11/16/2024
DO NOT BUY DOGS FROM THE AMISH
We get calls every week from dog owners that have purchased a dog from the Amish, only to find out that their new best friend has significant issues to overcome. Unfortunately, dogs that come from the Amish do tend to have significant, lifelong behavioral problems.
For a quick background, the overwhelming majority of Amish “breeders” are not properly breeding dogs. They don’t breed for health, temperament, or the betterment of the breed, they breed exclusively for money. They are PUPPY MILLS.
Let’s say for example that they are breeding French bulldogs. They find a male and a female, regardless of health or behavioral concerns, and make the breeding happen. No thought was put into the health or quality of life of the puppies that will come out. No health testing the parents, no behavioral/temperament testing of the parents, etc.
Once the puppies are born, they are essentially left in a room with the mother until they are ready to be sold. No enrichment, no health testing, no socialization, nothing. When a prospective buyer comes along and sees the dogs in these conditions, they either feel sorry for them, or they have no clue that this isn’t normal.
Because these puppies were never socialized or cared for properly, they develop significant fear and anxiety issues, as well as difficulty potty training and crate training. We are dealing with several cases of aggression towards people and dogs, and these dogs all came from the Amish.
This is textbook backyard breeding, but on a huge scale, and it has only grown and grown in recent years.
If you are looking to get a deal on a purebred dog, there is no such thing. If you don’t want to spend thousands on a well bred puppy from a reputable and ethical breeder, that’s totally fine. But buying a dog for a discounted rate from the Amish (in our experience) comes with significant baggage.
If you must have a certain breed of dog but can’t afford to go to a reputable and ethical breeder, do your research and find a rescue or shelter that has that breed of dog. They are still an unknown quantity because you don’t know anything about their history, but you won’t be perpetuating inhumane breeding practices.
