Dog Breeding, what do YOU think?

Question

Everytime there is a question about breeding dogs everybody says that they should get their dog spayed/neutered. I completley agree. I don't like breeding more unwanted dogs in this world. They are already overpopulated.
So, I just want to see why people who do breed dogs do it. Is it just for the money? Just to be with puppies? Or just to do it? I'll tell you, I'm not a breeder. I'm a big fan at rescuing dogs/cats from shelters.
Thanks.

I mean, I can somewhat understand why people do it. And I don't think that breeders are horrible bad people, I was just wondering.

Answer 1

This is a great question that I’ve not seen posted before. I myself am curious as why people breed...even reputable breeders. I know the standard answer will be “to better the breed”. But why? What makes a purebred so much better than a mixed breed? Not many dogs are used to for the working purposes that they were initially bred for so really, what is the purpose of “bettering” the breed?

Another response I’ve seen is “for love of a particular breed”. So wouldn’t it make those people feel a lot better to spend their time working with Breed Rescue and finding those animals that are already here loving homes and working with them to keep these animals in homes?

My feeling is that 95% of breeding comes down to one thing...easy money. Sad but true...there are far more BYBs than there are reputable breeders anymore.

And yes, humans are overpopulated as well, but last I checked, humans aren’t put to sleep if they don’t have a home.

Answer 2

Well first off there is no money what so ever in dog breeding. You hear that alot but if its done right you lose lots of money i have been breeding for almost 7 years now i dont own lots of dogs for those who are thinking puppy mill i produce maybe 1-3 litters a year i dont breed dogs together unless bloodlines and pedigrees are a good match i spend hours researching pedigrees and try to see as many dogs in the peds as possible and i will be honest i breed because i love my breed and i want to produce the best of the breed. if your a breeder you should never be satisfied with your breed stock you must always be looking to improve, no matter how good your dogs are there are better, someone has spent more money or more time or both in the search for perfection thats the only way to breed. one more thing that i feel very strongly about THE PROBLEM IS NOT TOO MANY DOGS THE PROBLEM IS TOO MANY POORLY BRED DOGS.

Answer 3

Well, that is an interesting question. I am also a fan of rescuing dogs, but I did get my dog from a breeder. The reason that I did this was,

a) I wanted a pug and received no response from my local pug rescue when I filled out an application
b) I wanted a small dog and virtually all of the dogs at my local shelters were large (mostly pitbulls/pittbull mixes/lab mixes that would not fit in with my lifestyle).
c) I have wanted a dog for so long, that I didn't want to settle for a dog that I did not feel would be a perfect fit for me. I will have this dog for 14 years or more (hopefully more)

People ask me if I will breed my dog because I have a purebred dog and can "make money" from the puppies. I answer with a stern "No!" and tell them that she was spayed before her first heat.

I don't know anything about breeding dogs. Too many people go into it without thought and then the breed and individual dogs suffer for it. I do believe that most dogs should be spayed or neutered and that the breeders should be under some sort of regulation. I think that people think they are going to make a quick buck or figure that they might as well make some money out of the dog. Some people want to educate their kids about the "facts of life." I have actually heard from people in passing who do not want to neuter their dog, because the dog would lose his manliness. How sick is that?

The good that comes out of breeding dogs is that you are pretty much guaranteed that you are going to get a dog that will fit in with your particular lifestyle and family habits. With a mixed breed, you typically get a dog without as many genetic problems, but its behavior isn't as predictable.

It's a really sticky situation. The breeder where I got my dog sold her to me with limited AKC registration, which is basically AKC's attenpt to curve the overpopulation of pets and unexperienced breeding practices. If my dog had puppies, they would not be eligible for their AKC papers. I think that is a good rule. It's at least an attempt to police the breeding industry. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who don't care about that and sell their dogs to uneducated people who will breed theirs for money.

Anyway, there is a time and a place for breeding dogs, but we can't forget our shelter friends. The most important thing is to pass on the word to spay and neuter.

Answer 4

I have a dog from a breeder (my husband's decision) and I had a rescued dog from a shelter. My rescued dog was the sweetest, goofiest, most maddening thing! He also ended up with an autoimmune condition where his skin was eating itself and I only had 3 and a half years with him. I can't help but wonder if he came from a backyard breeder/ puppy mill originally. My labrador came from a very reputable breeder and is the perfect dog. He is an animal assisted therapy dog with a wonderful temperament and he was a snap to train. I love them both the same. I see pros and cons to both. I volunteer at a shelter and know firsthand what irresponsible breeding does. I also know that dumb people who are too lazy to get their dog fixed are also responsible for the problem of overpopulation. I don't know what I will do when I am ready for another dog. I have a feeling a shelter dog will find his way in to my home if I have it my way. I also want to point out that breeders who truly do it for the love of the breed will take back any of their puppies if someone's circumstances change. If you are considering getting a puppy from a breeder, that should be one of the things they offer.

Answer 5

I truly believe that those asking breeding questions on YA! are doing it for the money. If not just for the money why would they not take their dog in to see a vet? Why wouldn't they have done some research on care for the dam and the pups. I think if anyone is breeding just to be around puppies they should instead go volunteer in a shelter, pound or for a breed rescue. They will have plenty of opportunity to be around puppies and dogs.
It seems with all the info about so many unwanted dogs and cats people would listen but unfortunately no one does. People are all about it is a free country and I can breed if I want. It is really sad that these people do not see anything past their greed.

Answer 6

Thank god! You know I have been sitting hear reading question after question. "My dog had eight puppies and I have no freakin clue what I'm doing." Then the next question says "Where can I find a home for my dog that I never took the time to train?" I just get more and more depressed reading this and disgusted. I understand that not everyone is educated about animals but is ignorance the new excuse for everything? "I wanted to keep puppies from my dog" "I wanted my children to learn about birth" "I think my little pookie is the bestest estest ever ever and I put little sweaters on her" I mean I know it sounds harsh but this is coming from a person that has worked in an animal hospital and is going to be a doctor very soon. It take all the fun out of being a vet when you see people with a puppy and two years later they want to put it down because they don't want it anymore, or they drop it at the SPCA where it will be put down. And I know good breeders charge alot of money for puppies but they put ALOT of work into it. It's not a part time thing for them. They are insuring that their animals are of excellent physical health, temperment and genetics. And as soon as people on yahoo answer who have pregnant animals start doing this then I will stop being frustrated answering the questions over and over again. Sigh - thanks for listening to the rant lab lover :)

Answer 7

I think breeding should be left to the professionals. Of course, professionals had to start somewhere. Where, I'm not sure, but I'm sure it was not Yahoo Answers when they couldn't even Google results themselves on when dogs are in heat, when they should breed, how long till whelping, and how to care for the pups and mom. Professionals often have good relationships with their vets and their vets can say whether it's safe for their dog to be a stud or a mom. They have a passion for what they do, the breed they breed, and require papers, health checks, and background checks on the dog they're going to mate their dogs with.

Those people are not people who have never been to a vet and suddenly think it's time to ask when they should mate their female. The fact of the matter is that many of these people (on Yahoo Answers) breed for the wrong reasons. You can breed your dog thinking you have a piece of him or her in your home after they pass and genetically speaking, that's true. However, you're not going to have the same dog you bred. You'll have a puppy with individual characteristics and while temperament and appearance may be similar, you're working with a totally different dog. Doing it for the money is selfish and often people are careless. They do it for money, they disregard their animal's health because taking it to the vet costs money, too. Some people want their children to experience the miracle of life or they want their animal to experience parenthood. I don't find these valid at all. Want your kids to learn? Rent the tape. There shouldn't be that big a deal over whether your child sees a cat's hoo-hah or a human's because it's all the "miracle of life". Animal parenthood? They don't need it. They don't care for it or envy it the way humans do because animals are just that - not humans. They don't have the thought process to realize someone else is a mommy and they're not and while other animals are better with baby animals than others, that doesn't say anything about their parenting abilities. When they're spayed or neutered, they've known nothing else.

People here say the posters should get their animals speutered because it's blatantly obvious they have NO idea what they're doing. Also, breeders are here to preserve the traditional pure breeds. I don't care at all for "designer" mutts (and I don't need all this "teacup" BS) and while every dog or cat is cute, it's far less cute and far more disgusting when an animal is exploited to be a fashion accessory. Breeders who have no idea what they're doing don't breed for breed standard, but for ridiculous things, like tininess or some sort of recessive trait they like and none of it is healthy for the breed and its future and it hinders breeders as a whole. If someone were to post and give the gist that they do happen to know what they're doing and that they have their information together and have the potential to be a good, reputable breeder, I would encourage them. But people like that often aren't wandering Answers sections like these asking questions that you could find answers to with a simple phone call to a vet, a simple Google search, etc.

I love mutts. But we have enough homeless ones sitting in shelters, being euthanized, wandering the streets cold and hungry, abandoned. Results of backyard breeders or people who've left their animals unaltered outside. We don't need any more people adding to the overpopulation of unwanted pets. For every one cute puppy or kitten or whathaveyou from a backyard breeder, there is one equally cute, loving, sweet, and eager-to-please animal sitting behind bars just one step closer to being put down.

I personally could never breed dogs. I would love to breed long haired chihuahuas - they're my [dog] passion, but the information and books upon books and decades upon decades of vital information and learning, I don't think I'm capable of all of it. I would love to dedicate my life to adding to the standard breed, though.

Answer 8

Hallelujah - someone with common sense!

There are 2 types of breeders:

BYB - Backyard breeders. There are a lot of them here at YA. These are stupid people that don't care about improving the breed and just want to make a quick buck. They don't care about eye or hip certifications and don't know where to find a mate for their dog, so they ask here on YA where they can find a stud for their female (Or a boy dog for their girl dog is more like it!). They don't know what to do with newborn pups or when it's OK to find them homes (Or HOW to find them homes).

There are reputable breeders - These are people that do research on the lines of potential mates, make sure all health certificates are in order, know when it's a good time for their dog to mate, know when their 3 week pups will be drinking water, know how to register them and CARE about the breed and keeping with standards of that breed. They have waiting lists a mile long and references readily available.

Answer 9

If you want a breed, you can't have a mongrel. Both have their strong points, both have their weaknesses. A thoughtfully bred purebred animal contains the traits the animal is known for - size, coat, shape, etc. - conformity to standards. Purebreds also are bred for their temperaments, personality, etc. The downside is that not all breeders use much contemplation when mating their animals. There is too much inbreeding, too many genetic flaws passed on, etc. Mongrels, on the other hand can be wonderful pets, but you are taking more of a risk with them. Genetically, they are superior, they usually lack inbred weaknesses as well as recessive genes. Neither dog is perfect for everyone.

Answer 10

In my adventure, the canines breeds that are the least in all probability to strengthen human aggression themes are the Pug, Beagle, English Bulldog, and Boston Terrier. i have not somewhat seen an get jointly of any of those breeds that i might want to say had a intense aggression concern, regardless of the reality that I have met more effective than some apprehensive Beagles. properly-bred Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Pit Bulls, and Greyhounds might want to be right up there besides. on the different hand are the breeds that are maximum in all probability to be aggressive. I have by no ability had a delightful adventure with a Yorkie. in reality, of the 50 or so Yorkies that I have encountered, i might want to say all 50 had some type of aggression concern. Chow Chows, Akitas, and Chihuahuas are right up there besides. yet, i might want to say that the most aggressive canines breeds are the various of breeds of Terrier from Scotland, the Scottish Terrier, West Highland White Terrier, Cairn Terrier, Dandie Dinmont Terrier, and Skye Terrier. Scotties and Westies specifically are very bitey canines.