The first question many people ask, and rightly so, is "how do you know if you're buying from a puppy mill or not?"
The term "puppy mill" is one that means different things to different people. True puppy mills are the ones where dogs are used solely as a means to an end - puppies. They live their entire lives in a crate large enough for them to stand up in, are bred every heat cycle, and often times live in dark and dirty quarters. The people that would treat a dog like that are the ones who only want money from puppies. Thankfully, due in part to governemnt intervention, those kinds of facilities are being sought out and shut down.
Others consider a puppy mill to be anyone who breeds a dog that has not been "proven". In order to know if that dog adheres to breed standards, it would need to be a finished show dog with it's champion title. This dog would only be mated with another champion to ensure that the best of the breed is reproduced. All health clearances must be passed before you would even consider breeding a dog. Each breed is prone to certain inherited health problems, and testing to ensure your dog is not a carrier of these is a must. When you purchase a puppy from a breeder like this you know that even a pet quality puppy will be a beautiful dog. But these breeders do not have puppies on a regular basis and there is often a long waiting list to get even a pet quality puppy for your family.
At Storybook, our goal is to provide families with a lifelong companion that is a true representation of it's breed, is happy, healthy and will live a long life with it's forever family. We are very particular in choosing dogs that adhere to breed standards, because these are the foundation of our breeding program. But while we strive to produce a puppy that meets these standards in every way, our first goal is to reproduce a family friendly temperament in a dog. If your puppy is beautiful to look at, but will not hesitate to snap at it's family, I have failed as a breeder.
We follow these guidelines in our breeding program here at Storybook:
* Only dogs of sound temperament and structure, good health, and characteristic type as described in the American Kennel Club’s (AKC) approved standard should be used for breeding.
* Dogs to be bred must be in robust health. A dog is not to be bred prior to one year of age or older than eight years, nor should she produce more than six litters in her lifetime. Dogs will not be bred every heat cycle, but will have a rest between litters so that she can have sufficient time to recover before being bred again.
* We are prepared to keep the puppies for as long as it takes to suitably place them with good families. Our puppies will never be sold to pet stores or given to a shelter because we cannot find homes for them. In the event that a puppy does not find it's forever home at 8 weeks of age, it will remain here until it does.
I take the responsibility of raising puppies seriously. They are a part of our family from the moment they are born and they remain a part of our family until they find their forever homes. I care for my puppies the way that I care for my adult dogs, with the best of food and vet care and an abundance of love. While raising puppies is a source of additional income for our family, I am more concerned with getting a puppy a good home than making a sale. My goal is to provide families with companions that will live long and happy lives. This is a win-win for the families and my puppies alike, and that is when I know that I have succeeded as a breeder.
I sell my puppies on limited AKC registration. This means that they are registered, but they cannot be used for showing or breeding. These rights may be purchased for an additional expense if you want a puppy for these purposes.