The first time I saw the cocker spaniel puppy that would become our pet, he and his littermates were cuddled with their mother on a pile of soft, clean blankets in a bedroom.

The second time I saw him, eight weeks later, he and his brothers and sisters were cavorting in the breeder's kitchen. When I took him away from those puppies to hold him in my arms for the very first time, he wagged his stumpy tail and licked my face.

Dante Fuoco

The author's dog, Pablo, a cocker spaniel.

From that day three years ago, when he first stepped paw in our house, the puppy we would name Pablo has been happy, healthy, eager-to-please, easy to train and just a joy to live with. Much of this is due to the fact that Pablo had the best possible start in life.

Pablo was not born or raised in a cage. He has always lived in a house with people who love him.

Less fortunate puppies spend days, weeks or even months in cages and pens in pet stores. Before they got to the pet store, some of those puppies were born and raised in cages at large, commercial kennels.

Some of those commercial kennels are called "puppy mills" by animal rights and animal welfare organizations. A lawsuit was filed in federal court earlier this month by the Humane Society of the United States and by people who have purchased pet- store puppies that have needed thousands of dollars in veterinary care.

The suit is against Petland Inc., which has approximately 140 stores including four in the Pittsburgh area, and the Hunte Corp., described in Humane Society news releases as a "puppy broker" that distributes "factory-produced puppies" to pet stores.

The lawsuit "seeks reimbursement of the puppies' purchase price along with compensation for all related monetary damages."

Petland's Web site says the Humane Society has made "false allegations" in the lawsuit and is conducting a "smear campaign." The lawsuit has been applauded by many animal rights and animal welfare groups that would like to see all puppy mills shut down.

The Humane Society defines puppy mills as "commercial-breeding facilities that raise dogs in shockingly poor conditions, placing profit and a low overhead above­­ the health of breeding dogs and their puppies. The dogs are often kept in wire cages, stacked on top of each other, with no exercise, socialization­, veterinary care or loving human interaction."

There's really a very easy way to shut down puppy mills. Don't buy a puppy from a puppy mill. Tell your friends and relatives not to buy a dog from a puppy mill. If there are no customers, there will be no puppy mills.

Pet stores say their puppies do not come from puppy mills. But it's difficult for a buyer to find out where they came from, and you really have no way of knowing how that pet-store puppy was raised.

When I bought Pablo, I saw where he lived and how he lived. I met his mother, which is one of the buying tips from the American Kennel Club on its Web site, www.akc.org.A puppy should grow up to look like and act like its parents. Responsible breeders have one or both parents in their home. You'll never meet the parents in a pet store.

"Responsible breeders ... work on breeding healthier dogs," the American Kennel Club says, so ask what genetic testing has been done on the sires and dams. For instance, genetic testing can indicate which dogs are prone to produce puppies that will have hip and joint problems. Ask to see test results.

Responsible breeders will ask a lot of questions about you, your family, your lifestyle and the care you would provide for the puppy or dog. Do you have children? A responsible breeder will want to meet them and see how they act around puppies and dogs.

Great dogs are available from shelters and rescue organizations, too. You won't be able to meet their breeders or former owners, but you can ask shelter and rescue workers and volunteers to tell you as much as they can about the dog they've been caring for. Expect them to question you, too.

"A responsible breeder or dedicated rescue group member is committed to making a good match" for their puppies and dogs, says the American Kennel Club Web site. If a breeder or rescue group "doesn't show any interest in the life the dog will lead after it leaves his or her premises, you may want to look elsewhere."

And here's one last tip from me: Never buy or adopt a puppy that has runny eyes, a runny nose and/or a cough. A responsible breeder or rescue group should have the puppy treated by a veterinarian who would give it a clean bill of health before the puppy heads to the new home.