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Ask Yvette

Dear Yvette,

We were looking at getting a puppy and saw some at a local pet store. They are far less expensive than going to a breeder and we cannot see why it would make sense to pay hundreds of dollars more. What is wrong with buying from a pet store?

Sam and Bob

There are a number of reasons that pet store puppies are less expensive than one from a reputable breeder. Some of those reasons are moral. But many are practical.

Housetraining –Most puppies in a store spend all their time in a pen. At 8 weeks of age, puppies should be taken to an elimination area at least every 3 hours. In pet stores, the chances are pretty slim that animals have the opportunity to keep their space clean. That translates into housetraining problems for you. It is very common for store bought animals to be “dirty” dogs. They learned to eliminate where they eat and sleep. You bring that mess into your home and spend time and money fixing the mess. Many of these animals are never reliably trained.

Socializing and Handling – Good breeders (and rescue agencies) handle young animals. That hands-on contact is critical. Interaction exposes animals to people. Since companion animals usually live in a home environment, the last thing you want is an animal that is timid.

Weaned too early – It can be common to see puppies up for sale younger than 8 weeks of age. Even if you buy at 8 weeks of age, there is a good change that animal may have been waiting to be bought for several weeks prior. Dogs learn to have a gentle mouth by interacting with littermates at about 7 _ weeks of age. If a puppy is separated too soon, you will probably have a nippy and rough puppy to contend with.

Screening – Some people find the ease of purchase appealing at a pet store. You pay, and you get the animal. But one of the signs of a good breeder is their screening policy. If the breeder is more interested in money than finding a good home, do not expect quality in any other area.

Medical care – Sad as it seems, some poor breeders self medicate animals. Veterinary care for a litter of animals does not come without a price tag. That is part of what you are paying for when you buy from someone who follows good protocol.

Moral – Since in home breeders want to screen applicants, it is not uncommon for puppy mills and backyard breeders to be the suppliers to retailers. Several years ago I watched a woman try to sell a puppy at a local mall. We found that she bred animals for a London pet store. When there were extras she sold them or disposed of them. The animal's rounded belly clearly indicated a worm infestation, one so severe the puppy was lethargic. When you buy from poor sources, you support these types of breeders. Sadly, in the end, pet store dogs often end up in shelters.

Cheap now – expensive later can be true when obtaining a companion animal. Animals that are kept in pet stores lack certain care practices that can make your life easy or miserable. It is up to you if you want to take that chance.

Yvette is an award winning pet writer and pet behavior columnist. She also is the author of Meeting Milo, a North American dog bite prevention program to reduce the approximately 2 million children bit by dogs annually. She is the owner of AwesomeDogs.ca and works as a behavior consultant in London, Ontario.

This column was originally featured in The Londoner
See more of Yvette... www.awesomedogs.ca
www.meetingmilo.com

Yvette has 2 dogs of her own, KIKI and KAYA. Take a look...

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