The Australian Labradoodle is Not Immune to Puppy Mill Breeders
Do not be fooled by the smile on this dog’s face. He looks clean, he smells better than he once did. He eats better now than he ever did. This is Sawyer. My dream dog. My once hopeful stud boy. I picked him up from his breeder’s home in Tennessee or rather rescued him from his caged life of hell. When I took him home he was infested with worms, reeked like a New York City trash can and had hip dysplasia. It took months to rehabilitate and glue his broke shell back together.
I spent many days just crying with sadness because I couldn’t believe that someone would have mistreated this poor dog and damaged his soul. I remember standing at the door for 3 hours while he stood in my back yard not allowing me to get near him; he stood in the cold November rain and shivered. He wanted to come in so badly but was too afraid. I stood inside the kitchen soaking wet crying and begging him to come in. I pulled out cheese, hamburger, ice cream, steak; I made a trail of food from the yard into the house and he wouldn’t touch it. Night fell on us and I dried off and changed clothes but he still wouldn’t come in the house. I finally had to get a bed sheet and with my husbands help cornered him and tossed the sheet over him.
He was purchased from a well known breeder who offered a warranty and a guarantee on his health. We promptly started health testing him when he got home. Sadly he failed his OFA and was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. His breeder refuses even after receiving proof to honor her warranty. She herself admitted that she has never tested her dogs but yet sells them at a premium rate. Do not be fooled by claims of health and being told “I have never had a dog with hip issues”. Look for proof of testing. She never cried a day in her life for this dog.
This is Sawyer, I cry when asked about him, he will always have a special place in my heart.
I will never forget the breeder’s 70 plus acres of property, her security gate, the 1 mile drive from the road back to her house.
I saw old rusted crates stacked along the drive, driving past a dog run out by some trees I saw a dog house and 4 small dogs, I parked next to a car port type structure that housed several cages stacked on top of one another in rows, inside the cages were chickens, rabbits, cats, ferrets and other small animals.
There were several small shack like out buildings. I walked up to the door and knocked, no one answered but I had called 5 minutes prior so they knew I was there. I opened the door leaning inside to say Hello; looking around there were empty cages everywhere and bags of Purina stacked 10 or more bags high, empty bags and other trash scattered on the floor. I backed out and at that point still hadn’t grasped that I was standing in a puppy mill. Back out on the porch I called the breeder to alert them that I was there, looking up I was faced with 2 dobermans not looking very happy, I later learned that they were nice. The breeder’s husband came out and directed me into the house through another door. I entered a room with a desk, sofa, 2 recliners, a TV, door covered with bed sheets and walls lined with dog crates stacked from floor to ceiling, wall to wall, filled with filthy dogs.
I had arrived with enough cash to buy 4 dogs. One of the dogs was a female, she had just delivered puppies 3 weeks prior, her teats were engorged and infected, matted and scared I told the breeder I couldn’t take her from her puppies. In the cage above them I found Sawyer, then referred to as Prado. He was scared and my heart broke seeing him. I was offered a puppy from the breeder’s recent 3 week old litter, she said I could take it home today. I passed it up. I drove home with a pit in my stomach but vowed to take care of and do the right thing by those dogs.
Sawyer’s now lives with a good friend of mine in Louisville, KY. He has a dog brother who keeps him in line, he has been trained and know several tricks; can wave, high five, pray, dance, roll over… and many more. I get letters from Sawyer every few months and everyone of his letters makes me cry. He is doing great and is a good boy. I love you Sawyer.
Another sad story starts with an Oregon breeder sending me a dog in whelp, the dog was due 2 weeks after she arrived. I took the fluffy white dog out of her crate at the airport holding her in the air to shine my smile upon her face and once again found myself looking into sad scared eyes. Taking her home, praying on my drive home that she wasn’t a freak. Letting her run in my back yard I watched her and knew right away she wasn’t pregnant, her sides sunk in, underweight but pretty. I took her to the vet to confirm her pregnancy and the vet told me what I already knew. I had her groomed to get her pee stained and matted coat into presentable shape; I was called by the groomer to tell me she had bit her. Took her home to have her a few days later bite my 11 year old daughter and to later have her bite a guest in my home and my vet the day I returned her to her breeder.
Being told stories from clients about an Indiana breeder who is breeding a dog that was either hit by a car or stepped on, the story was told to me by multiple clients who claimed to visit the breeder and was told the dog had a funny limp and was skittish because of her accident, unfortunately the cause of the accident change based on who was visiting. Called by a out of state breeder to be told that this same Indiana breeder was selling puppies out of the trunk of her car in a parking lot, the puppies were being sold for $200.00 and not spayed or neutered.
Calls from other concerned customers who visited an Iowa breeder; was advised in order to visit she first had to pay for a puppy. Arriving to play with the puppies they found the adult dogs matted and dirty, so dirty even that to touch them or have the dogs brush up against them would soil their clothes and leave an awful stench. Hearing barking in a side room where they were able to gain a quick peek revealed dogs in crates stacked from floor to ceiling.
Calls from a different client reported a visit to a neighboring Iowa breeder with a similar story.
I will continue to report on stories from clients and my experiences with puppy mill breeders.
Here are other dogs who were found in puppy mills across the United States. Please support ethical breeding and do not buy pets from pet stores or puppy mills. The Labradoodle is a companion dog and should not be raised in a kennel, they need human companionship and thrive on being loved.
Contact Me if You Would Like To Avoid Breeders Like Those Mentioned Above
WARNING THE PICTURES BELOW ARE GRAPHIC
Please take the time to look at each picture, don’t close your eyes.
If after looking at these pictures your heart needs to rescue a doodle contact
the International Doodle Owners Group a 501 (3) (c) rescue
www.idogrescue.com
Puppymills are a huge problem in the United States. If you are unclear of what a puppymill is take a look at the pictures below. They are sickening and; REAL. This type of life for millions of poor unfortunate dogs is a reality everyday. For many dogs they are confined in conditions like this for their entire life until they are no longer able to breed (to make their capturers money) then they are killed. The dogs you see in these pictures are VERY lucky as they are being photographed because they were rescued. So many dogs do not hit the dog lottery and make it out alive.
How can you help?
DO NOT EVER EVER EVER BUY A DOG/PUPPY FROM A PET STORE OR MARKET, OR SWAP MEET. THE DOGS YOU SEE ARE ADORABLE AND; CUTE. BUT THEY WERE BORN IN CONDITIONS LIKE THIS AND ARE 90% OF THE TIME VERY SICK AND; MOST DIE VERY SOON AFTER THEY GO TO THEIR NEW HOMES. PLEASE DO NOT SUPPORT THE PUPPY MILLERS BY BUYING THEIR PUPS FROM PET STORES…
A Letter from Sawyer’s Family
dated 10/06/2009
Hello Kendra,
About 7 months ago I hopped in my car on a little leap of faith, but also complete trust that we would be a great home to Sawyer.
Well, Kent and I were talking last night in how it was one of the better decisions we have made.
First, he and Willie are the best of buddies. The last time I took Sawyer to get groomed Willie spent about 20 minutes looking for him & pouted. When Sawyer came home he was so excited to see Willie that he peed (he’d never done that before) and they tackled each other like they always do.
Every morning Sawyer wakes up and climbs in between Kent and I giving us kisses. He’s a little alarm clock because he wakes up at 7am on the dot almost every morning. But it’s almost like he says “oh man I am so happy, this is going to be the best day ever” then he snuggles up next to you and goes back to sleep (sometimes). He yelps with enthusiasm when you come home, and even when we have to leave, he jumps up on his bed (they stay in the guest room, and it’s like he looks at Willie and says, “dude this is awesome, you can’t complain.”
Yesterday I was sitting in meditation and Sawyer climb into my lap to take a nap. He loves to climb next to you and cuddle up, such a snuggler. In my opinion he is just a complete embodiment of love. He always wags his tail and just loves his life. (he is presently dancing around the house with a toy trying to stir up Willie, but the WIllie isn’t much of a morning dog, but Sawyer won and they are now chewing on the toy together). Sawyer is just as good for Willie as Willie is for Sawyer.
I’ve traveled a lot this year and Willie gets upset or sick each time. This past time when WIllie saw my travel bag he followed me around every where. Then he started to pout. I told him he was going to make me cry & to go find Sawyer. I always make up what they are saying, by the way. He went and found Sawyer and it was like he patted him on the head and said ‘awe it isn’t so bad, I’ve got you man’ and they started to romp around together.
I’m sorry there couldn’t be more little Sawyer’s because he has a heart of gold that just bubbles over with delight. But sometimes I think he is so happy because of the trials he went through. Every morning he wakes up it’s like a brand new surprise, as if he forgot the day before, and he’s just so happy that he can’t fall back to sleep. He tries to wake Willie up and the rest of us. He knows that if I’m home that he’ll get to sit on my lap on the couch again real soon so he just wants to get the beautiful day started.
Needless to say, we love our dogs. They are some of the most popular in the neighborhood! They are both unique in their same ways, and they both show their love in different ways. Willie knows he is the big brother and when no one is watching he’ll snuggle right up next to you (if not on top of you). But they really love each other.
Teresa, Kent, Willie & Sawyer
