Puppies for Sale at Mudd Puppies

I've been receiving a lot of calls lately from people asking if we had certain breeds of dogs for sale. It is our policy to never sell, advertise or endorse any breeder or the sale of any dog. This may seem a bit extreme, but there is good reason for it. Missouri leads the country in the number of puppy mills. Because it is impossible for us to check every "breeder," we have just made a blanket policy.

For anyone who still doesn't know, a puppy mill (in simplest terms) is a breeder who breeds solely for profit with no concern for the health or well being of the dogs.

What we suggest and recommend is checking with your local shelter. Here in Columbia, there is the Central Missouri Humane Society, Columbia Second Chance, and Happy Tails. If you are looking for a specific breed, there are breed specific rescue organizations, such as the American Brittany Rescue where I got my Brittany. There are links on our links page to all of these organizations. If you are looking for one of the rescues, a quick Google search will bring up what you need.

For more information on Puppy Mills check these links:
http://www.puppymillrescue.com/what_is_a_puppy_mill.htm
http://www.maal.org/Puppy-Mills.asp
http://www.prisonersofgreed.org/

Dominance Theory

There is a lot of information and television programs that tout the merits of being the "pack leader" or "alpha dog." At best, this method is misunderstood and poorly defined by the media and proponents of this method.

The theory itself has been loosing favor in the pet training field for several years. The most highly respected trainers (by their peers) use non-aversive training techniques. These include Ian Dunbar, Patricia McConnell, and Karen Pryor. All are published writers and well worth checking into.

More info on the topic can found at:
http://www.clickertraining.com/node/2297
http://www.avsabonline.org/avsabonline/images/stories/Position_Statements/dominance%20statement.pdf

I think this bares repeating

I wanted to revisit the subject of different types of collars. As reasearch and articles have been written by people much more informed than I, I'll just leave a few links to their research. I will say that as long as I own Mudd Puppies, we will never carry or sell any aversive training collars and will always recommend flat collars as "a place to hang their tags."

There's a lot more information out there, but the research done since 1980 (the first study I'm aware of) all point to the same thing.

http://www.dogremedies.com/dangers_choke_pinch_shock.html

http://www.helpinganimals.com/animalsHome_dogs_collar.asp

Humane Society Files Class Aciton Lawsuit Against Petland

Because Missouri leads the country in the number of puppy mills, I thought this relevant.

Some thoughts on the matter include:

If the "breeder" won't let you see their facilities, it's probably a mill.

Any dog can have papers if the parents are known, this does not mean they are papers from the AKC or the dog has been properly bred. Some organizations have reportedly been formed to give dogs papers even though they are of questionable breeding. A good guideline is to look for AKC paperwork and possibly the denotation of champion for one or both parents.

NEVER buy dog from a pet store as they are almost guaranteed to be from a mill.

There are a number of rescue centers (like the humane society) and breed specific rescue organizations (like the American Brittany Rescue) which test for temperament, sociability, etc. which would be a much better choice. You may not get a show quality dog, but you'll get a great companion.

There is a wealth of knowledge on the internet or at your local Humane Society about puppy mills and how to avoid them. More information about the suit can be found at

http://www.hsus.org/press_and_publications/press_releases/petland_litigation_sm_031709.html

Dangers of Choke Collars

I recently came across a study on choke chains done in 1992. The findings concluded that choke collars can damage the cervical sympathetic nerve, the neck and back vertebrae, and cause foreleg paralysis among other things.

I personally believe collars should only be used as a place to hang a dog's tags. And with all the accessories available today that work on principles other than brute force, there's really no valid reason to use a choke collar.

I am a strong advocate of head collars and harnesses (perhaps that's another blog) although you should talk with a certified trainer before attempting to train with either.

For more information on the study, search for 1992, Sweden, and Hallgreen.

Pedigree Dogs Exposed

I'd rather not make a comment about this other than to say I think everyone who cares about dogs should watch it.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=44215931

World's first dog

I think the title of this article is a little presumptuous, but it does have some fascinating information.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27240370/