[doganjo]

How's that work for someone like me, who isn't interested in purebred or crossbred, but rather prefers out-and-out mongrels? And also likes to breed on with my mongrels... And not with purebreds either. Works for EVERYONE!  Are you a reputable breeder? If you ensure that you are breeding with really healthy stock, and homing pups to forever homes and they will never end up in kill centres then yes you are, if not no. 

On the topic of regulating dog breeding, I saw an interesting article recently, don't know if it's 100% true but they reckoned in Sweden it's illegal to desex your dog for non-medical reasons and so 95% are undesexed, but they don't have the issues many other countries do with overpopulation etc because there are such strict breeder laws and the breeder's financially responsible for their pups for the first 3 years of life. Now that sort of law could make a lot of breeders think twice. I totally agree, I have been advocating that for years!

Around here a lot of folks farm small fluffies in their backyards as money makers. (I say small fluffies because a lot of them are custom mongrels, like shar pei X shih tzu X maltese X jack russel X chihuahua etc... The list goes on...) They sell for up to $800 a pup. Just not right to see dogs kept like rabbits. Bizarre; and many are not trained or anything, and I know they don't all go to 'forever homes' as the RSPCA calls them because there would be far less demand if people were keeping them for normal dog lifespans... a forever home is just that - for the natural lifespan of the dog - not for a couple of months till the baby comes along, or till the pup grows too big and eats too much, or gets too bouncy, or growls because it isn't trained properly. We agree a on a lot of things

[in the hills]

I've looked at the web sites of a few assured breeders and to be honest wasn't convinced. Yes, I can see that they are being inspected and must adhere to certain rules set out by KC and follow regulations regarding health testing and max. number of litters for bitches. Good in those ways. Some of these breeders are have lots of bitches and are breeding a good number of litters each year ..... too many in my opinion. A lot looked quite good until you asked a few questions and found that they had one or two "pets" but their breeding bitches were all kennelled, all the time. Would be a full time "job" to socialize all the pups in the way they said they were. 



Sure I read  somewhere on the scheme details that some assured breeders may have as many as 50 dogs in kennels.


One breeder told me that although breeders had hips tested, a lot of buyers were unaware of how the results were given and thought it good that the dogs had high scores ... they were laughing about it  .
Nothing is perfect but not sure I like what I've seen so far. Maybe I just dropped on a brilliant breeder when I got my Flattie. She wasn't "assured" but really genuine, with a real love for the breed.

[doganjo]

Websites are the way some breeders put themselves forward in order to make sales. They pay to get their websites further up the Google scales.  I never have done that.   I registered on Champ dogs and some other sites some years ago but haven't updated them in years. The bigger breeders employ staff too so the pups are socialised, just not with the actual breeder. Also some breeders have bitches with other families out on what is called 'Breeders terms' , whereby the pups are registered by the breeder but are reared by the bitch's keeper.  Those pups are most likely well socialised too.

I have a website but it talks about my dogs and what they do with me rather than how many champions I've bred etc.  I give the address to friends and family and anyone who might be interested in my dogs, but don't really publicise it - but I'm not breeding now - both my girls are spayed. 

Any one who laughs at someone else's lack of knowledge should be given a very wide berth in any sphere of life.

This is turning into a breeder/non breeder argument again so if there is any more I'll lock it - the point is that unregistered and possibly disease ridden pups should not be allowed into the UK.

[in the hills]

Well I don't think anyone disagrees with that Doganjo.


Didn't see my comments as an "argument" but as concerns about a scheme that I am just finding out about. It is after all important that any scheme is questioned and not taken at face value.


 I suppose the thread has wandered a little though (as they tend to as a discussion begins) so I will leave it at that. 

[Herdygirl]

I agree with what Dogjano says about smuggled puppies, possibly bringing rabies into the British isles. After being rabies free for such a long time it's not a nice thought.
 
However, KC registered, reputable breeders are often not what they seem.
 
i would rather buy a puppy from someone who has the bitch in the house - famliy pet then i can see the temperment, and i can also see the way the pups have been introduced to the world.
 
you can't get that experience from a breeders kennels

[doganjo]

Sorry, but you are all confused - a breeder is just that - anyone can be a breeder, I was/am,(I have bred 7 litters in 35 years)  Sandy is, many of my friends on here and across the dog world are (not just showing - working, agility, obedience, tracking and more) are.  They may only have had one litter, they may breed every year, they may breeding a number of times a year.  They may breed pure breds, they may breed cross breeds, they may breed mongrels - but they are all breeders. 

I know of at least one 'breeder' breeding cockapoos like it is going out of style. And what do people like to buy - cute little fluffy cockapoos!

and Yes, you Can get that experience from breeders kennels!  That is a generalization that does not hold water,.

end of Rant -

We are miles off topic - I am locking this thread.