#smarterchoices

[shamaradanielsnhc]

I rest my case! Be a better version of you this year... #smarterchoices #healthychoices #weightlosstips #growthmindset #lovethyself❤️ https://www.instagram.com/p/B9hNeR_HxP4/?igshid=162r8div0rbym

[goodadultsdont]

When I was in highschool we were made to sit through a survey in which they were trying to determine if the teenagers in my class were at risk of developing an alcohol dependency. The scary part about alcohol is that you can be both physically and emotionally addicted to it, and you can highly increase your chances of developing a physical dependency if you drink often. This survey asked students how often they drank, and it gave them four choices: a) Once a year b) Once every six months c) Once a month d) Once a week. I remember that at that point I regularly drank up to two times a week and that that choice wasn’t even in the survey. I at that point was unknowingly putting myself at risk of having my body depend on alcohol to function normally. Pretty scary stuff when I know come to think of it. #themoreyouknow #behappier #dobetter #smarterchoices #blogger #mondaymotivation https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu4_CMHg5Rh/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=16rxnvxey1gid

[sandraitworksadventure-blog]

I’m just going to put this out there 😱 #somuchsugar #smarterchoices #ketocoffee https://www.instagram.com/p/Bsxkh3VnOYS/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1e066ay8wq4a1

[beelingevents]

#Repost @gettingbacktoabetterme ・・・ ~On The Road Challenge~ • Today was the first day of a new tour (check out @beelingevents to find it what I do outside of my #healthjourney) which has resulted in a 16hr day • I don’t tend to notice how long of a day I’ve had till I sit down and think about it but tonight as I get ready to sleep, I am aware of time • I am aware of creating the time to get a walk or a work out in before we hit the road to our next destination... this is my challenge and has never really been a priority for me on previous tours but now it is!!! • So as I lay me down to sleep I pray the Lord gives me the energy and motivation to get my ass out of bed at a reasonable time to get something done, anything done before we head out to our next destination... eeek!!!! • #gettingbacktoabetterme #reversingthebiggirl #walkingmyselfwell #workingmyselfwell #health #fitness #smarterchoices #purposefuldecisions #healthjourney #healthjourneyblog #healthjourneyblogger #suunto #anytimefitness #anytimefitnessaustralia #tourmanagerlife #tourlife

[beelingevents]

After the massive calorie burn today I was craving a burger!!! • In the business of the day the last thing I wanted to do was cook so enter @eatburgercronulla and their #BunlessBurger with #SweetPotatoFries!!! • Satisfying, delicious and LOW CARB and LOW SUGAR!!!! • #gettingbacktoabetterme #reversingthebiggirl #walkingmyselfwell #workingmyselfwell #smarttakeoutchoices #smarterchoices #health #fitness #healthjourney #healthjourneyblog #healthjourneyblogger #eatburgercronulla #lowcarb #lowsugar #yummmmm (at House of Ling #2)

[jenise425]

Breakfast yumminess😋. I'm making smarter meal choices (trying to eat right 😐) and I wanted some pancakes, and instead of going for my normal 3 pancakes, I just dunked the turkey sausage in the batter to make, sausagecakes. (I just made that word up, lol) and Once you dunk them in some syrup, umph.. . So good with spinach and cheese scrambled eggs. #healthierchoices #breakfast #smarterchoices #healthy #tryingtobeaboutthatlowcarblife

[pawpointer]

The Problem with Puppy Brokering Sites

I know that this is not the first post ever written about websites brokering puppies for so called “reputable”, yet un-identified and un-knowable breeders.  What compelled me to write this post is not that these sites exist in the first place, but that they are becoming ever-wise in the ways that they disguise themselves as being anything but what they are, a front for a puppy-mill.  As someone who has created a company whose mission is to educate people on how to find a great, reputable breeder and in the process eliminate the need for these deceptive online pet shops, I felt it was necessary to add my thoughts on who they are, what they’ll say to gain your trust, and why PawPointer is different.

Why You Won’t Find Reputable Breeders on Third Party “Puppy-Brokering” Sites

To the untrained eye, sites touting puppies for sale from reputable breeders seems like a great option for those who feel they’ve done their research, prepared themselves and are finally ready to bring home a new puppy, tomorrow. There are hundreds of puppy profiles, ripe for the picking, and shipped directly to you. Sites like puppyspot.com (formerly purebredbreeders.com) and greenfieldpuppies.com have streamlined their websites for ease of use and are rife with profiles and pictures of puppy candidates promised to be your new best friend, but what aren’t you seeing on these profiles? Among other things, you won’t see contact info or even a name for the breeder. You won’t see a variety of pictures that give you a clear picture of the everyday living conditions of the dog (and in many cases you won’t see pictures of the puppies at home with mom). You won’t see a kennel name that can be used to easily search for parents’ OFA health evaluations (more on that later). Without this information, it’s hard to confirm if your dog is not coming from a puppy mill. You can read about the conditions you might find at one such puppy mill in a recent Rolling Stones article here, http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/features/the-dog-factory-inside-the-sickening-world-of-puppy-mills-w457673.

Another good common sense check is this: would a reputable breeder who loves and cares for each life they bring into this world and who has an absolute obligation to the dog for the life of the animal ever sell a puppy to someone they do not know? No! Just because it’s time to take your new dog home, does not mean it’s the end of the relationship with your breeder. They will be invested in the health of your dog, they’ll want to know how he’s doing, and if you’ve noticed any health or temperament issues (as this info would absolutely guide further decisions in their breeding program). The bottom line is that anyone who will sell a puppy to a family or person without having done their own diligence of the home buying one of their dogs (which is a near impossibility for them when they are handing over the reins to a puppy broker and shipping their dogs sight-unseen to a new family on the other side of the country) is very likely not a reputable breeder.

“Vet Checked Puppies” vs. OFA and Specialty Club Recommended Health Screens and DNA Tests

One of the most common assurances of health that you will see on these sites is that the puppies are “vet checked.” Sounds good, right? There are a few reasons why this is not the stamp of approval you should be looking for when choosing a breeder.  Most major hereditary issues do not present themselves right away and won’t be present at your first 8-week veterinarian appointment. Some issues can take several years to develop and there will be little to no signs of a dog’s likelihood of developing these conditions that a vet will detect at a routine check-up. This leads us to the next reason this phrase means essentially nothing to guarantee the health of your new dog.  The most important health screens (i.e. those that help the breeder screen for major hereditary issues) are for the sire and dam, not the puppy, and are done prior to breeding.  These tests allow breeders to test for everything from the soundness of their dog’s hips and elbows to whether or not they carry a gene that will increase the likelihood of a dog developing serious genetic disorders like Von Willebrand’s disease (an inherited bleeding disorder) or Degenerative Myelopathy (a disease that compromises the spinal cord). The prescribed tests vary by breed but both the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA.org) and the AKC parent clubs for each breed list the conditions showing up within the breed and which tests are important to a breeders program.  These resources are a great place to start a conversation with your breeder about what issues they’ve encountered and how testing has factored into their breeding program over the years. Bonus, as mentioned above, OFA.org makes the results of these tests available free to the public and they can be easily searched with as little information as the breed and part of the name of the dog (i.e. the breeding dog’s individual name and/or kennel name). Finally, the mere assurance that a dog is “vet checked” says nothing of the breeder’s vaccination records or that they are proactively checking for and treating any parasites that a young pup may have contracted. You’ll want to know that both are being done, and you’ll want to receive have a copy of these veterinarian records in hand so that you and your own veterinarian can decide the best course of care for your young puppy.

“Champion Bloodlines” vs. Active Competition in the Show Ring and out in the field

Many sites or breeders will advertise that their puppies come from “Champion Bloodlines”.  On the surface, this statement would seem to be a validation of the breeder’s commitment to only breeding dogs that have exceptional conformation to the standard or have the temperament and athleticism necessary to compete successfully in field, agility, and or/ obedience events. But there is a danger lurking among this clever wording that may not be exactly what you expect. AKC pedigrees detail at least five generations for each dog, that’s a record of 62 dogs of which only one may have been a conformation or competition ring champion.  To the average dog buyer, at first blush, you may not have a preference towards “champion lines” or non-champion-lined dogs. But you should care, and here’s why.  Breeders who spend their time competing in conformation, obedience, agility, field trials, or a whole host of other dog events, are doing so in part because they enjoy the competitive arena, but it also helps to inform breeders decisions when planning a litter. Choosing a “champion-line” dog means you are choosing a puppy from a litter that was bred specifically to pass on great temperaments and sound structure.  Essentially, you are choosing a litter that was meant to improve upon and move ever closer to the prescribed standard of that breed.  Great breeders won’t just have one champion among the 62 dogs that make up a puppy’s parentage, ideally all breeding dogs should have a title and should be proven to be worthy of passing on their genes to the next generation of the breed.  

New Sites Treat the Process of Finding a Puppy Like Using a Dating App

What is troubling about the newest crop of sights popping up seems to be their perspective on matching puppies with potential families based on puppy profiles and personality algorithms. Following almost the same set up as a dating site, someone looking for a dog becomes excited about the puppy that they’ve fallen in love with—it’s their match! But there’s a problem with this mindset.  While the puppy will be in your life for the next 10-15 years, the relationship that you should be most concerned with getting right when looking for a dog is your relationship with the breeder. The benefits of choosing a reputable, responsible, high quality breeder go far beyond the health and temperament of your dog. If you find a breeder that you are comfortable with (and who is comfortable with you), the relationship can last a lifetime! They will be there for you if anything happens, if you need advice, if you have a question—they are your 24 hour unconditional support because they care as much about t the health and quality of life of your dog as you do! Some breeders will even organize yearly meet-ups for their “puppy parents” and offer boarding services if you go out of town.  Each breeder will differ on their level of involvement with their puppy parents, so it’s important you take the time to find the right breeder for you! It may sound a little cheesy, but if you prefer to think of the process in the terms of a dating site you should think of the process as dating the breeder, and not the puppy.

What Makes PawPointer Different

Taking each of the points we’ve gone through in this post, you will see that PawPointer is clearly different than other sites that exist today.  PawPointer is not a puppy brokering site.  We are a connection point between you (the dog buyer) and our vetted, reputable breeders. At no point are we responsible for the sale of an individual puppy at the breeder’s request, nor do we masquerade the breeders within our network.  Our goal is to be your best first step in the process of looking for a great breeder, and then you and the breeder are able to start a direct relationship that will hopefully lead to a happy ending of you finding your new best friend!

To learn more, visit http://www.pawpointer.com/guarantee/