While idly "surfing" (gosh, I'm picking up the lingo) I came across this site http://www.kateconnick.com/library/breeder.html

A lot of what she says seems sensible - I don't agree with everything, though! :)

A lot of it is very good. I part comapany with the views on neutering and avoiding barf breeders, even though I feed mostly commercial diets.

They were my sticking-points, too! :)

Some of it is cultural, as I know in USA they have an enormous stray problem with lots of indiscriminte breeding. Most dogs that go into a shelter are Put to sleep, few being 'No Kill' from what my American friends on my breed list tell me.

There is a real push to neuter everything in sight to prevent this canine reproduction aned euthanasia cycle.

I would hate the idea to take a good hold here. How can anyone determine at 8 weeks which are going to become the breeding stock for the breeds future? Many people having bought a puppy with no intention of showing, decide to study their breed, start attending shows, and the next thing you know that Pet bitch has done well, and they are in the breed, and establishing a line of their own.

If the initial bitch isn't of good enough quality, they will usually purchase a better one after a few years learning the ropes with the first.

I have also known of top winners rising from a returned puppy, and continuing or starting a great line.

A dalmatian sold purely as a pet was until recently the breed CC record holder - he has now been overtaken by his daughter.

This is a reason why, in my opinion, dogs shouldn't be routinely neutered.

:)