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The Ins and Outs of Reputable Breeding

© Written by xxshaelxx

Now, you have have heard us mention, or perhaps seen it in the rules, that we do not condone the irresponsible ownership of dogs and the unethical breeding of them. There are many reasons for this, and the first and foremost is that there are so many dogs in shelters around the world being put to sleep each day because there's simply not a necessity for them. Now, I was to stress here that we are not completely against breeding, nor are we the kind of people that are "shame, shame, adopt don't shop!" No, rather, we condone only the very most ethical breeding of dogs, which can be many things to many different people. Here, however, I'm going to outline some of the top things to look for in breeders. Perhaps you're shopping around for a new puppy, or maybe in the future you're thinking about getting a dog, or you might even want to know more about it to inform others? Well, whatever may be the case, hopefully this might help each and every one of you to understand a little more on why we're so stringent about breeding practices (as well as responsible dog ownership) here at #stopBSL.

The number one thing to look for in a breeder or when breeding dogs is health testing. There are many health tests available these days for a number of very scary genetic disorders commonly found about certain breeds. For example, many large breed dogs suffer from hip dysplasia, a disorder where the hip joint is very unstable or fits loosely together. It starts early in dogs and progresses into a very painful condition, and usually means long and excruciating years of medication and then an early euthanasia. Some other very common genetic disorders are progressive retinal atrophy (causing blindness), epilepsy, and a wide array of heart problems. I wrote a blog a while back about the dangers of some of these disorders and how even in the show world, things like this are being swept under the rug and ignored. When researching a particular breed, always make sure to find out what hereditary problems it might have, whether there are health tests that can weed these disorders out, and what breeders actively apply these health tests to their dogs. Remember also that some health tests need to be repeated throughout a dog's life, or only tested for after a certain age, otherwise symptoms can go unnoticed and passed on to future puppies, causing much grief to many owners that thought they were getting a great deal on that $800 puppy from a supposedly reputable breeder.

Another way to weed out the good breeders from the bad is the dedication put into each match. Some breeders spend months to years planning out each litter, hand picking the bitch and the dog with everything in mind from color to soundness of health to age and lines. One thing many breeders today like to do is linebreeding. Now, I'm not such a big fan of linebreeding myself, but it is popular and can be done. However, when overdone, it becomes more like inbreeding than anything (which, ironically, is one of the largest causes of some of the previously mentioned genetic disorders). What is linebreeding? Well, it's where you take a dog and breed it to another dog of similar ancestry. It could have a related grandparent, or aunt, or even be full siblings. I try to avoid linebreeding in excess, but many people swear by it. When looking up breeders, I guess that will have to be your choice to make, whether or not to research more into the topic and then decide whether you want a linebred dog or not. In any case, always make sure that a potential breeder takes care in each pairing that he or she makes.

On that note, they also make absolute sure to keep all dogs away from bitches in heat that they do not intend to breed. Accidents do happen, but with reputable breeders, accidents should be few and far in between, hopefully nonexistent! Male dogs get very cunning in their ways to get at females in heat, they've even been known to jump or climb really tall fences, some have even mated through fences. Reputable breeders will do everything they can to prevent such things happening. It should go without saying, but they definitely wouldn't put their female dogs out on a tie-out line in the backyard, and they'll always know roughly when their bitches may be going into heat.

There are many people that will argue as to how many litters a bitch should have through her life, but I stand firmly by my own opinion that she should never have more than four, but two to three litters is optimal, and never back to back. A bitch should be given at least a year of rest with no puppies, as having a litter really takes its toll out on her. It can become very dangerous to overbreed a dog. She may start having smaller litters, abort the fetuses, or have troubles in birth. An emergency C-section can be a good $5,000 surgery or more. Also, bitches should never be bred before the age of two. They may have their first heat between six to twelve months, but their body continues growing until the age of two and is far too immature (both mentally and physically) to properly support a litter before then. Oh, it's possible, yes, and it's done by many people, but it is far more dangerous and makes the risks far higher, like allowing your fourteen-year-old daughter to get pregnant and have a child.

Reputable breeders, more often than not, do not make money off of their litters. Rather, they put more into their breeding program than they get back out. Many show breeders spend thousands of dollars on traveling, grooming, entry fees, etc. There's the cost of health testing, feeding, housing, etc., that goes into these animals as well, prenatal costs, veterinary visits, whelping boxes, bedding, substitute milk, bottles, puppy shots, vitamins, and many, many more expenses go into a good breeding program. If a breeder seems like they are in it to make any sort of profit, turn back now, because they are not breeding for the betterment of the breed or for the love of the breed or anything reputable. It is a very selfish ambition to think of making a living off breeding your dogs.

Reputable breeders are so invested into their dogs that they will not sell to just anyone. If you encounter a breeder that asks no questions, run for the hills. Never buy a puppy where you can simply click a button and send the breeder money before ever having any contact. Anyone who knows anything about breeding is going to want to make sure you know your ins and outs of that particular breed, that you will make a good home for a puppy, and that you will not be likely to simply dump the puppy off at the local shelter when it's lost all its cuteness factor. Any reputable breeder will have a clause in their contract stating the puppy is to be returned to them in the event that you cannot keep it, that way they can ensure their lines are kept safe and sound, not just from other potential breeders, but from euthanasia or other poorly fit parents. And they'll always be there for you if you have any questions, comments or concerns. Many great breeders also keep in contact with the buyers of their puppies just to know how the puppies are doing and to make sure there aren't any concerns.

Speaking of contracts, any good breeder will have one. This is not only to protect themselves as the breeder, but to protect you as the parent as well. Contracts can include, but are not limited to, clauses regarding the return of the puppy, health of the puppy, treatment of the puppy, genetic disorders, etc. If a breeder is unwilling to replace your puppy or refund your money if it so happens to be diagnosed with a genetic disorder, then don't stop there and continue looking! And any reputable breeder will want to know if any genetic disorders arise from dogs in their lines, so that way they can pull the bitch and the stud and any possible offspring from their breeding program to ensure it is not passed on further.

There are plenty of things to look for in good breeders, not limited to what I've talked about here. Some people prefer to look for breeders who show their dogs in conformation or obedience or agility, some even look for dogs to be worked in their area of expertise, or they can look for breeders who are active in breed clubs or organizations. As a good example, I'd rather see Siberian Huskies worked behind a sled than ran around a show ring, but that's just me. It varies from person to person. But the most important thing is to become knowledgeable about all areas and to figure out what you want in a breeder. Look for breeders who know everything about breeding, from the time the bitch goes into heat to the time the puppies should leave the litter. Puppies can be weaned at six weeks of age, but should never leave the litter until at least eight weeks old. This extra time allows them to socialize with their litter mates and learn some very important lessons, such as bite inhibition. Really, do your research!

And remember, it isn't always "you get what you pay for." In this instance, it's more like "you get what you look for." If you simply buy that puppy for $200 from down the street, you never know what kind of health problems it may come up with. Or if you spend $2,000 on that AKC registered puppy from the pet store, you're most certainly getting a puppy mill dog that's going to have all kinds of upper respiratory problems, genetic defects, and social disorders. Not only that, but it may turn out to not be registered with the AKC, actually a crossbred dog in which neither parents were actually the breed you were expecting to get. It could go the other way, too. You could get that $200 puppy, and it'll be the best investment ever…for you. Just know that if you do that, you're also funding that person to put out more litters of potentially unhealthy puppies for the sake of their own pocketbook, and more than likely, you're helping to put one more dog into the shelter to be euthanized.

Also, remember when we ask about your dog, or your breeding practices, or the responsibility of your actions regarding your dog, we are not meaning any harm, because we know there are people out there who either don't know any better, or are really doing the best they can for their pets which cannot be fully expressed in a single photograph. We are simply looking to weed out the people who knowingly harm their animals, or looking to educate people about what harm they could do to their animals. We are a group against Breed Specific Legislation, and much of BSL comes indirectly from horrible breeders, ignorant owners, and the people who get dogs (especially certain breeds) for all the wrong reasons. This blog is to help you understand what we are looking for and to help you understand what maybe you can do to help.

Puppies are part of the family, not an object to be discarded after you've grown bored of it. Never get a dog unless you are perfectly willing and able to take care of it for the next ten to fifteen years, or more!