What you need to know before you buy your next puppy

1. IT IS AGAINST THE LAW FOR A BREEDER TO SELL A LITTER OF PUPPIES TO A PET STORE WITHOUT BEING USDA LICENSED -- SERIOUS FINES CAN OCCUR -- SO IF THEY SAY THEY ARE BREEDERS AND ARE NOT USDA LICENSED -- AND ARE SELLING TO PET STORES -- THEY ARE NOT BREEDERS, THEY HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE BREED, NOR THE GENETIC BACKGROUND -- THEY ARE JUST YOUR NEIGHBOR TRYING TO GET RID OF A MISTAKE THEY HAD BECAUSE THEY DID NOT SPAY OR NEUTER THEIR PET -- ALLOWING THE PET STORE TO FOOL YOU INTO THINKING THEY WERE BRED BY "FAMILY AND FRIENDS". "CHEAP IS NOT BETTER" -- STAY AWAY FROM THESE PLACES -- GO TO A PLACE THAT USES PROFESSIONAL, LICENSED BREEDERS -- OR GO DIRECTLY TO THE BREEDER -- ANOTHER POPULAR PUPPY SELL IS "BUYING FROM BROKERS" -- CORPORATIONS ARE NOT BREEDERS -- CHECK YOUR PAPER WORK -- IF YOUR PUP IS COMING FROM A BROKER, CHECK THEM OUT TOO. HUNTE CORPORATION IS A POPULAR BROKER USED BY MOST PET STORES -- NOT BY US!

2. MISSOURI, KANSAS, IOWA, AND MOST MID WEST STATES HAVE THE LOWEST NUMBER OF PUPPY MILLERS, AND HAVE THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF GENETICALLY PROFESSIONAL BREEDERS WHO DO NOT SELL THEIR PUPS TO BROKERS -- MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA HAVE THE HIGHEST RATE IN PUPPY MILLERS -- THE REASON...LAWS ARE VERY TOUGH IN THE MIDWEST TO KEEP UP THEIR IMAGE -- NO LAWS IN MARYLAND -- AND VERY SLIM LAWS IN PENNSYLVANIA..

3. MICROCHIPPING YOUR PET IS VERY IMPORTANT -- IT GIVES YOU PROOF OF OWNERSHIP SHOULD YOUR PET BE LOST OR STOLEN -- AND EASE IN FINDING YOU, THE PET OWNER. EVERYONE SCANS YOUR PETS THESE DAYS -- VETS, SPCA, ANIMAL CONTROL. IT IS A GOOD THING TO HAVE A MICROCHIPPED PUPPY. THE ONLY PLACES THAT DO NOT DO IT, DO NOT WANT TO SPEND THE MONEY TO DO IT, SO THEY MAKE THE EXCUSE THAT THESE PUPPIES COME FROM PUPPY MILLS, AS WELL AS OFFER OTHER RIDICULOUS REASONS FOR NOT MICROCHIPPING THEIR PUPS -- LACK OF KNOWLEDGE SHOWS IGNORANCE -- DO YOUR HOMEWORK.

4. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, BUY YOUR PUPPY FROM A CLEAN, SWEET SMELLING PLACE. YOUR PET CAN CONTRACT SERIOUS AIRBORNE VIRUSES. AND, KEEPING THE FACILITY CLEAN AND FRESH SMELLING IS VERY IMPORTANT. SO IF THE SMELL OF THE ANIMALS IS SO FOUL THAT YOU HAVE TO HOLD YOUR BREATH -- DO NOT PURCHASE YOUR PET FROM THAT PLACE! SMELLS COME FROM HIDDEN PLACES -- IT'S LIKE SWEEPING THE DUST UNDER THE CARPET -- IT'S STILL THERE BECAUSE YOU CAN SMELL IT -- AND IF IT IS THERE -- SO ARE THE VIRUSES AND GERMS.

5. CHECK YOUR LOCAL ANIMAL CONTROL FACILITY FOR ANY SUSPENSIONS OF LICENSES FROM THE BREEDER OR PET STORE YOU WANT TO PURCHASE FROM. IF THEY HAVE HAD SUSPENSIONS IN THE PAST -- PROBABLY NOT A GREAT PLACE TO BUY YOUR LIFE-TIME COMPANION!