I wrote this article several years ago. I thought I would share it with you all. Parts of it may be a bit out dated...but all in all, it still reads pretty true.
Linda At Amberwood
There are over 1,000 dog breeders in Missouri and the majority of those are puppy mills(commercial breeders) and backyard breeders. Here are some tips on how to avoid buying from puppy mills.
(1) Any breeder that sells to brokers or pet stores IS A PUPPY MILL.
(2) Any breeder that breeds dogs just to make money IS A PUPPY MILL OR BACKYARD BREEDER.
(3) Any breeder that does not take proper care of their dogs IS A PUPPY MILL OR BACKYARD BREEDER.
(4) Any breeder that is USDA licensed is a commercial breeder, A PUPPY MILL.
2.Any time you see any registration other than AKC or UKC (DON'T TOUCH IT); these are not true registries. These are registrations that puppy mills and brokers have made up to register otherwise unregisterable dogs (pet quality or sometimes not even purebred).Breeding dogs should always be of show or good working quality.( There is a true CKC registration"Canadian Kennel Club",but the CKC reg.you'll most likely find will be "Continental Kennel Club" a PUPPY MILL registration.(JUST BECAUSE THEIR DOGS ARE AKC OR UKC REGISTERED DOES NOT MEAN THEY ARE REPUTABLE BREEDERS.)
3.Whenever you see puppies advertized for less then $300.00 (BEWARE these may be defective puppies that the brokers wouldn't take).
2. How often have the puppies been wormed?(puppies should be wormed every two weeks from the time they are two weeks old).They can be given heartworm preventative & monthly wormer at 6 wks. old.
3. What kind of health guarantee comes with the puppy?(They should replace or refund for any defective puppy.)
4. Does this puppy come with a AKC or UKC registration papers and is the registration limited of full.(Pet quality puppies should always be given limited registration.Irresponsible breeders will give full registration to anything.)
5. Does this puppy come with a pedigree?(Any responsible breeder will carry pedigrees on their dogs and should provide pedigrees with their puppies.)
6. Will they take the puppy back if for some reason you can't keep it any longer?(All good breeders will INSIST that you bring the puppy back to them.)
7. Have the puppy's parents been screened for hereditary defects? Such as Hip Dysplasia,Hypothyroidism,Progressive Retinal Atrophy(PRA), Juvenile Cataracts; to name a few. So ask ask if the parents are OFA cert. good or excellent; and CERF cert.Also with breeds that are prone to Hypothyroidism, their thyroid levels should be checked as well.
I hope that these tips will help you find the perfect puppy, that will be a part of your family for it's lifetime.
"Hobby breeder: A breed fancier who usually has only one breed but may have two; follows a breeding plan in efforts to preserve and protect the breed; produces from none to five litters per year; breeds only when a litter will enhance the breed and the breeding program; raises the puppies with plenty of environmental and human contact; has a contract that protects breeder, dog, and buyer; runs a small, clean kennel; screens breeding stock to eliminate hereditary defects from the breed; works with a breed club or kennel club to promote and protect the breed; and cares that each and every puppy is placed in the best home possible."