Rescue Bernese Mountain Dog Experiences First Taste of Love and It's Absolutely Beautiful

Rescuing a pet in need of a home is a beautiful thing to do that will absolutely change their lives, but it's something that new dog or cat parents should go into with their eyes wide open. After all, there's a reason that the new pet entering your household is homeless, and sometimes, that means being extra patient while they adjust to a new family and life that is totally different from their old one. Many of them are also coming from traumatic beginnings, including dogs who are coming from environments like puppy mills.

That applies to the Bernese Mountain Dog in this TikTok video, but fortunately, with the love and extra care from her new family, she is already thriving.

Recently, @houseofpawsgr shared this video of her foster dog, a sweet Bernese Mountain Dog pup who came from some pretty difficult circumstances: an Amish puppy mill, where she had been used for breeding.

She hadn't been given walks, attention, or basic care, and she even came to the rescue pregnant — this poor mama.

Now at three years old, not only is this pup getting the chance to even live indoors for the first time, but she's also experiencing what it's like to be loved and cared for for the first time, too.

This led to her foster mom to share an important PSA: If you're adopting a dog from a breeder, be sure you know what kind of breeder you're adopting from.

"In 30 seconds, I was able to Google her breeder and find out it was an Amish puppy mill," she said in the video. "I am sitting here begging you: Please rescue, foster, and do your research for an ethical breeder, and stop contributing to beautiful dogs like this being abused and neglected."

It's a hard message to hear, but such an important one at the same time.

How to Find a Responsible Dog Breeder

She's so right — it's critical to do your research and make sure you're supporting ethical breeders, but how can you tell if the one you've selected fits into that category?

The American Kennel Club (AKC) recommends taking a few different steps as you research a breeder you're interested in adopting from. You'll want to meet with your breeder, whether that's in person or on a video conference, and ask plenty of questions when you do. Not only will you want to make sure that the breeding is taking place in a safe, clean environment, but you will also see how the breeder interacts with the dogs.

You can also ask for a full medical history of your dog's parents, and of course, Google can bring up some very useful information, including from other adoptive parents.

Anyone who is conducting their breeding responsibly will be willing and happy to answer your questions — consider it a red flag if they aren't.

It can be a stressful process, but it's worth taking your time in making the decision, both for the dog you are adopting and the dogs who may not suffer in the future.