I received a mass emailing that came from a group called Change.org that expressed a call to action to sign a petition that it was critical for eBay to cease carrying dogs in their classified section. Here are some of the statements in that mass emailing:

A few years ago, eBay had plans to sell animals via online auction. Responsible breeders would never sell dogs via online auction, so this would have resulted in the site becoming a haven for puppy mills. eBay users and anti-cruelty activists spearheaded — and won — the fight to prevent eBay from selling live animals.

Despite eBay’s claims that it “do[es] not condone unethical treatment of animals,” eBay now allows puppy mills to sell dogs in its classified section.

This practice enables flagrant cruelty to dogs, and it has to stop. Tell eBay to shut down its sales of cruelly treated puppies and all live animals.

Puppy mill dogs spend their entire lives in small wire cages, without companionship, and often without vet care, exercise or shelter from the elements. As far as puppy mill owners are concerned, the dogs have one purpose: to supply the pet trade.

The USDA recently admitted that they’ve failed to effectively monitor commercial breeders and puppy mills. When it comes to sites like eBay Classifieds, it’s even worse: Breeders who sell directly to customers online aren’t subject to any USDA regulations.

To learn more about this situation, I turned to the Humane Society of the United States which has a Puppy Mill Campaign division and stays on top of legislation and practices around the issue of mass production and sales of puppies to the public. As is so often the case, there is a gray area in a topic that might at first glance seem to be black or white. My contact at HSUS replied:

The Humane Society of the United States
700 Professional Drive  Gaithersburg, MD 20879
humanesociety.org

The Humane Society of the United States has had a good working relationship with eBay, as an auction site, over the year. While they have not always agreed or acquiesced to our concerns about their business in relation to animals, we have always had high-level access to discuss those issues, and they have resulted in some good outcomes, such as eBay’s banning sales of any ivory in the US, and a decision by eBay/Korea’s auction site to stop selling pets.

eBay, as an auction site, does not allow the sale of live animals in the US, primarily because they support the idea that shipping animals from one part of the country to another can be problematic for the animals. A few years ago, someone at eBay floated the idea of changing that policy, but it was killed, in part because of our input.

A couple of years ago eBay bought an on-line classified site, kijiji.com, which has since become eBay Classifieds. When they first started up, we reached out to them and urged them not to sell pets, citing the disconnect with eBay/US’s long-standing policy against auctioning live animals. However, they believed selling pets through the classified section was different because classified sales were local, and the shipping hazards wouldn’t apply. We talked to them about the problem of having ads on their site from bad breeders and puppy mills, issues with “free to good home” ads, etc. It soon became clear that, for a lot of reasons, they weren’t going to drop the pets category.

At some point, they came back to us with a proposal for us to post information on their site, to tell people about puppy mills, point to info on adoption and choosing a good breeder, etc. While our preference would be that they didn’t sell animals at all, we decided to work with them for several reasons, starting with the reality that there was virtually no chance that eBay Classifieds would, at least at this point, stop selling pets, and that even if they did, it wouldn’t eliminate on-line classified pet listings. Someone else would just pick up those ads. Since eBay Classifieds had the largest share of the market, we reasoned that it was the best chance to reach the majority of classified ad buyers with a warning message. In addition, eBay Classifieds asked us to help educate them and their staff about what to look for in puppy mill ads, and have been responsive to our requests to drop specific ads or sellers when we can provide specific evidence of a seller’s problematic history. They are also trying to get more shelters to advertise animals up for adoption.

This doesn’t mean that we won’t continue to encourage them to change their policy, but we believe we will have better success with eBay on all animal issues by continuing frank and open dialog, and open channels of access to the people there who can make decisions that benefit animals, even though we recognize we won’t always win the argument.

We recognize that there would be great symbolic value to eBay stepping away from selling pets through eBay Classifieds. But the fact remains that eliminating pets from eBay would not eliminate online pet classifieds, just move them to other sites, and sites which would likely be less responsive to messaging about pets, adoptions, puppy mills, etc. For years, before the Internet, shelters around the country, and The HSUS, tried to get newspapers not to advertise pets for sale, to no avail. Unfortunately, classified ad sales of pets isn’t new, the emphasis has just moved from print to ether.

This warning, which links to our responsible pet buyer tips, is displayed whenever you open a puppy ad on Ebay:

Important Safety Warning: Please take care when buying and selling animals. Learn more about responsible pet ownership and adoption. Avoid fraud by meeting all sellers in-person to pay for items. eBay Classifieds does not offer any transaction or payment services. Stay safe – read our safety tips.

Of course, we always recommend that anyone getting a pet consider adoption as the first option.

Self-Righteous e-mails from people who never listened to the Dog Talk® show they are angry about — social terrorism at work

In order to follow this sordid little tale, you would do best to have listened to DOG TALK® a couple of weeks in a row. On October 15th you could have heard the show in which trainer Allison Denlea and I discussed the topic of buying a puppy. Then on October 22nd you would have heard a diatribe from me on the air expressing my dismay at the ugly reaction I had received in the intervening week from a select few people. They had reacted with vigorous indignation to the one line description of that show about purchasing a puppy. As you will see when you follow this very long email trail below, not one of these people took the time or had the respect for me to actually listen to the interview itself before taking me to task for a partial sentence description of the topic. First of all, more than 5,000 people receive those email announcements every week so these are very few written responses — yet for every person who writes there are always many thinking the same thoughts, so it was worth my time to set the record straight (there are tens of thousands of people who download the show from iTunes and do not receive the written reminder and description). But more importantly, somewhere these folks lost sight of the fact that DOG TALK® is a radio show — yup, you actually have to listen to it with your ears to partake of it! Imagine that… a one-line description of the show is nothing more than that, for interviews which last 15-20 minutes.

If you’re wondering why I’ve taken the time to go into this in ongoing detail, it’s simple: if any of us permits anti-social, ugly behavior to go unchecked then those indulging in the practice of cyber-bullying or social terrorism are empowered to continue what I call “social terrorism.” It is each of our responsibility to keep society civil — and to call people on their actions when they think they have the right to brow-beat someone who is not only above reproach based on her consistent words and actions (yes, me, the target of all this!) but do so without even taking the time to know what they are going on about. As you will see, some of these people know very well who I am and what I stand for because they have benefited from my public support of their efforts.

From Ted DuPuis
Founder, President, and Pilot, Cloud Nine Rescue Flights

I sure hope your first topic is a typo, as I can’t imagine encouraging people to go out and encourage the continuation of the overpopulation epidemic and encourage puppy mills.

[Note: I have spent time on the air supporting all rescue missions, flights, transports and other caravans, had two different interviews about this organization and one was actually with Ted himself.  Note that he tells me I am encouraging puppy mills -- when anyone who follows me work knows how much investigative work I have personally done on volume breeding and millers -- and also note I go on in the interview at length with Allison about how to recognize and avoid puppy mill breeders.]

From Melissa, NYC practicing attorney-at-law

Although I do not know the content of the show for Sat — but the trainer, Allison Denlea, with “10 reasons to buy a puppy vs adopt is an outrage”.  Do you know how long it has taken animal advocates to educate people about the incredible animals there are for adoption from shelters, rescue groups, breed rescue, etc.  I looked at her website and although it seems “OK” — I and most animal advocates are against buying puppies from stores hence supporting the inhumane torturous treatment at puppy mills which also means leaving another perfectly wonderful dog in the shelter with a chance of being killed or in a rescue group which are usually overcrowded; rescue groups must adopt the animals they rescue or else they cannot continue to bring additional dogs in that need a place to go other than the local shelter.

I strongly urge you/her to reconsider her topic.  It will do much more harm than good as so many people think exactly that… dogs would be completely against such a message on your radio show.

[Note: This woman describes herself as a lawyer -- but did not even properly read the show description to know that the show was already aired and ready for listening -- which she also did not take the time to do. Nor did she even read the show description properly and added her own "10 reasons to buy a puppy" which appeared nowhere in the announcement. Then she goes into her personal lecture without any regard for who she is lecturing to -- even if you are not a lawyer it's easy to find out that I actually "wrote the book" about puppy buying and avoiding bad breeders.]

From Diana, Weimaraner rescue volunteer

Please remove me from your email list. I support an animal rescue group.

[Note: She seems disinterested  that I now have my 4th & 5th adopted rescued Weimaraners and contribute to Weimaraner rescue in various ways.]

From Karen Powers
Founder/president, Green Mountain Pug Rescue

Yucko!!!!

10 reasons to get a puppy instead of adopt- UMM ZERO!!!!!

[Note: She has a short memory since only a few months ago I helped drive a transport of a Pug to her very organization -- and then had her as a highly praised guest on DOG TALK® -- when she said she has a houseful of her own Pugs, whose photos are up on my website gallery. Clearly she has a preference for only one breed to help or own -- but if no one should be allowed to breed or buy Pug puppies, then in a very few years there will not be any more Pugs anymore.]

From Anonymous:

Oh, my God! Is this a joke?

From D.

There are NO reasons to buy a puppy.  This disgusts me!!!!  There are puppies available for adoption through rescues.  I drove 8 puppies today from a kill shelter to reputable rescues. Please drop me from this mailing list and never contact me again.  I will also send this all my rescue friends and ask that none of them patronize your blog and website.

[Note: All these years of hearing the show for free, getting loads of great free information and advice on my website -- certainly she's never bought The Dog Bible or written to acknowledge all the information and value she's gotten from my efforts to support all dog lovers in every area of interest -- and she is now threatening me with what, exactly? Setting out to hurt my reputation? Her sense of her own power is impressive. As for puppies being available it is a widely known fact that there are rarely any puppies in shelters in the Northeast and in any case, some people desire a certain breed (just like certain rescuers are breed snobs, too)].

From Michael

Reasons to adopt a dog instead of buying a puppy:

1. So the dog doesn’t get killed. Understand? Don’t send me any more e-mails you arrogant a-hole.

[Note: I don't really need to comment on this delightful gentleman. He speaks for himself.  And all those like him.]

From Shannon

Tracie, I think it is HORRIBLE that you are promoting a show about reasons to buy a puppy instead of adopting.  There are MILLIONS of amazing purebred and mix puppies that are killed in shelters across the country every year.  Adult dogs too.  Get your facts straight before you promote such nonsense!  I hope no one listens to you or your show.

Shannon — Dog rescuer and a person who has seen thousands of wonderful, innocent animals being put to death for NO REASON — no reason at all other than severe overcrowding at run down shelters.

[Note: Another person believing there are millions of purebred puppies just waiting to be scooped up by those who had a English bull dog puppy in mind, for example. Or a Yorkie, one of the most popular breeds in the country.  Hardly reliable information.]

So I took a deep breath — and responded with this letter to these people:

Dear Friends,

I am sorry and surprised that a few of you were outraged and upset that I might have a conversation on DOG TALK® about the reasons someone might have to, or want to buy a puppy.

First of all, none of you has even listened to the show — that announcement you receive has a link right to the podcast and you can listen right there, which you may not have been aware of. So maybe before denouncing a show (and in the case of two people, demanding to be removed from the list that tells people each week what the show is about and allows them to listen or download it for free) might it not be a good idea to listen before you form an opinion?

Secondly, reading the actual words in the announcement is also helpful – i.e. it does not say “10 reasons” to buy a puppy, nor does it say anything about buying from a pet store. Read what it says — but better yet, listen to the show.

Is it possible you have no idea who I am or what I stand for?

Do you really believe that no one should have the right to buy a dog from a reputable responsible breeder after educating themselves?

Why did no one object when for nearly a year I had a weekly breeder of unusual breeds of dogs talking about the breed, how they got into the breeding and/or showing of the dog — all to make very clear the mindset and attitudes and expectations of a really responsible and dependable breeder. These breeders usually have only one litter a year, maybe two, and only when they have buyers on a waiting list — the point was to hear the passion and commitment to their dogs’ welfare and wellness of these responsible breeders. I was doing those interviews to educate people about the difference between the origins of puppies at any pet store and those from good breeders — always discussing breed rescue and considering that option first.

Is it possible to have to be so “politically correct” that there can be no dialogue at all about options for those who want to buy a puppy — and how to do that responsibly and thoughtfully?

It’s a free country — and there are many different people in it with different issues and priorities. Does that make them “bad” and those who rescue the only ones doing the “right thing?”  Should we really stand in judgment of other people who also choose to share their lives with dogs and love and nurture them just as you do?

Without open public conversations, the topic of puppy buying will be driven underground. Education is everything — it is what my work is dedicated to on every single topic relating to dogs and cats. There has to be room and respect for differing points of view as long as no people or animals are harmed.

Anyone who has read my books — or ever listened to DOG TALK or CAT CHAT, or read my hundreds of blogs on my website, or read my guest blog on the Humane Society of the United State (for which I am an “ambassador” and a very generous contributor), or knows how many Weimaraners and other dogs (Yogi Bear the Rottweiler, Jazzy my Collie mix) and cats I have adopted, or is aware of how many interviews I give as a media spokesperson educating the public about the genesis of every single puppy in every single pet store.  In fact, I made the anti-pet-store-puppy-mill speech with my guest Monica Holloway, the author of “Cowboy and Wills” on the very October 15th show you are so quick to denounce.  If you listened to me or read me, you would never jump to the conclusion that you have to lecture me on how terrible puppy purchasing is from stores or the internet.

Do you know that the most effective, largest and passionate humane organization — HSUS — defends peoples’ rights to buy puppies if they so choose?

I just made a contribution to the Missouri proposition Yes on 8 to improve lives for the poor dogs in the 3,000 volume breeding operations there.

Would I personally buy a puppy? Never. Does that mean that I would criticize or belittle someone who does? Never. But I do ask every single caller to my radio shows and who write to me “Where did you get your dog?” so I can make a gentle teachable moment of every dog who may have joined a family via a pet store. So how do you permit yourself to jump to negative assumptions about me for raising the topic of when and how to buy a puppy?

Good grief, folks.

Furthermore, wouldn’t it be a good idea to give the benefit of the doubt to me — as someone who has devoted the beginning of every DOG TALK® show for more than a year to highlighting an adoptable cat and dog from Bide-a-wee — which I invited to be the official shelter partner of DOG TALK® and my previous show on WOR in NYC?  And now the Southampton Shelter will assume that role when DOG TALK® goes live again in a few weeks — the shelter where 2 of my own dogs came from.

I financially support many rescues across the country every year — never forgetting Friends of Pets in So. California where my first Weimaraners came from — and donating books for raffles and time at events and giving many of them airtime on the show.

Why can that not co-exist with the reality that buying puppies will also happen and the more people know about how to do that, the better things will be for everyone?

Please think before you point a finger at someone who is firmly on the side of doing the best we can for all people and pets at all times — okay?

I got only one reply back — I got no response acknowledging that perhaps their knee-jerk reactions had been misplaced — or admitting that perhaps it might have been a good idea to actually listen to the show itself before landing their criticisms and judgments, nor any appreciation that I had taken the time to respond in great depth to their notes of dissatisfaction. And then I discovered there was actually one response to my letter from “D.” — a rambling diatribe that for me seemed to sum up the irrational, mean-spirited, uninformed and holier-than-thou judgmentalism that can cause such unpleasantness among people in the community of those who each believe they care for and love dogs — without regard for how they treat other human beings. Such a damn shame. Here she is, in all her self-righteous glory:

You upset me once with your first email.  Your Sorry email is absolutely infuriating.

Had I known that you [were] doing interviews with breeders of “unusual breeds” I would have asked you to delete my name at that time. I have driven far too many miles and seen too many dogs die because they were not young cute puppies or the “right kind.” Anyone that buys a dog is either uninformed or callous about the issues of unwanted dogs in this country. You know thousands and thousands of dogs are being killed each year because they don’t have a home.  Instead of trying to create a “market” for unusual breeds and puppies under the disguise of informing the public, why don’t you do a real service to all the dogs and people in the country and tell them not to buy any dog until all the shelters are empty?

In my opinion, NO. People should not be allowed to buy dogs.  What is “a really responsible and dependable breeder?”  In my mind, there are none as long as I am still driving miles and miles each week and dogs are dying. Sorry but I don’t count you as one of the people “who is firmly on the side of doing the best we can for all people and pets at all times.”

Your comment “how to do that responsibly and thoughtfully” and “co-exist with the reality” regarding buying puppies is absurd. Would you make the same assertion about slavery, racism and the evils of our society? I think not.

Think about it Tracie.

So I ask you — if you’ve made it to the bottom of this frighteningly long blog! — how does all this make you feel?

–Tracie Hotchner

What I was venting about at the beginning of the October 22 DOG TALK:

On the Oct 15th DOG TALK® show my first guest was the Official Trainer of the show, Allison Denlea of Paws 4 Positive Training — a woman who did an intervention with a young Weimaraner in an abusive home and asked me to add him to my other Weims, who are all from rescues — and who herself has taken in several clients’ dogs that were unmanageable for them. Our interview was about her reasons for wanting to buy a puppy herself next time (having just lost three dogs in less than a year); on the show we discussed the ways to identify responsible, serious breeders and be assured that a dedicated breeder was paying attention to health and temperament issues in their breeding decisions.  Needless to say I took the opportunity in the interview to make this a teachable moment for one of my recurrent themes on the air and in writing — for the umpteenth time — that all puppies from any pet store anywhere come from horrible volume breeding operations and no one should ever add a puppy to their lives through a pet store or online internet sale.

Fairly straight forward, I thought.

When I sent out the announcement for the show the description of the guests began as follows: “DOG TALK® trainer Allison Denlea (Paws4Positive.com) discusses reasons to buy a puppy instead of adopting and how to know what you’re getting.”

Again, pretty straightforward, I believed.

Apparently NOT — there began a barrage of angry, abusive accusatory emails from people who do rescue work with dogs berating me for having this topic on the show, giving me lectures about puppy mills (yes, me, the person who lectures against the evils of puppy millers week in and week out, who has visited the Hunte Corp. “puppy mill processing facility” in Missouri, who is supporting the Prop B legislation in Missouri to improve condition for dogs in breeding facilities there, who is an ambassador for the HSUS — yes, me) and others who called me names and made threats.  I will quote from some of them in my next blog.

But here’s the rub: not one of these people had even taken the time to listen to the show and hear what we had to say! Not one — they all felt entitled to pass judgment, criticize and lecture me for so much as raising the topic of purchasing a puppy responsibly.

Are you one of these people who felt entitled to lash out, without even the courtesy of listening to the show? Are you someone who also feels entitled to express righteous indignation that I would so much as raise the subject of buying a purebred puppy? Do you sit in judgment of how other people live their lives and choose to build their families? Do you believe that by doing good deeds or charitable acts you have earned the right to lecture or even to hate people whose lifestyles don’t mirror your own?

If so, then allow me to tell you right out loud: this is America, a free country, a Democracy, and a nation where we have the good fortune to be free to make individualized decisions about most everything in our lives. Where adding a pet to our homes is concerned, as long as we are not supporting those who maintain dogs in abusive conditions (puppy millers/pet stores), nor do we do it ourselves, we should feel free to share our lives with animals as we choose.  People who do rescue work get weekly praise on my shows, get donations of my books or money, have the privilege of my invitation to their leaders and members as guests on my shows to explain and celebrate what they are doing. But nobody gives these people or their colleagues the right to sit as judge and jury on other peoples’ life choices — and certainly they are way out of line to attack me, of all people, for being immoral or allowing different points of view or choices on my shows. Keeping open lines of communication on any topic concerning animals is how everybody learns and makes the best choices they can (about getting an animal, feeding it, training it, offering it a fulfilling life).  People are going to get puppies. That is a fact of life, which some fanatics in the “animal rights” movement would actually like to stop. Since people are going buy puppies then they need to do it responsibly and with information.

To those who have not followed DOG TALK® for 6 years — for those who have not read THE DOG BIBLE — for those who haven’t heard me on my SiriusXM show CAT CHAT® let me make something very clear — fanaticism of any kind does no one any good and I do not invite it. Name-calling and finger pointing are counter-productive as well. Civility and mutual respect and decency in dealing with others is essential, whether they share our choices or not. And the Internet seems to afford some people the license to treat other people as they never would an animal.

Those who do any sort of charitable volunteer work should do so because it makes them feel better and satisfies a personal need — not because it makes them feel superior and entitled to judge and look down on others. If you want to be a do-gooder, knock yourself out. But it does not mean this gives you Godlike powers to make moral judgments on others — especially when you are misinformed and shoot from the hip.

–Tracie Hotchner

The Dog Bible

I got this question after explaining on the air that puppy mill breeders often advertise on the Internet.

Hi, I get the Dog Fancy magazine and in the back they have advertisements for breeders. And a lot of the ads say that they ship their puppies. So I called up one that did not say that they fly dogs, but it turns out that they do ship their dogs. Is this bad? And also, how do i know if it’s a puppy mill? Thanks, Bobbie

I thought this was an excellent question so I replied:

Please call in to my radio show DOG TALK & CAT CHAT on WOR in NYC so I can answer this fully — but my book THE DOG BIBLE has a very long list of questions to ask any breeder to find out if they are good ones — responsible ones.  And whether they ship puppies is just one question you need to ask. And no, a proper breeder should not be offering to fly a small puppy. They should require you to come get it.

And guess what I found out about my astute listener?

I’d love to call you. I can’t wait!! What time should I call in?
Bobbie
P.S. I’m only 11 but I love ur show!

The Dog Bible

I got this gentle correction and suggestion from Bambi, a DOG TALK® listener who had brought to my attention that Petfinder.com has been infiltrated by puppy mill producers claiming the dogs are “for adoption” but at a very high fee (i.e. they are selling them). But Bambi wrote this so that in my zeal to expose the “puppy mill pimps” on the Internet that I did not paint all of PetFinder with the same brush.  I stand corrected and hope people will continue to look for their new best four-legged friends on the petfinder.com website.

I urge you to re-address the petfinder issue both on your show and on your website. I found the notice about some kerry blues dogs coming from puppy mills only once and when searching for a kerry blue rescue in Texas for a friend. I actually look at petfinder quite often when I fantasize about a companion for Terrible Bean. You’ll never find such a warning on craigslist, of course, or any other places that less streetwise folks may be vulnerable to.

When I mentioned that warning on the kerry blue page, I took it as a positive thing, that petfinder does want to bring awareness up, unlike some other pet source venues.

You’ve played such an important part already in doing this and I hope you will once again remind listeners/readers that caveat emptor is a universal concept and that petfinder is actually one of the few places trying to police itself against any unsavory postings.

As written, your post now may be interpreted as if petfinder itself, one of the most powerful places for fosters and shelters to come together to find homes for unwanted pets and farm animals, may be corrupt and this may have a detrimental affect on placing adoptable animals.

You have such a powerful voice, you are a market maker, if you will, as much as an announcer on CNBC relaying financial and investment information.  So many of us rely on you for bringing us such incredibly interesting and useful, often critical, information, and I thank you for that.

Please reconsider how this particular information is projected/worded.

As always, thank you for being our animals’ and our best friend!

–Bambi

I got this nice note from Kori, who came on DOG TALK® to discuss her wonderful new family business of transporting pets from shelters where their days are numbered to those that can give them a chance at a second home. Kori is also FEMA certified so I am introducing her to my friends at HSUS and ASPCA so that they can turn to her for extra help the next time disaster strikes and affects our pets, or for helping transport dogs from puppy mills that are shut down by the efforts of these great animal care organizations. And remember — if you need to have your dog or cat driven anywhere, the Kents will do the trip in their own van “Anywhere Pets Go.”

Dear Tracie,

I’m sorry that I have not written to you any sooner, but I wanted to sincerely thank you for  our interview on your radio show.  You sincerely put me at ease, and helped me talk about everything that I felt was most important.

As far as my business, things are starting to pick up locally which as I said before will help us to be able to stay afloat and be able to begin doing our long distance transports before you know it.  I am really happy at how things are coming along and I have found a new sense of sureness that everything will work out just fine for my company despite the state of the economy.  So again, thank you, as I really enjoyed speaking with you.  I hope you will think of me in the future for another interview, as I really did enjoy this one that much.  This was my second radio interview ever, and the other person did not put me at ease the way you did.  You are a FANTASTIC host and I wish you all the best.   Keep up the good work, as you are really doing a lot for the animal community.

Kori Kent
Anywhere Pets Go
www.anywherepetsgo.com
(716)684-6667

I told this very conscientious soon-to-be-dog-mom to call into my show so I could explain about what the issues are in puppy mill “survivors.”

Hi Tracie,

We’re really looking forward to listening to the podcast and also getting a copy of your The Dog Bible.

I did as you suggested and checked into those websites…on the akc website I didn’t see anything that looked right for us…all older dogs and I’m concerned about bringing all of those issues into our family with my kids and their friends frequently at the house.

There were two pups at a nearby rescue that I found through petfinder.com and I have begun to correspond with the managers of that facility. These pups are both young puppy mill survivors. Is there a place I can go to become fully informed about the risks we would be assuming if we adopt a puppy mill survivor? I see the sweet and sad little eyes of these puppies and would love to give them a home. At the same time, the practical side of me is concerned that I am going to risk breaking the hearts of my 8 and 10 year olds by bringing a puppy that is potentially very sick into our home, having them fall in love and then too soon, be in a position that we won’t be able to keep the puppy for one reason or another. I know and understand all of the reasons that it is important to get your dog from a reputable breeder. Taking a rescue pup certainly would help the puppy for a time, I can see, of course. I just need to be sure that it is not going to cause undue stress on our family. I want to be sure we go into this with our eyes wide open.

I know you are a “one woman show” as I have spent a good time reading your website. I sincerely appreciate your time and effort on our behalf! Feel free to use my e-mail on your show.

Rebecca
Plymouth, MI

Hi Tracie: I first want to say that I love your show! As a regular and habitual listener of WLIU while driving, I first stumbled on your DOG TALK® shows several years back and loved hearing your opinions as well as those of your guests, and this was without even owning a dog! We are now in the process of getting a German Shepherd puppy through a breeder in PA which we are picking up in early November, and I am in heavy nesting mode as well as trying to crunch as much information as I can into my wee brain to prepare myself and my family.

My question is about crates. I bought your DOG BIBLE and have also been doing a lot of homework online and realize that we need to get a crate for many reasons. I also recall a show where you talked about a particular crate that was considered the “Rolls Royce of crates” that you found to be exactly the opposite. Are there any particular crates, whether brand names or what to look for, that you can recommend?

Your advice and expertise/experience in this matter would be invaluable!

Thank you!
Best,
Monday from Aquebogue, NY

Although I wasn’t asked, I just had to butt in about the breeder Monday was getting a puppy from – unfortunately, all the high volume puppy millers in Pennsylvania have ruined the state’s reputation for the good breeders – but forewarned is forearmed.

Monday – first, do send me your address so i can send you a bookplate – and thank you so much for your very kind words. It means SO much to hear that a non-dog owner has been enjoying the show!

An important aside  – I don’t want to alarm you but I am very wary of any breeders in PA – it is a very high volume puppy mill state and the Amish have gotten into commercial breeding. You have picked a magnificent breed but one with some heartbreaking genetic problems. Any reputable breeder will have x-rayed hips and knees of breeding pairs as well as other genetic testing. You have the DOG BIBLE already – did this breeder ask you the questions in there? Did you ask the questions I recommend? And have you already met the breeder and seen where and how the dogs live? Also, have you contacted the national AKC GSD group to see if this breeder is a member? If the answers to any of this are NO, please correct it ASAP before you ever set eyes on that puppy and it is too late. This is really important.

The crate question – there are the usual ugly plastic crates but there are now gorgeous wooden crates made of furniture-grade materials which can fit right into a bedroom or living room decor – my web site sponsor Smartpak.com carries several made of different woods – if you can afford them and have room, it’s a great option (and I appreciate you going to Smartpak since their support allows me the freedom to have no advertisers on my site but still get the job done right). The crate needs to be snug for the puppy – the DOG BIBLE explains everything you need to know, just trust it. The horrible “Mercedes Benz” of crates was a nasty little environment in which to keep a dog caged for long periods with an astro turf area to pee in – the exact opposite of what crate training is intended to teach. Good luck – and call in!

Tracie

Want to hear a rebuttal to the AKC judge and Golden Retriever breeder Jeff Pepper, who defended the AKC involvement with puppy mills on the last Dog Talk®? Then read this from Bob, who is a great Dog Talk® aficionado who listens live from Atlanta. This letter is from him – and because of his passionate and well informed response, I’ve invited him on Dog Talk® Sept 6th to get across some of these points. Please chime in with your comments, too!

Tracie, I listened to the show you did this past Saturday, and kept banging my head against the wall during the show, while Jeffrey Pepper was on, trying to get my mind to accept that this apparent PR person for the AKC and puppy mills, was actually trying to convince the listeners that he had a legitimate point of view. It was like listening to someone telling me that the holocaust wasn’t all that bad and served some sort of purpose in the scheme of things….

First of all, the AKC does not visit almost all the puppy mills and that is well documented. If that was not the case, and the AKC was really in fact looking into the majority of these puppy mills they are making tons of money from the worst puppy mills which are usually the busiest, that have their dogs registered by the AKC, would have been shut down years ago. If he doesn’t agree with this, let him list the puppy mills that the AKC has checked and OK’d. ( bet you will never get that list)

His second point seemed to involve the supply and demand situation, and that justifies “anything goes.” That is the same kind of justification that pimps use to justify the necessity of the business they are in, where they are marketing their teenage hookers, to satisfy the demand…. (Why waste the time to develop a relationship with someone, when you can just get a hooker?)

My take is that this guy is in the dog business, and the AKC is a very big cog in his world, and he will defend them no matter what they are doing. In my opinion, he is the worst kind of person in the dog world, making his living in the dog business as an author, a judge, and professing to love dogs, and at the same time excusing this AKC using puppy mills as a primary revenue source., while these poor dogs in these mills suffer everyday of their lives. If someone wants a pure breed, there are plenty of rescues that have them, if not breeders, and anyone with an IQ higher than their resting pulse rate, should be able today to figure out how to get one. All that is needed is to get to a library and look it up on a PC. If you aren’t capable of figuring out how to do that, you probably shouldn’t own a dog anyway. This stops the people that drop into the local pet store with a credit card on a Sunday afternoon, and impulse buying a $1500 “AKC Pedigree” dog and 4 months later it is dropped off at a shelter to be euthanized, because they “got tired of it.” By the way, I met someone at the dog park I Iive next to this weekend, and he had a 7 week old Cocker Spaniel at the park that he had just bought in a pet store the day before…. OH!! He told me it was “an AKC dog, so it was kind of expensive.” After I explained what Parvo is like to a 7 week old dog, he left the park….

The excerpts below are from this web page copied in bold.

Does the AKC inspect the breeders?

The AKC does not inspect kennels, nor does it vouch for the health or well-being of a puppy.

Are AKC – registered dogs guaranteed?

No. AKC registered simply means the puppy had two parents of the same breed. The AKC registers dogs and gives them ‘papers which help to sell them in pet shops or at breeders’ kennels.

Does the AKC make money from puppy mills?

Yes, lots. Puppy mills comprise 80% of the AKC’s business. It registered 917,247 puppies in 2003 at the cost of approximately $25.00 per puppy.

Here is some more documentation that shows how Jeffrey is misrepresenting the facts, from this link: http://network.bestfriends.org/truth/news/14019.html

An American Kennel Club (AKC) representative, Lisa Peterson, recently stated: “Dogs are… property… And we like to leave the option to the owner of the property, of the dog, with the breeder… It’s their decision as to how… many intact females to own or how many litters to produce.”

Commercial dog breeders are often “puppy mills”, those businesses that mass produce dogs for sale. There are reportedly 4,000-5,000 puppy mills in the U.S., each with 75 to 150 breeding dogs. Puppy mills are not much different from the factories that churn out toasters, televisions, and the like. Female dogs used for breeding in puppy mills are bred over and over until their bodies give out. The dogs are literally “stored” in cramped, usually filthy, dark cages, given little or no care, and no socialization or human companionship. Dogs in puppy mills have been found starved, with matted fur covered in fleas or tics.

Puppy mills mean big revenues for the AKC. In 2006 the American Kennel Club (AKC) registered 870,000 individual dogs and 416,000 litters. At $20 per dog and $25 per litter (plus $2 per puppy), AKC brought in well over $30 million in revenues from registration of dogs born in puppy mills.

The AKC, though, does not for the most part check to find out if dogs even qualify for registration. The AKC does not actually travel to every breeder’s facility to inspect it. The AKC has announced it “cannot guarantee the quality or health of dogs in its registry.” But AKC is happy to take the money and issue “papers” for the dogs anyway. Usually the “papers’ simply list the purebred lineage listed on the application submitted by the breeder.

Most puppy mill dogs are sold in pet stores or online. The consumers believe a dog with AKC registered papers is actually a purebred that is in good health. Of course, many dogs from mills are inbred, provided little or no care or socialization, and have diseases, illnesses or deformities and behavioral problems.

Now the AKC plans to have a seminar called “Legislative Empowerment” where they will teach breeders and other dog owners how to oppose legislation and regulations.

In another example of stunning indifference to cruelty to dogs, AKC announced restrictions on tethering or chaining dogs is “unnecessary”. For more on the cruelty and danger of tethering or chaining dogs, click here. A Growing Movement To End The Tethering And Chaining Of Dogs.

Now if you confront Jeffrey, with these facts, he will probably tell you how it isn’t that way “now”… which again is not true.

Kind of an old joke reworked but ” If you want to know if a defender of the AKC’s support of puppy mills is lying or not ?…. Just see if his mouth is moving… If it is, he is probably lying.

Here is another link.

Here is another quote from a web site that has a letter than can be sent to the AKC about  their support of  the Puppy Mills.