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by MVF on 07 August 2010 - 20:08
I'm not hoping for a one-size-fits-all label, so your point resonates with me, Moons. I do think there are two sides to this story. I do think there are byb dogs tied to dog houses, as there are well bred dogs penned up 24/7. Life is tragically unfair for people as well as animals, so there is no getting around the fact that many, many dogs will end up in tragic homes.
I don't think the dogs in pounds are better off crated all day than dead, by the way. I would personally rather die than be locked in a small box for 9 hours, then back for an hour or two in the evening, then back all night! That was a Vietcong torture for friends of mine.
What I was trying to get at -- what is UNFAIR -- is that the breeder who "does everything right" doesn't really win the lottery with respect to getting the pick of the best homes. That is, "pick of the litter" doesn't get the pick family. The gold standard breeder -- researches her breed, health matters, buys great dogs, breeds wisely and for great reasons, cares lovingly and intelligently for all her dogs, her dams, her pups, stimulates them out the kazoo, inoculates them, carefully screens prospective owners -- doesn't seem to get to pick the best available homes for her pups. In part, this is because the gold standard breeder spends so much she needs to charge more -- pricing out of the range of some great families. In part, it's because the things she values are not universally understood -- people "get" why OFA is important, but generally think SchH training is for police dogs only. But in part, it's just unfair. When I think of breeding, I think that the logical thing to do (if I truly love my dogs and their pups) is to do everything possible to create for myself the "pick of the litterbox" -- that is, the pick of the very best homes. SchH titles, kor's, conformation -- that tends to attract some good folks, but also some not so good folks.
Has anyone reading this thread ever come up with a strong and smart approach to finding those pick homes? The uber-loving families who would no more likely kick their dog than they would kick their kid? And who, as some folks here point out, not let their dogs languish in the house (much less the yard) with nothing interesting to do day after day?
I don't think the dogs in pounds are better off crated all day than dead, by the way. I would personally rather die than be locked in a small box for 9 hours, then back for an hour or two in the evening, then back all night! That was a Vietcong torture for friends of mine.
What I was trying to get at -- what is UNFAIR -- is that the breeder who "does everything right" doesn't really win the lottery with respect to getting the pick of the best homes. That is, "pick of the litter" doesn't get the pick family. The gold standard breeder -- researches her breed, health matters, buys great dogs, breeds wisely and for great reasons, cares lovingly and intelligently for all her dogs, her dams, her pups, stimulates them out the kazoo, inoculates them, carefully screens prospective owners -- doesn't seem to get to pick the best available homes for her pups. In part, this is because the gold standard breeder spends so much she needs to charge more -- pricing out of the range of some great families. In part, it's because the things she values are not universally understood -- people "get" why OFA is important, but generally think SchH training is for police dogs only. But in part, it's just unfair. When I think of breeding, I think that the logical thing to do (if I truly love my dogs and their pups) is to do everything possible to create for myself the "pick of the litterbox" -- that is, the pick of the very best homes. SchH titles, kor's, conformation -- that tends to attract some good folks, but also some not so good folks.
Has anyone reading this thread ever come up with a strong and smart approach to finding those pick homes? The uber-loving families who would no more likely kick their dog than they would kick their kid? And who, as some folks here point out, not let their dogs languish in the house (much less the yard) with nothing interesting to do day after day?
by starrchar on 08 August 2010 - 02:08
I like Breeder C because breeder C does all that breeder A does regarding health checks, temperament testing, kors and titling, BUT he/she only breeds for a litter only after knowing there are acceptable people waiting to purchase the pups and he/she will never knowingly place a pup in a home where it will not be treated well, stating in the purchase contract that he/she has the right to take the pup/dog back if not treated well, with specifics stated in the contract. Breeder C also makes sure that the pups are well matched with the owners and keeps in touch with the puppy owners an dwill take the pups back if the owner is not happy. Breeder C also asks that any owner who can no longer keep their dog must contact the breeder, so he/she can take the dog back and find it an appropriate forever home. Also, will not sell to someone whose only goal is to breed, show and title dogs for profit. Ok, will breeder C make much money? Probably not, but breeder C is a breeder who really loves the dogs and wants what is best for the breed and the dogs in general. Okay...now back to the real world...
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