When I launched Keep the Tail Wagging, I wanted to work to educate people about finding reputable breeders. This became important to me after being attacked by passionate animal rights activists on LinkedIn and Facebook. Although I appreciate their passion, I don’t believe that you change someone’s mind by calling them names and attacking their character.
But as the months have gone by and the more I learn about dog rescue, the more difficult it is for me to get on board with dog breeding. I’m starting to wonder if breeding dogs is wrong. I don’t believe that dog breeders are evil or that they’re only in it for the money as so many do, but I do believe that we have a serious problem that is keeping the rescue community busy and I want to see more people adopting dogs instead of buying puppies.
What Changed My Mind?
It’s been a combination 4 things…
- The wonderful people in the rescue community that I’ve met (Motley Zoo and FurKidz 911 Connection Rocks!!!).
- Images of abused and neglected animals.
- People selling puppies on the side of the road.
- Craigslist.
The Rescue Community
I’ve made some great friends in the rescue community and they’ve taught me that they have a lot of work to do, but they do it, because they love animals and they want to make a difference. I used to think rescue workers had a strong stomach, but now I know that they don’t like being exposed to the reality of abused and neglected animals any more than I do. This fact makes them angels in my book.
Images of Abused and Neglected Animals
As I began connecting with more people and groups who love animals, I became more exposed to stories and images of abused and neglected animals. I had to start un-friending and un-following people/pages, to keep my Facebook and Twitter feed positive. I know that there are plenty of non profit groups who believe that showing these images inspires people to do more. I feel like I’ve been slapped in the face and it just inspires me to click “delete.”
Personally, I understand that sharing stories and images of abused and neglected animals is important, but I think you need to know your audience. What I love about social networking sites is that we have the choice to unfollow. I very much resent people who either add me to their mailing list or email list and proceed to clutter my world without permission.
But what this overload of images and stories has done is turned me off of dog breeders. I’ve reached a point where I don’t understand how anyone can bring more dogs into the world when there is still so much rescue work to do. This isn’t an attack against dog breeders, just an explanation of why I’m starting to believe that breeding dogs may be wrong.
This (and the next point) really drove it home for me. When I saw Mastiff puppies one week and Australian Shepherds the next week, being sold out of a truck on a corner in Smokey Point, Washington, I wanted to scream.
The parents (if those were the parents) looked healthy. The puppies looked healthy. But it was 80+ degrees outside and getting hotter. Strangers were touching the puppies and with what I’ve learned about Canine Parvovirus, I know that’s not safe! And I wonder if the people selling the puppies were going to check out these potential dog families before turning over their puppies in exchange for cash.
Do these people know that Mastiff puppies don’t stay small? Do they know about the crazy amount of drool that collects? Do they understand that Australian Shepherds can have a strong herding drive and require loads of exercise? Are they prepared for daily walks, ball throwing, and keeping their brain engaged?
I was furious and I was judging harshly.
And Then There’s Craigslist
OMG! Have you been on Craigslist lately? If you anger easily and tend to shoot of mean emails – stay away from the pets section of Craigslist. Here are examples of the ads I saw on one visit…
- Puppy Wanted: I don’t want to pay a rehoming fee
- Puppy Wanted: Need tonight, free, it’s a gift for my little sister
- Puppy Wanted: Can only pay $25
- Dogs Need Home Fast: Adopted dogs, can’t keep them, needs new home tonight; not vaccinated, not fixed
And it gets worse and goes on and on. I just wanted to email people letting them know that if you can’t afford a dog, then don’t get a dog!!!
What I Want to See
I still believe that there are reputable breeders out there (I know several of them) and it sucks that the examples I’ve shared are making the good breeders look bad, because we unintentionally lump them into the same bucket. More needs to be done to stamp out the bad breeders and to support and uplift the rescue community and spotlight reputable breeders. I still don’t know if dog breeding is wrong, but it’s getting more and more difficult for me to believe that dog breeding is right.
I may not be 100% behind dog breeding, but I am behind supporting dog rescue through positive actions. I won’t bash reputable breeders, because I don’t believe that they do it for the money – the breeders I know are not getting rich on puppies. I believe they breed dogs for the love of the breed and I celebrate that. But for the horrible ones, I want to see them shut down and prosecuted for animal cruelty. I would like more education so potential dog parents can quickly identify a reputable breeder. I want to see fewer dogs (and cats) in shelters!
What are your thoughts on dog breeding?
January 17, 2013 at 8:08 am
At the risk of offending my friends who work hard at rescue (and while I’m at it I’ll just add that I did my part with 7 straight years of rescue more than 20 years ago), I think that there’s a place for both.
That tired phrase, “…some of my best friends are…?” Well, some of my best friends are dog breeders – the good kind. The kind that consider themselves to be legitimate custodians of a particular breed, the kind that would never list their dogs on Craig’s list or sell their dogs to pet stores; the kind that take their dogs back for any reason….I could go on with this list.
My canine family has always included dogs from both sides of this emotional argument. I suspect this won’t change in the years to come.
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Kathy recently published..Zen And The Art of Loving Dogs
Twitter: kathyhporter
January 17, 2013 at 8:34 am
Thanks, Kathy
I go back and forth and I think you’re right. There is room for both. It all starts with our individual experience and what we know and blossoms from there. The more reputable dog breeders I meet, the angrier I get that they’re labeled as bad for doing something they love and I’m even more frustrated by people who don’t understand the responsibility of bringing more puppies into the world.
I wish I could say that we too had dogs from both sides; we were tempted to purchase a Golden puppy, but weren’t prepared to spend the $1500 and we wanted two (when I say we, I mean me) and at the time we already had 2 puppies.
Ultimately, I want to bring them all home, keep them safe and make them happy.
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Kimberly recently published..5 Huge Dog Training Mistakes I’ve Made as a Dog Owner
Twitter: TheFurMom
January 17, 2013 at 8:32 am
I make a distinction between “breeders” and “producers” of dogs…Breeders are those who take a great deal of time to research their breeding, take all health & genetic issues into consideration and have one or two litters a year of beautiful examples of their chosen breed…Producers are everyone else…I would love to see dog breeders licensed as a profession with specific requirements and facility inspections…It would be a great shame if professional breeding disappeared and we lost the beautiful uniqueness of the various breeds…Producers on the other hand should be outlawed…those who are in it totally for profit…The backyard breeder is the biggest problem I think…There’s no way to really keep someone from mating their personal dog and yet those are often the litters that end up in shelters
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Gizmo ( recently published..A VISIT FROM PLANET PURRTH & A REALITY CHECK
Twitter: GizmoGeodog
January 17, 2013 at 8:37 am
I love that distinction! I think that’s where my issue really starts. We have an entire population under one label. We need to take the word “breeder” back and clean it up. Give the “others” something different to quickly separate them from the rest.
I would also like to see breeders licensed as a profession. It would be lovely to see our government cut loads of wasteful spending and develop a group who helped responsible breeders protect their industry and get rid of the bad breeders. In my fantasy, the government is equally responsible and effective at this
Kimberly
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Kimberly recently published..Pet Blogger Challenge | Checking Under a Blog’s Skirts and Smiling
Twitter: TheFurMom
January 17, 2013 at 8:55 am
Good article but I think the reason people keep breeding dogs is because other people keep buying them! If we could just convince everyone in the general public to adopt or to only buy from reputable breeders, the issues will be reduced. If someone were to want to buy a dog, they should educate themselves on what a good dog breeder really is. There are so many online articles out there that give some excellent tips. Buy not buying dogs on the side of the road or from Craig’s list, those people will find that they don’t have a market to sell.
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Dawn recently published..Wordless Wednesday – Pierson Followup & Super Dog Sunday
Twitter: naturebydawn
January 17, 2013 at 8:58 am
You’re spot on, Dawn. It is all about education. I believe this summer, I’m going to create a flyer to hand out from my booth at dog festivals. I’ll start locally and move up!
Twitter: thefurmom
January 17, 2013 at 10:37 am
Good post Kimberly and one that is close to my heart. I am all for reputable breeders and for rescue. I think we have come to a point though where there are different classes of breeders, you have the reputable ones and then you have the byb ones. We need to weeds out the byb for sure. So no longer is the term breeder acceptable, it needs to be responsible breeder, and there is a huge difference.
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I feel the same way about friends of mine that are reputable breeders as you feel about your friends in the rescue community. Reputable breeders have taught me that there is more work to be done in breeding, but they do it, because they love a specific breed of dog and they want to make a difference.
Jen recently published..Sentry Calming Collar
January 17, 2013 at 5:39 pm
It’s nice to see when the two sides come together to work on a common cause. It’ll take everyone to educate people about responsible breeding.
Thanks for weighing in!
Kimberly
Twitter: thefurmom
January 17, 2013 at 11:52 am
I think some breeders do it because they have such a love for their breed, and these are usually the reputable breeders. Then, there are people who breed their dogs because they think they would make cute babies. I once met a woman who bred her chihuahua with another chihuahua who was born with 3 legs and was blind – on purpose… she also had no money to pay for her own dog’s medical bills (her dog was the girl and she would have to care for the pups…) I have no idea what the heck she was thinking. I think it’s these kinds of people who are uneducated that are the main problem. It’s easy to judge these types of people in bad ways. I was taught to try and not be so judgmental (even though it’s so hard!), because these people are uneducated and need to be taught. Sometimes learning a lesson means making a mistake first.
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Ann Paws recently published..How to Express Your Dog’s Anal Glands
January 17, 2013 at 5:40 pm
You are so right, Ann – I wish people would only risk themselves when they want to try something and not our dogs
Hopefully it wasn’t just her that learned something.
Thanks for sharing your story.
Twitter: thefurmom
January 17, 2013 at 3:26 pm
I must say when I read the title I rolled my eyes and then I read the article and some very good points are made. I am also pleased with the level of educated responses you have attracted. I have had a total of nine dogs in the past 25 years of my ‘adult’ life, seven were rescue so I have no problem with rescue dogs what-so-ever. BUT, I believe there is a place in our world for breeders. I have gone from a animal lover to pet owner to a person who values animals for their traits. For me personally, once I began to appreciate a dog over my emotional love of a dog is when I feel I became educated about the role of breeders and the role of rescues. My three border collies are members of the household that have roles and there is nothing like seeing them turn on when a job is given to them or the excitement they get when they realize I have on ‘those’ shoes and its time to go to work. These are traits that if the breed is diluted future generations may only have you tube to see it was once a reality. Animals are in shelters because human error happened somewhere along the way…the person was careless and left the gate open and dog escaped…the person was financially unable to spay/neuter…the person was ignorant about the amount of care required….the person had no idea that little puppy would get so big etc….dogs dont check-in at the shelter because they want to. When people on both sides of this coin begin to show some rational thinking and acceptance the shelters will have fewer occupants. Good article, I enjoyed it and the comments.
January 17, 2013 at 5:48 pm
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Amy
I do know about the thrill of a dog having a job. Our dogs are rescues (responsible dog owners for all), but they each have a role and they love it and do it to the best of their ability. I’ve seen Border Collie trials and I’ve been blown away by the intelligence and drive. It’s what encouraged us to give our dogs jobs. Blue is the guard dog – he takes it seriously and the UPS guy brings treats now. Rodrigo is Sydney’s protector and keeps Blue from bugging her too much. And Sydney helps me unwind at the end of each day with a long snuggle.
I see your point about a place for breeders and keeping breeds pure. That is such an excellent thought. What I love is the repeated sentiment that we need a different name for irresponsible breeders – because lumping everyone in the same bucket is doing reputable breeders a huge disservice.
Thanks for giving the article a chance.
Kimberly
Twitter: thefurmom
January 17, 2013 at 4:56 pm
I’m of two minds — my parents bought a dog from a story who turned out to be selling puppy mill pups. That dog had every issue in the book. Our chow was also from a breeder and the dogs were not kept in fantastic condition. We think Chewie may have been abused/neglect. Every dog and cat since has been a rescue.
On the other hand, my friends have a westie who was bred by a good breeder. Lexi is an awesome dog. For people who love those breeds, that option needs to be available.
It’s a case where the bad guys need to be better controlled/shut down/jailed. I think there’s room for both, but more needs to be done to stop one from overloading the other.
Christie from lifewithbeagle.com
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Christie recently published..Almost Wordless Wednesday: Meeting a new special friend
Twitter: lifewithbeagle
January 17, 2013 at 5:50 pm
You nailed it, Christie
Twitter: thefurmom
January 18, 2013 at 3:03 am
I understand your conflict about this issue because I sometimes feel the same way. Only sometimes, though. I believe that responsible dog breeders are very important. Their emphasis on dog health over time and generations are invaluable. Plus, I value the fact that they are preserving breeds.
Like many issues, this boils down to people for me. Responsible breeders, responsible pet owners. Unfortunately, money is the big motivator for some who breed dogs (and I don’t think of them as responsible breeders) and I don’t mean “puppy millers” alone, but also those commercial dog breeders who are running factory dog farms (and there most definitely is a difference.) And there are pet owners who, through ignorance or laziness, do not care for their pets and do not spay/neuter. Unfortunately, it is the pets that suffer.
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Sue at Talking Dogs recently published..A Story of Puppy Dog Sweaters
Twitter: forloveofadog
January 18, 2013 at 1:05 pm
Thank you so much, Sue
Without responsible breeders we would lose so many breeds and what’s special about those breeds. We chose to rescue, but we also chose the herding breed, because we wanted the characteristics herding dogs share. I couldn’t imagine a world were Border Collies and Shepherds no longer existed.
Twitter: thefurmom
January 18, 2013 at 9:21 am
I live in a “up-and-coming” neighborhood in Dallas. We have a huge problem with packs of wild dogs running throughout our neighborhoods. Homeless dogs (instead of people) hang out at our 7-11 convenience store looking for handouts. Police are often breaking up dog fighting rings. Dogs are stolen from people’s yards and either used for ‘training purposes’ in fighting or are ransomed. On Sunday’s you can always find puppies for sale on the side of the road. We have a huge problem. This problem will not be solved by disallowing valid dog breeding.
The City of Dallas has taken steps to define dog breeders. Honestly I do not know the details, but it has something to do with having a license to breed. I think this is the first step to finding a solution. The second step is enforcing this law.
By the way, almost everyone I know has taken in multiple stray dogs (and cats). We all have at least three pets (I was up to 6 at one point), so rescuing is also not solving the problem.
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Corinna recently published..Five Click Friday
January 18, 2013 at 1:07 pm
Thanks for sharing your experience, Corinna – that is heart breaking. God Bless you and your friends for doing what you can.
Twitter: thefurmom
January 18, 2013 at 12:45 pm
Love this Kimberly,
You hit the nail on the head. The reputable breeders are few and far between. This funny thing is that we are against bad breeders as much a the animal activist crazy on the internet spewing insults. They lump good breeders in with the bad though, and as with most activists refuse to even listen to or have an educated debate. I reference this article quite often, and keep in mind it was writtin in the year 2000, but being involved in different aspects animal rescue for many years I still think the data is relatively the same. Here’s the full article,(http://petpopulation.org/characteristicsofshelter.pdf) but in summary…
The dog section of the study determined that 3.9% of surrendered
animals came from a pet shop. 10.6% of surrendered animals came from a breeder. 2.9% of surrendered animals were received as a gift. 9.3% of
surrendered animals were found by the owner as a stray. 6.0% of
surrendered animals were offspring of another pet in possession of the
owner. 22.5% of surrendered animals were originally acquired from another shelter. 30.8% of surrendered animals were acquired from a friend.
So of surrendered animals that we can be sure were
purchased, 2.9% came from pet shops & only 10.6% came from breeders…
These are the statistics that cause more concern; 6% of dogs surrendered were from offspring of another pet in possession of the relinquisher, otherwise know as I-didn’t-know-that-animals-can-have-babies-before-their-first-birthday-itis. 30.8% of dogs surrendered were obtained from a friend, otherwise know as my-female-dog-got-knocked-up-by-the-male-dog-that-lives-next-door-and-can-you-take-a-puppy disease but sometimes known as the I’m-moving/have-a new-baby/just-got-a-new-job-and-I-need-to-get-rid-of my-pet-can-you-take-it syndrome. 22.5% of dogs were obtained from another shelter, also known as I-knew-this-pet-had-behavioral-problems-when-I-adopted-it-thought-I-could-handle-it-but now-I-can’t disorder. Dogs most at risk for relinquishment were of mixed breed heritage, intact, young, owned for less than a year and purchased for less than $100.
Again, alot of breeders are bad breeders, but we really need to be focusing on teaching people what a good pet owner is. In all honesty you can preach resuce all day long, but if a person want to buy a registered puppy they are going to do it. If all the reputable breeders stop breeding (because they are the only breeders that seem to care about rescuing) then all that will be left for that person to purchase from is a puppy mill or pet store. Any that just amplifies the problem. Plus we have lost the few quality pure bred dogs that actually adhere to the standard that they are supposed to be.
That was really long, wow! Sorry! This topic has been on my mind alot lately though.
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Amanda Griffin recently published..Makin’ Mischief Mastiff Collar… Plus Brinkley Day 11 TPLO Update
January 18, 2013 at 1:04 pm
Very well said, Amanda. I was hoping that you would weigh in on this topic. I’ve only met a handful of breeders and they were amazing. The love they have for their dogs and the breed was so obvious. One breeder schedules a 3 hour appointment with potential families, because she wants them to experience the puppy when their sleepy and when they’re wide awake (she breeds Australian Shepherds). If a family doesn’t have the 3 hours, then they either schedule the time or they don’t get a puppy from her litter.
These are the people I want to highlight, support and promote – because they are a fantastic representation of what a reputable breeder looks like.
Thanks for stopping by!
Kimberly
Twitter: thefurmom
January 18, 2013 at 1:23 pm
I understand and respect your point of view. While there are a lot of dogs who suffer out there and end up homeless, there are a lot of well cared for dogs that are loved. I’m not sure breeders are the problem. People worthy of the term, meaning ones that actually care about bettering the breed and are not in it for the money, often dedicate their lives to educating the public and many even take part in breed rescue as well.
There are many types of people in this world who want different things, and I think that being a responsible pet owner first and foremost is paramount regardless of where your dog is from. Dogs from all walks of life (breeder, pet store, backyard hobby breeder, mixed breeds, etc.) end up in shelters. A shelter dog isn’t more/less deserving of a fun, stable home that provides for him than a dog from a breeder. They all deserve love and affection — and a commitment. I think educating people about all sides of the issue and encouraging responsible decisions is the way to go — through blogs like this one, word of mouth, books, whatever. Knowledge never hurt anyone!
It’s easy to find horrors everywhere if you look. Not saying it’s OK by any means, but sometimes it’s impossible to not let the negatives get to you. In the end, people will do what they want…
And as an aside, not exactly a fair comparison depending on your viewpoint, but so many people have kids they can’t care for, can’t afford and that weren’t planned yet we don’t ban the ability to reproduce. Yes, I realize it’s not the same, but just echoes my point about being responsible because I don’t think breeders are going anywhere any time soon. If there’s a demand, there will always be a supply.
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Diane recently published..My French vintage Etsy shop is open for business!
Twitter: ouiinfrance
January 19, 2013 at 4:04 pm
So very true, Diane
When it all boils down to it, we need to look to educating dog owners and creating responsible dog owners.
Thanks for stopping by!
Twitter: thefurmom
January 21, 2013 at 6:14 am
I hear you! I got my first dog (Australian Shepherd, yay!) from a very good breeder and I went that route because I was 42 and had never had a dog. I wanted to start with a blank slate, didn’t feel I was equipped to help a rescue dog overcome issues, and I wanted the advantage of having the breeder to guide me (which she did lots of). I planned on getting a rescue for my next Aussie but I never could find an Aussie puppy needing help and my original dog wouldn’t accept other adults. So I bought another puppy from the same breeder and then felt twice as guilty. Oy! But I try to make up for it by pouring volunteer hours into our local pound, walking the pound dogs and so on. Thanks for all the good work you do!
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Louise Ducote recently published..I Didn’t Know
January 21, 2013 at 7:37 am
The fact that you’re taking such good care of your pups is doing so much for dog rescue. I love that you know your dog enough to know that an older dog companion wouldn’t work speaks loads about you as a good dog owner. So many people only consider what they want, not what their dogs want.
Thanks for stopping by, Louise – it’s great to get to know a fellow good dog parent.
Twitter: thefurmom
February 20, 2013 at 11:15 am
Dog breeding isn’t wrong……
irresponsible dog breeding is wrong…..
Subtle difference, yet different implications.
The ONLY feasible way to combat this is through education which includes sites like Keep The Tail Wagging. We have to fight this with knowledge, information, support, and love.
KD
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KD Mathews recently published..If you give a puppy as a gift you’re a moron
Twitter: kdmathews1
February 20, 2013 at 1:43 pm
Thanks, KD – so very true.
I know that yelling at people, calling them names, or demanding that people agree with me isn’t the answer, because this never works on me. We all have to keep plugging away, sharing information, and if I can get people to reconsider buying a puppy and checking out a local shelter or rescue group, I feel like it’s a win (a near win). It’ll be a win when they adopt! LOL
What really bugs me is that these irresponsible breeders make reputable ones look bad, which is why I’m excited to partner with a reputable breeder here. Amanda of A Mastiff Blog. She’s amazing.
Twitter: thefurmom
February 21, 2013 at 6:55 am
I remember when I first met a truly reputable “purebreed” breeder. After being in the dog world for over 10 years I was in awe of the lengths this individual went through to ensure her dogs went to quality homes. Her contract is over 3 pages long and is not for the faint at heart and is only one part of a layered system she uses to weed out people that aren’t committed to providing forever homes to her pups. To this day I have not met anyone (working dog breeders excluded) to come close to this level of responsibility. What is sad is that I come into contact with breeders fairly regularly, yet I’m still saying I have only ONE that I can make such claims about.
Twitter: KDMATHEWS1
February 21, 2013 at 10:28 am
Isn’t it crazy! Being in the presense of a reputable breeder and seeing how they manage their business (and they don’t make a lot of money) is humbling. The few that I met seem to love dogs more than I do and I’m a nut! The amount of knowledge they possess about the breed, nutrition, health, training – it’s just astounding. Truly.
Twitter: thefurmom
April 3, 2013 at 8:40 pm
Really great post! I’m with you–good, reputable breeders who are stewards of their breeds are the only kind of breeders that should exist, IMO.
These stewards, I feel, are not adding to the problem. Yes, people buying from them won’t be adopting, but they are making sure that their pups are going to loving qualified homes, and thereby reducing the animals that will go into a shelter.
Rescue is also very very important. I feel that a member of the general public wanting a pet should definitely go to a rescue to find their new best friend. Even if they want a purebreed, I know from personally being in rescue that tons of good purebred dogs are in shelters.
BUT. I don’t think that wiping out breeders wholly is a good idea for a few reasons.
1- if rescues were 100% successful (in a hypothetical world) at sterilizing the entire pet population, we wouldn’t have the chance to have pets in the future. Far off, I know, but still something to think about.
2-Those of us that do sport work can’t always find what we need in a dog for certain sports. Yes, that “border collie mix” does look like a border collie, but does it have the working ability to do agility? How about the health? The hips? The personality? The desire? I actively do sport with dogs, and would feel bad getting a dog that didn’t want to play with me. I’d never force a dog to do something they wouldn’t do, but sports and ‘work’ are how I bond with my dog. Getting a sport dog from a breeder who tests and breeds for health, temperament, drive, and working ability lets me make sure that I’m not just having a shot in the dark with a dog from a shelter who could get hurt doing sport work, even after a vet checks them out. It lets me know that my companion can handle and most importantly ENJOY what I ask of them.
3- some dogs are better suited for certain jobs. Where would our men and women in uniform be today without the assistance of military working dogs? How about disabled people who need a guide dog, therapy dog, or other sort of service dog? This goes back to what I said about getting a mentally and physically sound dog from a reputable breeder. Yes, rescues can make wonderful therapy and service dogs, but I can’t say I’ve ever found a dog in rescue that would meet the physical demands that the police/military would place on them in order to protect lives. I don’t say this in a mean way at ALL. Police/military dogs are bred from long lines of hardworking, sound, smart dogs that honestly ENJOY the work and would go insane without it. I don’t think wiping out these breeders would help anyone.
4- to go with 2 and 3, for smart, responsible handlers/owners, and for working and health reasons, it is better not to alter (fix/spay/neuter) dogs, and I don’t mean for breeding purposes. The testosterone in male dogs is ESSENTIAL to building and maintaining strong bones, muscles, and working drive, as estrogen/progesterone is for their female counterparts. Spaying/Neutering too young for ANY dog can be severely detrimental. I understand that rescues do it to prevent overpopulation, but dogs that will undergo strenuous physical work need those hormones to be healthy. Altering too early can also create an imbalance later and cause for some serious health and behavioral issues. I can honestly say from experience that I’ve never found neutering a dog to calm him down, but am not suggesting that everyone just let their unaltered animals run about all willynilly.
My main point of this wildly long novel is breeder and owner responsibility. Take care of your animals; don’t let them go just anywhere. Love them and do what is best by them.
Puppymills, BYBs, and asshats just trying to make a quick buck, though, should DEFINITELY be taken out of the picture.
April 3, 2013 at 8:53 pm
EMILY!!!!
If you could see me now, you would see me bouncing and smiling as I read your comment. Your amazing contribution. I’m humbled that you took the time to express your thoughts so beautifully. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. You are so right and hit on things that I didn’t consider – like working breeds. We have a Cattle Dog / Border Collie mix and he has no desire to herd anything; in fact, we joke that we have a herding dog who is allergic to lamb. He really is.
Our Cattle Dog / Lab is more Lab in her personality and love of food and our puppy, the Cattle Dog / Aussie Shepherd / Munsterlander is just a goofy kid who loves his mommy. We have 3 herding breeds who would be disasters on a true working farm, but they’re great for me.
Whenever I see someone selling puppies out of a truck, I have a huge lecture on my lips. Purebred Aussie Shepherds – do you know how energetic they are? They need to keep busy! Purebred Mastiffs – do you know how big they get, how much they drool, and how strong will they can be? And I only know this from being a pet blogger and meeting dog parents to these various breeds.
We’re definitely a rescue family and I support rescue 100%, but there is a place for breeders and having met some amazing breeders who have such a love for their breed that it makes me feel inadequate, I just can’t see them as greedy or irresponsible. They aren’t rich, but they have amazing dogs. Each breeder I’ve met have at least 8 dogs of their own and they are the healthiest, most well behaved dogs I’ve ever encountered. And they are treated with such love and affection. The cooking they do for their dogs – WOW!
Okay, now I’m rambling. Thanks for stopping by. I hope to see you here again and again. Your passion rings true!
Twitter: thefurmom
April 3, 2013 at 9:09 pm
Haha! I’m glad you like the small novella I left you!
What you had to say was so true!! I was absolutely cracking up at your allergic to lamb herders!!
That’s what’s awesome about foster homes and breeders, too! Knowing the dogs as they do, either by hand raising them, or spending time with them in a foster home, you know what you’re getting. Not so much with rescue all the time, but you get the jist.
That just goes to prove responsibility over and over and over again. Know what you want in a dog, know what you want to DO with your dog, and know what you can and very importantly CAN’T give your dog (or any other pet, for that matter). Anyone looking for any kind of dog should think long and hard about this before even considering rescue v breeder, because the answers will tell you rescue v breeder. Want a loving companion who will jog with you and then lounge on the couch with you? Great! A rescue should suit you fine. Want a laid back, older pooch to just hang while you read a book? Getting a high-drive working dog from a breeder is DEFINITELY not for you. Both of you will be unhappy. You’ll have a crazed dog all up in your business, and he’ll get so miserable that behavioral issues are inevitably going to develop, to the point of aggression and destruction.
Need a service dog, hunting partner, or working partner? You might want to look at a breeder (after taking time to make sure you pick a smart, reputable one that tests for health, temperament, and personality) for your dog, because you know they’ll be able to do what you want, and enjoy doing what you need.
Get a dog that suits your needs, lifestyle, and personality, if you can responsibly afford to do so–monetarily, emotionally, and physically.
I’m going on again, as I’m sure is quite apparent that I can do, haha.
I’ll say it again, though. It’s all about responsibility! You know your herding dogs would probably scoff at a sheep, and you’re okay with that! They have an awesome, responsible home, you have great companions,and, in the end, everyone is happy; that’s what matters.
April 4, 2013 at 7:56 am
Once again, well said. And not just because we agree with each other 200%
Twitter: thefurmom
April 21, 2013 at 7:17 pm
I remain staunchly against breeding, even by “responsible” breeders. I say “responsible” with sarcasm simply because I can’t find it in me to believe that any person who truly cares about animals would continue to breed and produce more and more puppies, when there are already so many in the world that will die homeless and alone in shelters.
The general public is completely ignorant, if you ask me, about animal shelters. Most are completely unaware of the abhorrent practices that go on there. So many people will try and argue when I tell them that yes, shelters DO euthanize puppies and kittens, and even pregnant moms. They don’t believe it. So many people are completely unaware that shelters are full of pure bred dogs. They believe that if they want a specific kind of dog, it can only be found through a breeder, and this is so not true.
I know that people will continue to come up with what they feel are plausible excuses for breeding, but my feeling always has been that as long as innocent animals are dying at a rate of 11,000 a day in US shelters, I can see absolutely no responsible reason to bring more into the world.
(dofollow)
Christina Berry recently published..Foto Friday: Laughter Is The Best Medicine
Twitter: thelazypitbull
April 22, 2013 at 8:43 am
I can completely understand where you’re coming from and appreciate your passion. My reason for reputable breeders is to preserve a breed. We love herding dogs and have three herding mixes at home; actual farms look for reputable breeders to find herding dogs who can help them. Working dogs add so much value and are treasured by their families both as a family member and a farm hand.
I’ve been to local farms and it’s amazing how these dogs take to the field and connect with their handler/dog parent. It’s brilliant. The breeders they work with take care of the parents (feeding raw, regular vet appointments) they breed for characteristics and to breed away issues like hip dysplasia.
And the breeders I know aren’t producing hundreds of puppies a year. There may be 2 litters each year and they take a year off too. People are on waiting lists for 1-2 years for a puppy. So that’s why I consider them responsible breeders. They’re not getting rich and they keep track of their dogs to make sure they aren’t adding to the rescue problem. The contracts they make people sign are amazing – if you surrender one of her dogs to a shelter, say bye bye to your home.
I go back and forth on breeding. Because I know reputabl breeders and see their love for their dogs and the breed, I feel more comfortable with that option being out their for families. But when I see someone selling puppies out of a truck, it’s tough for me not to pull over and jump on my soap box.
Twitter: thefurmom