The betterment of the breed............... - Page 2

        Rik....Very interesting subject.....: )   This will be a Hot Topic....
  
        Jenni...          I respect what you are saying....If I were a breeder I wouldn't part with one precious lil pup.....: )     I would own more dogs then any breeder in the history of breeding.....: )      

Sunsilver, that's a good list. My only object there is the spay/neuter requirement. With the latest information on the pros/cons of mandatory/early speuter, I think that requirement is outdated. (I use limited registration instead.)

Unfortunately, many unscrupulous people will not honour limited registration and will breed anyway, then register pups with one of the 'fly by night' registries.  I am not in favour of early spay/neuter, but I think I would rather see a pet quality pup s/n early than have it bred. Maybe I'd insist on a s/n deposit, to be refunded when a spay/neuter certificate is issued by the vet.

Nice chart, Sunsilver. I do agree with Blackthorne on s/n. There is definite proof of the negative effects of early spay/neuter.

And ouch, Rik. Do you really think it's that black and white? What happens when I breed a litter from what I think will be a great combination but none of the puppies really ring my bell? Am I the devil now, because I sell them, these puppies from parents who are titled, surveyed, who I've poured loads of money and effort into? 

No worries, I won't be quitting my job anytime soon to live on my "puppy money", I'm just hoping after getting back what I poured in, I have enough left over to try again next year with a top dog in hopes of getting that special puppy I want to keep.

Here's my take- if your dogs are healthy, stable, sound, and conform to the standard, if you screen carefully your buyers and take care to protect all parties involved (dogs included) with your contract, if you regularly produce dogs who succeed in various perfomance/conformation events, if you HONOR your guarantees, if you ALWAYS take back dogs of your breeding- who are you hurting?

The last two dogs (in 2003 and 2010) I bought for myself I paid what I'm sure you would consider to be too high a price but I didn't blink an eye. I don't expect to get a puppy with top potential for a $1,000- because I know what goes into these dogs.

I get who you're mad at, or at least I think I do....but you might alienate more people than you think!

 
I saw Rik's statements more as calling out the hypocrisy rather than bashing breeders who breed and sell. I took it more as "be honest" than a criticism of commercial breeders. Maybe because I don't do any of the practices he outlined, I didn't feel called onto the carpet so to speak so I saw it more generally, more objectively. 

I, too, as I said, wish people would be more honest. I cannot keep every pup I breed. Unfortunately, until they only have one  at a time, I can't do that. Shall I kill the others? I don't see myself as remotely evil or greedy for selling them at market price for what I truly believe is a way above average puppy. If I didn't believe that, I wouldn't be breeding at all. 

I also agree w/both Kelly and Christine on the s/n. I have to put the health of my puppies here first. In fact, that is the only stipulation I place in my guarantee- if they are s/n prior to 24 mos. WITHOUT NOTIFYING ME OF EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES, guarantee is null/void. I have just done too much homework and extensive research to put my pups in danger of a procedure that I believe will seriously affect their health. Anyone is free to disagree, but as I choose to sell my pups to like-minded individuals, I haven't had a single issue w/that.