DEAR MISS MANNERS: My husband and I have added a dog to our family. We tried to work with many different animal shelters and rescues, but it just did not work out for us to go that route.

We also did a lot of research on getting a dog from reputable breeders, but we couldn’t afford any of them. We ended up purchasing a dog from what some would call a “backyard breeder.” She was a lovely woman, with beautiful, healthy puppies and reasonable prices.

There was nothing shady, illegal or “puppy mill” about her. We spent a lot of time making this decision, and we are happy with the puppy we got.

However, every time someone asks about our new puppy, they want to know what shelter I got him from. Many people are horrified to hear I would even consider anything outside of a shelter. I don’t want

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