When you’ve made a decision to become a dog owner, the fun begins as soon as you start hunting for the dog that will win your heart and make you want to take him home.
Many people think that the best place to find a dog is at the pet store but, unfortunately, they are greatly mistaken. While the puppies at the pet store might look cute and cuddly, there is no way to know whether they are actually healthy or well-bred. Many pet stores get their puppies from puppy mills and they sell the puppies to unsuspecting dog lovers. Puppy mill puppies are often already sick by the time they make it to the pet store, often traveling across state lines to get there.
A puppy mill is a type of breeding facility that focuses on breeding and profit more than the health and wellbeing of the dogs. Puppy mills usually keep their dogs in squalid conditions, forcing them to bear litter after litter of puppies with little to no rest in between. Many of the breeders used in puppy mills are poorly bred themselves or unhealthy to begin with which just ensures that the puppies will have the same problems. The only time you should bring home a puppy from a pet store is if the store has a partnership with a local shelter and that is where they get their dogs. If the pet store can’t tell you which breeder the puppies came from, or if they don’t offer you any paperwork or registration for the puppy, it is likely that the puppy came from a puppy mill.
Rather than purchasing a puppy from a pet store, your best bet is to find a reputable Coton de Tulear breeder – preferably and AKC-registered breeder in the United States or a Kennel Club-registered breeder in the U.K. If you visit the website for either of these organizations you can find a list of breeders for all of the club-recognized breeds. You can also look for breeders on the website for other breed clubs like the United States of America Coton de Tulear Club and the Madagascar Coton de Tulear Club of America or Coton de Tuléar in the United Kingdom. Even if these organizations don’t provide a list of breeders you may be able to speak with members to find out more.
Author and long-time animal lover. Sharing knowledge on pet care through experience and the written word. 