Why am I told NOT to buy from a pet shop, flea market or hobby/backyard breeder?
NO ethical reputable breeder would EVER sell a puppy to a pet shop or offer puppies for sale at a flea market or side of the road. NEVER! Thus, you can be assured that ANY puppy purchased from a pet shop or flea market situation comes from a highly questionable background and that usually means your are taking a huge risk on their health. Do not believe them when they try to tell you differently. The hobby or backyard breeder is unlikely to be showing their dogs and are most likely only breeding to make money from selling puppies. It is this type breeder who, in trying to maximize their profits, will fail to do proper annual health testing, will be reckless or ignorant of good breeding rules, will carelessly cross bloodlines, will use dogs with known health problems, etc. Again, you take a huge risk in buying a puppy from such a person. The few hundred dollars you save by buying from such a person will likely be more than made up in vet bills and heartache later on.
