Well said, Jodi. You won't get any "crap" from me!
I certainly didn't mean to support back yard breeders. You are absolutely right that they are just as irresponsible as puppy millers. I was pointing out the financial difference - $500 as opposed to $1500 for basically the same quality dog, with the cheaper backyard bred dog at least having a better start in life by being home raised instead of raised in a cage.
It is definately a question of pay me now or pay me later. Much smarter to pay the money up front for the healthiest dog you can find, than pay for their poor health all their lives, like my Lady. The money is the small part. I can't even explain to someone who hasn't been through it the emotional toll it can take on you, loving these guys as we do and not knowing if they will live or die.
Sher, you bring up another good point. People who get puppy mill pups or puppies from backyard breeders may not even be getting a purebred Maltese (papers are faked all the time). Larger dogs, like Bichons, are often thrown into the mix to get more puppies with safer, less expensive deliveries since it's all about the money. I believe they think many of the Hollybelle Maltese seized were mixed with Westies.
My sister manages a vet office and she tells me all the time about the "funny looking" Maltese they see. 15 pounders with long legs, pointy noses, etc. and dispositions more like terriers than Maltese. I saw a weird one at my vet's last year. I had to ask if he was a Maltese and his mom said he was, so I kept my mouth shut! "Rags" was huge next to Lady ( and she's too big at 9 pounds). He had the strangest coat I've ever seen. It was kinky and his mom had him long so he had dreadlocks - really! It felt odd to the touch, too, like a Poodle coat. He also looked light beige instead of white next to Lady.
