[xylem]

Hello I'm new here, I've come to see if anyone can help me with this question.
I recently came to the realisation that my dog that I have had for a year now, probably came from a puppy farm. After I met someone who realised after getting his puppy that it came from a puppy farm, and telling me how he knew, it clicked. I feel very stupid and guilty for having funded a cruel operation. Now I am just trying to understand what my dog might have gone through before I got her.
What I am confused about (and also one of the big reasons I didn't suspect at first) is that my dog Kwin was 6 months old when I got her, and they asked v little money. The seller told me that she had been brought back by the first owners because they couldn't handle her, and as she is a husky shepherd that is a very common thing that happens so it didn't seem that strange although sad when she was only six months. as i know that this story must have been false, I am wondering why she wasn't sold as a puppy. Why did they keep her for 6 months? Did they use her in some other way related to their operation? The other weird thing is that she was spayed, and obviously that is really young to spay a dog. why? I am just trying to work out what her early life was like so that I might know better how to help her get over her trauma. She has come a long way but still has some issues, it was clear pretty quickly after I brought her home that she had been mistreated.
you can tell me I am stupid but I already know that.. i certainly will not be making the same mistake again.

 

[DaySleepers]

There could be a lot of reasons. She could've been kept on as a breeder but it didn't work out somehow. Or the story you were told might've been partially true - she was sent to a pet store or broker and either didn't sell while she was still young and 'marketable', or was returned by someone who bought her originally.

The spaying is the same story - maybe they did it because of a major health problem, but more likely it was to make her more marketable or because she was briefly owned by someone else who got it done. There's a lot of debate over when the 'right' time to spay and neuter is, and while I'm in the camp of at least letting the dog physically mature first, a lot of people and even vets want it taken care of ASAP - before a female's first heat even. There pros and cons to both, but it's kind of 'what's done is done' at this point. My poodle has some minor issues from being neutered super young (8 weeks, wasn't out choice, he was rehomed to us later) that are mostly related to physical development, but they don't impact his health or quality of life in any significant way.

The reality is, you'll probably never know the details (and I could certainly be completely wrong with my own guesses!). But when working with behavior issues, the 'why' is often not super important. Just try to work out what she needs now, love her, and be super happy you got her out of that place! There's honestly no shame in supporting shady businesses by accident - all of us have done it one way or another. Now you know what to look for in the future, and can be an example for others and proponent of responsible breeding and rescue!

 

[xylem]

thanks so much for your kind response. it makes sense, for sure the most important thing is helping her feel secure now. I just hate to think how she may have had no love for 6 whole months all of her puppyhood. But its true, anything would just be a guess at the end of the day. Yes I have certainly learned from the experience and will know what to look for now, and be able to help other people out with that too.