Puppymills and how YOU can help stop them!

Today is the day bloggers all over are trying to spread the word about puppymills and Petland. It seems the Canadian Petland, tired of the protests over puppy sales in front of their stores, stopped selling puppies. Sadly Petland stores in the states have not followed suit. We really want them to follow suit.

Ironically I started my day by watching the ending of the movie "Hotel for Dogs" while eating my breakfast. It of course made me cry like a baby. But then again I have always been a sucker for a happy ending and music that swells creating emotional moments. Hotel for Dogs is a very cute movie if not almost entirely unrealistic. Except for the part about the horrifically large number of dogs in need of homes of course. That part is sadly very realistic.

I find it interesting that people still need to be educated about why it is a bad idea to buy a puppy from a pet store (or an online puppymill) in this age of the internet. But then I remember that kids grow into teens, that grow into adults that might not know any better. Or that not everyone lives on facebook. Sadly petstore puppies are most often bought by people who just dont know any better. (or they are drunk, the newest phenomenon to be seen in petstores) And online puppymills are very slick in how they sell dogs. "Oh the puppy you wanted isnt available anymore, but we have this other one....." Dont get me started about how they steal photos from responsible breeders websites to bait their buyers with.

So here are a few reason why I, and most other dog trainers, are against puppymills and pet store puppies.

The dogs at a high volume breeding facility are treated like product, not like pets. This can mean extreme stress for the mother dog during her pregnancy which can cause damage to unborn puppies. It has been proven that hormonal changes can cause learning disabilities in the pups they produce. This is also usually a very awful life for the dogs at the facility. Little to no human contact and sleeping in small cramped cages with no bedding day after day listening to all the other dogs bark their frustration. Wouldnt this drive you crazy?

Most puppies from these high volume breeders are taken away from their mother and siblings to early to keep them small and cute for the pet shop window. The stores need them tiny and cute as long as possible to bring in the impulse puppy buyer. If they dont sell fast they cost more to feed after all and may outgrow their "sales cages".  A puppy taken away to soon is prone to behavioral problems down the road including separation anxiety, fear of people, aggression to other dogs and lack of bite inhibition. Oh but they forget to tell you that part. Of course most workers in pet stores dont know this either.

No responsible breeder would EVER sell their pups to someone else to sell for them. No matter what a pet store tells you. "Our pups come from good breeders and are raised in a local home". I call shenanigans! A responsible breeder cares where those pups go to and screen those potential homes. Not everyone should own a _______. (insert breed here) Responsible breeds do health testing and will even take back a puppy should something not work out in the new home. (or help the owner place the dog) They will even be there as a resource for training and health questions. Try getting a pet store to help you with that 2 months past the sale!

Some people would say that I shouldnt care where people get their dogs. People with dogs that have behavior problems are my bread and butter after all. But theres the thing, I love dogs. I dont want dogs to be mistreated. Dogs in puppymills are mistreated every day. If by no other fact than as companion animals they suffer being in those kennels day after day and not being in a real home with daily contact from people. It is cruel. It is cruelty done in the name of making money. Remember those dogs are being raised to be product after all.

So to help shut down puppymills we can do a few things. One is to go to Be The Change for Animals and sign the petition. This will let Petland know what we think about their practice of selling puppies. The other is to NEVER shop in a pet store that sells animals. Why support them with any of your money if they support puppymills? And the last, but the hardest for some people, is to NEVER buy a puppy from a petstore. (or online website) Buying just means you are part of the supply and demand chain. If they cant sell their puppies and make money then there is no reason for them to keep breeding. Breaking the chain is the only way to end the cycle.

There are many other options for getting a puppy. Check your local shelters, purebred rescue groups, and responsible breeders. You just might need to be a little more patient for those options. But dont you think saving dogs from a life of misery and hell of living just to produce puppies is worth waiting for?? I do. Now go sign that petition and spread the word. Its important.

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Impulse Control Issues this dog trainer has them too

Okay, so my lovely sidekick Poncho has totally busted me! He was just posting one of his great answers he adapted from our Noozhawk advice column, and mentioned the "Sees" incident, so I guess I need to come clean. 

Yes, I admit it, similar to dogs and counter-surfing, I have impulse control issues too... Although, Ive been able to restrain myself most of the time, once in awhile, my morals breakdown...as both my husband and dog have pointed out. 

We were out and about on my husbands birthday - enjoying our time in Santa Barbara (Poncho wrote about this too), and I thought Id stop for a Sees lollipop on our way home - this is my dessert...they last longer and taste good. I know, it was my hubbys birthday, but he wanted to be nice...and didnt mind stopping. 

Now, just to make it clear, my husband doesnt like chocolate - or any candy for that matter. I know, at first I thought this was weird, but then I realized "more for me!" Anything he gets, he gives to me... Yea!!! 

If youve ever been to Sees you know they give out samples - wow! Talk about positive reinforcement!!! HELLO??? How great is that!? And how smart are they!!! The perfect positive association, right? No wonder they do so well! 

Anyway, I only buy the lollipops, nothing else, although my favorite treat there is the chocolate covered ginger...and hey Ill eat most every sample they give me - I dont though, not usually. But that day, yes, that day was different. Celebrating birthdays, outings to Santa Barbara, ran a lot over the weekend...I deserved it gosh darn-it. So I lied! Yes, me, the always responsible, always truthful, lied! 

They were giving away the chocolate covered vanilla cream, which I took ever so easily, AND asked for a sample of the ginger...my favorite - saying it was for my husband who was outside with Poncho! OMG I totally used him as my excuse knowing full well that he wasnt going to taste one miniscule drop! 

This wasnt pre-mediated... just impulsive on my part. I was going to wait until after dinner...but lo and behold there was a traffic jam, so to help with my mood in the car, I ate them...both of them! Once again, impulsive behavior... And ya know what? They were great! Totally hit the spot! It was worth every impulsive act, every lie, and every calorie!

Impulsive? Yes. Normal behaviors of humans? For many of us, yes. So there ya go Poncho, I confessed. As Ponchos dad has pointed out, my morals finally broke down... I guess we all have our moments...at least no one got hurt. 

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The Obamas Narrow Down Their Decision which puppy is right for them

First of all, I think it sets a great example for the public that the Obamas are looking to adopt their dog from a shelter. Dogs are the products of their environment, and if a dog is raised in a loving home with loving hands, that dog can be a healthy, happy and loving member of their family, regardless of pedigree.

And its also great that the President-elect has been doing his homework. However, it is important for Obama to keep in mind that breed descriptions and terms used by the AKC are all very subjective. Yes, many dogs are bred for specific traits and for carrying out certain tasks and activities. Their breed specifics will make that DNA a little stronger in some areas than other. But a dogs breed wont dictate personality - just like how you wouldnt say a person is friendly, reserved or aggressive based on their nationality or ethnic background.

Ive said it before, and Ill say it again: Im not breed biased. First and foremost their doggy DNA makes them dogs. And I know that you can train and teach a dog to love or hate almost anything. In fact, you can train any animal to do anything they are physically and mentally capable of doing.

So the most important thing for the Obamas to consider is how the dog will fit in with their lifestyle. While they must be able to provide the dog with legal outlets for the innate behaviors that it was bred for, they must also remember that dogs are living breathing creatures that have individual personalities! Theyre NOT inanimate objects like furniture, cars and computers that you can shop for through a catalog. I am a strong believer that dogs should be adopted based on personality, behavior, and demeanor. How a dog reacts at your first meeting is a better indicator of how it will fit into your lifestyle than the history of how the dog was bred. Its best to pay attention to what the dog is doing, not what you think it should or might do based upon breed alone. 

And if they are considering adopting a puppy, they need to think about proper socialization and dog training focused on preventing behavioral issues. Its just like when the Obamas had their children, they had to think about consistency in parenting and all the various responsibilities associated with taking care of another life in the long term. They had to baby proof their home, among other things. And with a puppy, they will have to puppy proof their home and know how to manage the responsibilities of raising a healthy and happy puppy. 

From what I’ve seen, the Obamas seem like a real traditional family that’s big on responsibility (Malia and Sasha will be making their own beds in the White House!) and they will remain focused on instilling values in their children to encourage them to be productive. Kudos to them for being such responsible parents! 

So they need to think about the dogs needs - Will the girls be brushing and grooming the dog regularly? Will Barack Obama run with the dog 5 miles or have the Secret Service pulling doggy exercising duties?

And finally, they have to think about taking care of the dogs needs in the long run. The dog will likely outlive Obamas presidential administration, even if he serves two terms. So the dog will be with them long after they leave the White House. And if the kids leave for college, Barack and Michelle will have an adult dog to take care of even though their daughters have moved away. So its important for them to consider their immediate lifestyle as well as what their future holds.

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