The Top Dog Store: A Quick Recap

Hello Readers,

I just wanted to recap some of the things we have learned about the Top Dog Store - a review, if you will. 

The Top Dog Store is a recently opened dog specialty store which is the only store in Calgary, AB to sell puppies. It is owned by Robert and Marion Church who once privately owned a Petland franchise located in Market Mall (hence why they continued selling puppies after Petland corporately chose not to). Personally I was very proud of Calgary to choose to no longer sell puppies and now this store is leaving a black stain. 

The thing is, I wouldn't have a problem with the store if they actually made honest, ethical decisions. How are they unethical? Simple:

• The care they give their puppies are not the best. http://puppymillsexposed.blogspot.ca/2015/01/the-beginning-of-top-dog-store-series.html
• For starters, they said they would not sell "sled dogs, herding dogs, flushing or pointing dogs, or any sort of bear repelling dogs." That sums up a lot of bigger size dogs - and they are right, they should not sell those types of dogs because their care as impressionable puppies is different than a small breed. The size of kennels that the store has is not accommodating enough for large breeds. What do they do? Sell chocolate labradors.... That is not an ethical decision. 
• Apparently only having rope toys is acceptable. I understand that some dogs have favourites but as puppies, they literally crave different textures. Secondly, where is the food? Some people choose to schedule feed, but if a meal is missed, those little guys can go into hypoglycaemic shock which is caused by low blood sugar. It should especially be available if they just had a play session. 
  
  
  
  
• They technically sell their dogs online - they advertise on kijiji and then sell the dogs to you. Now, kijiji has set up ground rules for EVERY animal seller to adhere to when using their site. One of these rules is that the buyer must be able to see how the puppy was raised and is cared for now. We have seen how the puppies from KV Kennels has raised their puppies in little boxes (see below) - that is not ethical or even plain nice. Additionally, by not revealing the location of their breeders, we, the buyers, cannot physically go and see for ourselves. Wouldn't it be simpler for these breeders to sign a contract saying they will not sell to anyone other than The Top Dog Store and then provide facility showings a few times a year? Would that be so bad? http://puppymillsexposed.blogspot.ca/2015/02/the-top-dog-store-selling-puppies-online.html
• They make themselves sound like a viable option when adopting a puppy because they can offer perks that you can't find anywhere else. http://puppymillsexposed.blogspot.ca/2015/01/the-top-dog-store-and-their-sweet.html According to their FAQ:
• they are a superior option because you can play with puppies (like you can't do that at a reputable breeder's or a rescue?)
• you can talk to a knowledgeable staff member to find the right breed for you (right, because rescues just hand out any dog to any person, there is no process or screening or conversations to ensure that the dog in question is suitable for your household *sarcasm* - or for that matter, reputable breeders screen buyers as well and brag about the breed that they so lovingly raise)
• they have an outstanding warranty for each puppy (okay, any reputable breeder has a guarantee on the health of the puppy - just take a look at the crappy warranty their own breeder has below under JO Kennels) 
• THEY.USE.PUPPY.MILLS. Those who do not believe that fact really cannot deny the facts. The public has access to their breeder evaluations and I have been picking them a part and explaining what each detail really means. 
• Exhibit A: JO Kennels. http://puppymillsexposed.blogspot.ca/2015/01/top-dog-store-breeder-jo-kennels.html
• They have over 50 dogs and 11 different breeds that are cared for by 3 people. Each person person has to care for 17 dogs - feeding, cleaning, playing, walking, etc. Many rescue facilities in Calgary have around 15 dogs total (unless a crisis occurs in which case they find fosters) and they are cared for by a TEAM of people. 
• From the pictures, there is zero enrichment. No toys, or grass. They are dumped into their bare kennels and that is all they ever know. 
• I tracked down their website and they cannot guarantee the health of their own puppies unless it directly leads to death. This means that any illness that is contracted in their facility is not covered OR any birth defects that are not life threatening. Good luck if your dog needs surgery because he has a deformed knee cap or if he develops Giardia. 
• This breeder also does not, under any circumstances, allow potential dog buyers to actually SEE the living conditions or parents of the puppies. They are shipped, packaged goods. This is the biggest red flag for puppy mills. 
• Exhibit B: KV Kennels. http://puppymillsexposed.blogspot.ca/2015/01/top-dog-store-breeders-kv-kennels.html
• Once again, zero enrichment in these pictures - not even beds! Where are all the toys that 50+ dogs should have? I realize that they would go through a lot of toys to cater to each dog but if you want to be a reputable breeder, you MUST supply this basic need. 
• Since these are breeders, let's critique their breeding practices, shall we? They keep their newborns in a tiny box with no light aside from a red heat lamp. They live on shavings which can be damaging on their lungs, cause respiratory problems, and/or cause impaction in their digestive track. Knowledgable, well researched breeders would know this, even if breeding methods were different 20 years ago. 
• Their vet is EXCLUSIVE TO COWS. These vets are not trained to handle dog cases. In fact, the brand of medicine they prescribe to adult dogs for killing fleas can be FATAL to dogs. How many dogs have died because of this? The vet might not even be 100% aware of the death rate because the breeder administers it. (They would have to - good luck taking 50 dogs to the vet.) 

Robert Church tries to sound like he runs a righteous, wholesome business with genuine best interests in the animals. The truth is, he doesn't give a crap about the animals and where they came from. They are packaged goods waiting to be purchased for a frightening price (over $1000!!!). Considering you can get a fixed dog for a few hundred dollars at a rescue, he truly is a highway robber. BOYCOTT the Top Dog Store. Don't give him the money that he craves. He is all about quantity, not quality. Disgusting. 

Cheers.

The Top Dog Store: Selling Puppies Online

Hello Readers!

What does it mean to sell puppies online? Selling online includes various forms of transactions. It can mean the entire transaction occurs online through bank transfers or paypal, or it can mean advertising online and meeting up in person to do the exchange. You can find all sorts of things online from cars, to furniture, jewellery to clothes, or even pets. Yes, buying and selling pets online has become a norm, a fact that I am sure you are all aware of.

Kijiji has taken great strides in reducing the capabilities that puppy mills have with the site. They offer a "shelter pets online" feature so that adoption agencies can promote rescues on the site as well. Additionally, they charge a fee when posting to sell animals so that backyard breeders are less inclined to sell on this particular site - but there are still other sites out there.

So here is the thing, with this new form of finding homes for animals, many people are using to as an easy way to become backyard breeders. To be clear, backyard breeders are essentially universal with puppy mills. They both breed irresponsibly for profit. You have to be so careful that the puppy you are about to buy is coming from a good home because you want it to be mentally and physically healthy.

Now here is the catch, we all know that buying dogs on kijiji is not a could idea unless you are confident in determining who is and is not a reputable breeder, but guess who is advertising on kijiji? You guessed it, The Top Dog Store, Calgary AB.

Why is this a problem?

Kijiji has a Pet Code of Conduct which outlines what every seller has to adhere to when posting an ad to sell animals on their site. http://help.kijiji.ca/helpdesk/policies/pets-code-of-conduct
There are a couple of codes that I want to address:
1. Visit the pet seller's home or business and see how they raise and care for their animals. If the seller is a breeder and will not make the parents of a puppy or kitten animal available for inspection, there may be a problem. Ask for as much information as possible about the animal's history in terms of source, health records, and behaviour information.

• Yes, you can go and see how they care for their animals at the store. However, is it not the equivalent of going to a person's house and not seeing the parents? You don't get the full picture because you have no idea what their life was like for those first 8 weeks - 8 critical weeks for socializing and nourishment. 
• The parents of these puppies are not available. Sure, they will show you the evaluations but they will not reveal who the actual breeder is so you cannot do your own inspection. This blog has exposed a couple of these breeders as puppy mills already so clearly the parents are not living fulfilled lives. 

2. Get references, including other customers, and the seller's veterinarian. Check them out and be vigilant to ensure that the pet is in good health

• I would be curious to hear what the veterinarian of the Top Dog Store would say about their puppies. How often do they have to go to get medicine because a puppy is sick? Can they attest to the overall health of the puppy considering they are from puppy mills? 

Granted what we have learned from previous blog posts, The Top Dog Store is not accurately meeting these codes, especially the first one. Not to mention they are mixing their ads with non-reputable breeders on an online site. The Top Dog Store claims to not support the puppy mill business and wants to be ethical and yet they are acting just like one of them - in it for the money and not for the wellbeing of the pets. 

One final question: Why are we, fellow citizens of Calgary, allowing this unethical store to continue? It is such a stain on our wonderful city. By returning to the puppy-in-the-window days, we are being retracted from being progressive within the community both big and small. There is only one answer that is clear: boycott this store for supporting puppy mills, lying to the public, and being unethical. 

Cheers.