The term Puppy Mill has different meanings for different people.
To some a Puppy Mill is simply any place that mass produces puppies. The problem with that is people also have different opinions of the term Mass Produce. To some it's more than 2 or 3 litters a year to others it might be any litter produced for profit, and yet to others it might mean more than 6 litters a year, etc.
A Puppy Mill to other people might not depend on sheer numbers alone, but rather the purpose in which a litter is bred. Are they in it for the money, or sport, or hobby etc.
Another definition of a Puppy Mill is any place that poorly cares for their dogs. They may have one litter a year, but without clearances and soley for profit. Or perhaps they always have pups and they all live in crowded, unsanitary, poor living conditions without any socalization etc.
Depending on YOUR defination or view of a Puppy Mill it may or may not be illegal. A place that passes a kennel inspection and abides by state law might be a puppy mill if they don't care about their dogs and don't do clearances and just breed for profit, yet it's not breaking any laws. Then you have Puppy Mills that are illegal in that they sell pups too young and without vaccines etc.
Maybe all these examples are true Puppy Mills and there are just many different kinds. The legal kinds and the illegal kinds.
And what about breeders who have or almost always have pups available during the year, BUT they do clearances, they show, they hunt, they raise their dogs in the house as family pets and socialize them very well. They do keep a pup from every litter in hopes of improving the breed and each breeding alone is a good one, but the only problem is just too many?
In my mind puppy mills are where money is higher on the priority list than the dogs and puppies. Someone can have a zillion litters and still not be a puppy mill if the puppies are well taken care of and end up in loving homes. Or someone can be a puppy mill with just one litter where they don't do clearances and take other financial shortcuts to maximize profit on the puppies.
I agree with you on that point, IMO a puppy mill is when money is higher on the priority list. But what you say can make a puppy mill with only one litter when carelessness of health testing is at hand I call a backyard breeder.
And what about the breeder that has a fantastic Ch. bitch but she may not have cleared an elbow or a hip but they decide to breed her anyway? are they a BYB?
