Alarm bells rang when:

Several different breeds of dog being bred there
Several litters a year of the desired breed
Excuses for not being able to visit until it's puppy viewing time.
Not asking questions about me!




I've decided I'm not clever enough to be the judge of this, and although I've been given a couple of names of really decent breeders, of course they don't have puppies very often, not even one litter year in some cases.

I'm going to wait for the right rescue instead, and am fortunate enough to have been pointed to a very dedicated local woman taking in Sighthounds and looking after them till they are ready for their new home.

Wish me luck, and if you have any more clues to spot puppy farmers, please share!

 

[JoanneF]

It is a real minefield, isn't it.

We actually do have a page on this in our recommended reading area of the puppy forum.

Puppy Farming

If you are ever unsure about a breeder, do post a link to their website if you would like us to offer a second (third, fourth, fifth etc) opinion.

 

[yllas]

It is a real minefield, isn't it.

.

Absolutely! I guess there's a bit of a distinction between out and out awful places which might make the news and those who are more like canny business people who still look after the dogs but who are definitely running businesses while trying to make them look like "just a family who live for their dogs"

When I meet with my local rescue I expect to be given the third degree!

Trying not to get too excited

 

[JoanneF]

You are right, not all puppy farms are squalid and terrible. But if anyone is being at all duplicitous, that raises red flags.

Best of luck at the rescue centre.

 

[yllas]

[QUOTE="JoanneF, post:
Best of luck at the rescue centre.[/QUOTE]
Thank you, I will post pics, likely to be in April after my holiday. (Getting it in before the serious stuff starts!)

 

[yllas]

My lovely pair, they were an accidental breeding by a friend so we knew them from the early days. Dear little souls, great escape artists but eventually I learned

 

[Hemlock]

Don't be too hasty to condemn kennels - large breed dogs and big litters are often better kennelled after the first 3 or 4 weeks. Doesn't automatically mean a puppy farm - and let's not forget that Rescues keep their dogs in kennels also.

 

[yllas]

Don't be too hasty to condemn kennels - large breed dogs and big litters are often better kennelled after the first 3 or 4 weeks. Doesn't automatically mean a puppy farm - and let's not forget that Rescues keep their dogs in kennels also.

I can understand that, it's the breeder not being honest, stating that the puppies are raised in the home, and not wanting me to come and meet her ahead of time that I don't like.

As for rescues, I know of several that have the dogs in foster homes rather than kennels. Of course also many that have no other choice in that.