For purposes of this web site I am defining as puppy mills those people who breed multiple litters a year, have no involvement with their dogs other than breeding them, are not part of the purebred dog community and may or may not be selling the dogs without appropriate paperwork or contracts. It's hard to say whether these dogs have clearances or not; it's easy to falsify clearances when you are not in the mainstream. These people usually operate from home and cut costs whenever possible to increase profit. These are the people who will not talk to you about contracts and guarantees or send you paperwork on just an inquiry.  Their goal is to get you to their establishment, hoping you will fall in love with the puppies.

We've had reports that some of these people are actually abusive to potential customers who visit and then do not agree to buy on the spot, following up with phone calls and threats.

You'll find that puppy mills almost always have puppies, have a presence on every web site that lists breeders, probably have a great web site of their own. They typically advertise in the newspaper as well as the low-end consumer dog magazines such as Dog Fancy. They are typically not eligible, as a result of their breeding practices, to belong to local Clubs but will tell you that they don't belong because people are jealous of them and their dogs. Their dogs from untitled parents often cost significantly more than quality dogs from a hobby or commercial breeder.

Backyard breeders are the people who have Muffy or Tex and think it would be nice to have that yearly litter, often starting at about a year of age to make the extra money. They are often uneducated about pedigrees, clearances or health issues. Again, you'll find these people advertising in the local paper.