A Back Yard Breeder is someone who has a few pets and decides they can make a few bucks by breeding their dogs together without regard for genetic health, conformation to breed standard, relationship of the two dogs, or where the dogs came from and if they are even of the same breed.
They breed family pets so why would they need to show their breeding dogs is what they will say to you the buyer. They live in the house and sleep in the bed and have the puppies in the kitchen. They see a vet for vaccinations and yearly health exams. The parents are "the best dogs ever" and the vet tech, kid down the street, and the lady they met on their walk said so and should breed them because their puppies would be so fantastic and the family could make a little bit of extra money selling them.
Many think in their minds that they are doing a good thing by providing pets from pets. They view Millers as evil and Show Breeders as snooty and exclusive. They will sell you a dog for Christmas, Valentines Day, or a child's birthday and think it is a fantastic gift.
A Mill dog never lives inside, has little to no contact with humans, is not socialized, lives in a kennel with hundreds of other dogs and is kept in small little pens. They never see a vet, c-sections are done with no anesthetic and no sterilization, they don't go for walks or play in the yard, they have no toys or treats and their food gets covered in feces and the water gets moldy. Mill puppies are sold to Corporations who ship them all over the US at an age when they are too young to even have left their mothers. And a bullet is cheaper then a needle when the dog is too old to produce or is too debilitated to breed.
I just to be clear that the fact that you want a pet doesn't mean you should get it from someone breeding their own pets. Your family pet deserves to have the very best genetic health possible so it can live a long healthy life with you. You chose the breed for a reason partially for its looks and temperament so conformation or as close to standard as possible is also important in your family pet and you shouldn't let anyone tell you anything different.
Marika Hadas Elfenbein is an Independent Stella & Dot Stylist based in Miami, Florida. She facilitates Trunk Shows and private viewings of the jewelry all over South Florida. You can visit her blog http://www.felissahadas.blogspot.com.