Smilla, go to the website www.prisonersofgreed.org and you will see what puppy mills are. Dixie is right. They are pure breed dogs, but there are many different breeds and the dogs are kept in cages...they never touch the ground unless they are rescued from their hell. I was horrified the first time I saw pictures and wanted to prosecute the idiots that run these things. also www.hua.org is the shelter in Nebraska that is fighting these mills and they have many mill dogs for adoption.