13/11/2025
๐ ๐ฆ๐ผโฆ ๐๐ผ๐โ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ด ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐๐บ๐ฎ๐?๐
Your โChristmas puppyโ is around 2 weeks old right now.
๐ถ Eyes barely open.
๐พ Not even weaned.
๐ Already part of a system working at full speed to meet Christmas demand.
๐ธ ๐ง๐ต๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ ๐๐ฑ๐? ๐๐ผ๐ปโ๐ ๐ง๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐บ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ฒ.
When you scroll through Dogs.ie you see:
โจ Clean puppies
๐ Perfect bows
๐งบ Cosy blankets
๐ธ Lovely staged backgrounds
But remember:
Those pictures show the puppies that get to leave.
They donโt show the parent dogs still left behind, breeding litter after litter so humans can make easy money.
๐ก Pretty photos do not equal ethical conditions.
๐ ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ ๐ก๐ผ๐
On the 13th of November on Dogs.ie: 373 open ads with 980 available dogs.
Across Ireland, thousands more dogs sit in rescues and pounds.
๐ Is there enough homes for them all?
๐ Will rescues cope in the new year with the influx of surrenders from Christmas litters?
๐โ๐ฆบ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐น๐ฎ๐ถ๐บ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐นโฆ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐?
In Ireland:
โช๏ธ6+ breeding females = DBE โ ๐ข commercial-level inspections
โช๏ธSeller/Supplier = 6+ dogs sold/year โ can have up to 5 breeding females and avoid DBE inspections entirely
Many breeders who advertise puppies as โfamily raisedโ are actually operating commercial kennels, not homes.
๐ ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ ๐๐ถ๐ธ๐ฒ
Letโs be absolutely clear:
๐ ๐๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐ก๐ข๐ง ๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐บ๐ถ๐
๐ฒ๐ฑ-๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ โ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ด๐.โ
No cockapoos, cavapoos, labradoodles, pomskies, or any deliberate mixed litters.
๐ ๐๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐ก๐ข๐ง ๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ป๐ป๐ฒ๐น๐.
Their dogs live in the home, as genuine family members, not in sheds or concrete runs.
๐ ๐๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ต-๐๐ฒ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐, covering:
โ
hips
โ
elbows
โ
eyes
โ
genetics
โ
temperament
๐ Ethical breeders produce small, thoughtful litters, focused on improving the breed, not mass-producing pups for seasonal demand.
๐ Their adult dogs are family first, breeding second.
If a breeder is producing:
โ designer mixes
โ multiple litters
โ litters year-round
โ dogs kept in kennels
โ no proof of health testing
They are not ethical, no matter what the advert says.
๐ ๐๐ณ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐โ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐๐๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฃ๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐, ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ฆ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ณ
๐ก ๐ฉ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ณ๐ ๐ช๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ด๐ ๐๐ฐ๐๐๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ
Breeders often market puppies as โfamily raised,โ โraised in our home,โ or โloved by the kids.โ
But if they are a DBE with 30โ300 breeding dogs, ask yourself:
๐ Are 30โ300 dogs living inside someoneโs home?
No.
These are commercial kennels, not family environments.
Ethical breeders are transparent.
They will show you:
โ
where all the adult dogs live
โ
where the puppies were raised
โ
where the mother stays
โ
how the dogs are exercised and socialised
If they wonโt show you where the adult dogs live?
๐ฉ ๐ฅ๐๐ป.
Transparency is the bare minimum.
And hereโs the reality:
๐ช๐ต๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ผ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐๐ผ๐ฝ ๐ฏ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐, ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ณ๐ถ๐ ๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฝ.
No profit = no incentive to keep producing litters.
๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ
โช๏ธMicrochip certificate
โช๏ธVaccination card
โช๏ธWorming records
๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ณ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ
Look up the vet clinic online.
A real clinic will confirm if they vaccinated that litter.
๐ Good breeders use their trusted local vet consistently.
If the vet is:
๐ far away
๐ in another county
๐ unknown
โ Question it.
If anything feels off โ ๐ซ Walk away.
๐ ๐๐๐ธ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ป๐๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐
DBE number (if 6+ breeding females)
Seller/Supplier number
Dodging the question โ ๐ฉ Major red flag.
๐คฐ ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฆ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ - ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐
Science is clear:
๐ฆ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฑ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ด๐ป๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐น๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ.
Maternal stress can impact:
โช๏ธbehaviour
โช๏ธfear responses
โช๏ธconfidence
โช๏ธresilience
๐๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฎ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ด๐ป๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ด ๐๐ผ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ฝ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ป๐ผ๐ถ๐๐, ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐ณ๐๐น ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ป๐ป๐ฒ๐น๐.
We all know how stressful rescue kennels are. so why would breeding kennels be any different for pregnant mums and newborns?
It isnโt.
The stress is real, and the puppies feel it too.
๐ถ ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐
โซ๏ธA DBE with 30 breeding females:
โซ๏ธ1 litter of 6 each = 180 puppies
Sold at โฌ650 = โฌ117,000 per year
If bred twice yearly:
๐ฐ โฌ234,000.
And yet they disappear when help is needed.
๐ ๐๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒโ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐ง๐ฟ๐๐๐ตโฆ
If people stopped supporting breeders, especially high-volume ones,
rescues in Ireland wouldnโt be overwhelmed.
We could focus more on:
โ๏ธ Neutering programmes
๐ Education
๐ค Community outreach
๐ Behaviour support
But instead, every surrendered dog needs:
๐ฅ vet care
๐ vaccines
๐ชฑ parasite control
๐ฒ food
๐ก housing
๐พ behavioural assessment
And that often costs around โฌ650, the same as many people pay the breeder.
Rescues cover this because we made a promise, not because we profit.
๐ถ ๐ช๐ต๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฌ๐ผ๐ ๐๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐ฎ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ฐ๐๐ฒ
โค๏ธ We know the dog
โค๏ธ We understand its needs
โค๏ธ We match it to the right home
โค๏ธ We support you for life
โค๏ธ We take them back if needed
โค๏ธ We pledge to that dog forever ๐
Your Christmas puppy is only two weeks old today.
Tiny. Vulnerable. Depending on humans to make responsible choices.
๐ Please think carefully this Christmas.
๐พ A puppy is not a present, itโs a lifetime commitment.
๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ด๐ถ๐ณ๐ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐๐บ๐ฎ๐: ๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฏ๐๐. ๐๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฒ๐๐ปโ๐ ๐ท๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐น๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ, ๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ณ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐น๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ปโ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ณ๐ถ๐ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐. ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป.
When breeders stop making profit,
they stop producing litter after litter.
And fewer dogs end up abandoned, surrendered, or suffering.
Choosing not to buy truly protects puppies,not just today, but for every Christmas to come.
