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I wonder, was she bred so the owners children could witness the miricle of birth - Animal Planet could have served that purpose.
Perhaps she is owned by a family that is just too damn cheap to get her spayed and good veterinary care so she has puppies every 6 months and lives in a rusty old barrel, with no bedding, food, water or warmth.
Recognizing an unethical breeder
When you talk to people about their puppies, there are a few warning signs that you may be dealing with a disreputable, unethical, or irresponsible breeder:
The "breeder" lacks knowledge about the breed.
The "breeder" shows ignorance or denial of genetic defects in the breed.
The "breeder" doesn't let you observe the puppies or adults, or let you see the kennels.
The "breeder" has no documentation and cannot provide a pedigree.
The puppies are not socialized.
How to read those ads!
Here are a few more things that you ought to look out for.
"Champion lines" -- look instead for Champion sired or Champion parents. All Champion Lines means is that there is a dog somewhere in your puppy's family that was a champion - it says nothing about the quality of the parents at all. Anyone can buy a puppy from a champion, but it does not mean that they have any other interest in the breed but to bank on the name and make money. The puppy may have been sold as a pet (since it had some problems that prevented it from being shown) and an unethical person did not have the dog desexed and is still breeding puppies.
"AKC Registration" or "AKC Papers" -- So what? AKC registration does not guarantee quality. AKC papers are much like the title of a car - papers are issued on the junked chevy on blocks in your yard just as easily as they are on a brand new, shiny Jaguar. AKC does not control breeding, approve litters, or guarantee soundness. Unfortunately, in the hands of some unethical breeders, it doesn't even guarantee that the dog is purebred.
AKC Registration is automatic if you buy from a reputable breeder - they will provide all necessary paperwork when you buy a puppy. It is not a selling point, and shouldn't be treated as one.
Be wary of other "registrations", as well. There are several groups that are registering dogs, occasionally even mixed breeds, for a fee. This registration means nothing, and is of no value to you. Not that AKC papers really mean much, either.
"Extra-big", "Extra-small" -- breeders trying for extremes are rarely raising healthy dogs, and any ad that has to stress the size and weight of the dog to sell the puppies is suspect, in my opinion. Usually, these dogs are outside of the breed standard and are subject to their own medical problems due to excessive size or lack of it.
"Rare" -- Why? Is the dog showable? Are there too many defects for the animal to be bred? What kind of problems does this "rare" color or size or pattern entail?
There are many people buying "rare" white Boxers and Shepherds, not realizing that they are not show-prospects, and that they are buying a dog with medical problems from lack of pigmentation, and possible behavioral problems as well.
There are even some people selling unusual cross breeds as "rare" dogs, and people buy them thinking they are getting some unique treasure. I don't want to be too harsh about this, though -- every breed we se today is the result of some specialized and "rare" breeding to create a certain look or behavior. Shepherds herd, retrievers retrieve...because we have selectively bred them to do so. A breeder who is trying to 'recreate' a lost breed may fall on either side of the ethical divide. Shop with care.
"see both parents" As noted in questions to ask a breeder , this is not usually a good thing. Rarely will a good breeder have the luck to own both dogs for the perfect litter. If you can see both parents, it often means that the person had two dogs in the back yard and didn't supervise them carefully enough, resulting in puppies.
"Must go now!" Why? Are they too big to be cute anymore? Need more money? Is there a problem? Be very wary of this one.
Ten Top Reasons To Research The Origins Of where The Puppy Originates From.
This is probably where alot of those cute pet store puppies come from. After a good bath, worm medicine rammed down their throats and a very expensive price tag...there you go, puppy mill pet store dogs!
PET SHOP
1. Sells pups as merchandise to anyone who will pay. Doesn't screen buyers and will sell to inappropriate homes.
2. Obtains stock from sources who breed for profit, often from puppy mills or local people who mate inferior specimens to sell at low cost. Reputable breeders never place in pet shops due to Point #1 above.
3. Pups often from breeding stock that has had poor health care and/or living conditions. Breeding stock not screened for genetic problems.
4. Health guarantees are minimum prescribed by law. Sales personnel unwilling or unable to discuss diseases or genetic problems a breed may be prone to.
5.Sales staff often doesn't have in-depth knowledge of all breeds sold.
6. Pet shop display limits the socialization, exercise, and affection individual pups need at a critical point in development.
7. Pet shop offers AKC registration papers as proof of quality. Doesn't mention that AKC accepts registrations without checking if breeding stock is sound and true to type.
8. Pet shops unwilling or unable to produce pedigree, or name, address, and phone number of breeder prior to sale.
9. Price at high end of local range for what are usually generic specimens and may be breed deviations.
10. Pet shop owner doesn't care about welfare of pup after purchase. If, after some time, you have training or health problems with the pup. you're on your own.
22 dogs crammed in feces filled wooden boxes.
These are the PUPPY MILL DOGS.
How many do you think died in the brokers truck before they reached the pet store?
Died of exposure, illness, starvation.
This is the Back Yard Breeders money, they trade in dog flesh to line their pockets.
These precious creatures are only a $ sign to them, not breathing, living, precious creatures.
CASUAL OR BACKYARD BREEDER
1. Motive for breeding: "fun", "good for kids", or make money. Doesn't screen buyers and seldom refuses to sell.
2. Breeds family pet to any convenient pet of same breed just to have purebred puppies. Has no concern for genetics, bloodlines, or breed improvement.
3. Though pet may be well-loved, it wasn't x-rayed for hip dysplasia nor checked for other inheritable problems.
4. Offers no health guarantees beyond proof of shots. Unqualified to give help if problems develop.
5. Seller has little knowledge of breed history or AKC breed standard. may claim this doesn't matter for "just pets."
6. Pups raised in makeshift accommodations indicating lack of long-term investment in breeding.
7. Even when selling "just pets". may produce AKC papers or "championship pedigree" as proof of quality. Yet seller doesn't increase own knowledge through participation in national or local breed club.
8. May be unwilling to show entire litter or to introduce dam of litter. Can't/won't critique puppies or puppies' ancestors.
9. Prices at low end of local range since has to move pups rapidly.
10. No concern for individual pup's and breed's future. Doesn't use AKC limited registration or ask for spay/neuter contract to guard against breeding of substandard pets. if you can't keep the pup, tells you to take it to the dog pound or sell it.
REPUTABLE BREEDER
1. Dedication to producing quality dogs is serious avocation. Has so much invested in dogs that struggles to break even, not make profit. However, will only sell pups to approved buyers.
2. Can explain how planned breeding to emphasize specific qualities through linebreeding, outcrossing, or more rarely, inbreeding.
3. Has breeding stock x-rayed for hip dysplasia and tests for other genetic faults. Can produce certification to prove claims.
4. Lifetime commitment to replace a dog with proven genetic faults or to help owner deal with problem.
5. Loves breed and can talk at length about its background, uses, and ideal type.
6. Has a serious investment in dog equipment such as puppy pens, crates, grooming tables -- and knows how to use it.
7. Is member of local or national dog club, indicating a love for the sport of dogs. Exhibits own dogs as an objective test of how stock measures up.
8. Shows off litter and dam in sanitary environment. helps buyer evaluate and choose pup. Explains criteria for "show picks" versus "pet picks."
9. Prices will be at high end of local range, not cut-rate. Price won't reflect all that's invested in the pups.
10. After purchase, will help with grooming or training problems. Will take back pups you can't keep rather than see it disposed of inappropriately. Sells pets with spay/neuter agreement or AKC limited registration for welfare of the breed. reputation based on your satisfaction.
Dr. Sophia expressed one of the best set of rules that I've seen. If you can't, or won't, breed with the following rules in mind, then you shouldn't breed your dog. It's as simple as that.
the following was posted to the AKITA-L list by Dr. Sophia Kaluzniacki, and is reprinted with her permission
10 Rules of Ethical Breeding
The only reason to be breeding purebred dogs is to preserve the best qualities of the breed. Breeding to supply any market is not a justification.
You need to do all of your breeding with the best interests of the breed in mind. Never your pocket book.
For this you need to be a serious student of the breed and devote years of your life to it. No "in one day, out the other".
As a beginner you need to engross yourself in the breed as much as possible and ideally find a suitable mentor.
In order to be a serious breeder, you must show and compete.
You need to keep track of all puppies you produce, whether pet or show, to know how your breeding program is working.
All pet dogs need to go on a spay/neuter contract.
All show puppies need to go on a contract that will not allow breeding unless the dog lives up to the quality intended and passes all health checks and certification necessary for that breed. If a prospective breeder does not want to do this, then I am sorry but they will have to mess with someone else's dogs not mine!!
Co-ownerships allow you a certain amount of control in this regard because they require your signature in order that puppies be registered. The latest news from the AKC is that there is a pending change to the rules that will not allow registration unless all papers are properly signed. If you have a difference with your co-owner it will need to be settled in court before the AKC will register litters or puppies. This is new and still pending, but a step in the right direction.
Every breeder owes to the breed and to themselves to be involved with rescue.
Every breeder should be prepared to take any dog back for whatever reason. If they do not have the space, then they need to be prepared to make other arrangements. But take back they must!
In my ideal world one could not sell dogs. They would only be able to be given as cherished gifts to deserving individuals. This would eliminate the whole pet mill and back-yard breeding industry as they could not make any money. Of course since this world is not the way I envision it as regards dogs, we have to work within the system. So I do charge for puppies and I charge what I think is fair for the time and effort I have put into it. It is certainly not enough to cover all of the expenses. If someone cannot or will not pay my price then let them go somewhere else or take on a rescue. There is nothing wrong with paying a lower price and certainly very noble to rescue. Well I will now get off of my soap box :) Dr.Sophia
