Most likely, yes. It is in the heart of amish country which is very well known for having puppy mills and if you look at the site, they have all different breeds available with puppies, puppies, and more puppies.

Have you heard the saying: if it walks like a duck, looks like a duck, it probably is a duck?

No reputable breeder is going to have that many breeds and that many puppies at one time. You are lucky that your pups turned out fine, but you most likely just supported a puppymill where the dogs live hellish lives in hellish conditions producing litter after litter. The only way this sort of thing will stop is when people quit supporting them.

 

I mean I definitely dont support. But when people say "leave the breeding to breeders" what does that conclude?

If reputable breeders are harming animals then i dont see why people say that.

I am really thankful theybare perfectly fine. I dont support puppy mills. I wish they would all get shut down, but in my opinion, I think from what my dogs came from they were not a puppy mill.

 

That's a puppy mill... no question.

 

Do you think they hurt my pups?

Would you consider it a sort of... rescue I guess?

 

Yes they are.

 

What makes you feel that way?

 

You didn't rescue a puppy. You bought a puppy without knowing better from a puppy mill that will likely continue producing puppies because the sellers make easy money from these litters. Next time you will know better and hopefully go through the right channels. Whether the dog is healthy or not, time will tell. At a year old, get hips/elbows done if you like. Make sure to spay/neuter or manage the dogs so you do not have any accident litters. Enjoy your dogs. It is too late now to second guess so enjoy them for what they are.

 

Yup yup! And ahh.. you are right. I would not trade them..
I dont need anymore animals lol. I have a cat and the two dogs. Thats about enough .
You can tell if pups have hip/elbow Dis. At a young age.. but I will always keep a look out for problems.

The vet seemed to be confident that they are alright.. I just hope they are.

 

You can tell if pups have hip/elbow Dis. At a young age.. but I will always keep a look out for problems.

I was responding to the aforementioned. I know you did not get xrays done already so I assumed nothing. Because if you had xrays done already, you would have said as much and told me the prelim xrays look good. You cannot get a hip/elbow rating with any organization before age 1. OFA in America won't give you a rating till 2 so I know you have not had your dogs evaluated either. So I assume nothing, I know you have not done xrays yet so it is too early to know if they are good or not. That is not a slight against you, but you cannot know if they have HD until later with xrays and an evaluation as proof.

 

You are giving me bad hopes

 

Eh? Why? There is nothing to feel bad about. Just get hips/elbows done at 1 year. If they look good, that's great. If there is an issue, you can deal with it at that point and we will be here to help you. HD or ED is not a death sentence. It happens to well bred dogs and it happens to poorly bred dogs. I have/had dogs with HD and other genetic issues. It is not a death sentence. Especially these days, there are many fine remedies that will improve and extend the quality of life. No reason to get paranoid or upset at this point. Enjoy your pups, wait till a year, get hips/elbows done for peace of mind and if there is an issue, we can deal with it then. Relax. Nothing is set in stone. They are just babies - enjoy them instead of wringing your hands over what you cannot control. Keep them at a good weight, don't overfeed, and give appropriate food with good calcium/phosphorus levels. Don't overly stress the joints with excessive running on hard ground or too much jumping from high heights. Other than that, there is nothing any of us can do.

 

Awe thankyou ! I just want the best for them. I know there are some good remedies and such I just fear the experience of having my dogs witb HD / ED. I dont really take them for runs, but we always walk.. every once a day, Because I attend school.

When you say overfeed, what do you mean? I feed my youngest 3 times a day, and my oldest twice. They dont eat the same food because ones for puppies with baby teeth, (soft food) and the other is kind of big pieces, not to big.. but big enough.

What do you think?

 

No reason to drive yourself crazy at this point. Just enjoy them and take the proper precautions. Genetics will play out as they are and we can deal with the issues if they arise later on.

Your exercise seems fine. If you can, let them run and play on grass for a hour or so each day. You want to build nice muscle and keep them developed.

What food are you feeding and how much? How old are they?

 

Yes! We have a huge backyard.. we let them have their fun outside !

I am feeding both of them with beneficial. One is for pups and the other for adults.

Shadow is turning 6 months dec 1.
Apollo will be 4 months nov 24.

I dont put the food to the top. Possibly mid way if that.

I feed apollo 3 times a day.

We switched shadows food because she was not enjoying the baby food anymore. She eats the big dog food instead now. We feed her 2 times a day and the same size as apollo.

 

Beneful is not a great food. If you can, switch to a better food.

What do you mean "put to the top"? Of the bowl? You should measure out the dog's food using a measuring cup so you can control your dog's intake. It will also allow you to accurately measure the ideal amount necessary for proper weight management. Do not just fill the bowl.

 

Well, I had other dogs I did the same process too and they were fine. I would measure it but what would be the correct measurments? What dog food you prefer ?

 

Puppy food info:
http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...forum/feeding-our-puppy/186106-puppy-food-ingredient-nutrition-spreadsheet.html
http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...rds.com/forum/feeding-our-puppy/85975-most-highly-recommended-puppy-food-s.html
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/feeding-our-puppy/163201-feeding-puppies.html

Most everyone will recommend that you measure out the dog's food. It helps to keep things standardized. A single 1 cup measuring cup will do fine. How much you feed depends on what food you are feeding and the activity level of the dog. I like to measure out and figure out the perfect balance when my dog is at the right weight. I like them nice and lean with the last 2 ribs showing, a nice tuck and defined waist. Like I said, it is easier to find that balance when you measure your food and figure out the right level for your dog. For example, my high energy female that runs 5-10 miles a day gets a lot more food than my house dog that snoozes most of the day.

http://www.thedoggylama.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/dog_weight_chart1.jpg
http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-feeding-tips/dog-ideal-weight/

 

thank you!my daughter wants to make cookies and sell them..she is 7 so i dont know about the sell part but she can atleast make them lol

Puppy food info:
http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...forum/feeding-our-puppy/186106-puppy-food-ingredient-nutrition-spreadsheet.html
http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...rds.com/forum/feeding-our-puppy/85975-most-highly-recommended-puppy-food-s.html
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/feeding-our-puppy/163201-feeding-puppies.html

Most everyone will recommend that you measure out the dog's food. It helps to keep things standardized. A single 1 cup measuring cup will do fine. How much you feed depends on what food you are feeding and the activity level of the dog. I like to measure out and figure out the perfect balance when my dog is at the right weight. I like them nice and lean with the last 2 ribs showing, a nice tuck and defined waist. Like I said, it is easier to find that balance when you measure your food and figure out the right level for your dog. For example, my high energy female that runs 5-10 miles a day gets a lot more food than my house dog that snoozes most of the day.

http://www.thedoggylama.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/dog_weight_chart1.jpg
How to Determine Your Dog's Ideal Weight

Hehe! My female is lean ! I do feed her the same exact measure everyday. But I just dont know how much that is! Once these foods go to waste, I would def. Change the food to the recommended ones, lets see how that goes. And your gsd is sooo pretty

 

Sounds good!

Thank you - he's a neat dog

 

! How old is that cutie
And yep thanks for the advice!

 

Which one? This guy?

He's 1.5 years or so there. He will turn 2 soon.

 

OH MAN♥♥♥ gorgeous!!!!!

 

He is nice and big! perfect German Shepherd!

 

Very commonly known puppy mill.

 

Everyone is just telling this young girl to get a "premium kibble" and isn't giving her price compatiable suggestions. I doubt she's going to convince daddy to buy $60 - $80 30ish lb bags of Orijen when he looks at the dogs and thinks they are fine on Beneful.

Kelina, what petstores do you have available in your area? It will help people better help you pick a good food that is not too expensive. Do you have petsmart, petco, pet supplies plus, how about tractor supply company? Google if you aren't sure. TSC (tractor supply company) and the other stores main webpages should have location finders on there where you type in your zip code and it will tell you where the nearest store is.

If you have a TSC you can shop at, I would recommend their house brand called "4 Health." It's a good food at a good price and the dogs will probably like it. You could also try Diamond Naturals, even the regular diamond would be better than Beneful and should be about the same price as Beneful.

Don't worry too much about your puppies right now. Take good care of them, love them, socialize them, obedience train them, and if problems come up in the futuer, we can help you deal with them as they come up. No sense stressing youreself out now about things that may or may not happen in a year or two.

 

AWE! thanks a lot. I pay for the dogs. The food, the vet etc.. but if you say so lol..

I live around a petco. Now, I was already thinking of posting some of their food , and asking which one is the best.

I can try and find a TSC around me.

Thanks a lot. I love my pups a lot.

 

Bottom line....

When you bought those puppies, your money supported a "dang puppy mill", whether you knew or not. Many of us have before we knew what to look for in breeder. You didn't rescue a puppy. You bought it. I have two BYB boxers that I bought and one rescued GSD adopted from a kill shelter. Now, going forward, you have the knowledge to make a smarter decision. What's done is done. but if you don't want to hear what people have to say then you shouldn't ask the question.

Where in PA are you? As far as food goes, I've tried 4Health. It's ok. My Boxer does well on Canidae, better than she did on 4Health. Victor is supposed to be coming to PA. Annamaet is available in southern PA and used to be a pretty decent price. Stay away from TOTW for puppies. To much calcium.

 

I wish this would have been asked *before* the purchase.

People come here and ask after the fact, then get upset at the answers they receive.

 

kellina sounds a bit inexperienced, i hope she got lucky and her dogs and her dogs remain healthy and problem free. i hope she sticks around and learns more. i would suggest she should neuter her male also.

 

:thumbup:

 

The Amish are good at sales. When the puppies area ready for sale, they bring the mom and pups in/around the house and leave the impression that they are home raised. I had people tell me stories as to how wonderfully their puppy was raised, running around on a wonderful farm and raised with the family. People are clueless.

Just sad how many people get fooled by the show.

 

I live in Lanaster County, Pa. Lancaster puppies is not a puppy mill itself. It is a website. A website that advertises for many breeders all over Pa. While alot are puppy mills, you do find some that are reputable breeders. I personally do not think that mills should be able to advertise but it is their right. I know someone who does some of the photography for the website. Good breeders have their own website but one in awhile you can find a good one on there. As for the OP, you should be able to find a TSC near you. My GSD does well on 4Health. And it is affordable. There are better foods if you can afford to pay more. How close are you to Lancaster? That Fish Place has all your top line foods and have just added Fromm. They also carry Earthbath products for your grooming needs. Hope to see some pics of the pups.

 

i wouldn't bother with a breeder on this type of website. i can get a puppy anywhere, it is what you can expect after the sale that matters. also, how many of these pups end up in rescues as there is no screening of the potential buyer.

 

Puppy mill, BYB, either way not a reputable breeder and not someone that it is good to support...

At any rate now you know to come here if you are looking for a dog in the future so we can help you find a good breeder...

 

Good breeders do not use a puppy mill broker web site to sell puppies. Typically they have a waiting list and often have all of their puppies sold before the birth or before they go home at 8 weeks. I won't use terms like "puppy mill" or "BYB" or "reputable breeder" because they all mean different things to different people. Bottom line is I personally don't pick out puppies on a puppy broker web site. I find a breeder that actually BRED the dogs and ask about their lineage, their health history (several generations back), as to meet the dogs or at least the mother, observe some training/work, etc. and then if I like what I see I get a puppy. It's not like shopping on Amazon.

 

Not all people find it necessary to look for the work of the dog.. I like my pups just the way they are. I seen their mom and I could careless about their grandmom, great grandmom.. etc.

As long as she was hip certified and I seen the record then im ok with the pup. Where would you find a breeder? Your friend? Backyard breeding?? You look online for a breeder..

But like yu said thats you and I completely respect your personal opinion.

 

Aside from the thousands and thousands of unwanted puppies that turn into dogs that end up in shelters then euthanized, you have to also think of the poor dogs that are "USED" to produce countless litters of puppies then disposed of as well when they have more use.
You find a "REPUTABLE" breeder by doing research and learning from people that love the breed and dogs in general.