When you meet a puppy, it is natural to wonder about its story. Where did the puppy come from? How was it raised? What kind of care did the puppy and its parents receive?
We believe families deserve meaningful answers to those questions. That is why 60% of the puppies Petland Summerville receives come from breeders who have earned Canine Care Certified status.
Canine Care Certified is a voluntary national certification program administered by Purdue University. It establishes science-based standards for the care and welfare of dogs and puppies in participating breeding programs.
For families visiting Petland Summerville, this certification provides another source of information about how a puppy was raised before arriving at our store.
What Is Canine Care Certified?
The Canine Care Certified program was developed through Purdue University’s Center for Animal Welfare Science. Its standards were created using research and input from specialists in animal science, veterinary medicine, canine behavior, genetics, reproduction and animal welfare.
The program evaluates more than whether dogs receive food, water and basic veterinary attention. Its standards address the physical and behavioral well-being of dogs throughout their lives.
Breeders seeking certification must meet the program’s requirements and undergo an independent audit of their breeding operation. Purdue describes the program as voluntary, science-based and designed to establish a documented standard of care for dogs and puppies.
What Does the Certification Examine?
Canine Care Certified organizes its standards around five connected areas of care.
Physical health standards address subjects such as veterinary care, preventive health planning, nutrition, grooming, genetics and health screening. The goal is to have organized care practices in place rather than waiting for a concern to appear.
Behavioral health standards focus on how dogs experience their daily lives. They consider appropriate socialization, enrichment, exercise and positive interactions with people.
The physical environment standards examine where dogs live and how those spaces support their comfort and welfare. Participating breeders must provide safe, appropriate environments with opportunities for movement and enrichment.
The program also considers breeding life and retirement. Its standards address breeding age, frequency and planning for dogs after their breeding years have ended.
Caretaker expectations focus on the people responsible for the dogs. The program calls for education, appropriate handling practices, transparency and consistent attention to canine welfare.
You can read Purdue University’s overview of the Five Pillars of Care for additional information.
Why This Matters to Our Families
Finding a puppy should involve more than choosing a breed or falling in love with a photograph. Families should be able to ask where a puppy came from and receive information that helps them make a thoughtful decision.
Canine Care Certified gives participating breeders a structured set of standards for canine health, behavior, housing and lifelong care. It also gives families a clearer way to understand the breeder’s commitment to animal welfare.
The certification applies to the breeder and its care practices. It should not be interpreted as a promise that an individual puppy will never experience a health concern. Every puppy is an individual, which is why reviewing that puppy’s health records and discussing continued veterinary care remain important.
What About Breeders Who Are Not Canine Care Certified?
Canine Care Certified is a voluntary program, and not every breeder participates. The fact that 60% of our puppies come from certified breeders does not mean that the remaining breeders should automatically be viewed as irresponsible.
We partner with trusted, licensed breeders who are evaluated against our breeder standards. Information about each puppy’s breeder and available health records can be reviewed, including for puppies whose breeders do not currently participate in the Canine Care Certified program.
If you are considering a particular puppy, ask about its breeder. A Puppy Advisor can review the available information with you and explain whether the breeder is Canine Care Certified.
Transparency for Every Puppy
Regardless of certification status, every Petland Summerville puppy comes with available breeder information and health documentation for families to review.
That documentation includes current health records, veterinary examination and wellness information, vaccination and deworming records, and microchip registration paperwork. Puppies also go home with information about two health warranties and access to the Petland Puppy Resource Center.
We do not expect you to examine the paperwork without assistance. Ask a Puppy Advisor to walk through the records with you, explain what is included and answer your questions before you decide.
Learn more about the documentation provided with each puppy on our Health and Breeder Records page.
Meet Your Puppy and Ask Questions
A certification can provide valuable information, but paperwork is only one part of choosing a puppy. Meeting in person gives you the opportunity to observe a puppy’s personality, spend time together and decide whether the connection feels right for your family.
During your visit, you can ask where the puppy came from, review available breeder and health records, and speak directly with a Puppy Advisor. If the puppy came from a Canine Care Certified breeder, ask us to show you the available breeder information and explain what the certification means.
We encourage families to meet puppies in person and ask questions throughout the process. Our goal is to give you useful information so you can make a confident, thoughtful decision.
Learn more about meeting a puppy in person.
Our Commitment to Continued Progress
Having 60% of our puppies come from Canine Care Certified breeders is meaningful, but transparency should never stop at a percentage.
We remain committed to reviewing breeder information, making puppy records available and helping families understand where their puppy came from. We also recognize the importance of continuing to work with breeders who invest in documented, science-based animal care practices.
When you visit us, ask us about the individual puppy you are considering. We will help you review the available health and breeder information, understand what comes with your puppy and make a decision based on more than a picture.
Petland Summerville is located at 975 Bacons Bridge Road in Summerville, South Carolina. Contact the store to meet available puppies and ask which puppies currently come from Canine Care Certified breeders.