To not realise how much money is in selling puppies?

I completely agree you need to really check a breeder and if you have any concerns walk away, but that said, I think you seem rather deluded over rescues. If you aren't home 24/7 or have children you will be unable to rescue

@SalemsPot You are aware that the size of the litter isn't something that the breeder can control? It depends on breed, and size of dog as well as nutrition. You don't decide to have 13 pups.

I agree. Dog breeding needs a good income behind it, since it is a lifestyle rather than an income.

Sorry? Those two statements are non-sequiturs.

@Grammarnut there's absolutely nothing wrong with getting a rescue dog. Responsible rescues will only place dogs who have successfully lived with children without issue or young puppies into a home with small children. It seems like you're scaremongering a bit there.

My dog is from a rescue, she's brilliant with children and my son is so lucky to have her as his first dog.

You are anthropomorphizing. Dogs do not think in that way.

I trust you are a vegan.

They won't have done health checks on the parents since they do not have them - it's a rescue dog.

Not if you have small children. Then it's not necessarily a good idea.

That's not even the half of it for a good breeder. There's equipment, money to hand in case of caesarean or any other compliations, the list goes on and on. For a good breeder.

For a backyard breeder, it's money ahoy.

Only the public can halt backyard breeders.

They will if they want to sell the puppies because unvaccinated puppies are likely to die - and new owners likely to turn up on doorstep demanding money back and making a fuss, and reporting the breeder as well (and I have no sympathy for such a breeder).

Bad breeder. Pointless as the pups may be weak and out of a litter of ten or 13 several are likely to die if the mother is not in good condition. The man was an Idiot.

How many people do not declare income from selling on e.g. Vinted. That's also taxable, and there has been a thread on MN saying it should not be, because the stuff is second hand.

Glad you are not my neighbour. Doubtless you'd report me for watering my garden in the current weather as well.
What your neighbour does is none of your business if it does not impinge on you. Also, you will know nothing of e.g. the dog breeders in question, who may have a licence (only needed if you breed more than 3 litters a year) and make tax returns - be sure HMRC keep an eye on dog breeding and do not need your help.

First, it is not tax-free to breed puppies. Second, that £9,000 possibly received is not anywhere near only profit.
If you do breed a litter of pups you need to keep careful account of everything you spend e.g. stud fee (price of a puppy btw so in case you cite £1500), care of the mother (make sure you have the price of a caesarian - several hundred pounds), feeding of the mother, who must eat well during pregnancy (9 weeks) and before (to be in good condition as having puppies takes it out of her, costing her calcium in particular), cost of weaning puppies, cost of vaccinating, worming and chipping puppies (NB as small pups they will need worming every couple of weeks, and so will mum), cost of advertising (there are free sites, but you probably want to advertise widely), cost of a puppy pack which will include temporary insurance to cover puppy until 12 weeks (unless you want to pay the entire cost of the pup back if it dies or becomes seriously ill after leaving its mother at 8/9 weeks +), and most new owners expect some of the food puppies has been weaned onto (and you will want to provide this because changing diet is a cause of illness in pups - see insurance), a blanket and a toy.
That's a large chunk out of 1500 per pup - and does not include the likely fact that a pup costing that much is a hard-to-breed breed, that puppy mortality before 2 weeks is high, and that birth may well include a caesarian. If the mother has a caesar (or runs out of milk, or is a bad mother, not allowing pups to feed, rolling on them etc) then hand-rearing of the pups may be necessary, which means 3/4 weeks of getting up three times a night to feed them all (plus cost of puppy milk and sterilizing bottles etc and a weighing machine if you don't have one, so you can make sure they are putting on weight) as well as feeding every two hours in the day, moving to three hours after 3 weeks, probably. This means someone may have to take time off work.
There is also the cost of registering the pup either with the Kennel Club or with a reputable breed register.
The tax man will want to know about breeding litters of pups and tax inspectors read things like puppy ads. And can add up, too.

Allied to this answer is this different point: if you have young children you ought not to have a rescue dog.
The reason I say this is that you will not know their history, nor why they are in a rescue kennel, and you do not know the temperament of their parents, or their breed (esp if they are a cross-breed and the cross is not obvious). If you have small children a puppy is the sensible choice, but bear in mind a puppy is a baby itself, and not a toy for the children.
NB If no-one breeds pups where are dogs in rescue kennels coming from?

Last point: are you seriously suggesting that people should be prevented by law from breeding puppies? Do realise how tyrannical that is?

They should pay tax and HMRC are starting to catch up with these people. They have powers and ways to find out information. On an accountancy forum I have seen several queries where the taxman is catching up with breeders. It's about time.

Of course animals can feel fear and pain. I never said they didn't. I think they feel emotions more complex than we often give them credit for.

However, while their emotions have a lot of similarities to human ones, there are also differences.

For example, when a puppy gets lost, it makes a particular call. For the first two weeks of life, when the mother hears that call, she gets distressed and runs to retrieve it. At thirteen days of age, that emotion switches off in the mother. After thirteen days of age, a puppy can freeze to death, just outside the nest, calling, and the mother will not react. That particular maternal feeling has gone, and won't return unless shehas another litter.

Judgeburrito understood my point. Just because I enjoy a daily bath does not mean my dog will.

Finally, of course I don't think we should "dominate" animals, don't be ridiculous. However, humans have a unique ability to think ahead - most other mammals don't. Dogs can follow scent in four dimensions, and horses are far more perceptive of changes in their environment than humans are, but they can't weigh up choices like we can. Therefore for domestic animals, we have a responsibility to make choices for them.

If there weren't any breeders there wouldn't be any pets in rescue centres.

My SIL is somewhere on the good-bad breeder spectrum. She genuinely loves her animals and is besotted with the litters. But she definitely doesn't spend anything like the lists above. £250 on the stud, no health checks, scans, vet checks until the first vaccination / microchip appt. the puppies (and kittens) are monitored / cuddled / interacted with but it's very much left to the mother to do the care. she makes thousands off each litter and i'm pretty sure she doesn't declare any of it. she does have very luxurious holidays and a nice car.

we didn't get a puppy from her.

We've had three Labs, all bought privately from reputable people who enjoyed dogs, and we've always had them as puppies so they bond properly, for training and socialising into dogs we enjoy owning.

There's always the rambunctious adolescent phase (which is very hard work) but when I expressed this sentiment to the vet once, the vet looked very excited, then said they were looking for a nice dog but didn't want a puppy as it was too much time for a farm vet. Followed by, if you decide to rehome her, I'd be interested. About a month later, she settled down and we had a very happy 13 years together.

Which breed have you decided on?

I don't expect it, because that's unrealistic, but wouldn't it be nice? I'm hardly an expert, just someone who's done a lot of research.

It very much does make sense. Dogs are dogs, and the kindest thing is to teach them as such. Do I mean in a 1970s sense? Of course not. But equally treating them as 'fur babies' and not letting them indulge their instincts is cruel. My spaniel is a working line so she loves a good run around and some sniffing. She doesn't enjoy a long bath and a good book. I think that's what @LameBorzoi was getting at.

@LameBorzoi "Don't treat animals like humans. It's cruel to the animals."

That makes no sense.
Do you think animals feel frightened sometimes and are capable of feeling pain? - of course

Are we able to dominate them? - mostly absolutely.

So because they are vulnerable and we can do what we want, it's fine to take advantage of them?

That doesn't sound good to me.