Question for breeders - answer honestly... - Page 2

Quote* I will be honest, I would refuse a home in a Trailer Park, because I don't believe a dog can be walked enough times in the day, to fully satisfy them, the way a 20-30minute RUN could. Goldens and Shepherds are BIG dogs, they can't be satisfied with one walk around the block.

This I don't understand? What if the person living in the trailer park jogs or is a runner? I used to be, now my fat butt drives my dogs out to the same country roads and runs them next to the car. Not appropriate for pups but pups don't need the same hard workout as adults anyway. Playing in a small fenced yard is all a puppy needs. A few toys and you throwing the ball a couple times.

I lived in a country MHP when I moved back form Germany. It was all I could afford at the time. Apartments were not an option having 2 GSD's and a 3yr old who loved to play outside. I had a small yard of my own, shaded with many trees and nice green grass. In back of the park was a huge peach orchard and beyond that fields and other orchards. I could walk my dogs for miles or just take them out back and throw the ball for them for 20 minutes.

Anyone who wants to be a good caring owner, will find the means to make it work.

My current home is an older 40's built home on a very small lot. We have our limit, 4 dogs. I have 4 kennels and one we don't even use. 2 dogs share the same 5x25 run on the side of my house. Pups are out back in 2 6x12 kennels. My adult dogs, like I said, get ran every morning before it gets hot. Anywhere between 1-4 miles, depending on their condition, heat and their attitude that day. I found this the only way to manage these 2 dogs in a way that keeps them under control. They are much happier, less barky when they get their run.

My pups get let lose in the backyard for about 10 minutes in the morning, while I clean their kennels and fill water buckets. I play with them a bit when I am done, before they go back to the kennel. In the evening after work, I load my pup up for a trip somewhere or walk him around the neighborhood, to the park to play, or across town to see different things. I am fortunate to live somewhere I can walk to just about anything. A 5 minute walk will get you out of town and into farmland, where I can let my dog lose to run free. We have a small lake in town that is fun to walk around. I like to walk by the baseball stadium at night for the lights, noises and strange smells. Anything interesting for a dog to check out, we will find.

We must appreciate Deckers honesty; unfortunately I've witnessed the same things he described from people I would never have suspected to be that way.  When it goes from being a "hobby" to "business" one can expect that that is what the ultimate outcome will be.  Business is business.  Do pet stores ask you where you live or if you can afford to care for this $1500 yappy fluffy thing in the cage?  Nope, in fact they'll even take a credit card or be willing to finance the dog independently.  Sad but true!

We have a small lot subdivision going in across the street from us.  People getting the city riled up over the ghetto housing going in, who else would live in small lot subdivsion???  All will be section 8 housing paid for by the state, gangs, all sort of bad people.  These ghetto houses are starting at $800K.  Sure I would sell one to somebody living in one of those ghetto houses if they were really going to take care of the dog and do right by it.

"The rich will hire someone to take care of the dog, and take the dog to the vet.  They want the dog just for show or for security, not to love and be a part of the family."

OK this is the flip side.  What makes you think rich people are incabable of providing a loving family atmosphere for their pets?  I'm able to provide my pets with the best of everything.  I don't hire anyone to take them to the vet.  I do not show my dogs only because there is no where to show them down here.  I DO however have them for security.  Is there something wrong with owning a personal protection dog if the situation warrents it? 

BTW I do not consider myself "rich". 

 Ghettos and trailer parks, huh?  ( I assume BARRIO is included in ghetto?)   The most abusive and/or neglectful dog owners I have personally met  ALL lived in the suburbs...along with the kids buying the gangsta rap and trying to live it; the presecription drug addicts; the alcoholics charged with vehicular homicide, and every gruesome child abuse/neglect case that Washington's Department Child Protective Services agency screwed up resulting in a dead child. 

Nia

Exactly Nia, where you live does not get you a free pass, or fail. What next? I wont sell puppies to used car salesmen? Sure sometimes location is a factor. If they live in a condo that doesn't allow pest, hell no I wouldn't sell them a dog, cat or a rat for that matter. Ghetto's have fences, stores for buying dog food and supplies. Some people may have lived their before the area got bad. How about the old couple who raised their kids and are now retired surrounded by pimps and drugs? Maybe a German Shepherd is what they need to feel safer out on the front porch. 

I find it funny that the first few posts after decker were upset because he put a negative spin on breeders

But, they didnt give a second thought to the fact that this thread may suggest that  people from trailer parks or ghettos are idiots and are not capable of taking care of a dog.

I was told when I started training dogs that you have to look at each dog indiviually to decide what it needs for training.  The lines of the dog may give you and idea...but in the end each dog is different and has to judged and trained as an individual.

I would think we should give a buyer the same respect.

Thank you, whomever answered on behalf of most breeders, but, I prefer to answer for myself. No, honestly, I would not sell one of my dogs to anyone in a "ghetto" nor would I sell one to a person in a trailer park. Knowing the rules most trailer parks have and also knowing the dangers in a depleated area, I wouldn't put my pups at risk, no matter who the person was. It is hard enough placing pups with what we often think are the perfect owners. I just won't take the risk that I am putting my pup at risk. Maybe not the most favorable response, but it is honest.

"But, they didnt give a second thought to the fact that this thread may suggest that  people from trailer parks or ghettos are idiots and are not capable of taking care of a dog."

Ravenwalker- I do believe I did give a second thought to the people that live in those situations. I said "I don't judge people's ability to love, care for and provide a good home for a pup based on whether or not thier house is permanently attached to the ground."

I actually found it offensive to assume people living in those situations were "not good enough" to take proper care of a puppy/dog. I know many people living in just those situations and are extremely kind hearted and caring people. I live in a rural subdivision, but there are several trailer parks in the area and more than one of my puppies live in those trailer parks. I see them regularly and they are happy, well fed, well socialized and well trained dogs. I have never personally sold a dog to anyone from "the ghetto", but if I was sure they were going to take the same kind of care of their puppy as I would, then I would have no problem selling them a puppy. It all comes down to the character and integrity of the buyer, not their neighborhood.

BTW, I only breed one litter a year, so the whole it being a business thing, hardly applies.

I bred GSDs in the past (no longer do) and I've had people from all walks of life approach me about buying a dog.  I've had a few dogs returned to me, and they were from precisely the owners I LEAST EXPECTED  to have any trouble with.  The people who weren't rich, were humble and obvious, sincere animal lovers were the ones who were forever owners, and would never part with their pup, come hell or high water. The people with money who represented themselves to take the best of care of their new puppy were the ones who took me completely by surprise. Or should I say SHOCKED me the most.  I had an owner return a pup who he confessed had been kept in the garage, and he had "cut her down" to two feedings a day to cut down on the mess she made in the garage!  Then there was the idiot who kept his pup in a small run all the time, fed him horsemeat, (he heard it was "good" for the pup) and the pup ate a rusty nail that was obviously in the pen where the pup was kept.  I didn't recognize this pup when he was returned to me only a month after I'd sold him.  A walking skeleton. Surgery had to be performed on the pup to get the nail out.  The vet I worked for at the time said the pup had not been eating well for a couple of weeks order to get that pitifully thin.  The pup was quite chubby when I sold him.  On top of that, the pup tested positive for Parvo - the new owner hadn't given him his last scheduled vaccine.  The pup ended up dying after a couple of days of hospitalization. So you guessed it - I was blamed for the Parvo, and the owner demanded that the vet I worked for should buy him a new pup of his choice because he felt the vet should not have performed surgery on a Parvo pup.  Winners, I tell ya.  And this guy had been so charming when he came to see the pup.  My point is, its virtually impossible to tell who will be responsible pet owners after they get the animal home, and the novelty wears off, and reality really sets in.  This is why I no longer breed GSDs or any other breed of dog.  I have lost my faith in people.