dumb breeding questions from a newbie

[MidnightWriter]

breeders indirectly contribute to the overpopulation problem. Their dogs are accounted for, yes! But their dogs are (in some people’s opinions) taking up “slots” that could easily be filled by rescues.

This. Out of a breeder’s planned litter of, say, five puppies, one may go on to be a show dog. One may end up in a good home as a family pet and live out his life there. What about the other three? How and where will they end up?

In 50 years of living, with dogs, with friends who have had dogs, with neighbors who have had dogs, say, 5 dogs a year I have been around on a consistent basis, or at least seen almost daily, I have known ONE dog that had any sort of training, and he was way beyond just “sit.” Of the others, none had been trained how to walk properly on a leash, let alone Sit-Stay. Most did not seem to know their own names. I’m thinking about half of them are purebreds, the others are mixed breeds.

[S1969]

[QUOTE=french fry;8623510]
I’m just saying that if suddenly purebred dogs weren’t available to the general public, do you see yourself giving up dogs entirely or seeing what the local shelter has to offer? I think many people would choose the latter option.

In this way, breeders indirectly contribute to the overpopulation problem. Their dogs are accounted for, yes! But their dogs are (in some people’s opinions) taking up “slots” that could easily be filled by rescues.[/QUOTE]

That is just such backward logic. It was mentioned in an earlier post, but why on earth would we want to eliminate breeders that work hard to produce healthy, correct dogs and replace them only with people that allow their dogs to reproduce crappy, untested, mutt puppies? And then blame good breeders for the overpopulation problem. :no:

Good breeders do not contribute to overpopulation. They produce a limited number of well-bred puppies many of which have waiting lists before they are even born. The fact that there are other dogs needing homes is not going to be prevented by good breeders NOT breeding, nor is it their fault. If more people would think differently about the role of breeders - there would be fewer dogs needing rescuing!

[QUOTE=MidnightWriter;8623536]This. Out of a breeder’s planned litter of, say, five puppies, one may go on to be a show dog. One may end up in a good home as a family pet and live out his life there. What about the other three? How and where will they end up?

In 50 years of living, with dogs, with friends who have had dogs, with neighbors who have had dogs, say, 5 dogs a year I have been around on a consistent basis, or at least seen almost daily, I have known ONE dog that had any sort of training, and he was way beyond just “sit.” Of the others, none had been trained how to walk properly on a leash, let alone Sit-Stay. Most did not seem to know their own names. I’m thinking about half of them are purebreds, the others are mixed breeds.[/QUOTE]

LOL. You have known only one dog that has had any training? You obviously don’t know very many people who participate in dog sports. You should try it - you might enjoy it.

Not all well-bred dogs go to show homes, and not just because they aren’t show-quality. My very good show dog got beat last weekend by a stunning dog who has agility, obedience, and hunting titles and his owner reassured me - he won’t be a big threat to my dog’s ranking because they don’t have time for showing, and it’s not fun enough for them. :yes:

As for “the other 3 puppies” - good breeders place ALL their puppies. Not just the show quality ones. I’m not really sure what you even mean by that comment.

Many people want a well-bred dog with a known pedigree to predict temperament just for a pet. Why not? Why should “pet” owners have to settle for what is available in a shelter?

[Brookes]

[QUOTE=MidnightWriter;8623536]
This. Out of a breeder’s planned litter of, say, five puppies, one may go on to be a show dog. One may end up in a good home as a family pet and live out his life there. What about the other three? How and where will they end up?

In 50 years of living, with dogs, with friends who have had dogs, with neighbors who have had dogs, say, 5 dogs a year I have been around on a consistent basis, or at least seen almost daily, I have known ONE dog that had any sort of training, and he was way beyond just “sit.” Of the others, none had been trained how to walk properly on a leash, let alone Sit-Stay. Most did not seem to know their own names. I’m thinking about half of them are purebreds, the others are mixed breeds.[/QUOTE]

My last litter was 7 pups. 5 went to the show ring, then on to get no less than junior hunter titles, a couple managed championships in obedience. The two that went to pet homes are wonderful healthy happy well trained family companions.

As for the poorly trained dogs, that has nothing to do with breed or who bred it. It has to do with the fact that owners are too lazy to train their animals to be good canine citizens. It’s not rocket science to train a dog to be polite in company. As for dogs not even knowing their own names? They know their names, they haven’t been trained to respond to their names, huge difference. They are ignoring their owners because they aren’t trained.

In regards to S1969’s post. YES, YES and oh YES. You are totally on the mark here.

There are hundreds of purebred dog breeds to chose from. Something for everyone. If you can’t find a breed that suits your needs be it pet, show dog, or hunting companion etc. then you haven’t done your homework.

The problem is still unchecked breeding of dogs by folks that don’t practice good canine stewardship. They don’t license their dogs, they don’t get their dogs shots etc. Yet they let them breed willy nilly producing a bunch of mutts that end up needing to be rescued. Yup us responsible breeders are the problem?

Responsible breeders do not mass produce dogs. It’s not easy to get a puppy from a responsible breeder. We don’t just hand our pups over to anyone who wants one. You have to either agree to show and finish the pup or if you are taking one as a pet, there is another contract you will have to sign, guaranteeing that you will take proper care of the pup including spaying or neutering and proving it to me!

The majority of purebred dogs you see running around did not come from a responsible breeder. If you want to meet responsible breeders go to an all breed dog show. That is where you will find them. Not down the street because Lou Lou Belle is so sweet we decided to breed her and place an ad on craigslist.

The number of dogs produced by responsible dog breeders is minuscule compared to the number of mutts produced all over this country due to folks being poor canine stewards. That and all the idiots breeding poo-doodle things.

Good lord we have a friend who paid huge bucks for a Bernese Mountain-Doodle. I wanted to stick a fork in my eye on that one. Had I known ahead of time I would have done my damnedest to talk them out of it. They paid $2,500 for a freaking mutt! The breeder shipped the pup to them at 8 weeks old (by air) before it had all it’s shots! That is the problem not us responsible breeders. Now they don’t understand why their dog is so shy and fear aggressive, hmmmm. No responsible breeder would let a first time dog owner have an 8 week old pup along with flying it across country and mixing a Berner with a freaking poodle!

[Paks]

[QUOTE=french fry;8623510]

I’m not in support of taking away your agency when it comes to choosing a breed. I’m just saying that if suddenly purebred dogs weren’t available to the general public, do you see yourself giving up dogs entirely or seeing what the local shelter has to offer? I think many people would choose the latter option.

In this way, breeders indirectly contribute to the overpopulation problem. Their dogs are accounted for, yes! But their dogs are (in some people’s opinions) taking up “slots” that could easily be filled by rescues.[/QUOTE]
Wow is that wrong headed. There are people wait months is not years for a specific dog breed with specific breeding. You really think those people will go for any rescue? If they can’t get what they want they won’t get anything.

Dogs have been selectively bred for years, if not millennia in the case of sled dogs, for specific traits. People desire those various traits. When I look for a dog I look for a combination of hunting and obedience lines. That greatly increases the odds of getting the temperament I want. With a rescue it’s a crap shoot.

Yes the rescue will give you information on the dogs background and suitability. Most of which is guessed at at best.

Don’t assume that every dog sold by a breeder is taking a home away from a rescue, that is simply not the case.

[mommy_peanut]

[QUOTE=MidnightWriter;8623536]
This. Out of a breeder’s planned litter of, say, five puppies, one may go on to be a show dog. One may end up in a good home as a family pet and live out his life there. What about the other three? How and where will they end up?.[/QUOTE]

Sounds like you have absolutely ZERO experience with responsible & reputable breeders.

Just for S&G… if it was my litter, those 3 pups would have been spoken for & highly anticipated before they were even born, just like the rest of the litter. Their homes would have been carefully & thoroughly screened to make sure of a perfect fit.
If for some reason at ANY time during the life of that dog the owners couldn’t care for it, it comes back to me. Not to another family or to a rescue.
I am still in contact with every single one of my puppy buyers & know exactly where they are.

For those claiming that (responsible) breeders take up homes that rescue dogs would go to… not one single home that has a pup from me would EVER buy a rescue dog to fit the purpose of the dog they got from me.
This isn’t to say that those same people don’t ever get a rescue dog(as many of them do). However they got a pup from me for a specific purpose/reason that a rescue just couldn’t fill.
So not sure where the logic fits that those purpose bred dogs are taking a space that would have been filled by a rescue dog. Just doesn’t make any sense.

[dkcbr]

In this way, breeders indirectly contribute to the overpopulation problem. Their dogs are accounted for, yes! But their dogs are (in some people’s opinions) taking up “slots” that could easily be filled by rescues.

We can all agree there aren’t enough good homes for all the dogs out there.

But with today’s “adopt don’t shop” mantra, maybe the rescues and puppy mill and pet shop dogs are taking up “slots” that could be filled by responsibly bred purebred dogs.

I’m only half kidding.

I am exhausted from the constant implications that the editorial we are guilty of contributing to rescue dogs’ deaths because we plan to continue obtaining our dogs from responsible breeders who put decades of research and careful planning into their dogs.

I don’t understand why there’s so much focus being put on curtailing the responsible breeders and encouraging virtually everyone to get their dogs from rescues, as though that’s Solving The Problem.

[Foxtrot_s]

I just wish spaying/neutering was considered normal in some parts - there would be less of these mutts in the shelters needing homes.

Breeding is a serious decision. Those who put one dog to another of different
breed are adding to the mutt population by proliferating…It would indeed be a sad day if only serious breeders (whatever that is) bred purebred stock and only these were shown. I would hate to see purebreds becoming rare. Going to the local dog park one would begin to think that.

Personally, we know hundreds of dogs and dog people. I have known very few people who show their dogs, or care about championships out in the real world.

My own dog is purebred but not pedigreed and will be spayed next month.

[Houndhill]

[QUOTE=french fry;8623510]
Houndhill,

I’m not saying they’re all just dogs - what I am saying, though, is that you could undoubtedly find many of the qualities you admire in your IWs in a rescue dog.

From what you describe, you would looooooooooooove my beagle street mutt (at least her personality - she definitely doesn’t resemble an IW at all, though I’m sure you could find something that does!) I’ve never heard her personality described more accurately than the way you talk about your IWs!

And, say, someone who likes the border collie temperament but doesn’t need the extreme athleticism necessary for serious dog sports would be obsessed with my friend’s smart, enthusiastic, drivey, willing to please…boxer/??? mix!

I’m not in support of taking away your agency when it comes to choosing a breed. I’m just saying that if suddenly purebred dogs weren’t available to the general public, do you see yourself giving up dogs entirely or seeing what the local shelter has to offer? I think many people would choose the latter option.

In this way, breeders indirectly contribute to the overpopulation problem. Their dogs are accounted for, yes! But their dogs are (in some people’s opinions) taking up “slots” that could easily be filled by rescues.[/QUOTE]

I am sure I would really appreciate and love your beagle street mutt, who is clearly a delightful individual .

I love many of my friends’ dogs for who they are, and have owned and fostered many other breeds and mixes, all of whom I’ve loved.

But they are not Irish Wolfhounds. For me, no other breed is the same.

I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t have them, maybe I would just have cats.

Just wanted to say it is not only performance ability that makes someone a true fancier or devotee of a breed.

It is apparently a difficult thing to convey.

[french_fry]

[QUOTE=dkcbr;8623896]
We can all agree there aren’t enough good homes for all the dogs out there.

But with today’s “adopt don’t shop” mantra, maybe the rescues and puppy mill and pet shop dogs are taking up “slots” that could be filled by responsibly bred purebred dogs. [/QUOTE]

But this is our entire point! Breeders tend to be (illogically, IMO!) against any measures that would restrict irresponsible breeders or curtail their ability to breed dogs.

Despite the breeders’ belief that licensing breeders or implementing other measures to regulate breeding is a secret plan to get rid of all dog breeds and populate the world only with mutts, this would decrease the amount of irresponsibly, poorly bred and mixed breed dogs and would make more room in the world for responsibly bred animals.

As breeders, you can’t have it both ways. You cannot vociferously defend Joe Blow’s right to breed his poodle bitch with his friend’s pet store shih tzu and sell the puppies for 3k a piece for fear that the restrictions that would put Joe Blow out of business might make you have to jump through a hoop or two…and also say that everyone should just buy a responsibly bred dog. Sooooo many more dogs exist because of Joe Blow’s unchecked ability to breed his poodle bitch to the shih tzu and his cavalier to his papillon and his maltese to his male poodle to his…to his…to his…

[smoofox]

[QUOTE=dkcbr;8623896]

I am exhausted from the constant implications that the editorial we are guilty of contributing to rescue dogs’ deaths because we plan to continue obtaining our dogs from responsible breeders who put decades of research and careful planning into their dogs.

I don’t understand why there’s so much focus being put on curtailing the responsible breeders and encouraging virtually everyone to get their dogs from rescues, as though that’s Solving The Problem.[/QUOTE]

It does not solve the problem. The careless BYBs who do not give a shit are the problem.

I guess I am then “guilty” for unwanted, unplanned, unconsidered, unfortunate dogs being PTS… as I have purebreds. I also have had mutts in the past but apparently wanting a purebred makes you evil in the eyes of some of the smug “rescue” or adopt don’t buy types in this thread.

I love Borzois. I always have. I do not want a mix - I want what I love about Borzois. Everything about them. That being said, I do agility, flyball and nosework currently. If I wanted to be great at agility and flyball, I would have an Aussie (dime a dozen around here) or a border collie (dime for two or three dozen). They are rock stars at both those sports! But no - I want to work at it from a different angle - not for success and titles and ribbons and national championships - but for fun and doing it with a breed not exactly disposed to such things.

I have also had Smooth Fox Terriers and one Border Terrier. ALL from VERY responsible breeders who only had a litter every 2-3 years. I needed to get on a wait list for upcoming litters and fill out an extensive questionnaire… the BT was offered to me as I had just lost my Borzoi to cancer and this BT puppy was a nasty little sod that was obviously unsuitable for a first dog family. He snapped and growled and obviously had a lot of issues - he beat up on his littermates! I sort of jumped the queue on that one (yes, I still have some guilt)… but his careful, concerned breeder was anxious to place him in a home with terrier experience where she knew he would be very well socialized and trained. 12 years later, he is a mellow, well-adjusted, happy old man.

A breeder who cared about him went out of her way to find him an appropriate home. Shame on her. She still checks in with me to see how he is doing.

Every breeder I have dealt with (or know) has a LIFETIME return policy for their dogs. My late girl’s breeder recently took back a 14 year old male whose elderly owner had died. The family did not want him - he was old, greying and stiff, after all! The dog’s tattoo and chip led him back to her and she was beyond thrilled to be able to help him. She drove 600 miles to go pick up the old gentleman. Shame on her for being so irresponsible and in it just for the money.

I take great offense at the tone of some of the sneering posters in this thread.

“A dog is a dog” - REALLY? That is like someone saying to you - after you have lost a dear friend - “it was just a dog”. IMO both statements show the same amount of understanding and complete and total dismissal of the special bond that can be created. A horse is a horse. No… if you want a cutting horse, you are not going to have an Icelandic. You are going to want a QH from specific lines.

As an aside, my last Zoi had a 100% perfect recall. Always. Even far across a vast field. She came flying each and every time to a perfect front/finish. That took a lot of training - but to watch the amazed faces on trainers was well worth it. I heard a lot of “Borzois are not supposed to be good at that”. We did not care.

The responsible breeders and breed rescues who go above and beyond for their chosen breeds are not the problem here.

ETA: Has anyone seen the hilarious videos of a Jack Russell and a Border Terrier doing Schutzhund?

ETA 2: I wish dog shows would have Altered classes - the same as cat shows do.

[french_fry]

[QUOTE=Houndhill;8623954]
I am sure I would really appreciate and love your beagle street mutt, who is clearly a delightful individual .

I love many of my friends’ dogs for who they are, and have owned and fostered many other breeds and mixes, all of whom I’ve loved.

But they are not Irish Wolfhounds. For me, no other breed is the same.

I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t have them, maybe I would just have cats.

Just wanted to say it is not only performance ability that makes someone a true fancier or devotee of a breed.

It is apparently a difficult thing to convey.[/QUOTE]

That’s fine. It’s fine that you love IWs. We all (surprise surprise) got really off track here.

As I have said repeatedly, I have ABSOLUTELY zero issue with responsible breeders and breed fanciers.

I do, however, get frustrated when breeders smugly state that they have nothing to do with the overpopulation problem when they VEHEMENTLY object when someone so much as brings up potential ideas to cut down on the number of irresponsible breeders.

If you (general breeder you) are going to not only participate in but defend a system that encourages the massive overbreeding of dogs, then you have to acknowledge that all of those dogs have to go somewhere. And if you don’t, do you want to volunteer to euth them all yourself?

[Sswor]

But there isn’t an overpopulation of purpose-bred dogs. Other then perhaps pit bulls. There also isn’t a purebred dog over population or hunting dog over population or agility/flyball/rally dog over population. Breeding (and buying) a dog that fits into one of those categories isn’t contributing to pet over population.

[french_fry]

[QUOTE=Sswor;8624000]
But there isn’t an overpopulation of purpose-bred dogs. Other then perhaps pit bulls. There also isn’t a purebred dog over population or hunting dog over population or agility/flyball/rally dog over population. Breeding (and buying) a dog that fits into one of those categories isn’t contributing to pet over population.[/QUOTE]

I am genuinely confused about your assertion that there is not a purebred dog overpopulation. There is not an overpopulation of purebred dogs produced by responsible breeders who are active in their breed organization, sure, I’ll buy that. There is, however, a huge contingent of pet store and puppy mill purebreds that end up in rescue, usually at the point of “out of cute puppy stage” or “first health problem.”

Unrelatedly, you would not believe how many purebred hounds and other hunting dogs we get transported up to the northeast to be adopted out. Reason? “Wouldn’t hunt” or “couldn’t hunt good enough anymore.”

And re: flyball/hunting/rally, if you’re talking about those working breed mixes, yep! Got a million of 'em in rescue.

[dkcbr]

[QUOTE=french fry;8623990]
That’s fine. It’s fine that you love IWs. We all (surprise surprise) got really off track here.

As I have said repeatedly, I have ABSOLUTELY zero issue with responsible breeders and breed fanciers.

I do, however, get frustrated when breeders smugly state that they have nothing to do with the overpopulation problem when they VEHEMENTLY object when someone so much as brings up potential ideas to cut down on the number of irresponsible breeders.

If you (general breeder you) are going to not only participate in but defend a system that encourages the massive overbreeding of dogs, then you have to acknowledge that all of those dogs have to go somewhere. And if you don’t, do you want to volunteer to euth them all yourself?[/QUOTE]

Responsible breeders are not defending a system that encourages overbreeding of dogs. What they might not be doing is agreeing to every “solution” that is offered up, no matter how impractical or unworkable or unfunded, although passionately expressed.

And I don’t really think you’re going to get many reasonable people on board with your suggestion that responsible breeders (or purebred fanciers by extension) should be the ones to euthanize all the unclaimed rescue dogs. :sigh:

[french_fry]

[QUOTE=dkcbr;8624009]

And I don’t really think you’re going to get many reasonable people on board with your suggestion that responsible breeders (or purebred fanciers by extension) should be the ones to euthanize all the unclaimed rescue dogs. :sigh:[/QUOTE]

Psssst! I was being facetious.

You sort of made my point for me there.

Honestly, sometimes I wish I had never found this subforum because until I started reading here I had never imagined the level of vitriol towards people who work to rescue dogs that would otherwise literally be dead.

I have worked with numerous rescues in the NYC area and I can assure you that we do not sit around talking about breeders and breed enthusiasts the same way.

[RHdobes563]

I believe the Australian Shepherd Club of America has classes for altered Aussies.

[Houndhill]

[QUOTE=french fry;8623990]
That’s fine. It’s fine that you love IWs. We all (surprise surprise) got really off track here.

As I have said repeatedly, I have ABSOLUTELY zero issue with responsible breeders and breed fanciers.

I do, however, get frustrated when breeders smugly state that they have nothing to do with the overpopulation problem when they VEHEMENTLY object when someone so much as brings up potential ideas to cut down on the number of irresponsible breeders.

If you (general breeder you) are going to not only participate in but defend a system that encourages the massive overbreeding of dogs, then you have to acknowledge that all of those dogs have to go somewhere. And if you don’t, do you want to volunteer to euth them all yourself?[/QUOTE]

Well I don’t actually agree that Irish Wolfhounds are “massively overbred”. I get that some breeds and mixes still are.

I have volunteered at my county animal shelter, where I personally euthanized dogs (this was back when the alternative method was gassing-I could give injections so was recruited to do so). I not only personally euthanized puppies and dogs, cats and kittens, but was the one who decided which would be euthanized and which would be sent to the medical schools. If I liked an animal, I killed it to spare it a worse fate. I guess I don’t need to say how truly awful this was.

Thank goodness medical schools no longer acquire shelter dogs, and gassing as euthanasia is illegal. We really have come a long way- this was 1978-1980 in NC.

I am perfectly aware of the consequences of carelessly bred dogs and have dealt with them in a very direct, up close and personal way.

[Brookes]

[QUOTE=mommy peanut;8623875]
Sounds like you have absolutely ZERO experience with responsible & reputable breeders.

Just for S&G… if it was my litter, those 3 pups would have been spoken for & highly anticipated before they were even born, just like the rest of the litter. Their homes would have been carefully & thoroughly screened to make sure of a perfect fit.
If for some reason at ANY time during the life of that dog the owners couldn’t care for it, it comes back to me. Not to another family or to a rescue.
I am still in contact with every single one of my puppy buyers & know exactly where they are.

For those claiming that (responsible) breeders take up homes that rescue dogs would go to… not one single home that has a pup from me would EVER buy a rescue dog to fit the purpose of the dog they got from me.
This isn’t to say that those same people don’t ever get a rescue dog(as many of them do). However they got a pup from me for a specific purpose/reason that a rescue just couldn’t fill.
So not sure where the logic fits that those purpose bred dogs are taking a space that would have been filled by a rescue dog. Just doesn’t make any sense.[/QUOTE]

This plus a million times! I never breed a litter until I have a minimum of 7 committed buyers with deposits. I breed a litter every 18 to 20 months, this doesn’t produce a bunch of unwanted dogs. People line up for my pups. I had to turn away 4 buyers for my last litter.

Not one of those four buyers went to the pound and chose some random mutt just so they could have a dog, any dog. I sent two of them to other breeders I know and they got pups from them. The other two are at the top of my list for my 14 week old bitch to be bred. She’s 14 freaking weeks and they will either wait or I will hopefully get them on the list for a litter from another breeder I trust.

Believe me they have zero intention of going down to the pound to pick up a pit bull.

I have to ask this, many of you have children, did you adopt ? Or did you give birth to your own? If so why didn’t you give a home to a homeless child? I know I’m really stretching it here but this is how we feel about our purebreds.

I have no desire to take on someone else’s problem dog. I want to enjoy my breed of choice and help propagate a dying breed with the best possible animals I can.

So kudos to those of you who rescue, I admire your commitment. But please don’t put the onus on us breeders who do this for years to attempt to make the best dog we can.

I repeat we aren’t the problem, we are the solution. Come find us give us a reason to provide you with a puppy that will be raised properly. Otherwise get a damn cat, and have it fixed.

[french_fry]

[QUOTE=Brookes;8624035]

Believe me they have zero intention of going down to the pound to pick up a pit bull.

I have to ask this, many of you have children, did you adopt ? Or did you give birth to your own? If so why didn’t you give a home to a homeless child? I know I’m really stretching it here but this is how we feel about our purebreds.

I have no desire to take on someone else’s problem dog. I want to enjoy my breed of choice and help propagate a dying breed with the best possible animals I can.[/QUOTE]

I’m really interested in this human adoption parallel you drew to “going to the pound to pick up a pit bull.” It seems like you are equating adopting a human child with adopting a pit bull from the pound, the latter of which you seem derisive of (“I have no desire to take on someone else’s problem dog…”) :eek:

This thread is getting gross.

@Brookes;8624035

I repeat we aren’t the problem, we are the solution. Come find us give us a reason to provide you with a puppy that will be raised properly. Otherwise get a damn cat, and have it fixed.

I don’t understand this. Are you implying that my rescue dog has a less stable temperament than whatever rare breed you breed? That I’m irresponsible for adopting a dog?

I certainly don’t tell my friends who bought from breeders that they don’t deserve to have their dog/should get a cat. I hope I’m misunderstanding.

[Brookes]

One more quick note, us responsible breeders HATE with a fiery passion puppy mill breeders. These people are the reason the majority of you hold responsible breeders to task.

They are in it for the money period. They have nothing to do with us and we curse the ground upon which they walk. I want every puppy mill in the country shut down yesterday as do all the other responsible breeders I know.

Please don’t put us in the same category as puppy mill breeders. Just because they are mass producing so called purebred dogs doesn’t mean we approve of them in any way. They give us good breeders a bad name.

As an akc member I’m not happy with the fact that they register these pups. It is a disservice to buyers and a disservice to us responsible breeders.

However the majority of legislative movements don’t take into account who is responsible and who is a puppy mill. It sweeps up everyone that breeds instead of focusing on the mills specifically. That is why we have had to fight against bills that sweep us into the garbage can of puppy mills. Believe me we want them shut down more than you do, however there is no line in the sand that separates us from them.