Here is some friendly advice on how to properly inquire on a Puppy online, because it is very common to get an email that says "How much are your puppies" and nothing else.  Backyard breeders are only selling pets, but reputable breeders put alot more time, energy and money into their breeding program and have very specific ideas of what kinds of homes they will sell their puppies to.  Its important that you impress upon these breeders why you should be considered for one of their puppies. 

     Once you have found a kennel you like, and the parents you want a puppy from, contact the breeder.  I always email first.  People have busy lives, and when communication is initiated through email, the breeder can respond at their earliest convenience, rather than catching them in the middle of doing something.  I never call a breeder, unless they request that I call.  I for one, have 5 kids, as well as all the livestock and dogs to care for, and I don't have time to entertain on the phone.  Another reason I prefer to communicate through email, is   I simply can't remember everything I talk about with everybody. 

     It is also very important to always include a brief description of yourself, your family, your current pets, and what you plan to use the puppy for, in your first email. 

     Will it be a family pet?  4H Program?  Search and Rescue?  Conformation Showing?  If you want the pup for future breeding, it is most important to describe your facilities, their living arrangements, how many dogs you have and what your breeding goal is.  Also keep in mind that many people say what they think you want to hear in order to be successful in getting a dog from you, so if you are looking for "a female to show and breed later on", then be sure to follow it with proof that you are going to be showing it... AKC show records and/or pictures are a good start.  Idealy, A "resume" of sorts, detailing your accomplishments, even if that accomplishment is simply having attended a dog show to see what its all about would be perfect.

     I had one lady get very upset with me for asking her for this information. She said "she wasn't asking me on a date", she just wanted info on a dog I had available.  So, let me make it very clear: If you are not willing to give me this information, then I will not be willing to sell you a dog, and that is the bottom line.

      Lastly.....be easy to work with.  Shipping dogs is not the easiest task to accomplish.  The airlines have rules, and the breeders have real lives with schedules of their own.  If the breeder says they can only ship "one day this week", but it happens to be on the day your son has ball practice, either miss ball practice or be prepared to wait.   American Airlines does not take reservations for dogs flying out of some airports,  meaning that if another dog gets their first, there may not be a spot for yours, and the breeder has to try again another day.  If certain papers are not in order, the airline will not accept the dog, and the breeder has to reschedule....breeders are human too, so be understanding and easy to work with, and in the end, hope for and try to gain a friend out of the ordeal.  You can never have too many friends.

 I am very much against the "Animal Rights Movement"....and if you want to continue owning your pets, you should be too.  Here is an awesome article that is a MUST READ for every pet owner:

"Mentoring: A way to oppose the Animal Rights Crazies" it is an AWESOME article.

    Everybody has their own ideas and presumptions about Puppy Mills, and it has a lot to do with perspective.  To some breeders, everyone is a Puppy Mill except them and their friends.  Since I have worked in the Animal Care and Animal Shelter fields, I may have a different perspective on it than some.  I make that judgment by how loved a person's dogs are.  There is a distinct difference between a "backyard breeder", "hobby breeder" and a "puppymill".

     When I worked at the shelter, we dealt with one lady, that was finally shut down, who had over 50 cages.....visualize rabbit cages.....that her dogs lived in.  They had wire floors, and empty, dirty food/water bowls.  Their hair was matted to the skin, where raw, oozing sores were revealed after being shaved.  These dogs were frightened, and some where aggressive (which I am sure is from being on the defensive for so long).  They were very underweight, and stunk to the high Heavens. It was very much like the places described here.

     After seeing that kennel, I gained a new perspective on exactly what a Puppy Mill is.

     What some of these "Everyone's a Puppy Mill" breeders don't stop to think about, is that the best way to shut these people down, is education of the public about what "real" puppymills are and offering affordable alternatives to them. There is a pet store in a nearby city that I used to frequent for supplies...... I was stunned to find out they only pay $100 for unregistered purebreds, and $150 for registered purebreds.....yet they sell them for $1000+.  Imagine if all the pet store puppy-buyers knew that they were paying over 650% markup!

     So, in my personal opinion, when determining whether I think a breeder runs a Puppy Mill, I look at their dogs' Quality Of Life, and this is how I feel:  If a breeder's dogs live in cages with limited activity and love, then they run a Puppy Mill.   If a person has more dogs than they can afford to care for properly, and are breeding for more, then they are running a Puppy Mill.   I don't care if they have the most expensive and fanciest kennel ever built, and the fanciest supplies and most expensive this or that...if their dogs live in cages full time, then IMO, the shoe fits.  A cage is a cage is a cage....no matter the angle you look at it, or the name you call it. 

     However, it is not to be confused with having a couple of kennels to use for breeding - to keep the dogs separate, insuring that only the intended litter is produced. The more boys a breeder has, is the harder it is to keep them separate when the girls start coming in heat.  You have the fighting to contend with, along with the "digging under", "climbing over" and tearing up everything in between.  Cages are essential for this reason, but to have dogs living in them all the time does not allow the dog a very good quality of life.

     As for the Animal rights issue, there is a huge difference between "Animal Welfare" and "Animal Rights".  It's worrisome to see breeders humanizing their dogs and puppies because they don't realize the danger when we start seeing animals in the same light as humans. We all love our dogs like they are our children and the animals rights people will take every opportunity to take advantage of that.   The minute we all forget that pets are property that we "own", and choose to "adopt them out" rather than "sell" them, is the minute the Animal Rights crusade will have us banned from owning them. 

     Please take some time and read the articles and facts discovered about the Humane Society of the United States. They are NOT who you think they are!