Are there too many dogs being bred? - Page 3

I guess I should have clarified things a little better. Having only experience with the one breeder I deal with I can only relate to that. My breeder probably only breeds 10 litters a year or less. The rest of his income is made through training. He is not by any means a "puppy mill". He travels to Europe at least once a year to import dogs, and only the finest ones. His dogs are only of the highest standards and qualities. He is a retired K9 Sgt. and his love and respect for the breed are beyond reproach. His is a small kennel but the dogs are superb. If you'd like to take a look it is canineextreme.com. My dogs are Gunner and Denny.

I would guess that the main purpose of the SV's 10-litter-per-kennel limit is essentially the same as the SV's 60+30-breedings-per-year limit per stud: to try to keep the bloodlines as "open" as possible by encouraging diversity. But I could be wrong too.

Maybe the limit is intended to serve a dual purpose?

Could be. Sure would be nice to hear from someone in the SV hierarchy on the subject, but they're probably all too busy scratching their heads over the latest "My Pitty/Bullfrog/Siberian Tiger mix can WHIP YOUR GSD'S ASS!!!" thread.

Too many "junk" GSD's, that's for sure! Shelley

One thing to keep in mind, is that even the top kennels do not make their living solely relying on their breeding animals. These people are often trainers, handlers, helpers, judges, etc., and many have a "second" job (I say this, because the dogs always get put first--if there is a problem with the dog, the "2nd job" will be let go before the dog problem will. This is the sign that they care about their dogs. The same person who would bash a breeder for not taking proper care of their dogs (those who have more than a few dogs know how time consuming it is to care for multiple dogs properly!), would slam them for not having another job, or having another job. Some people never have anything nice to say unless they benefit from it one way or another. No, I am not specifically naming ANYONE on this website, I am just generalizing. In answer to the original question, ARE THERE TOO MANY DOGS BEING BRED? The answer is a resounding YES. Too many non-hip certified, untitled, dogs that are bred on every heat to whatever dog is there to breed to is what I would say is causing the majority of the problems. Breeding solely because it can "make a buck" is a stupid reason. I think the only people who truly MAKE money are the ones who are doing it all wrong (Hey, when someone can buy a $250 sire, a $300 dam, both with full AKC registration from some other moron who doesn't give a damn about the breed, breed those two dogs and make $500 per puppy, an average of 7 pups per litter, two litters per year.....add it up. Then those same people feed OL' ROY (sick--what it's called is what is in the bag!!!!) and keep the pups outside, don't socialize, don't do anything with them, etc.) , or who had money to invest to begin with (they buy the top dogs and breed them, making a good return on their investment because they can charge the prices they get for their pups, since people are willing to pay that price, and also for stud fees, etc.) The rest of us re-invest what we make into the dogs, and still usually end up with a loss at the end of the year. SAY IT AIN'T SO, BREEDERS!!! ;)

I'd sure hate to depend on living off the money earned breeding 10 litters per year plus the sale of a few high priced adults LOL. After deducting all the applicable expenses,I'd probably be eligible for food stamps. Actually, 10 litters per year sounds like a lot of breeding to me, most likely more than the average breeder has anywhere. When supply excedes demand either prices fall or puppies and dogs go unsold leaving no room for a new dog or litter. Either way in time one would expect to see fewer puppies offered for sale.

I would almost always buy from the small hobby breeder. because they are the ones breeding just a few select litters a year not needing the money to survive but taken that income and putting it into there breeding program again, just so they can continuously outproduce themselves. they are the ones normally into it for bettering the breed. Its not supply and demand with them. Since The GSD is The Universal soldier there will always be a high demand for the dog, so like typical economics somebody is always looking to cash in Suplly and demand they figure. Everybody that breeds needs to step back and evaluate there stock and there progeny its not so much the fact of to many dogs being bred, its to many bad breedings taken place. Steve Simpkins

I agree way too many are being bred, thats why I have not breed my female. On the other side I plan to buya pup in a year or so and I figure the price will be lower.

"I would almost always buy from the small hobby breeder. because they are the ones breeding just a few select litters a year not needing the money to survive but taken that income and putting it into there breeding program again, just so they can continuously outproduce themselves. they are the ones normally into it for bettering the breed. Its not supply and demand with them." SO very true but then you will have others calling them BYB's, wich is a term I really hate. I have a back yard and thats exactly where my dogs will be bred when I am ready again. My awesome pup didn't come from some big fancy breeder either. I know damn well, I'll be back to that back yard when I'm ready for another one!