There is a growing epidemic in this country. A recent spike in the popularity of beagles has led to the rise of a great many dishonest beagle breeders who run puppy mills to meet the growing demand for these sweet little dogs. These puppy mills, as a general rule, supply the majority of pet stores in this country; which is why many would-be beagle owners wind up taking sick or dying dogs home with them.

The majority of quality beagle breeders would not even consider supplying pups to a pet store. Beagles who live in pet stores generally live in cramped conditions, with no hope of getting proper exercise; and although not necessarily mistreated, are often only one in a sea of pups all clamoring for attention. These pups have typically not received the proper medical treatment that beagle's need, which makes them even more prone to illness than normal.

The biggest issue with a dishonest breeder is that they will often continue to interbreed their dogs, so as to produce the largest amount of pups. Since beagles are prone to certain genetic health issues to begin with, this is a very dangerous practice.

An honest beagle breeder recognizes the danger of interbreeding so many generations without bringing in any new blood, and will absolutely refuse to do so. They will try to keep the genetic lines as far apart as possible, so as to prevent further aggravation of these conditions.

When looking for an honest beagle breeder, you should ask your local veterinarian for their recommendation. Quality breeders will have their dogs' health checked with extraordinary regularity, so by asking your vet who the trusted breeders are, you can ensure getting healthy pups. This is especially important because of the fact that females need to be properly examined prior to being bred, as each new litter of pups will weaken the immune system of a female. By having them properly examined, you can be assured of healthier pups.

In order to ensure that you are not helping to put money into the pocket of a dishonest beagle breeder, it is important that you stay away from buying a beagle at your local pet store. Even if the pet storeowner has the best of intentions as far as not trying to buy pups from these breeders, most of them are still only concerned for the supply and demand that has arisen from the growing popularity of this little dog.

You can help to put the puppy mills and the dishonest beagle breeder out of business, simply by refusing to purchase any pup from a pet store.

By refusing to buy pups from pet stores supplied by puppy mills, you can rest assured that you are doing your part to ensure a long and healthy future for these little dogs.