Should I get an English Bulldog puppy from Petland in Austin for $2,200?
Just arrived to my house from Petland here in Austin, tx and I saw 2 English Bulldog puppies one male and one female. I really want the Male hes $2,200 but the employee told me it includes crate, vet visits and other things. I have herd that most puppies sold at Petland are from Pup Mills(which im against) but my nephew begged to go in their. Well i fell in love with this pup and I was approved 1,500$ credit. I was super tempted to get it but I need time to think, I mean the pup is already their so… But idk what do yall think I should do? btw I went to the local animal shelter but they only had huge dogs or tiny old dogs, Since my nephew lives with me I want him to have a puppy that we can train. Any opinions would help… thanks. If you have gotten a puppy from Petland let me know anything I need to know… thanks.
Sorry to burst everyones self righteous bubbles but no one can say that all puppies from all Petlands come from puppy mills. Unlike the people who claim this, with no support I might add, I have actual first hand knowledge and can tell you that most puppies from most stores do not come from puppy mills. Most of the dogs come from commercial breeders, which are not the same as puppy mills. Puppy mills are mostly from backyard breeders who do not provide proper care for their animals. This could include no food, water, or inadequate shelter. Having and breeding a large number of dogs does not make it a puppy mill, just a commercial breeder. Commercial breeders are legal and highly regulated by the USDA and by most states. They are meticulously inspected every year with unannounced visits. They can get written up for a burned out light bulb in an office where there are no animals present (seen it myself).
Unfortunately there are SOME stores that do get their puppies from puppies mills. The Petland Corp must approve a breeder (inspect them) before any store uses them. They are also inspected yearly and if they fail, no Petland is allowed to use them until they fix their problems. Each store is franchised and finds their own puppies. They do not come from a single source. So know one can say all puppies come from puppy mills. Some come from breeders who only have one pair of adult dogs who breed once a year. Even the dogs at the commercial breeders are not breed but more than a hand full of times. After several litters, the numbers tend to start decreasing and is therefore more profitable to give the dog away and keep one of their puppies to take its place.
I would recommend that you NOT get this dog. The reason commercial breeders stay in business is because of the demand. People walk into stores, like Petland, and see a cute little Bulldog puppy. They don’t care how much it cost because this little stinker has knitted a sweater with their heart strings. You should NEVER finance a puppy!!! You will probably will be paying a 20% interest rate. That means for that $2200 dog, you will be paying $440 in interest in addition to the $2200. If you want a dog or puppy, you should have the money ready. You should also have money to get any injuries or disease taken care of by the vet. Petlands in general do offer good quality dogs. They offer a warranty to guarantee the health of the animal for a certain time. If they sold sick poor quality dogs, they would go out of business really quick. Its just not good economics.
If you do decide to buy the puppy from a Petland, ask for the name of the breeder of the puppy. Go home and look up the breeders inspection report from the USDA website. Those are public records and can be viewed by anyone. With any dog you get, have it spay or neutered when it is 6 months old. There are 2 reasons for pet overpopulation. First, people give up on their dogs when they become adolescents, which starts around 6-8 months old and can last a year for large dogs. They become too much for their owners to deal with and they take the easy road by dumping them at the shelter. The other reason for pet overpopulation is lack of spay and neutering. Unless you are a breeder, who is breeding for quality, there is no reason your dog should mate. Especially if your dog has a disease or disorder.
Please don’t base your choice on radical views of uninformed people who only say pet stores are bad. They can be a good place to ask question. Do remember though, they are trying to sell you stuff, so don’t believe everything they tell you. Do some research on your own. Keep checking your shelter and nearby shelters. You can also look for reputable breeders to buy from. By visiting them and checking out the parents you can make an informed responsible decision. Good luck
We have English Bulldog puppies for sale. www.BigBonedBulldogs.com