The Top Dog Store: Adopt or Shop?

Hello Readers!

"All Top Dog puppies come with a comprehensive one year health warranty, a complimentary vet visit with one of our veterinary partner clinics, a complimentary puppy parenting class with our Canine Behavioural & Education Specialist, up to date vaccinations and de-worming on their Health Record, their Birth Certificate, a free lifetime identification registration with PetLynx, plus 10% off everything you purchase at The Top Dog Store for the lifetime of your new family member." 

This is the phrase that the Top Dog Store uses whenever anyone asks about their puppies on their Facebook page. I would like to break down their guarantee to show exactly what buyers get. I'd also like you to judge whether or not a $1000+ dog is really worth it compared to a rescue dog (which I will compare after). 

The Terms
- comprehensive - inclusive, complete
- complimentary - free of charge
- canine behavioural and education specialist - a dog trainer

Some of those terms are self explanatory but there they are anyways! To be clear, by stating this frequently on Facebook, they are admitting to a health warranty that is inclusive of any health problems, as well as a free vet visit and free puppy class (singular).

The Top Dog Store
First: The Puppies
Cost for puppy: approx. $1300
Cost for spay/neuter: $200-500
Cost for additional vaccinations: $127.5
Cost for licensing: $37
http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/ABS/Pages/Animal-Services/Costs-owning-cat-dog.aspx

Second: The Benefits
Comprehensive One Year Health Warranty
I understand that breeders have to cap off their guarantee of a puppy's health. A year is fairly standard. However, they also have a 7 day guarantee which talks specifically about 4 common illnesses with puppies kept in a kennel facility. 

1. Parvo Virus, a sickness that typically appears within 3-7 days. http://bakerinstitute.vet.cornell.edu/animalhealth/page.php?id=1089
2. Canine Distemper, a sickness that typically appears within 10-14 days - a little past 7 days eh? http://bakerinstitute.vet.cornell.edu/animalhealth/page.php?id=1088
3. Hepatitis, a sickness that can remain in the kidneys for a year and continues replication for 4-8 days.... http://bakerinstitute.vet.cornell.edu/animalhealth/page.php?id=1086
4. Kennel Cough, a sickness whose symptoms appear at varies times http://bakerinstitute.vet.cornell.edu/animalhealth/page.php?id=1091 

In conclusion, their comprehensive warranty is not very inclusive considering 2 of these sicknesses will likely pass the 7 days, and 1 may or may not appear in time. They might as well cut this completely out of their warranty. 

This is just an image of the limited one year warranty. It covers anything congenital or hereditary. Research the breed of dog you want so you are aware of potential congenital issues that are common. Some issues such as Cherry Eye takes 6 months - 2 years to appear. It is actually advisable to not continue breeding dogs whose litter develop this condition. 
http://www.fidosavvy.com/dog-cherry-eye.html
http://www.canidae.com/blog/2010/06/what-causes-cherry-eye-in-dogs-and-how-to-correct-it.html

This is the final portion of the warranty. The big take-away from this is the fact that if, in 48 hours, you run into troubles and cannot keep the puppy for whatever reason, you can only be guaranteed UP TO 50% of the adoption fee. This means Robert can safely rely on impulse buyers, knowing that if they realize the labrador puppy they adopted is too much for them, he will still make a substantial amount of money off of the people. 
Value: Hard to judge considering they state it is, in no way, a form of pet insurance. Also, if your puppy does not get sick within the allotted time span, this becomes worthless. You can be the judge of this one. 

Complimentary Vet Visit with One of Our Veterinary Partner Clinics
The downfall to this offer is that if you already have a trusted vet that is not affiliated with The Top Dog Store, you cannot take your new pet there on the first visit. This is annoying because you set up a file at this one-time-only vet and will have to do so again with your actual vet. True, the vet and the store are businesses who recommend each other based on a mutual relationship, but let me remind you of something.... this vet SUPPORTS puppy mills because Dr. S. Wizniak is one of the inspectors of the breeders!! We have debunked one of the breeders as a mill because it uses a cow vaccination that is fatal to dogs. How can a licensed vet approve of this?
Value: approx. $50-75

Complimentary Puppy Parenting Class with Our Canine Behavioural & Education Specialist
This is honestly a lovely idea. I am serious, I think it is a great idea for people who have never trained a dog before or those who haven't done so in a long time. There are 2 problematic issues:
1. What if a person has a beautifully trained dog that will not benefit from this?
2. It is only a single class. A person and dog cannot learn all of the basic tricks and behavioural advice in an hour long session (I checked - that is how long they are). 
This is a money scheme because you know you'll need more than one session and then you pay for a course. 
Value: $149/course divided by 4 sessions = $37.25 for a single session

Up-To-Date Vaccinations and De-Worming
I give The Top Dog Store a bone for this one. Puppies get shots done in stages so in theory they are appropriately marked up until their current age point. Upon arriving to the store, each puppy should already have one set of vaccinations completed. In fact, depending if all the vaccinations were given at the 6-7 week mark, they may need a second dose at 9 weeks followed by 2 more. http://www.petmd.com/dog/puppycenter/health/evr_vaccines_and_your_puppy

As for deworming, I have read mixed messages about how often. Many sites claim that it should start as early as 2 weeks and continue every 2 weeks after that until 12 weeks. That means that your 8 week puppy should have 4 deworming vaccinations completed. 
http://www.medicanimal.com/Dogs/Flea,-Ticks-and-Wormers/Understanding-the-Worming-Regime-for-Newborn-Puppies-and-their-Mothers/a/ART111536
http://www.revivalanimal.com/articles/worming-schedule.html
http://www.valleyvet.com/library/worming-schedule-dogs-cats.html
Value: approx. $170 if you did not have to pay for any initial vaccination. Since you DO pay for 3 more doses, they have only covered 1/4 of the approx. amount. This leaves the value at $42.50
http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/ABS/Pages/Animal-Services/Costs-owning-cat-dog.aspx

Free Lifetime Identification Registration with PetLynx
Have you ever heard of PetLynx? It is a pretty nifty website which allows you to post an ad when your pet goes missing. There is a 7 day free trial where your ad is posted and you include medical concerns, contact information, tattoo#, etc. The Top Dog Store offers a $36.00 savings by paying for it for you. You get a dog tag with your PetLynx account number, which is essentially the equivalent of a dog tag with your phone number. Anyways, nice idea but it isn't justifiable for the $1000+ dog you just purchased. 
Value: $36
http://www.petlynx.net/PetLynx/jsp/ProductComparison.jsp

Third: The Value
This is all approximate but the grand savings is $165.75-190.75
The dog? The total with the spay/neuter, additional vaccinations, and licensing is $1964.50
Your puppy with EVERYTHING cost you anywhere between $1773.75-1798.75
What is amusing to note is that you paid nearly 2k on a half breed dog - something you would similarly find in a shelter. 

Calgary Humane Society
First: The Rescues
Cost for puppy - $479
Cost for mandatory puppy classes - $184
Cost for additional vaccinations - $127.50
http://www.calgaryhumane.ca/adopt/adoption-forms/
http://www.calgaryhumane.ca/what-we-do/animal-training/classes/

Second: The Benefits 
Complimentary Vet Exam at a Participating Vet Clinic
As I said before, being restricted by a specific vet kind of sucks, but the Calgary Humane Society is partnered with a lot more veterinary clinics than a small business such as Top Dog. 
Value: approx. $50-75

Complimentary Microchip and Tattoo
Here is something that The Top Dog does not offer! Instead of PetLynx, the Calgary Humane Society provides your pet with identification that will withstand the loss of a collar. 
Value: approx. $50

Complimentary Spay/Neuter
What a great reason to adopt for a shelter! Getting a dog fixed benefits the longevity of your dog. The cost of the dog is pretty much already covered by this surgery alone. Keep in mind, it is typically cheaper to get a male dog fixed (external surgery) than a female (internal surgery). 
Value: approx. $200-500

Complimentary Temporary (6-8 Week) Pet Insurance
This operates very similarly to the one year health warranty that The Top Dog offers. True, it is only for a couple of months, but the shelter is much more honest about any potential health concerns. Additionally, this covers accidents or unexpected allergies/testing that you discover in those first few months. This is something that The Top Dog will not cover.
Value: approx. $88
https://www.petsecure.com/Quote/Step1?sid=e7864b35-c7b5-44ce-b3ea-2484b593f67a&pid=df9bfd60-bb0a-453e-8720-50124ff5abaf

Complimentary Tools
"Information on how to care for your adopted dog" 
"Help with questions on the adopted animal through our behaviour helpline" 
I don't know if you can really place value on knowledge, but the helpline is a nice touch that The Top Dog does not offer. 
Value: FREE

Complimentary 6 month Short Term Dog License
Though it is only 6 months, this means you can recover a little bit after making such a large purchase.  It also means you can get it checked out by a vet right away because some will not see a dog that is not licensed by the city. 
Value: $37
*Note I did not divide this number in half because it is the initial standard fee
http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/ABS/Pages/Animal-Services/Costs-owning-cat-dog.aspx

Discounted Obedience Classes
Once again they one-up The Top Dog Store. Where the store offers a single 1 hour session, the shelter offers 5 sessions at 45 minutes long. This is great! Though you have to spend $184 to attend, it is discounted from the original $205 so you save. 
Value: $21

Up-To-Date Vaccinations
They do state that they only give the initial vaccinations for these puppies. That means it is up to you to cover the rest. 
Value: Same as The Top Dog at $42.50

Third: The Value
The approximate savings is anywhere between $488.50 -813.50
The dog? The total with the classes and additional vaccinations is $790.5
Your puppy with EVERYTHING will either be FREE with an extra $23 in savings (as if you got a free puppy and had to get everything vet related, classes, etc, taken care of yourself) or cost $302 (at the lowest savings)

Comparison
Non-purebred puppy from The Top Dog Store: $1773.75-1798.75 --> save $165.75-190.75
Non-purebred puppy from The Calgary Humane Society: $0-302 --> save $488.50 -813.50



The difference is crazy... The Top Dog Store claims to have this revolutionary adoption package that sets them a part from shelters but there is way more value in rescuing a puppy. 

If you are considering welcoming a new member to your family, please take a look at what the many animal shelters have to offer. It will save a life. 

Cheers.

Alberta Shelters:
ARF
Calgary Humane Society
Pet for Life Foundation
AARCS
Pawsitive Match
Rocky Mountain Animal Rescue

The Top Dog Store Breeder: WL Kennels

Hello Readers!

Guess what? I feel quite confident that I have unearthed another puppy mill which The Top Dog Store chooses to associate with. To refresh your memory, The Top Dog Store is an unethical business which  recently opened up in Calgary, Alberta. They are the only store in Calgary which chooses to sell puppies - and this has not been well received by fellow Calgarians. Since the store has made their breeder evaluations available to the public, I have been picking apart each one to prove that they truly are puppy mills.

The breeder for today has a lot to cover so let's begin!

Today we will be exposing WL Kennels. I urge you follow along with the link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/3zqpj3ziv7iwpun/WLKennels2014.pdf?dl=0 so that you can view the pictures as I discuss them.

Starting with the second page, these look like typical dog runs. There is little stimulation, as you can see. It is also difficult to know if all of the dog runs actually have a sheltered outdoor area. If not, then the outdoor runs already fail my own inspection.

The next page features a tool shed - but wait! This is where they keep some of their dogs! The walls in the top right picture do not look insulated, nor accessible to that little corner space. We also see some dogs in their pen but as usual, there are no toys or things to chew on. Chewing is a behavioural need - dogs MUST chew on something! If they can't, they will be destructive and chew on the fence or whatever stuff is stuck to the walls (insulation for that particular building?). This can cause damage to their teeth or worse if they ingest anything!

On page four, we see the whelping area. Once again, a lack of toys is made available to the little pups. You know what else seems suspicious? Later in this evaluation is becomes clear that inspections occur once a year. We have no idea if these breeders "behave" during the other 364 days of the year. With that knowledge, look at the mom in the tiny bed in the bottom right corner. She appears to be recently shaved considering her puppies are super fluff balls. I am curious to know if she was legitimately due for a groom or if her typical matting would be too much to pass the inspection... food for thought.

The following set of pictures is more of the same. The dogs live on gravel, no toys, lame life.

I want to press pause on this evaluation for a moment. You see, the rest of the report is incredibly vague. We learn that the breeder lives in Pincher Creek, their vet is from Pincher Creek, they claim to follow breeding protocols, etc. There is not a whole lot to pick at for the rest of the evaluation. Instead of simply criticizing pictures, I wanted to find out who these people actually are! After a lot of researching, these is what I found out:

WL stands for Wendy Lindfield (though it is sometimes spelled Linfield online). Her partner of sorts is Russel Presby. I know this because I found a pincher creek ad for a coton de tulear X puppy with a phone number and email (though future ads will exlude emails). I emailed the person and Russel's name appeared alongside the email address (yay for technology!!). After reverse-searching the phone number, I learned it belonged to a W. Lindfield - WL!! Unlike Homestead Kennels, these guys do not have a website. Instead, they choose to operate very stealthily. On all of their ads, they tell you to not text them. They don't want physical evidence that a conversation occurred between you two so that they cannot be held accountable. This is a major red flag people!! It is almost as bad as not letting you see the parents before adoption. Reputable breeders will be confident in texting or at least emailing.

Yes, this information is all fine and well, but it doesn't directly relate to the animals. No Puppy Mills Canada has set the following as characteristics of a puppy mill:
(a) sub-standard health and/or environmental issues
(b) sub-standard animal care, treatment and/or socialization
(c) sub-standard breeding practices which lead to genetic defects or hereditary disorders
(d) erroneous or falsified certificates of registration, pedigrees and/or genetic background
*Note: These conditions may also exist in small volume or single breed establishments

Thus far, their (a) environment is a rather poor. The rooms are not effective against Canadian winters (the evaluations claim they use space heaters but that is not as effective). The concrete is also hard on joints, especially when that is the primary surface for their adult dogs for 6-7 years. It is also recommended that each dog has a bed to lay on, or at least something large enough to accommodate several at a time - unlike the tiny one we see on page four. http://www.game-dog.com/showthread.php/15066-Concern-about-Concrete-floor-and-dog-health

Now to look at (b) socialization. Socialization is essential for newborn puppies. Humans can begin interaction as early as 2-3 weeks old. It makes a big impact on their ability to adapt to changes in people/environment and their ability to be around other animals. According to the evaluation, they have 30 dogs. Since this is a family owned business, it is unlikely that each dog gets individual attention, if any at all. Now, I want to present to you, in chronological order, some of their more recent ads that they have posted since October 2014:

Cocker X Cavalier, born October 9 - 8 puppies @ $600

http://www.canada-classifieds.com/dogs-puppies-for-sale-cocker-x-cavalier-puppies-offered-by-owner-pet-s-date-of-birth-09-oct-14-8-weeks-old-this-pet-should-not-be-rehomed-unt_141497-155.html

Coton de Tulear X Pomeranian, born October 14 - 2 puppies @ $400













http://pinchercreek.alladlistings.com/pets-leasure-time-hobbies/coton-de-tulear-x-pomeranian-puppies_1950315.html

Pomeranian X Maltese, born October 28 - 4 puppies @ $600

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:K5kYb8NAPOYJ:www.kijiji.ca/b-alberta/maltese-girl/k0l9003+&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ca&client=safari

Cocker X Pomeranian, born November 2 - 2 puppies @ $300











http://pinchercreek.alladlistings.com/pets-leasure-time-hobbies/cocker-x-pomeranian-puppies_1931721.html

Coton de Tulear X Pomeranian, born November 4 - 4 puppies @ $400

http://pinchercreek.alladlistings.com/pets-leasure-time-hobbies/coton-de-tulear-x-pomeranian-puppies_1941890.html

Toy Poodle, born November 6 - 4 puppies @ $700

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:Tph3RiCdjkYJ:www.canada-classifieds.com/dogs-puppies-for-sale-toy-poodle-puppies-offered-by-owner-pet-s-date-of-birth-06-nov-14-8-weeks-old_211324-155.html+&cd=7&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ca&client=safari

Cocker Spaniels, born November 9 - 8 puppies @ $300


















Pomeranians, born November 10 - 3 puppies @ $400

Cocker X Pom, birth unknown - puppies unknown
- though the birth is unknown, the ad was posted on November 15 as cheaper than the Cocker X Poms who were born November 2. These would logically be different litters of the same breed

Shih-tzu X Havenese, born November 22 - 5 puppies @ $550









http://www.canada-classifieds.com/dogs-puppies-for-sale-shihtzu-x-havanese-offered-by-owner-pet-s-date-of-birth-22-nov-14-7-weeks-old-this-pet-should-not-be-rehomed-until-17-j_235255-155.html

Havanese, born December 2 - 3 puppies @ $800









http://www.canada-classifieds.com/dogs-puppies-for-sale-havanese-puppies-offered-by-owner-pet-s-date-of-birth-02-dec-14-7-weeks-old-this-pet-should-not-be-rehomed-until-27-ja_273560-155.html

What all of these ads tell us is that in the span of 8 weeks, before the puppies can even be considered for adoption, this facility has 43 PUPPIES, not counting the mystery litter that does not specify. That is more than the facility claims to ordinarily have on the evaluation. Is there really any possible way in which these animals get the proper socialization? What about a simple examination for good health? The vet bill must be out of this world! This conflicts with both (b) animal care and (c) responsible breeding. 43 puppies.... and look at the price tag on each. To sell each puppy for the asking price, they would make approximately $21,750. I dare you to tell me they are not breeding for profit. There is no way in hell they are breeding for pleasure with 43 puppies to care for on top of their 30. 

If you still are not convinced, take a look at this ad: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:pIdJTMTrnEMJ:www.muamat.com/classifieds/328/posts/8_Pets_Animals/90_Dogs_Puppies/8963122_Dos_preciosa_cachorros_de_Pomerania_listo_para_un_nuevo_casa_.html+&cd=9&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ca&client=safari
What you see before you is an ad for two pomeranian puppies with the same cell phone number that WL uses. Where are they reaching out to? Madrid Spain. This is an advertisement to ship their puppies over seas. Is that not sketchy?? Their ad roughly translates to:

• Two beautiful Pomeranian puppies ready for a new home - Madrid A male and a female Pomeranian puppies for you and your family. They are vet checked and have all the documents to date. They also have all their shots . These puppies and train well and very pretty and playful. If you think your home is the right place for any of the puppies then

This is not okay!!!

Here is the concluding scores:
(a) sub-standard health/environmental issues: 1/1 
(b) sub-standard animal care: 1/1
(c) sub-standard breeding practices: 1/1
(d) erroneous or falsified certificates of registration, pedigrees, and/or genetic background: n/a
*Note condition may exist in small volume: 1/1 --> really high volume!!

Conclusion: 4/5 it IS a puppy mill!

So now what? Report, report, report! The more people complain about these atrocities, the sooner these vile places will be shut down.

Cheers,

~I frequently hear people say "I rescued my dog from a puppy mill." Unfortunately, you did a disservice unless you reported the circumstance to the authorities. You still paid for the dog and the mill still made a profit. The dogs that were left behind will continue to suffer. What you CAN do to prevent suffering is call your provincial SPCA.~

Alberta: 1-800-455-9003

Saskatchewan: 1-877-382-7722