Why aren't there the big show kennels of fourty years ago.?

Question

For example, Have you ever looked through the adds of a Dog world mag. from The seventys and even eightys? Why is it that everything has been going small? Is it good or bad?

Answer 1

I think it's mostly economic, it takes A LOT of money to run a large kennel operation and do it properly.

There is one breeder I know of in my breed who has around (last time I asked) 50 dogs in her kennel, plus litters. But she has the money and dedication to:
1) Have an immaculate, spacious kennel set up with outdoor paddocks for the dogs to run in.
2) Hire a kennel manager and staff to make sure the dogs are properly tended to and get enough attention.
3) Give them quality food and medical care.
4) Purchase/use only the best quality dogs for breeding, and does careful research when planning litters.
5) Carefully screen all potential buyers. She has enough money not to worry if the pups don't sell right away.

She is also heavily involved in the education program of the national club.

I think that it's good for a breed to have breeders with this capability, they have the flexibility and the resources to advance the breed considerably. And smaller breeders can benefit too, if a breeder like this can breed/buy/import a top-quality stud, prove him so that we can see what he produces and them make him selectively available to serious breeders then I have access to this wonderful dog that I could never afford to buy. Or I can take advantage of her program's progress and purchase a puppy to advance my lines. We all work together.

Answer 2

I think rising costs and a change in attitude have something to do with it, as well. I also think society has changed, the American lifestyle has changed, and quality, large-scale show kennels are an antiquity.

It is very expensive to own and maintain a large kennel, if you want to do it properly. If you want to pay for kennel help, well, that's just more money, because everybody needs to live and most people won't work for the wage that a private kennel owner can provide. In some of the larger sled dog kennels in Alaska/Canada, people will work as kennel help purely for the experience + room/board, but that is becoming a rarity, especially in the show world.

Still speaking of kennel help (which is a must if you own a large kennel), showing dogs is seen these days as a frivolity and a pastime, not as a serious way to evaluate breeding stock. So it's harder to convince people to dedicate their time to it if there isn't a lot of money involved. Everybody works, and needs to work to live.

I think the homeless dog problem has also added to the change in attitude, which is evidenced on these boards every day. It's a necessary change, I don't deny that. Purebred dogs are mass produced to fill demand (unlike in a few decades ago, when there was less demand and less financial reason to breed), and then they are dumped by their new owners. They are not a rare "commodity" anymore.

I suppose I can summarize by telling you why I would never operate on a large scale (although, with 30 dogs, some people would consider me "large scale", although I breed maybe 1-2 litters/year).

1. I don't want to produce "show quality dogs for the masses" -- why? Mostly because I don't trust those "masses" to treat the dogs the way I would treat them, and to honor their bloodlines the way I would honor them. Selfish? Maybe. But I've done rescue long enough to see that -- to some people -- a dog is as disposable as a used car or an old TV.

2. I want to pay attention to my dogs. I don't want to have to rely on kennel help to properly socialize and care for my dogs. This is what I do for fun, and I want it done the way *I* do it.

3. In order to devote my time to a large-scale kennel, it would have to be my business. My job, the way I make money. I have a philosophical problem with that.

There are still a few well-respected "big show kennels" in my breed, some of which have been around since the 50s-60s. They produce a lot of dogs, sell to a lot of show people, and they finish many champions every year. But I know for a fact -- and I've seen proof -- that they've more or less sold their souls to the devil for that "privilege". Money is too important in this day and age, and the cost of living is just too expensive...to me, it seems you either produce quality on a small scale, or you make money with less-than-quality on a large one.

Smaller is better. More attention to the dogs, more attention to quality and genetics, more attention to the "soul" of the breed. It is a labor of love.

Answer 3

This is a very good question! My personal opinion is that smaller is better. This way the kennel owners have more control over their breeding program and producing quality dogs. They may be better able to not over breed and control any defects that show up.
Could also be that more people have become interested in showing and breeding show dogs. No longer a monopoly of the big kennel owners. More competition.
Maybe some one else who was in the show world in those era's can better answer this. I can only speculate as to the reasons.
Going to watch this question, thanks for asking!

NOTE: cost can be a factor but I dont know if that would really put the bigger kennels out of business. Maybe????
Breeding and showing dogs is very expensive these days but could be a reason for downsizing.

Tom there are very few people around like you and Mary. Would I be correct in saying that?? Not like years ago?

Thanks for the information. I appreciate it.

Answer 4

Many of the national breed clubs have strict rules governing how many litters any of its members can produce in a year, which makes it less likely these club members will maintain huge kennels with large numbers of breeding dogs. It makes sense, because it means those breeders spend more time and effort on each individual breeding, and less on producing great numbers of puppies just for the money.

Answer 5

It's very expensive and labor intensive. The only thing that would be more expensive is horses.

Krufts this year was bemoaning the fact that many tradtional British breeds were dying out. Last year there were only 70 Bloodhound puppies registered with the UKC. Lots of people are going with the designer breeds.

I rescue Bloodhounds. It's expensive.

Answer 6

Many of those kennels still do exist, but the way they operate has evolved greatly.

You might find this a very interesting read.
http://www.bird-dog-news.com/Article/MtbC.html

Is this "old school" enough??
http://www.hunt101.com/img/449178.jpg

QUOTE
" Tom there are very few people around like you and Mary. Would I be correct in saying that?? "

Not really:
Sally started Shamrock in 1955, (12xBIS CH Shamrock Acres Light Brigade "Briggs") and they are still going.
http://www.shamrockacreskennels.com/history01.html
Millmar Labradores has been around since the 70s and they still have some of the nicest Labs you will ever find.
http://www.millmarlabradors.com/
Ed & Judy Aycot (Truemark) are still running dogs
Joe & Annette Leptick (Raindancer) are also
There are more of them still around than a person would think.

Answer 7

I think its less of a socity thing to breed animals. There was a time that may of the weathy had farms similar to the english heritatary manors and bred various livestock - the last huragh of that was maintainig large kennels, but that has become more & more expensive and less less a society prestige thing.....

Answer 8

There still are a few but costs are so high....you can't get kennel help for a dollar a day any more. lol Land prices & zoning,the rich have other interests....fads & fashions change.

Answer 9

Its good. It allows me to corner the market when I open my pet resort in VA.