WHAT IS A PUPPY MILL?
Buying puppies online may be the latest trend, but you may be supporting the cruel "puppy mill" industry by doing so. "Commercial Kennels" become "puppy mills" when animals are housed in inhumane and filthy conditions, offered little in the way of proper medical care and disposed of when they're no longer productive as breeding stock.

The appeal of puppies as a retail item goes back at least as far as the old song "(How Much Is That Doggie in the Window?)" But cruelty in the high-volume breeding operations that feed the pet trade has been documented for decades.

While there are operations that practice husbandry at least as humane as that offered to livestock, other breeding businesses care little for their animals. And even the "good" commercial breeders do not offer what behaviorists argue is essential for a temperamentally sound family pet: constant in-house exposure to normal family life and gentle socialization by all manner of people and children. 

There's really no way to determine what misery may exist behind the puppy you're buying unless you investigate and do your homework.

Do not buy from a Pet Store.   Do a little homework on the Internet searching for the Breed you are thinking of purchasing and for responsible breeders in your area.  Search out a responsible breeder in your area.  Most individuals that breed for Show quality usually do not have litters where every puppy produced is show quality and in most instances have a few Pet Quality puppy's that they will be looking to get into loving homes. You are better off purchasing from them because you know where the puppy is coming from and will be able to see at least one of the parents.

There are many horror stories out there about people who have purchased puppies.  Don't become one
of those horror stories.  Please do your homework!   If there are any doubts then ask for references
and follow-up with those references provided.

At the very minimum, buy only from people who are happy to show you their kennels in person. 
Also buy from  a person who can show you either the Mother or the Father. Even better is when the puppies aren't kenneled at all, but raised and socialized in the house with plenty of love and care. 
Also ask for a pedigree of your new puppy.   Any responsible breeder will be glad to show off their
line that they have been developing over the years. Talk to your Breeder about care and grooming of 
your puppy.  Don't be afraid to ask for a grooming demonstration.   Know what you are getting into before you purchase that cute little puppy.  Don't forget to discuss your puppies eating habits and the type of food they have been feeding the puppy.  Also do yourself a favor and ask for references before you write that check for that new puppy. 

Your responsibility as a potential purchaser of a Lhasa Apso is to educate yourself about the breed.   Ask lots of questions when you call or visit any Lhasa breeder. Take your time in deciding if a Lhasa Apso is the right dog for you.   Know what you are getting into when that cute little fur ball turns into long hair that
needs grooming.

The American Lhasa Apso Club is opposed to cross-breeding of dogs and is particularly opposed to the deliberate crossing of Lhasa Apsos with any other breed. These crossbreeds are a deliberate attempt to mislead the public with the idea that there is an advantage to these designer dogs. Crossbred dogs are prone to all of the genetic diseases of both breeds and offer none of the advantages that owning a purebred dog has to offer. 

Doing your Homework will surely pay off in the long run and please do not be afraid to ask questions.  Many  a Lhasa's have been cast aside because the person did not know what they were getting themselves into and did not realize that there would be any kind of grooming involved when their puppy grew up.




This page is dedicated to Robyn Vandal.