A puppy mill is a crude, outdoor breeding farm that mass-produce puppies for sale to pet stores and regularly supply dogs to laboratories and animal brokers.
So just because you didn't pick your puppy up from a puppy mill doesn't mean that they didn't come from there. Shannon has called me an attempted to purchase multiple dogs from me (with a discounted price for buying a group of dogs) for resale at her own home. She has represented herself as a member of the Houston Chihuahua Club, which she is not a part of.
What to Look For: Puppy brokers always have dogs available. How is this? If they don't have one in stock for you today, they will have one for you shortly. They just happen to know of a great litter from champion lines about to be ready for new homes! Use common sense! Breeding is not an overnight process! Quality breeders have waiting lists for their dogs and puppies are often sold prior to the actual birth. How has this broker found you such a great dog on such short notice?
Meet the Dam
Always meet the dam of a litter and pick the puppy up on location where the dogs are kenneled/live. If a seller will not allow you to go to the actual property where the dogs live, be very suspicious. If they hesitate to allow you to meet the dam, they either have not bred the dogs themselves or the dam is not who they claim. The sire is commonly not on property, but you always have the right to contact the sire's owners. Be warned: they will go out of their way to cover the fact they themselves are not the actual breede