Where Do Dogs From Pet Stores Come From?

Dogs from pet stores come from commercial dog breeders and puppy mills. Responsible breeders would never consider placing a puppy for sale in a store. Use caution when buying retail store puppies.

  1. Lineage

    • American Kennel Club (AKC) records are not kept about a pet store puppy's lineage. The AKC maintains strict guidelines for breeding, but most commercial breeders get around this by registering the animal with one of several newer "associations" that were developed to avoid the AKC's higher standards.

    Health Problems

    • Other than basic USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) shots given to the pet store dogs, no genetic testing is done on the parents to see whether or not health problems will be passed on to their offspring. The USDA treats all animals as livestock rather than pets, and therefore its standards are much lower.

    Buyer Qualification

    • A store will sell a puppy to anyone who can pay for it. A breeder, on the other hand, will only sell a puppy to someone who is well-suited to care for it.

    Behavioral Problems

    • Most store puppies were removed from their mothers before seven weeks of age, before the mothers have fully trained them on not biting. The puppies therefore tend to nip and bark excessively in order to get attention.

    Housebreaking Problems

    • Many store puppies are harder to housebreak because they have learned to relieve themselves in their crates.