I just wanted to ask all those breeders out there what they think they are doing? i recently visited a rescue kennels to find the place over run with unwanted puppies and dogs. it brakes my heart to see dogs like this without loving homes. most of them will probably have to be put to sleep :( . i know breeders say that they are dedicated to all their pups that they breed which is good but most people would sooner dump them. i saw adverts with greyhound breeders in which made me feel sick after all the horrific stories ive read about greyhounds. they arent a popular breed, so why make more of them! just think, if there wasnt so many breeders, people would have to get their pet from rescue places, so rescue places would be less crouded, less dogs would have to be put to sleep, which is great! do any other people share my views?

In some respects I agree with you guest. Responsible breeding is what's required. dog's would not exist without breeders but when you think that there were 33000 Labradors registered last year and then look at how many end up in the rescue societies. . . . . . . . How many times have we seen on here, "Stud dog required"? From a heading like that I figure it should read "Any stud dog required"! As long as it is roughly dog shaped it would do!!! Trouble is, when the error of their ways it is pointed out to them on here they seem to think it is breeders protectionism.

John

I don't breed myself but its not responsible dog breeders pups that end up in rescue-they take theirs back and find them new homes.Most dogs in rescue are either mongrels or pups,pups from puppy mills or dogs bred by people who do it for money.
When my oldest elkhounds sister ended up in rescue her breeder spent a lot of time and effort getting her returned so that dhe could rehome her to a suitable home.
People on this board are constantly trying to advice people against having litters if they do not have the time and space to take back unwanted dogs-at what ever age.
Archer

There would be little need for rescue societies if all breeders took responsibility for the puppies produced by their bitch (or dog, too!). This includes the person who wants a puppy from their loved pet bitch but isn't really interested in the rest of the litter, or the irresponsible people who don't take proper care of their in-season bitch. If their pups fall on hard times, will they take them back? I doubt it.

And what about the thoughtless people who "want to get a puppy" but have no idea how to look after it or train it, so that when it reaches adulthood, and is a hooligan, they 'get rid of it' (to usually repeat the mistake with another poor pup).

Without breeders what would happen to the wonderful breeds we do have? Imagine no more Goldens..... no more Rotties... no more Maltese or Huskies or Dalmations etc. they are all so unique and they are different dogs for different people with different personalities and with a breed you can *see* what you are going to end up with! Just my opinion. :)

~ Sharon :)

I went to my local rescue centre before i bought my pup and found they were very unhelpful, i booked an appointment and took with me photos of the animals i had and had owned in the past gave names of people who could give me referances including vets i also said i would like a lively dog preferable an older one as puppies are normally rehomed very quickly, i only work four days and my partner is home all day every day and he runs every day on the beach.
Our front garden is secure and our back garden is well and truly unescapable. I also had two well fenced fields where the dog could run in.
So why was every dog i asked about reserved??
and why when i rang again was i told that i couldnt come to have look until they checked my house. I told them that i had already viewed before and that when my parents had picked a dog they didnt need a home check until they had reserved him but the reply was that i couldnt possibly have!!
Any way i got a wonderful pup off a brilliant breeder who has told me if there is any problem she would take her back in an instant and any probs i have i know i can always speak to her.

I dont know if the rescue centre staff were having a bad day but as i was only 23 with a partner older than me i think that might have had something to do with it

Hm, a similar thing happened to me when I went to the humane society. I had picked out a beautiful 1 yr old husky girl, she was small and calm - perfect dog! When I told the humane society that she would come to work with me (already arranged at my office) they told me I couldn't have her. I ended up buying a mutt puppy from a woman who said they were dumped on her doorstep. My boy got to come to work everyday for the first year I had him :) ... and I still have him, but he can't come to my new office :(

Without the specialist breeders (who genuinely love their chosen breed/s) keeping as close to the Standards as they can, whenever you bought a puppy you would have no way of knowing what characteristics it was likely to have, how big it would grow, how its coat would develop......I can visualise a scenario where even more dogs were discarded because they turned out hopelessly inappropriate for their owners' facilities.

I think its six of one and half a dozen of the other as the saying goes .
Yes, there are breeders out there who are in it purely for the money and couldnt care less about where each pup goes . There are also fickle owners who do no research or the breed goes * out of fashion* and they move onto the next poor pup .
Peoples circumstances also change over the years which is beyond their contol . and also people die meaning the poor dog needs rehoming . It is a combination of things and unfortunately due to greed and ignorance I dont think you will ever change it . :(

I refuse to reply to folk who make such sweeping allegations but clearly have little understanding of things. Shame they cant be bothered to register & meet the folk on this board...or maybe they have done so already but just want to try & stir everyone up annonymously? :(

May be if people had to register, even only temporarily they might think twice about posting that kind of question, unless they were intent on stirring the pot, as it were

Robert

Yes I do share your views but can see the "other side "also concerning REPUTABLE breeders who need to breed to continue a GOOD LINE . All I ask now of reputable BREEDERS is "Do you really need to breed more than one litter from your bitch"?

Maybe she has produced J/W, CC and RES CC winners in this litter but is it not better to maybe breed on from the offspring at a later date. Assuming of course that you have retained the pick of the litter and not sold every puppy.

Does anyone share my views?

>>Most dogs in rescue are either mongrels or pups,pups from puppy mills or dogs bred by people who do it for money.<<

Sorry, Archer, I can't agree with you on that point. I have had and still have alot of PB dogs in my rescue. Only ONE breeder rescue was prepared to take the dog back... :(

Sarah

may I just add that not all dogs end up in rescue because there owners 'can't be bothered anymore' there are many many other reasons, illness or even death in the family are just two of them.
There will always be a needd for experienced good breeders just like there will always be a need for good rescues.
carol

What are PB dogs, sure I should understand but I don't.

pure-bred?

I agree with Joze. I went to an animal rescue centre with my friend 4 times. They had 45 homeless dogs. She's a perfect dog owner. They said they had nothing suitable. Eventually she went to a breeder and got a CKCS. Shame.
Jane

Oh I see, like the collies with prick ears and the GSD's with no angulation. I have been offered both but I do not doubt that some PB's do pass through rescue. Can someone tell me that why when a breed specific rescue group approach a general rescue socity with a view of taking a member of their breed into their care to rehome, with people that have knowledge of the breed in question, they receive, more often than not, the push off & a we know best type response.

Couldn't agree more Jackie H. God forbid breed rescue should take a dog of their breed from general rescue. They might sell it and make a profit !! :-( These are often very sticky situations when a breed rescue is informed that a dog of their breed is in a rescue centre somewhere and they contact them offering to rehome it. :-(

I have to agree with you there Jackie. I am involved with Dally rescue (only a little bit) and I often come across rescue dallies in "general" rescue centres. Only recently I was told they wouldn't hand a dog over to Dalmatian Rescue as they are known for putting deaf dogs to sleep... which is actually a gross generalisation...they will only put a deaf dally to sleep if it has behavioural problems associated with it - and DALLY RESCUE are the best people to assess and work that out, and indeed find the right vetted home (assuming they can get someone to take on a deaf dog).

What makes a general rescue think they can find a better dog than a specific breed rescue for a dog as complex as a dally?

The other option with general rescue is 'that will be £60 thank you' for breed specific rescue to take one of their own to rehome!

Jackie what do you mean by collies with prick ears if you mean borders then they can be pure bred its even accepted in the breed standard and if you mean rough collies then yes its a fault but doesnt mean there not pure breed have seen one for myself who was definitely "pure bred" sorry if I've misunderstood. Gillian

Didn't sat PB dogs never went into rescue-just that these ones are from irresponsible breeders.You only have to look at the 'quality' of these dogs to see that 99% of them are not of good type and were probably bred by 'joe bloggs' who thought his bitch needed to have a litter for whatever reason and make himself a few quid at the same time.
Archer

>>You only have to look at the 'quality' of these dogs to see that 99% of them are not of good type <<

Sorry, Archer, again, I totally disagree. Have you ever worked in breed rescue to make such a statement?? Or is that taken out of thin air? Because my experience is different and I do rescue for a LONG time.

Sarah

>>better to maybe breed on from the offspring at a later date.<<

I have to say generally I agree with this comment

there is reasons, genuine ones for a 2nd litters such as all one sex litters, maybe deaths etc.

I personally do not like to hear or see of bitches having more than 2 , 3 at the most again in my opinion.

Pam

Mair Rees-jones
I think this depends on the breed.With a breed such as mine where numbers are not huge and few people breed if a breeder only took one litter from a good bitch it would be detrimental to the breed IMHO.
Archer