09/01/2026
I don’t ever hate on our clients or try to make anyone feel like they’ve made bad choices.
A lot of trainers do. That’s not my vibe. We support our owners.
But there’s been a crazy influx lately of people needing training for puppies they’ve purchased from commercial pet stores. So I feel that this needs to be a teachable moment.
We love Java, he has a good temperament and he’s super cute. There’s always going to be positives. But the first 2 months of a puppy’s life is extremely important and shapes what kind of adult dog you’re going to have.
A pet store purchase is not the way to go.
Puppies that come from pet stores come from puppy mills. If you don’t know what that is, google it. But don’t be eating when you go down the puppy mill rabbit hole.
Every pet store puppy I’ve done a consult for has had the same main complaint. Won’t potty outside no matter what they do. Only wants to potty in the crate.
Almost like they were actually trained to potty in the crate…🤔💬
Pet store puppies don’t know what outside is.
They’ve never touched grass or been out of a display case prison.
They’ve essentially have been trained during their critical early developmental period to go potty in their pen, and they’ve been taught that being dirty is okay.
Not to mention the host of other health and environmental issues these puppies typically display, but that’s not the conversation today.
It’s extremely hard to break this habit and have a dog that is crate trained and house trained reliably going forward. We’re making progress with little Java, but it’s a ton of added work and a lot less sleep for me.
I support rescuing responsibility and I support buying responsibly.
A puppy mill is neither of those things, and purchasing from pet stores continues to fund the puppy mill industry.
Find a reputable rescue, or find a reputable, ethical breeder. We can offer referrals so you’re set up for success.
Make good choices friends.