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RE: nice essay about ethical breeding

Collie/GSD/Sheltie/Corgi/Russell_luvr — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 23:50:16 GMT

Great post!!!!!!!!!!!
All so true. I'm studying to be a breeder in the future.

RE: nice essay about ethical breeding

outcast13 — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 07:30:40 GMT

That's definantly a problem I'll run into. If I do a rescue I have no idea where to get the dogs from!!!

RE: nice essay about ethical breeding

srhfara — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 19:30:53 GMT

I don't think that rescues or shelters will let a dog/puppy go to a pet store. Most of them have very picky standards for people who adopt the dogs. From what I hear, they are just as selective as responsible breeders, because they don't want to see the dogs back in the shelter.

RE: nice essay about ethical breeding

outcast13 — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:28:16 GMT

PudelGrl (6/13/2008)

rainsmom (6/13/2008)

srhfara (6/12/2008)

Outcast, have you ever considered opening up a rescue or shelter instead of a pet store?

If you can manage to build a good and ethical pet store, then more power to ya

thats a good idea maybe he could combine the 2 pet store and rescue center

I have to agree, rescue would be better..

I know anyone who wanted to sell my dogs for me, no matter what aargument they gave me, would get their butt kicked out my door pretty fast.

My main question is how do you expect to know enough about each breed to actually actively help people with their dogs? In addition, how do you know people are going to have the right breed and not buy on impulse? I think the key to going to a breeder is that they know the breed, and well! Years of experience cannot be replaced by a few books. In addition, by having people wait for a puppy, you know they're serious. I see way to many 6 month old dogs in my local shelter and bargain finder for this reason, they were cute and then they became work....

Well either way, if I decide to go with rescue or breeders, I will definantly need to know about the breeds I have. Not just a few books! And if I decide to go with a breeder it won't be a crazy number of breeds Like I see most petstores have. ( I don't know of the exact number of breeds yet). If I do rescue I could have any number of breeds come in, so I'm not sure what I'll do in that case... The best way I can think of to learn about the breeds is work, This summer I'm looking into rescue volunteering, and next year I'd like to work for a pet store to get experience on how they do things. As far as impulse buys, I'll question the prospective purchaser and see if I think they're really commited. If I don't think they are they won't get the puppy. I'm not about to let someone have a puppy because they have $ in their hands!!! If they end up not being able to keep the puppy they must bring him back

RE: nice essay about ethical breeding

PudelGrl — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 09:58:38 GMT

rainsmom (6/13/2008)

srhfara (6/12/2008)

Outcast, have you ever considered opening up a rescue or shelter instead of a pet store?

If you can manage to build a good and ethical pet store, then more power to ya

thats a good idea maybe he could combine the 2 pet store and rescue center

I have to agree, rescue would be better..

I know anyone who wanted to sell my dogs for me, no matter what aargument they gave me, would get their butt kicked out my door pretty fast.

RE: nice essay about ethical breeding

outcast13 — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 08:14:00 GMT

rainsmom (6/13/2008)

srhfara (6/12/2008)

Outcast, have you ever considered opening up a rescue or shelter instead of a pet store?

If you can manage to build a good and ethical pet store, then more power to ya

thats a good idea maybe he could combine the 2 pet store and rescue center

Mabye I will! I'm open to any options at this point in time. Thanks for the suggestions

RE: nice essay about ethical breeding

rainsmom — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 06:13:59 GMT

srhfara (6/12/2008)

Outcast, have you ever considered opening up a rescue or shelter instead of a pet store?

If you can manage to build a good and ethical pet store, then more power to ya

thats a good idea maybe he could combine the 2 pet store and rescue center

RE: nice essay about ethical breeding

srhfara — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 20:56:57 GMT

Outcast, have you ever considered opening up a rescue or shelter instead of a pet store?

If you can manage to build a good and ethical pet store, then more power to ya

RE: nice essay about ethical breeding

outcast13 — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 18:31:59 GMT

rainsmom (6/12/2008)

outcast13 (6/12/2008)

srhfara (6/12/2008)

I understand your love for owning a pet store. I hope you understand that people may not just bring back puppies, they will bring back grown dogs. Do you think you can handle a business and numerous adult dogs at any given time? Many breeders I have spoken to have lots of land and facilities for their adult dogs. I have never seen a pet store with even enough room for a puppy to run, nor have I ever seen a pet store selling or giving away adult dogs.

yeah, they will bring back old dogs, and I know it won't be easy to handle! lol! But I consider the dogs to be my responsibility, and I'd never want to have one of the puppies go into a shelter, especially a kill shelter I don't think I can handle lots of dogs and a business alone, I'd need some help! Thankfully my mom and brother are very supportive of my ideas and they have assured me they will help me the best they can. I've never seen an adult dog for sale in a petstore either, but hey! Why cant I be the first to ? I have seen a few stores that have lots of room for the puppies to play, run, and socialize in although most petstores I see though are in cages all day (especially the one at our local mall!!! They have them squeezed so tight in those small cages, it's ridiculous!!) By the way, thanks for not flaming me So many people have quickly criticized me because I said the words "I will own a petstore" before I have the chance to get a word in! lol!

I think its cool you want to own your own pet store. the only problem I have is where would you get the puppies you sell? only back yard breeders and puppymills would sell their pups to a pet store and thats really not a place you would want to get a puppy from. now if you got puppies from say rescue groups or an animal shelter that would be good. also I would either have all puppies spayed/neutured before they left the store or at least on a contract saying they have to be fixed. then again most pet stores do not sell registered pets (ckc doesnt count!) and the people that have them wouldnt care and would breed them anyways so.. I would go with having them fixed before they leave the store!

I also agree all the pet stores I have seen do not have a big enough are for the puppies. heck I think the rabbits get a bigger area than the puppies!

Where i will get my animals is actually, at this point, the biggest problem I am having! I'd never get my puppies from a place like the hunte corp or a broker. I'd want to meet the breeder, see their place, meet the moms and dads of the puppies, make sure they had the correct testing thats recommended for that breed, make sure they'll registered with a nice registry (I prefer AKC), ect. (Haven't exactly layed out all the requirements I'll have for my breeders yet, I still got a few years) There are lots of breeders out there, I think I could find a few breeders I consider responsible. If I do end up buying from breeders, I'd like to have some rescue pups too. And if I find no good breeders I'll only have rescue pups!!! As for the spaying and neutering, absoulubtly! I'll probably do a contract if the puppies are 5 or 6 months under age, and I'll have a veterinarian fix them if they are above 5-6 months.

RE: nice essay about ethical breeding

MusicDog — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 18:25:45 GMT

First off, I think its really cool you wanna have a pet store but can't you keep it leval like just pet supplies? Why do you need to sell animals?? If you do decide to sell dogs or cats, please don't just buy any, go to a kill shelter and take some dogs from there and sell them so you are saving a life and not supporting puppy mill or BYB. This is the exact reason that these terrible dog breeders want and you will be just feeding into that. So I have to agree 100% fully with Rainsmom. Why support a puppy mill, BYB when you can save shelter dogs who are dieing everyday because there are to many? Just don't make sense and I do relize people want "purebreds." Well they do have purebreds in shelters too, it isn't all just "mutts." It is true half of the shelter dogs came from BYB or puppy mills but you are not supporting that you are supporting a shelter which don't breed dogs foolishly for money. Please give this a thought and I really hope you choose to save shelter dogs instead of supporting them BYB & puppy mill starters.

RE: nice essay about ethical breeding

rainsmom — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:55:53 GMT

outcast13 (6/12/2008)

srhfara (6/12/2008)

I also agree all the pet stores I have seen do not have a big enough are for the puppies. heck I think the rabbits get a bigger area than the puppies!

RE: nice essay about ethical breeding

outcast13 — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 15:32:00 GMT

srhfara (6/12/2008)

RE: nice essay about ethical breeding

srhfara — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 14:44:00 GMT

RE: nice essay about ethical breeding

outcast13 — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:29:02 GMT

rainsmom (6/12/2008)

great essay! very true!!!

sorry outcast but I don't believe a pet store should sell cats or dogs! I am all for them adopting out shelter pets in which case I dont consider that selling a pet. pet stores do not screen buyers they sell to the first person that has the money. they dont care what happens to the puppy once it leaves the store. it incoureges impulse buying which is why there are so many dogs and cats in the shelter.

Thats cool, you don't have to agree with me, I know I think differently than most of the "dog community". But here is what is not fair in my eyes, I don't think it's right to say ALL petstores don't screen their buyers ( I have heard of some that do, and that is what I will do) agree that, MOST petstores don't care about the puppy once they leave the store, But Is it realy fair to say ALL Do? When I get my petstore Any puppy the purchaser can not keep they will bring back to me for me to find a proper home. None of my pups will EVER end up in a shelter!! And I agree with everyone else here, Purchasing a dog from a shelter is the first cosideration when getting a pet. Sorry, I'm really not trying to hurt anyones feelings or get anyone mad, I don't want to start a fight! Just sharing my opinion

RE: nice essay about ethical breeding

srhfara — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:01:04 GMT

Good point rainsmom!

Not only are pet stores out for profit, but how can a breeder sell to a pet store knowing nothing about where their pups will end up?

RE: nice essay about ethical breeding

rainsmom — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 08:34:35 GMT

great essay! very true!!!

RE: nice essay about ethical breeding

MusicDog — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:13:39 GMT

I really like how she used a "work cited" part. That is really important when writing an essay. I think it is a good essay, not saying that I agree 100% with everything said. I agree with you, adopting and saving a pets live from a shelter is really good!

RE: nice essay about ethical breeding

srhfara — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 01:01:23 GMT

Actually, one of my co-workers at the University e-mailed it to me. One of her students wrote it for a final paper because she was interested in buying a dog. I think it is a good academic paper. The student did single out pet stores and puppy mills, but that is the point of a persuasive piece. I don't think I will consider buying from a pet store. If I wanted a specific breed and good probable quality, I would go to a responsible breeder, other then that I like to rescue my pets.

Thanks for the posts

Sara

RE: nice essay about ethical breeding

annielovesmama — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:59:30 GMT

that is good!! do you do that? is it for school?

RE: nice essay about ethical breeding

muttlover17 — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:18:52 GMT

good essay, is it for school?

RE: nice essay about ethical breeding

outcast13 — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:10:28 GMT

I agree with this, for the most part anyway. I do think that people need to decide for themselves what A "reputable breeder" is. I also think it is unfair to single all petshops as people who don't care about puppies and are just in it for the $ (seeing as I will be opening one some day, and trust me I'm not doing it for $!!) but other than that, Yeah, I agree

nice essay about ethical breeding

srhfara — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 14:31:00 GMT

Dog breeding is not a business

I hung up the phone after a heated argument with a lady whom I had just denied one of my female pups “Gigi”. Every time I turn someone down I feel a sense of regret. Will I be able to find a better home for Gigi? Will I be stuck with too many puppies because I am too picky of a seller? This lady seemed really nice and claimed to have experience breeding dogs. She had a beautiful website and beautiful Pyrenees, but one page on her website really bothered me. She had a “For Sale” page which included 6 of her retired female dogs. She bred more then 4 different breeds and retired her females once they fulfilled their breeding potential. There was no way I would subject one of my puppies to being over bred and then sold off. According to National Ethical Breeders Association, I am standing by the basic ethical breeder standards,

A responsible breeder makes sure that every single baby goes to an owner who will provide it with the same love and devotion for life that the breeder has provided for the first eight or ten weeks. This means careful screening and evaluation of each person or family interested in getting a puppy.

My regret for turning the lady down was only short lived. Ironically, a family in Ohio visited me that day and gravitated toward Gigi. They visited her every week until she joined them on their beautiful farm. I deal with people all the time who are not the best match for my puppies, so it is rewarding when my puppies are placed where they are destined to be.

An ethical dog breeder should be present in a pup’s life the instant it comes into the world. How a breeder cares for and interacts with a pup has an immense affect on the pup for the rest of its adult life. Human socialization is important because most breeders sell their puppies as pet companions first and foremost. All breeders should practice ethical breeding instead of treating breeding as a business and dogs as money makers.

According to The Caring Corps, I practice responsible breeding,

The reputable breeder sells puppies directly to the individual consumer – never sells or consigns to pet shops. Buyers are invited – indeed required – to visit the breeder’s premises, to see where the puppies were born and how they’re being raised. Buyers are likely to see the mother dog, and sometimes the sire, living on the premises, where they’re treated as beloved family pets.

In addition to being a responsible breeder, there is ethical breeding. I don’t breed for a living, I don’t breed for money and I have a lot of spare time on my hands to continuously study the breed. I truly care about the Great Pyrenees, the betterment of the breed and the families who adopt my puppies. Therefore I will not sell my puppies to a puppy mill or a pet store.

Many money oriented breeders have a very busy schedule. They usually whelp more then a few litters at a time and breed numerous breeds at the same time while juggling day to day tasks. What they don’t understand is that they are not making a significant profit. The money that breeders put into their dogs day after day is easy to forget, while the cash flow from selling puppies seems profitable (NEBA). Another problem with overloaded breeders is their lack of time to whelp litters. I have spoken with many such breeders and they speak commonly of still born puppies, or puppies dying in the first few days. This sort of thing is spoken of casually, as if all breeders have the same problems. I have never had a still born nor lost a puppy, because I take an active roll in whelping. You would be surprised to know that during a puppy birth it may take the mother six minutes to stimulate her pup to breath, if she does at all (Pet). The longer a pup goes with out breathing the dumber it will be. My female can have up to 16 puppies in ten hours easily. Obviously, if I were not home to help her deliver the pups, there would be some dumb pups and some dead pups. As a breeder I pride myself in having a giving my dogs the best Vet care, food and supplements. This ensures that my puppies have the best start that they can. They are whelped indoors to facilitate human socialization as well as socialization with other dogs. According to Dr. Tracy Leonard a Basenji breeder, this socialization is necessary for a puppy’s adaptability, “As a puppy matures, it is important that he is familiarized with humans and the world outside his immediate home.”

Responsible breeders should potty train their litters. This takes time and effort but the reward is a cleaner puppy area, healthier puppies and happier puppy owners. Some breeders who don’t have time to clean up after their litters will throw down hay or wood chips and change it out when the smell gets intolerable. That is how puppies end up with worms that won’t die off, parasites, skin problems and bad potty habits. I start potty training when the puppies are three weeks old. I section of the whelping box by placing construction paper where the pups potty the most. Then I keep that area dirty for a day or two and amazingly the puppies learn that the paper is for potty. In the wild their mother would have them potty trained by this time (Misty)

Money hungry breeders try to whelp litters with expensive and rare qualities. For example, some breeders shoot for all white Great Pyrenees, grey Newfoundlands, or small headed Bulldogs (to avoid expensive C-section). This type of breeding is destroying all types of breeds. An all white Pyrenees is a stunning sight, but when you start breeding white to white you get more unhealthy Pyrenees with more hereditary problems. A Bulldog will suffer from genetic problems such as skin allergies, blindness and deafness. A grey Newfoundland may suffer from skin allergies and baldness. These are problems that an ethical breeder should avoid at any cost. There are ways to get healthy rarities in a breed, but bad breeders do no practice those methods due to lack of money, experience, time and knowledge.

When a busy breeder such as one that runs a puppy mill, sells a puppy, the sale is nothing more then a business exchange. You sign the papers, hand over the money and you get your pup. You are lucky if the breeder gives you some puppy food to take home. My puppies go home with food, vitamins, treats, toys, Nyla bones, a blanket (with mommas scent), a care page, health records, and AKC papers. In my puppy contract I state that it is necessary to keep in touch with me via e-mail at the least. Most of my buyers pick their puppy around 3-4 weeks, so I send them pictures and updates up until they take their pup home. When my puppies leave I always feel an emptiness, so I build relationships with my buyers and keep an open line of communication with them. A breeder at a puppy mill does not have time to go out of his/her way for the puppy’s new family.

Good breeders have no problems with letting potential puppy owners into their facility. It would be to many peoples advantage to live close to a breeder so that they can check out the conditions were their new puppy lived for the past two months. In my case the facility would be my living room. Which many people appreciate that the puppies are always being cared for. When I choose a puppy, I visit the breeder and the puppy’s parents. That helps me decide whether any of the pups will have the characteristics I am looking for. If you can visit the pups early on, around 3 weeks of age, you can see the differences in their personalities. Knowing the parents and all the pups’ personalities, you have a good chance of picking the puppy that is a good match for your needs. This active approach to puppy adopting ensures the new family and the breeder that everybody including the puppy will be happy and lessens the chance of a bad placement. Unfortunately, you can not do this if the breeder is out of state. If the breeder is too far to visit, you will have to rely on pictures and the breeder’s word. Today there are too many scams that are becoming more advanced and online purchases can not be trusted. Another downfall of placing a puppy in a home out of state is either a stressful car ride home, or a $275 shipping fee and stressful flight. I refuse to ship a puppy because it is too stressful. However, I am more then willing to take a round trip to meet families half way for only the cost of gas.

An ethical breeder should care about the wellbeing of their puppies for life. My puppies will never go to a shelter in situation where they can no longer be cared for. I have signed contracts stating that in any situation, the dog will be returned to me. I am more then happy to take my puppies or dogs back. I would either keep the returned dog or re-home him/her. Sometimes re-homing can take years, but it is ok. In that time I can fully analyze my dog to place him/her in a home that would accommodate his/hers needs. I have a lifetime responsibility to all of my puppies and I will always fulfill it.

Breeders should stop trying to turn breeding into a business. Puppy mills and pet stores don’t care who they sell their dogs to nor do they care about the dogs they are breeding. The life of one puppy has tremendous meaning to the family that adopts it, so breeders need to treat these puppies as a precious being, not a dollar sign. If breeders strive to be more ethical and caring, then the business breeding will dwindle and more people and their pet companions will be happier.

Works Cited

“Ethical Breeding Standards.” National Ethical Breeders Association. 2005. 15

May 2008. < / Standards.asp>

The Caring Corps Inc. “Dog Breeders, Terminology and Description of the

Different Categories.” 15 May 2008. < mills.htm>

Dr. Tracy Leonard. “Breeders Round Table: Puppy Socialization.” Dog Owner’s

Guide. Canis Major Publications. 2007. 15 May 2008 <;

“Puppies at 3 to 31/2 weeks: Time to Start Potty Training.” Dog Breed Info

Center. 1998-2008. 15 May 2008. <http://www.

dogbreedinfo.com/breedingdogs/pottytrainingpuppies3weeks.htm>