Dog Breeders

[girlfriend44]

Aibu to ask is the only reason people breed and sell puppies is to earn money?

Oh yes, let’s ban it and no one will breed any dogs ever again. Banning it worked for heroin and cocaine, didn’t it? Oh wait….

Banning would mean even more dogs were kept in awful conditions and breed by irresponsible people. It would still go on, but in even more miserable conditions than now. Meanwhile professional breeders would lose their livelihoods.

Such naivety.

If you want a specific breed rescue might not be an option. 2 of ours are a large sighthounds breed that often end up in rescue so we were able to adopt via the breed rescue. However 2 are a rare breed that almost never end up in rescue. We bought those as puppies.

@newnamethanks hearing things like that just makes me feel ill. Don't these people read the papers/ watch the news? Every week there's another incidence of attacks by these dogs!

If you want a well-reared puppy produced by a genuine breed enthusiast, you really need to look at the vulnerable native breeds. Because the commercial breeders aren't producing them, only those who really care about the breed

Nobody should be making a livelihood by breeding dogs. It should be illegal.

@girlfriend44 People breed dogs for lots of reasons. It could be the next show winner or to keep a specific bloodline, some people just love dogs & puppies and enjoy raising a litter, while others see the chance to make extra cash.

So in the end, it comes down to money.
And why shouldn't someone who puts in their time and money be reimbursed for their hard work?

I had a nosy at the list of vulnerable native breeds and was really surprised by some of them. Field spaniels, for instance, Old English sheepdogs, Welsh springers, even otter hounds… two or three of each around here. I must be living in a sort of Crufts offshoot.

Totally agree with this.

Two of my dogs are vulnerable native breeds and both were bred by people who really care about their dogs

We bred our Labrador many years ago as we absolutely adored her and wanted more of her. Her daughter was equally delightful. We did not breed the daughter.

We've very recently bred our border terrier as she's the most wonderful dog I've ever met and again, we wanted more of her. We'll keep one or 2 pups.

Both dogs were healthy and in good condition. Very, very much family pets (sleep in our bed, come on holiday with us sort of thing).

The Labrador pups went to family and friends and it'll be the same with the border pups. Yes we charge a fee, but we won't make much money.

A list of what breeders pay for:

Stud fees
Extra food for the expectant mother
Gene testing
Pedigree certificates
Vet fees for the mother
Whelping boxes
Vet fees for the puppies, including vaccinations and chipping
Food for the puppies
Toys and bedding for the puppies
Adverts
Telephone calls

Time and effort involved:

Finding a stud dog
Arranging for the dog to be mated
Caring for your pregnant dog
Vet visits
Caring for the dog when whelping
Caring for new born puppies
Clearing up endless poos and wees
Vet visits for the puppies
Advertising the puppies
Taking calls from prospective owners
Having visits from prospective owners
Preparing all necessary paperwork
Handing over the puppies to new owners
Being available for aftercare calls
Being left with unsold puppies

I would add to that:
Taking back the now full grown puppies, according to contract, in cases of family emergency on the buyer’s part (as happened to a friend of ours, twice).

Of course they make money but it’s definitely not easy money it’s around the clock care if done correctly I’ve noticed a big crash in the breeding market anyway people can’t sell them!

I don’t actually have a problem with people making money, especially if that stems from a hobby or an interest. I don’t see it as reprehensible or as wrong in some way.

It is really sad there are animals in rescue, but a lot of them aren’t suited to being family pets through no fault of their own.

there are already too many dogs, purposely breeding more is immoral and should be illegal.

Yes let's absolutely ban dog breeding......the poor dogs who are farmed and abused by back yard breeders and puppy farmers will only have even worse times of it.
If you're a breeder you should be health testing and only breeding dogs with no health issues.
If you're looking to buy a pup, you should be educating yourself as to how to spot a dodgy breeder, the right questions to ask etc etc.
Remember that not everyone is suitable for rescued dogs. If you're going to take on a dog with potential behaviour issues, you need to know your shit about dog behaviour.

We did the same, ended up loosing money as we only had one puppy, we would do it again in a heartbeat, loved the experience we have her son, we didn't do it to make money, simply to have our own dog from a known parent.

We won't breed from her again, but in the future if we ended up with a bitch I wouldn't rule it out.

There is a caravan park near us breeding and stealing pups, keeping them in utterly shit conditions, they are the cocker mixed breeds, they have been reported over and over again and yet fuck all is done, so until that gets sorted I'm afraid the problem will carry on. God know who's going there and buying from them but clearly there is a demand for small brown cute dogs!

This.

Rescue dogs often come with problems - not suitable for all people.

Do research, look for a reputable breeder. Breed clubs usually have lists.

her and her husband’s full time job?

one litter every three or four years is not going to pay for her showing hobby 😂

But there wouldn't be any dogs 😂

The breeders of my last two dogs produce dogs for sport and work - I don't begrudge them earning money for their skill and expertise in doing so, but it is not their primary motivation.

There’s profit if you don’t give a shit about the health of the puppies and just slap together two random untested dogs and you tap into the current trends of poo crosses and xl bullies. Breeders should start with hip and elbow testing, std tests, genetic tests as a minimum.

It's one of the things that attracted me to lakelands, as opposed to Welsh, border or wire-haired fox terriers.

I couldn't tell you the last time I saw a Welsh springer or OE sheepdog. The last time I saw a field spaniel was about 18 months ago.

I see an otterhound quite regularly though, there's one living near me. If I was younger, fitter and had the time and the space, I'd love an otterhound. They are wonderful dogs ... apart from the buggering off and not coming back.

Showing dogs costs a LOT. And the sort of people who show their dogs are usually spending a fortune on genetic testing and vet bills, taking breeding very seriously. Those sort of people aren’t making money - if anything it’s costing them money. If someone doesn’t show their dogs you don’t want a puppy from them.

One of my in-laws bought a labrador puppy from a non-show breeder. I'm not even sure if it's KC registered.

It's such a bad example of a lab that it looks like a crossbreed. It's over-tall, got a narrow, snipey head, is cow-hocked, has no tuck-up worth speaking of and its back is so square and flat it could double up as a coffee table. It's neurotic and anxious and is constantly having gut problems.

But they love it so much they're going to the same breeder for the next one. 😡