Backyard breeder or not?

Question

Ok, I am not a breeder!
I know people who are and I cannot decide..

Would this be considered to be a backyard breeder?...
-Does not show dogs, but the dogs fit the standard.
-Obediance trains the dogs[mother and father dogs].
-Cares for each of the puppies
-Does not expect to get much money/ does not breed for the money
-Does not get the dogs tested before breeding.
-Brings the mom and puppies to the vet.
-Owns both the mom and dad.
-Keeps the puppies until theyre old enough to leave.
-Makes sure each one has a loving home and checks up on them every month.
-plans the litters out, so nothing goes wrong

Would that be a backyard breeding or not?

oh and all the dogs are AKC registered.

And they worm the puppies and give them shots before they leave.

I need help knowing if these people actually are backyard breeders.

Yesh they breed to try and better the breed.

what I'm saying is theyre not tested for hips and whatever its called OHA or OFA Idk whats it called.
But they are checked for disease and both are happy healthy dogs.

Answer 1

To me, this sounds more like a "Hobby" breeder. Hobby breeders don't have to show their dogs, but they are well educated in the breed standards and confirmations. A hobby breeder spends more money on breeding and caring for the mom and pups, than they plan to recoup by selling them. They care about the pups as if they are their own children. Everything you state, makes your friends sound like the Hobby breeder, not a BYB.

It seems a lot of people get the two groups confused. A BYB is a breeder who breed for money. Plain and simple! They don't know, or care about breed standards. They don't keep the puppies until they are 8 to 12 weeks old. (depending on the breed) They don't worm them, get them shots, health certs. etc. They never check out the people buying the pups. Anyone with money qualifies! And once that puppy is gone, that is all she wrote! They wouldn't take the pup back if it were sick, they just wouldn't care. Backyard Breeders are uneducated, greedy, jerks, who breed low quality dogs in order to make a quick buck off the expense of their poor dogs and some unsuspecting sucker who is willing to buy it!

The only thing that I see that they are doing wrong is not having the proper genetic tests run on the dogs. Having the OFA done is crucial!

Answer 2

This isn't exactly a back yard breeder, but it isn't good either, and main reason is there are 2 faults in the list you showed. I am going to use German Shepherds as an example, because I love German Shepherds, and its the breed I know most about.

Each breed as a breeding standard that people really should study and know, not just a breed standard. For example, German Shepherds have a very stricked breed standard in Germany that many people don't follow here in the United States. Males can not be bred until they have received their Schutzhund leve 3 title, and I believe that the mothers have to have a level 1. Now in order for the dogs to compete in Schutzhund, they have to have their hips, elbows and hearts certified. Now, I know a few breeders for German Shepherds here in the States, and one, follows the German standarded. The others ones I know all breed American line dogs and their dogs are show dogs. All the breeders though compete in some way or another with their dogs, care for all the puppies, they do not do it for the money as they realize that you are going to spend more than you make, takes mother and pups to the vet, may own both mother and father, but they may also stud out a dog, do not allow the puppies to be adopted until they are 8 weeks old, they have strong application processes, and they do not even breed a litter till they have a waiting list. Another thing about back yard breeders though that differs from good breeders, is that back yard breeders will breed the heck out of the dogs. Most dogs should be bred once every other year, where as back yard breeders will breed a b*tch every time she comes into heat.

Answer 3

They are backyard breeders. Owns both the mom & dad????
That means they aren't even TRYING to find a stud dog who, after much studying of pedigrees and observing what the dog produces in his get, they have determined the mating of THAT STUD to their particular female will produce puppies that constitute a viable contribution to the breed. They're just breeding together whatever male & female dog they own.
And vet checking is NOT genetic testing and health clearances. Whether breeding out of greed or out of ignorance of what truly responsible breeding entails, they are still backyard breeders.
Here are some suggested questions one can use to determine if a breeder is truly responsible:

1. Is she an AKC registered breeder of good standing and an active member of her breed Parent Club?

2. Are there AKC Champions listed on the pedigree, showing that the breeder spends her time & money to prove the quality of her breeding stock through competition?

3. Are all the animals kept in clean, comfortable, healthy, loving circumstances?

4. Did the breeder conduct extensive interviews with you and every member of your family?

5. Have the sire & dam received all available health clearances, (eg. OFA Hip & Eye, Thyroid testing, THESE VARY FOR EACH BREED)

6. Is she willing to honestly discuss any possible genetic defects that may exist in her line?

7. Does she have a Sales Contract?

8. Does the contract contain a clause stipulating that you spay or neuter the puppy before it reaches a certain
age?

9. Does the contract contain a clause stating that if at any time in the puppy's life, you can no longer care for it, it must be returned to the breeder? (This ensures that no animal bred by this breeder will ever end up in a shelter).

10. Will the breeder maintain contact with you for the life of the puppy to answer questions and help in general?

Answer 4

Back yard breeder! Their breeding is pointless. Just because a dog fits the standard, and by the way since they don't show there's no proof of that, doesn't make them breeding quality. Every dog ever born on this planet has faults, and that includes the biggest winning show dog of all time. It's the degree to which a dog deviates from the standard that determines whether or not its breeding quality.

Anyone can obedience train a dog. Do they have their UDs?

How can they plan a litter out so nothing goes wrong? Impossible. Do they have a thorough knowledge of genetics, and do they know the dogs in both dogs' pedigrees inside and out for 3 generations back? What exactly are they breeding for if they don't?

The fact that they do no health tests, and I assume no brucellosis tests either, just about says it all.

Answer 5

Ok, first, if they are trying to better the breed, they had better be testing before breeding. How else will they know if they are producing healthy dogs? Second, check the age of the mother and ask how many litters they have each year. I would also ask how many different dogs they breed at the same time. If it is more than one, they are trying to make money, whether they tell you this or not.

Answer 6

So why are they breeding if not for money?

Do they realize that backyard breeders are the biggest contributors to the overpopulation of dogs. Dogs being euthanized in shelters everyday because there are too many dogs and not enough homes?

They are backyard breeders because they are doing nothing for the breed and I think you know they are breeding these dogs as a cash crop. Do they adopt out with a spay/neuter contract like responsible breeders do. If they are pet quality adopter must sign a spay/neuter contract.

You HAVE to get the dogs tested.

And why bring yet more dogs into the world?

Answer 7

According to what you have listed they would be a backyard breeder. Hobby breeders show their dog's and breed for the purpose of bettering the breed. I don't believe there is anything wrong with purchasing from a backyard breeder as long as they seem legitimate. You want to make sure that they puppies are very healthy, that the parents do not have any health problems that could be passed on to the puppies, and that the breeder has taken them to the vet to get their shots and deworming. A health guarantee is always a bonus as well.

Answer 8

Yes because even though the person cares for the dogs he/she isn't breeding to improve anything....just doing it as a hobby. Person fails to understand that by not testing dogs genetic wise that (s)he can be passing on a horrid trait that can cause heartbreak (puppy mills are notorious for this even if their dogs are clean and healthy). Real breeders don't usually breed two dogs they own. Instead they get studs or breed their males to females and get their pick of the litter. This is because they want the best of genes. Breeding is more than just having a healthy mom and dad.....its about genes and preventing horrid traits from passing on while maintaining breed standards.


EDIT:

If they were trying to better the breed they would test for hips and stuff. CHD and other diseases are things breeders are working to eliminate from bloodlines thus bettering the breed.

Answer 9

It is horribly unethical to breed animals when so many end up getting euthanized in shelters for lack of good homes. There is absolutely no reason for anyone except perhaps a select few top breeders to breed animals. Every new puppy produced in that scenario is taking a shelter space away from another animal who deserves to live just as much as those puppies. It makes me sick when people think breeding animals is some easy ticket to wealth. They create a lot of misery for the animals and abuse the system that tries to help stray animals by overburdening the system with yet more puppies.

Answer 10

The mentioned breeder sounds like a reputable breeder. Not all breeders have to show their dogs. Sounds like they take excellent care of their dogs.

I know a Backtard breeder. They
Start breeding at first heat or just over a year old. Breed every CYCLE!! For years and years until the dog just wears out. They think that just because their dogs/pups are AKC registered, that just makes everything okay!! They are low life scum, the bottom of the heap as breeders go. They make me sick. They claim to have been raising chihuahuas for 50 yr vut haven't learned the most basic things a breeder needs to know. They support pet shops becaise they used to own one.