To find the right companion animal for you and your lifestyle, do some research on breeds to find the perfect fit. Also, decide if you want to obtain your dog from a shelter, a breed placement group or a breeder.

Responsible breeders try to improve the breed. Other breeders, often called backyard breeders or puppy mill operators, may act irresponsibly to maximize financial profits and cause animal suffering, damage the breed, your new animal and your pocketbook.

Dogs - The Adoption Option

There are many shelters in southeastern Wisconsin that have wonderful dogs available for adoption; dogs that will make grateful new family members and who are smart and eager to fit in to your lifestyle. Please think twice before selecting an animal just for his or her appearance when you could be passing up the rewarding love and loyalty of a dog waiting for a second chance.

If you choose to obtain your dog through a breeder, familiarize yourself with their qualifications to make sure that you are not supporting animal cruelty.

PUPPY MILLS PROMOTE CRUELTY

Puppy mills are breeding facilities that produce purebred or hybrid (two breeds selected for size or appearance) puppies in large numbers. The puppies are sold either directly to the public via the Internet, newspaper ads, at the mill itself, or are sold to brokers and pet shops across the country. The documented problems of puppy mills include overbreeding, inbreeding, minimal veterinary care, poor quality of food and shelter, lack of socialization with humans, overcrowded cages and the killing of unwanted animals.

Most pet stores obtain their dogs from puppy mills and are making significant profit from the suffering of animals. There is one way to end that cycle—don’t support businesses that sell animals and don’t obtain one from these sources.

To the unwitting consumer, this situation frequently means obtaining a puppy facing an array of immediate veterinary problems or harboring genetic diseases that do not appear until years later. In 1994, Time magazine estimated that as many as 25% of purebred dogs were afflicted with serious genetic problems.

Sadly, some dogs are forced to live in puppy mills for their entire lives. They are kept there for one reason only: to produce more puppies. Repeatedly bred, many of these "brood bitches" are killed once their reproductive years are over. Thousands of these breeding operations currently exist in the United States, including some in Wisconsin.

PUPPY MILLS CAUSE PAIN & SUFFERING. PUPPIES FROM THESE PLACES OFTEN HAVE HEALTH AND BEHAVIORIAL PROBLEMS. DON'T PATRONIZE PUPPY MILL BREEDERS!

You can help end the suffering of puppy mill dogs by learning more about puppy mills.

BE A SMART, RESPONSIBLE, HUMANE SHOPPER; IT HELPS DOGS & IT WILL HELP YOU TOO.

Questions to Ask a Dog Breeder

Avoid problems and future costs:

• How long has the breeder been in business at the same location? Make sure they are not a fly-by-night operation.
• Does the breeder have references you can contact?
• How many types of dogs do they breed? Most reputable breeders only work with one or two breeds.
• What are common health issues or concerns associated with the breed?
• Does he or she offer a written guarantee to provide a full refund of the price if the dog is later determined to have a serious preexisting medical condition or temperament problems?

If the breeder does not seem knowledgeable about the dogs and specific breeds he or she is selling, this could be a warning signal that something is wrong. Reputable breeders know a lot about the animals they work with and they provide references from satisfied clients.

Here are some tips to help you find the perfect companion animal:

• How old is the dog? We recommend that puppies stay with their mother and littermates until they are at least 8 weeks old. An early separation can cause lifelong behavior problems. Ask them how you can verify the age.
• Have the puppies been socialized with people? Puppies should be friendly, not excessively shy or aggressive. If they've been well cared for and around kind and loving people, they will most likely be very friendly and playful.
• Has the dog had all of the appropriate vaccinations? By 8 weeks of age a puppy should have gotten one distemper combination vaccine, including a parvo preventative. He or she should also receive booster shots at 3 to 4 week intervals. Ask if the puppy has been de-wormed and the name of their veterinarian.
• Has a veterinarian checked the puppies? Get a written and signed statement from the breeder's veterinarian indicating that the animal has received an exam. Ask for the name of the vet and call for verification. Reputable breeders do genetic testing of parent dogs to avoid passing on problems. Make an appointment with your own veterinarian for the day you pick up the puppy, or soon thereafter.
• Is the puppy being fed an appropriate diet of nutritious food? Ask to see what the breeder is feeding the dogs. Most good breeders will give you a few days' supply of dog food for you to take home and help your puppy's digestive system adapt.
• ALWAYS ask to see the dam (mother). If the dog you are obtaining is eight weeks old or younger, you should still see evidence that the mother was lactating (enlarged mammary glands). Beware - many backyard breeders will show you a pretty female dog and say it's the dam, even though the dog has never had a litter.

Responsible, reputable breeders are knowledgeable and willing to help educate you about training your puppy, from housebreaking to behavior problems. Responsible breeders will also interview prospective clients and ask to meet the whole family. They want to make sure the temperament of the pups matches the personality and lifestyle of the family. They want to make sure this is a lifelong match. Responsible breeders also encourage or require clients to spay or neuter their pups. The dogs on their property are friendly, socialized and trained.

You can also adopt a purebred dog from a local or national breed placement group. Reputable breed placement groups (otherwise known as breed rescues) require you to complete an adoption application and they check references. They may even ask to conduct a home visit to ensure they are placing the animal in a suitable environment. A good breed placement group will also spay or neuter the animals and keep them current on vaccinations and other medical care. Contact us for a list of reputable breed placement groups that we work with on a regular basis.

If you choose to adopt a companion animal from the Wisconsin Humane Society, either a mixed-breed or a purebred, there are many benefits included. For a low adoption fee all animals are spayed or neutered, given an identification microchip and provided with other veterinary services. As part of our adoption program we provide assistance for undiagnosed, pre-existing medical problems within three weeks of adoption. One month of additional free animal health insurance is also provided. Knowledgeable adoption counselors will assist you in selecting a dog that will be compatible with your lifestyle.

Obtaining Puppies from Pet Stores

Not all pet stores sell puppies and kittens, but you should be careful about the ones that do. Consider the source of the animals that are sold at these facilities. Reputable breeders do not sell their animals to pet stores.

In order to make a hefty profit, many pet stores seek to obtain puppies for the lowest possible cost. This often means that pet stores get their inventory of animals from puppy mills. Puppies from puppy mills are sold cheap to animal brokers and pet stores and then the store sells them to customers at much higher prices. Pet stores can actually be more expensive than a reputable breeder, yet you don't know much about the animal's temperament, health or background. Thus, it is best to obtain puppies from reputable breeders, or adopt them from a good breed placement group or animal shelter.

Animal behavior seminars, informational brochures and behavior telephone counseling and tip lines are available at the Wisconsin Humane Society. We have a retail store and help people select appropriate animal care products. Finally, knowing that you are giving a very deserving and wonderful animal a second chance increases the joy of adding a new member to your family.

Click here to see some of the wonderful animals available for adoption at the Wisconsin Humane Society.

Other animal shelters in the area also have great animals for adoption. We encourage you to check them out as well. Visit Petfinder.com to search area shelters.