Okay, don't do this.

So, I’ve seen several posts recently like this:

“OMG! I found a boyfriend for my schnauzer! She’s gonna have the cutest puppies!”

or

“Some1 down the street has schnauzer puppies! I’m so excited, I’m gonna get one.”

or

“Look at my new 7 week old puppy. Shes so cute I just love her”

Guys. 

Seriously?

Does no one bother to try and do the right thing for their dog/dogs in general?

1. Backyard breeding is a terrible idea. That’s why people call it backyard breeding so disdainfully. Do you realize EACH puppy will cost you several hundred dollars in shots and medications in their first few weeks? 

Do you have several thousand dollars to spend on puppies? Didn’t think so. 

Instead, you’re probably going to ignore their first shots, not get them microchipped, and sell them to the first person who comes along on craigslist. 

Additionally, 6-8 million cats & dogs end up in shelters every year and half of those are killed. What are you going to do to ensure these dogs don’t end up like that? A good breeder will have their puppies spayed/neutered, microchipped, and a lifetime return policy wherein the dogs can be returned at any time in their lives for any reason. 

Since we’ve already established that you’re too ignorant to get a household pet spayed/neutered, I doubt you’re really going to do anything to keep the pet population down and out of shelters. 

Also, what do you know about your dog’s lineage is? And by that, I mean do you know the dog’s health status and the health of its parents, grandparents, etc (including the health history of the other dog involved)? Genetic disorders are heartbreaking and rampant in purebred dogs. 

What about disposition? Personality is inherited as well. If your dog has ever bit anyone, growled at a child, or attacked another animal, you’re setting his/her puppies up for a future in a shelter. 

2. As evidenced above, backyard breeders are NOT responsible breeders, and you should not be encouraging them by buying puppies from them. 

The same goes for pet store (aka puppy mill) puppies. 

You don’t know what the genetics for that dog is, how its parents are being kept, its medical history, etc. 

If you really need to understand what a puppy mill is, just google it. It would take me pages and pages to explain THOSE atrocities to you. 

You also need to thoroughly examine any breeder you’re getting a dog from. I don’t approve of getting a dog from anywhere other than a shelter, but if you must buy a dog, actually make sure the person you’re getting it from is a real breeder.

A real, honest breeder will NOT have puppies available 24/7. Dog breeding is probably not a main source of income for them, but something they do because they cherish a certain dog breed and want to share that love with others.

You will be able to go into their home and see the parent dogs living inside the home.  They will have a contract that includes:

the ability to return the dog at anytime. 

Microchipping

Papers from a reputable kennel club

a limited contract that includes the dog being spayed/neutered, except for show dogs 

If a “breeder” wants to meet you in a “neutral location” to hand over a puppy, keeps their dogs in metal crates/outdoors, or always has puppies even though they have very few adult dogs, that person is not a breeder. They are likely a middleman for a puppymill passing off their dogs as purebred. 

Don’t just think about how cute puppies are when getting a dog. Dogs are a 10+ year commitment. Are you willing to clean up excrement out of your carpet/bed/clean clothes? Are you ready to pay HUNDREDS of dollars per year for the upkeep of this dog, especially puppies, who require many rounds of shots and dewormer? Do you have the time to walk, train, and play with a dog every single day? 

Dogs aren’t an accessory or a thrift store sofa you can get rid of. They’re living beings.

Don’t take this commitment lightly and don’t condemn other dogs with your uninformed choices. 

P.S. Don’t remove a puppy from its mother and litter before 8 weeks of age, or longer if the puppy needs more time (a real, honest breeder will be able to tell when its mature enough). All you’re gonna do is end up with a dog who mouths, whines, bites, and generally behaves inappropriately. Do some research before bringing a dog home.