Aaaargh! Dog breeders!

[Stacykins]

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Reminds me of a breeder I know that is currently trying to get a saluki they bred back from Europe. The owner landed themselves in jail. Soooo much red tape, and will likely cost much more than the original sale price of the dog. Now that is a good breeder.

 

[Souperchicken]

This whole “breeder” issue has bothered me for years. I respect people who breed dogs because they love it, treat their dogs well, treat people well, etc. But, I find some breeders to be extremely arrogant and pompous. The come across with an attitude that they know best and only their way will work. I agree with screening applicants to a certain point, but some go too far in my opinion. Also what bothers me are those who claim years of breeding, but they don’t treat their dogs right or don’t treat people right because of their passion.
Owning a dog, to me, is a lot like parenting. You get all sorts of different parenting styles and in the end as long as there is no abuse, neglect, or extreme ways of doing things, but lots of love, attention, and teaching -then the kids usually turn out fine. Obviously there are many variables, and with dogs it’s the same way.
There are some people who think it is their business to criticize in, judge, or even take action on how to raise a dog(or children for that matter) when they see someone not using their own personal “parenting” style.
Some breeders cross a line, when it comes to this type of thing. It is fine to have an opinion, but to state opinion as a fact is where I take issue. There are so many different opinions on this type of subject. A dog can lead a good life in all sorts of situations.
As for confirmation/champion, etc, there are those who care and those who don’t…all matters of opinion for a variety of reason.
If you care, than by all means work at bettering the breed. Those who don’t will look for what they think is important in a dog. All matter of opinion and it is all OK. No one way is right or wrong.

I have worked for vets(tech), volunteered at Best Friends, and have breeders for friends and summing this up it comes down to one thing for me -when people value animals more than they value people. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve met who are cold, rude, critical and/or downright mean toward others all in the name of defending their opinion on how to raise an animal.
On a positive note, I have met much more people who are loving, caring and nurturing to both human and animal. Usually it goes hand in hand.

 

[dainerra]

and you are making my point for me. Yes, people will lie and sometimes they can sneak past the most critical cynic. Does that mean we should all just throw up our hands and say "ok, just give me cash and it's not my problem anymore"? Or do we take personal responsibility for the animals that we have produced and do everything within our power to make sure that they don't end up abused or abandoned?

Who has the most responsibility? Yes, the owner has to take responsibility for their bad choices, but the breeders that I choose to support are those willing to step in and admit they made a mistake selling to this person and clean up the mess. Or, in the case of someone getting over their head due to life circumstances, they step in to help the owner keep the dog or to find him a new home to be loved.

I can tell you with 100% certainty that if my home caught fire *knock wood* my breeder would take both of my dogs and board them until I found a new place to live. Yes, both dogs, even the one that isn't from his kennel. If I was to die tomorrow, I know that my dogs will have a good home as my breeder will take them back.

 

[chickened]

Sounds reasonable to me if they can afford to do that. Some breeders do so for income to survive and that always leads to different and arguably better or worse methods.
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[carolinagirl58]

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Right....it is a LOT like parenting. Look at the breeder as the "natural birth parent" and the would-be dog buyer as the adoptive parent. In a private adoption, the birth parent gets to make a LOT of rules, and the adoptive parent has to abide by them or look for a different baby. It's no different with buying dogs from caring, responsible breeders. They want only the BEST for the pups they bring into the world. This means they get to make a lot of rules. The choices are quite simple! If you want to "adopt her child", you have to play by her rules. A responsible breeder can't/won't just step back and let you do things as you see fit.

 

[carolinagirl58]

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if a dog breeder is "doing it for income and to survive", then they are NOT doing it right. That's why puppy mills exist....so someone can make tons of money. Dogs are not livestock....they are companion animals. You bring these animals into the world, you are responsible for them. forever. No one should ever be breeding dogs just for the money. Breeders like that are the ones responsible for destroying the breeds by reproducing dogs with no regard to genetic structural problems or temperment problems.

 

[dainerra]

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I think this is where we come to our main difference. I would never purchase a dog from someone who views them as an item to make money. I also choose to support a breeder who doesn't breed more dogs than they could afford to take back or to assist with later.

I have a coworker who breeds yorkies. She loves her dogs, truly she does. But no way in a million years should she be breeding them, even though she has for 20 years. She had a website and was proud to say that her dogs were raised in a family home. But she purchased dogs at auctions. One of her females has a chronic problem with low blood sugar but was bred anyway. Guess what, all the pups from her have the same problem. She still doesn't believe that it's genetic though because "they're teacups" She had a male with an undershot jaw and she thought he was just too cute and after all he was a great and loving pet. Guess what? She bred him and some of his pups have several problems - missing teeth, deformed jaws, and one is so undershot that she can't chew food. Of course, they are teacups and there are always people eager to buy them so she keeps on breeding them.

People type in their Visa online and the pup gets put on a plane.

 

[Souperchicken]

Very true, the adoptive parent can decided certain preferences with adopting out their children. Just like a breeder can choose preferences for their pups. Most breeders are reasonable, but some cross a line. Just like some birth-parents can also be unreasonable with some of their requests.
I should clarify MOST breeders are reasonable.

 

[dainerra]

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if a dog breeder is "doing it for income and to survive", then they are NOT doing it right. That's why puppy mills exist....so someone can make tons of money. Dogs are not livestock....they are companion animals. You bring these animals into the world, you are responsible for them. forever. No one should ever be breeding dogs just for the money. Breeders like that are the ones responsible for destroying the breeds by reproducing dogs with no regard to genetic structural problems or temperment problems.

X2 I find it ironic that the people saying that "breeders are ruining the breed" are arguing in support of the very type of breeders that are responsible.

 

[dainerra]

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and if you don't like their stipulations, you are free to go to someone else. It's as simple as that.