how to trace a lineage....advice please

[jacksonm]

So after reading through alot of posts about byb I wondered if I was naive as well. Long story short we got my mother a dog for her birthday from an amish farm here in central pa. I kno not the smartest move but we were uneducated at the time it def wasn't a puppy mill he did have a really nice setup but im sure didn't breed for the better just for the money. Anyways my dog came from my mothers dog a complete accident. But we have her paperwork with the father and mothers name and I was wondering how I go about tracing where they came from and as far back as I could go.

We also have my brothers dog father of mine who is all black genetically impossible I knowich makes me even more interested to trace his bloodline. I kno mistakes were made and they should have been neutered but I have an amazing dog because of it and he is definetly getting fixed. So any advice on how to go about this would be amazing.

[LILYLARUE]

A little education about Amish millers. They breed dogs for profit only. They are a cash crop to them no more than cows, sheep or horses. Often one member of the family will breed the pups in a mill barn. Many times this barn is way out in the country, no neighbors to complain. Then the puppies are distributed to family members to sell. This is how they get away with it with the new puppy mill laws. The appearance that the puppies are "family and house raised" is just a scam. Often times, the adult dogs are not the sire or dam of those puppies. Could be an aunt or uncle or previous litter. They breed their bitches every heat, often starting at their first. They do register their puppies (AKC, ACA), but if you look at the family lineage, almost if not all dogs have an amish last name. A sure sign that it's a puppy milled dog.

AKC really is of no more value than the paper it's printed on. It is a registry only. No regulations other than both parents must be registered and the fee paid. Over 1/2 of dogs in shelters are registered and that doesn't do a thing when they are on the table to be euthanized. Amish generally don't care where their pups go. Any unsuspecting buyer can pick one up as they spot the sign "puppies for sale".

I made this same mistake with my first boxer, Lily. She has some health issues, but no where near what others have experienced. I love her dearly, but now advocate against puppy mills and bad breeders. I have since rescued 4 dogs of my own and fostered many others in hopes to erase the mistake I had originally made. I will only rescue and adopt my dogs from here on out. It's something that every mill dog buyer should commit to when they educate themselves on puppy mills and BYB's.

So don't feel bad about your decisions - up to today! From today on......educate yourself and speak out for the voiceless. Prevent others from making the same mistake and feeding into the business, purpetuating shelter overcrowding and unneccessary euthanization.

[jacksonm]

Thank u so much lilly you are very knowledgeable and I would like to rescue and foster bit with my son and my other four legged son then a little baby girl due in sept I think I have a full plate lol

[LILYLARUE]

I only know what I know from researching by being so anti-puppy mill. Living in the heart of Amish country, you learn a lot just by listening and reading. I will say though, I have an amish supplier for some of my materials for my dog collar business. The first time I went to introduce myself and purchase some supplies, the owner was pleasant, as they all seem to be. While we were talking, a beautiful, well-groomed pekinese came into the barn with us. He immediately picked her up and gave her snuggles and a kiss on the lips!!! I commented to him about how loving he is with his dog and how my perceptions of Amish may be wrong. He said "No, your perception is not wrong. I am different". LOL Then we discussed how his family breeds dogs and how he is so against it. He was the one that shared the "house and family raised" scam. He was young, about mid 20's and very animal friendly. He also refused to help work his family members cattle farms because he couldn't handle the "disrespect of God's creatures", as he stated. I admired him so much and choose to continue to do business with such a "different" Amishman. As I left, I noticed in his field, a few, very well fed horses and some cows. They looked amazingly well taken care of and healthy as they stood under two different shade structures. I have never seen any shade structures on any other farm in my life! He truly is different.

[jacksonm]

Your right I do alot of rabbit hunting and we have watched the alien run there horses to death they see them as equipment not pets. It goes to show you that there's always someone to change your outlook glad I could find a good one