Smart Money: 10 Things the Pet Industry Won't Tell You

Mods: This deals with the pet industry and is from a economics magazine.

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10 Things the Pet Industry Won't Tell You

1. "I'm a breeder all right . . . of health problems for pets."
All Ellen Szalinski wanted was a German shepherd puppy. What she got, after buying Bravo for $650 from a breeder, was a 4-pound, nine-week-old dog loaded with parasites and health problems. "As a consumer, I was an idiot," says the publications manager at Chicago's Children's Memorial Hospital. The breeder had promised that the puppy would bulk up in a few weeks, but two years and about $5,000 later, Bravo had endured knee operations and been treated for cartilage abnormalities and ruptured ligaments. "For what I spent, I could have made a down payment on a condo," Szalinski says, adding that Bravo is now healthy.

Poor nutrition and care during the first few weeks of life, while a puppy is still at the breeder's, can cause sickness for months or even years. You can increase your odds of getting a healthy purebred by choosing breeders who use the services of the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, an organization that tests everything from thyroids to kidneys to hips; you can learn about specific breeds' health issues on OFA's Web site, www.offa.org. Ask breeders for a trial period in which to assess the pup's health and temperament. If you're not satisfied, you can return the dog for a full refund. A breeder who says no likely doesn't stand behind his animals.

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10 Things the Pet Industry Won't Tell You

Buying dogs from a breeder will get you what you deserve for your vanity. Unfortunately, the puppies are innocent victims. Don't buy from commercial breeders!

at a breed dog, wanted a "smart" dog. Told that the two top dogs are Jack Russel terriers (think Frasier) and Welsh Corgis.

Our Pembroke Welsh Corgi has been with us for nearly 7 years now, and has been healthy and too damn smart for her own good. Oh, and it wasn't a puppy mill, but a reputable breeder.

I'm not saying that we didn't hit the jackpot and got really lucky, but the dog is hard to fool twice using the same trick.