I had been looking for a reputable dog breeder for some time and stumbled across Quality Puppies USA.
The short:
inexpensive puppies, but these people are puppy flippers that get their dogs on the cheap from unidentified breeders out of state and sell for more in FL. You don't get to meet the breeder or parent dogs. And you don't get to see the conditions which the pups grew up in...all of which are super important when selecting a dog. Also their website "guarantees" like the "no puppy mill guarantee" are not validated substantially...so it's a (big) gamble.
The long:
I first saw an ad for a puppy from these folks on Craigslist (admittedly not the best place to find quality dog breeders). I called about the dog and Elizabeth greeted me very kindly. She seemed to be knowledgeable about the ins and outs of owning a pet, which was reassuring. But upon further inquiry, she answered questions regarding the specifics of my prospective dog's origin (where it was born, breeder details, early life conditions, puppy socialization, puppy's parents, etc) very vaguely. She did mention that the puppies came from Alabama...and were brought to Florida because the demand is higher. Red flag #1. Are there not enough people wanting adorable puppies in Alabama? She proceeded to tell me about the dog's thorough veterinary care, which is reassuring to a potential customer, but she really wasn't able to provide the detail I wanted about the dogs parents and the breeder. She seemed to skirt around these issues somewhat, albeit kindly and politely.
I was told that they were a unique "puppy placement service" and had a website, Qualitypuppiesusa.com. The website is a less professional and oddly reminiscent version of puppyspot.com, another "puppy placement" brokerage company that overcharges about 200% for their dogs (and has a pretty shady reputation among reputable, responsible dog breeders).
But the unbeatable cost for the puppy ($750 for a breed of puppy that usually rehomes for $1200-2500) lured me in. It was almost too good to be true...so I decided to go meet the puppy and investigate the situation further. I arrived at the address I was given which was a house. I approached a garage-like area with a couple dog pens and crates with puppies of a few different breeds. Despite Elizabeth's nice demeanor, the multiple puppy breeds + business-running-out-of-a-garage environment made it seem like I was walking into something sketchy/scammy. Red flag #2.
I wasn't allowed to place the puppy down somewhere to play with him. So...you're telling me I can't play with my puppy before I commit to paying for him? Hmmmm??? Red flag #3. Again, Elizabeth was kind and quick to show me the vet paperwork but unable to answer my inquiries regarding the dog's origin.
The dog was adorable, but with no information regarding the breeder or evidence of good parental health/longevity, a shady operating environment, and a sketchy/vague description of how all these dogs were acquired from distant states, I had to walk away.
Of course it is hard to walk away from adorable fuzzy furballs. Especially when the up front cost is about half of the average cost for this kind of dog. But with the epidemic of puppy mills in the US (just Google puppy mills if you're not sure what this means) the places, owners, and conditions the dogs at "quality puppies USA" come from are all too questionable. Where is the proof of quality? Despite the "no puppy mill guarantee," there was no effort to substantiate this promise. As far as I'm concerned, it's an empty promise. How can you know that your dog isn't coming from a puppy mill (especially if it was brought in from Alabama or Louisiana or South Carolina) if you are given zero information about the breeder?
They also have a "health guarantee." Seems promising, right? The pup has been recently checked by a vet, vaccinated, and certified to be healthy. That may be true for NOW, but what about the slough of genetic medical conditions that frequently arise later on, often a few years down the line (which can never be 100% eliminated but can certainly be diminished by responsible breeding)? Their health guarantee holds little value compared to the comprehensive policies offered by reputable breeders.
2 stars for the kind demeanor with customers and low cost. But overall sketchy business model as discussed. Do yourself a favor and pass on this puppy flipping agency. Go with a reputable breeder--it's a decision that will hopefully last you 10-14 years, and it will be well worth it. read more