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. 

A dog problem

There is a dog problem; without a doubt there are too many dogs.  The other night my son and I had a very in-depth conversation about the problem of too many dogs, rescuing and breeders.  It all started over Elsa's tail; as a extremely compassionate person with regards to animal welfare he just cannot understand why?  Why would anyone cut off a dog's tail.  "Why do they do it?" He asked me and I tried to explain where the practice all began.  He then asked "why do people still do it then," and I tried to answer that one. 

We then moved onto breeders, being that we were talking about those who do and those who do not amputate tails.  He took issue with people breeding dogs in general; it was an across the board statement so we discussed breeders across the board.  This is a common opinion for many people; I have been told before that I don't deserve a dog because I want a particular kind.  So I explained to him my point of view on the whole 'dog problem.'

There are too many dogs; the shelters and rescues are filled to the brim and then some.  But where do these dogs come from?  Breeders, yes, but not good breeders.  I explained to him what my list entails to be considered a good breeder. 

Breeder - has one or two litters a year, not a page long list of available puppies at any time.
  -dogs and puppies live in the house as family.
 - rescues when they can.
 - will take back a puppy or adult dog at any time to replace. (Things happen in life)
 - only breeds dogs who have been completely health screened.
 - breeds only dogs with sound temperaments.
 - breeds to build a sound dog, doesn't follow a trend.
 - breeds with a passion for their dogs; is not driven by the lure of greed.  (This shows up in  many different ways)
 - temperament tests puppies and places them in homes accordingly.  (Not picked at 2 weeks of age by the prospective owner)
 - offers the puppies external stimulus and socialization early on.
 - does not breed for what is "in."
 - will never breed an iffy dog either in temperament or structure due to anticipation, time and effort.

I could go on and on but this is my base list.  He then asked "how do you make breeders do these things?"  The answer is, you don't.  If you have to make people do all of these things then they aren't doing it for the right reasons.  I want someone who wants to do all of these things. 

We then moved onto Millers.  There lies the problem, right there.  Millers are the problem, they rely on quantity not quality to fill their pockets.  They let impulse buyers buy their goods and don't care who takes the dog as long as they pay.  Millers are the problem and that is where animal lovers should direct their attention for attack.  Shut the mills down and we will be almost there. 

I then explained about random people who want to have a litter of puppies.  They too will sell to whoever will buy.  They don't want all these puppies; they maybe wanted just one or to turn a quick buck.  They have no idea of what they are selling; there were no health tests, no temperament tests and they will give one to whoever will pay. 

Support the good breeders and go after the bad; it is that simple.  There are very, very few amazing breeders out there.  The solution to finding those is to educate the public.  But then again many of the public are not listening; they don't care as long as they get the puppy they want.  Even if it means that 2 months down the road they don't want it anymore and just dump it down a long and abandoned road. 

The topic is vast; there are many things to talk about.  But if for one minute you think that all breeders are bad, think again.   Out of all of the dogs in rescue and or shelters; a very low percentage are from the people who care, the good breeders.  It can happen but the problem is the mass producers and those who will sell a dog to anyone for money. 

The conversation will continue.....

Adopt, don't shop.

You've seen these signs everywhere.  It is written on people's shirts, stuck onto their bumpers and passed through the internet like wildfire.  Rescuing is a wonderful thing and as you all know I photograph rescue dogs and had a little foster girl here just last weekend.  But I also have two dogs that I purchased and care for with every ounce of nurture that is in me.   I have been scorned by some people who think that the term "shop" is a blanket statement; and that my friend is where they are very wrong.  I have pulled out my soap box to explain but alas it falls on deaf ears much of the time. 

It is the millers, don't buy from the millers.  The ones who have websites where you can buy one, two or more puppies right online.  The people who have kennels set up for multiple litters at a time.  Those who house hundreds of dogs; pumping puppies out like an assembly line.  Even when you see great, friendly websites who look like they care for their puppies; count the number of litters at a time.  I can see maybe two happening on occasion but anymore than two litters at the same time should tip you off.  When you see three, four or more litters at the same time or back to back litters then you need to move away from that breeder. 

I LOVE STANDARD POODLES; there I said it and I am proud of it.  I adore my dogs and care for them the absolute best that I can.  That said, I love dogs in general; I simply adore them.  I am not ashamed that my dogs are not rescues.  The only time you ever need to feel ashamed is when you have knowingly filled a filthy millers pockets.  By filthy I mean the type of human, not cleanliness.  When you purchase from them because you can't wait or it is easy; you have then continued the horrors that the breeder dogs live. 

When you start to look for a puppy with the intention of purchasing you must take extreme precaution.  You must ask, ask, and ask some more.  If you are going in blind you can be easily duped.  There are a great deal of dubious breeders out there.  They know what to say, they know how to get around the incorrect answers that you are looking for.  They know all too well how to push their goods and reap the benefits.  So you need to be well educated in what you are looking for. 

Over the years I have talked to many breeders.  When I've been looking for a puppy of my own, for someone else and for photography purposes.  I can weed through the BS and find the truth very easily.  When I am looking for a breeder I want someone who I mesh with; someone who believes in much of what I believe as far as dogs are concerned.  It is not always easy; good breeders can be very possessive of their goods as they should be.  A good breeder may put you through the ringer and you might end up on a very long waiting list.  This is also how it should be. 

You may even be told no; a good breeder turns people away when they don't feel that you are a good match for their dogs.  I have been told NO, that's right and I was indeed shocked; but it was only once.   Years ago I had been making plans to purchase a puppy and was then told that the very puppy I was planning had been sold to someone else.  That was a huge shocker; but again totally up to the breeder.  It is their decision entirely who puppies go to.  There was another puppy that I was told was available and while I discussed it with my family their decision to let the puppy go changed and they kept her.

Purchasing a puppy is not like going into a store and buying a pair of shoes.  No, there is a huge amount of work to do and their can be heartache involved.  It is never good to get your hopes up until that magical moment when your puppy is placed into your arms.  Although a good breeder's word should be golden; once stated that you can indeed have a puppy, only Mother Nature should revoke that word.  Things happen, life has a way of keeping us on our toes.  Not all litters are born with the perfect number that are needed for buyers. 

The bottom line is that if you want a particular breed of dog; do your homework.  Research like crazy and find a good, reputable and ethical breeder.  Someone who cares about their dogs as much as you will care about yours.  Do not pay for a puppy who is the product of a greedy humans desire.  When someone makes a living out of selling puppies; it can never end well for the dogs.  If waiting and researching is what you need to do to find a great breeder, do it.