Quote Originally Posted by NickMyers03 View Post
i own a peek-a-poo which we paid $600 for...she is the cutest thing in the world and i would pay a lot more for a mutt...let it be known all other animals i have are rescues
Why? Why pay $600 for something you can find for free on any community message board, or pull from a shelter for a fraction of that price?

For that money, I would absolutely expect the breeder to have done full work-ups on the parents (and hopefully grandparents)...including x-rays of joints, tests for hereditary disease, etc. Unfortunately, the backyard breeders and puppy mills aren't health-checking or pairing healthy dogs...I routinely see these poor little mutts with horrible luxating patellas, cryptorchidism (yes, it's hereditary), demodex, wicked skin allergies, thyroid conditions, atrocious dental deformities that require surgical correction, cherry-eye...

And the really sad part is that the consumers who buy the cute fluffballs are completely ignorant of the moneypit they are voluntarily buying for hundreds of dollars...at least, they dont find out until past the "48 hour health guarantee". And don't even get me started on dogs "registered" with the ACA....the ACA says they endorse breeder health-checks on dogs...I've read through their vet forms, and they don't even spell all of the medical terms correctly! Anybody spending money on these dogs should do their homework...the money you spend is an affirmation of your support of the breeder's ethics and practices. Know what it is that you are supporting with your money.