The good breeder

Many of you reading the title of this blog are saying to yourself "there are no good breeders."  The whole idea of dog breeders has changed drastically over the years.  Way back when I was a kid, breeders weren't shunned like they are nowadays.  Most of us got our dogs from what is now called a backyard breeder; you know, the guy down the street who had a litter.  He wasn't in it for the money, his dog just had puppies.  

Like most everything in this world, it changed.  Being a breeder can mean many different things.  When the money grubbing folks caught on that people would pay good money for a dog they jumped on the band wagon; and that my friends is where it all began to go downhill.  The millers started pumping out puppies by the thousands; that added with it a lack of paying for health and welfare of their breeding stock and they were raking in the dough.  Sad, very, very sad.  Greed is a bad thing.

Luckily there is are facts being spread about these horrible places now.  Pet stores are being stopped from carrying puppies from the cruel millers; but the help is slow and people still buy from them because they have what they want, when they want it.  Instant gratification.  The people buying the puppies don't have to think of the breeding parents; they are out of sight, out of mind.  They can live with that.  Sad, very, very sad.  

Many people who are involved with rescues only, point fingers and throw verbal stones towards all breeders.  But they are doing an injustice to those who are the good ones.  Are there good breeders out there?  Oh yes.  But they are the few scattered in among the many. 

Finding "a good breeder," takes time, effort, lots of research and dedication to find one.  A good breeder cares; that is probably the biggest thing to remember.  If they care about their dogs then they will do the best for them.  It is not all about the money.  They care about the health and welfare of the dogs that they breed and their offspring.  The caring never stopped even after they leave the nest.  

Many people start breeding on a whim; seems like a good idea.  From that moment it can go right or wrong.  Greed can grab hold and from there it spirals downhill.  If the person stands strong, ethical and in their belief to do what is right; they will always be learning, listening and trying to do their best.  These are the ones you need to find.

Bad breeders come in many shapes and sizes.  A bad breeder can produce one litter.  They aren't concerned with health; never health checked their dogs and have not educated themselves about much of anything with regards to breeding, whelping and raising puppies.  There are huge millers filled with cage after cage; where the dogs are hungry, sick and alone.  Many bad breeders try to look like a good one by posting nice pics on their website.  But if you look deep you will see clearly.  

Many bad breeders have a long list of litters on the ground at any one time.  They breed whatever they have, when they can as long as the money is coming in. Other bad breeders charge an arm and a leg for their dogs... because they can.  Bad breeders research trends and go with what the people want.  People will pay just about anything for what "is in".    

A good breeder strives to do what is right.  They will learn from mistakes.  We are all human and we all make mistakes.  Mistakes can make great people; that is if we learn from them instead of ignore and keep going. 

Good breeders do not fill the shelters with their unwanted dogs; that my friends is a fact.  It is all the other people who are breeding dogs.  So do not group "breeders" under one blanket; because to do so undoes all the good that they do for dogs.  Most good breeders do rescue as well; that is because they are truly caring individuals.  

So to you who throw verbal stones at the "good breeders," do some research before you point fingers.  For you do not know what a good breeder is versus a bad breeder.  The two are worlds apart with the only thing similar is the breeding part.  One needs to educate themselves in the difference.  It is like anything else in this world of ours; there are the really great ones who stand apart from the mediocre to the absolutely horrific.  

If we only support those who really care, things would be very different.    

Finding the needle in a haystack.

My amazing Clyde, always in my heart.  

Honestly, how hard can it be?  Hard.  Searching for breeders who I could possibly get a puppy from is waaaaay harder than you might think.  This blog is about searching for a great breeder.  It is not a rescue/breeder debate so please do not send me nasty emails.  I would like to get a puppy; but the more I know, the harder it is.  I am very clear on what I am looking for and sadly there are few breeders out there that come anywhere near the bar level that I have set.  If they do check off many of the boxes; they are located far, far away from us on a map. 

30 years ago I visited a home where they had a litter of brown puppies.  I had been given first choice of males but when I arrived I was told that another family had got there before me and taken one of the boys.  I was very angry; what if they took the one I wanted?  She had promised me one thing and done another.  Live and learn.  I chose my brown boy who turned out to be one of the loves of my life, Clyde.  As much as I adored him he suffered from poor structure over the years.  There had been no health testing done for his parents once so ever, no temperament testing, nothing. 

30 years later I know a lot more about what to look for.  I have a huge check list and the first thing on the top of the list is tails.

Must: **

1.  have full undocked tail
2.  have fully health tested sire and dam
3.  live and be raised in home with family
4.  be socialized in the rule of 7s
5.  be a breeder who breeds only dogs with amazing temperaments
6.  does temperament testing
7.  knows the litter and matches puppy to new family

These are the 7 musts.  Anything more of course is better.  But if a breeder does all this then they have reached the bar level that I set for me. A few things can be modified but not dropped completely.  This of course is just me and after years and years of research is what I look for in a breeder. 

Admittedly, I could go out today and find a puppy. There might be one just an hour or so away from me.  It sure would be easy right?  But I cannot blindly give money to someone who does not care enough to do all these things.   My breed is one that is not so common; add to that all of these items on the list and it gets harder and harder to find the needle. 

I have found breeders who do 5 or 6 from my list.  After talking to them I realize that they do not stand strong on the other things that they claim to do from the list.  Some things on the list have a wide range of levels as far as others are concerned.  Again, I have a high bar set for these as well. 

If you are a breeder, why not do it all?  Why not do your best for the puppies you are putting out into the world.  It is easy to spot the ones who are just doing it for money.  Yes, even breeders who do not consider themselves to be puppy mills, often do it for the money.  One big clue that someone is breeding for profits is multiple litters on the ground at one time.  I've been on several sites that list litter after litter, born only days apart.  

By having a list, you can weed out the ones who cut corners, save a buck, save time and do it for the money.  They simply don't care. 

I will find the needle, but it is not going to be easy.  It is not always easy to do what is right; but that's what I'm doing. 


** This list is not because I want perfection; such a thing does not exist in the animal or human world.  I want to support those breeders who are doing it right.  Those who have the utmost care and concern for their dogs and the puppies that they breed. 

Scratch and dent sale

As I was surfing around the net this morning I noticed several sites that were selling off "damaged" goods.  These were not tech type shops selling computers or TV's; they weren't kitchen appliances or home goods, no these were puppies.  Yep, damaged puppies with an illness or defect of some kind sold for a discounted prices.  The note below the damaged puppies was "will need extra care and financial support."  I thought I was reading it wrong for a second; this had to be a rescue right?  Nope, I reread the page and it was most definitely a Puppy Mill. 

Puppy Mill - A place where dogs are bred strictly for money.  No care is taken with regard to health or care of the breeding dogs, nor the puppies. 

Imagine, just imagine.  Not only is the owner of the Puppy Mill pumping puppies out left and right; but they are selling them off at either full price, marked down or with a major discount depending on the health of the dog.  Wow. 

Of course puppies can get sick, they can be injured or have malformations even with the best breeders.  But what separates a miller from a good breeder is what is done with that puppy.  If several puppies in a litter have health defects then the Mother of that said litter needs to be spayed.  The ill puppies need to be cared for by the breeder.  If someone is interested in a puppy with an illness they should be offered it at no cost to the individual; being that they there is a good possibility that they will have to invest a great deal of money to help the dog.  The puppy should not be sold at a discounted rate due to scratches and dents. 

When someone decides to breed dogs; there are all sorts of reasons behind that decision.  One major one is money and I have seen the worst of them who do it for money.  But not all people who do it for money are as obvious as others.  Some have cute little websites that show clean puppies for sale.  Others even keep the dogs in their homes.  But when the bottom line is money then corners will be cut.  It is just how it is.  Standards are lowered both with the health and care of the puppies and who the puppies are sold to. 

In the mind of a Puppy Miller, puppies are a product.  They produce the product and sell it, that's it.  Much the same as people who produce inferior products to sell; knowing full well that it is a bad product and will break.  They don't care, all they care is that they get your money in their hand.  I was appalled reading about ill puppies being sold for a discount.  The standard of a good breeder is extremely high; they will not bend nor cut corners to save a buck.  Their code of ethics is a one for any breeder to strive for.  Scratch and dent sale on damaged goods?  Disgusting, just disgusting.