Why is it that people get mad at backyard breeders?

Question

With todays overpopulation of animals why is it bad for the average Joe to breed two registered animals and sell the litter? But it's great if someone with "show quality" animals breed and then sell them for a couple of grand. Isn't this still adding to the over population problem? I understand the difference between byb and quality breeders. And what happens if someone like Paris Hilton buys a pup from a quality breeder just cause she has fame and fortune. She's still a worthless owner. Honest question for a honest answer!!! Be kind to me!!

Actually Sadiejane I gave you a thumbs down because you have NO concept of the question. I am not a breeder. This is a thought provoking question. And no need to be rude!

Ginbark, I never knew that there were puppy lemon laws! I wonder if that is nation wide.?
Anneb,I could care less where Miss Hilton gets her dogs other than she shouldn't own one ! My point was that she paid alot of money to get one I'm sure.
Someone had to sell it to her!

Answer 1

you are totally right. If you are a responsible breeder and even if you are selling dogs for alot of money but yet are a "responsible" breeder you need to stand by your ideas. If you say one BYB is good and another is bad then you are re-nigging on your creed to better the breed and to allow anyone to Breed sub standard dogs. Right now there are too many BAD BYB's only out for a quick buck, or the joys of watching there beloved, sub standard, un healthy dogs breeding. If that BYB did all the proper health checks and was very vigilant on the owners, and was super excellent in there breeding programs, and contracts for owners and breeding. BY all means I wouldnt complain about them in one bit. Untill every one that wants to breed a dog, complies with this way of breeding, then I would have to continue my campaign against people who dont know what they are doing and breeding for profit and not doing the proper things they need. Thats why I down BYB's and people who say OPPS MY DOG GOT OUT AND GOT KNOCKED UP now what do I do, and how much can I get for them?
GOOD thought provoking question.

Who ever at YA thought up the thumbs up and down idea should be fired immediately and blacklisted in the town and state they live in. I HATE THIS option.

ITS ME you are generalizing all show breeders. I am a show dog person. I breed my show dogs, I own 2 show dogs and 5 mutts. I dont let my dog be pregnant. NONE live in cages, and yes I sell the dogs for a lot of money. I also am super responsible as to WHO the dog goes to and why. I also foster and raise mutts left by unresponsible BYBS and crappy dog owners. So what does that classify me as? I dont know about you but I dont consider myself creating overpopulation when my dogs are there for a specific reason.

Answer 2

Because part of being a reputable breeder is placing pups in homes and being willing to take them back should anything - ANYTHING - happen EVER throughout the life of the pup. I don't know who Paris Hilton bought her dogs from, but I don't know that many of the good breeders on here would sell her a pup, even before she got too famous. It's not about the money, it's about the well-being of the dogs. Breeding two dogs without knowledge of how the whole situation works is dangerous for the two dogs breeding, especially the *****, and the puppies. They could have health issues later on in life that were unforseen and not even cared about when they were bred. A reputable breeder does his or her best to anticipate genetic problems and avoid them at all costs.

In short, backyard breeders contribute more to the overpopulation problem because they're less concerned with finding quality homes than reputable breeders. It's the dogs from BYBs that end up at the pound, not dogs from reputable breeders. Those go back to the breeder, where they find another suitable home.

Answer 3

People get mad at bybs because in general they do no health testing before breeding. They think because their dogs look healthy, they will be good breeding stock. They are usually inexperienced in the whole process and don't see the vet when they should. They breed their dogs too young and too often in ignorance. They do not take responsibility for the puppies they produce by giving lifetime guarantees, They often sell them before they should, they produce Christmas puppies, and often just sell them to whoever has the $$$$. They breed because they think they will get a carbon copy of mom or dad-also in ignorance. They are one of the main places that dumped shelter dogs come from-because of poor breeding and poor temperaments, and the fact that they don't screen the new owners. And what makes you think Paris Hilton buys from a quality breeder? She buys "teacups", which no quality breeder would breed. Do you think a quality breeder would sell to her? Ask some of the quality breeders on this site.
Even a "pet" quality dog deserves to be born with good health and good genetics. It has nothing to do with "show".

Edit: So just for the record, I didn't bring up Paris Hilton, you did. I care where she gets her dogs because I care about dogs.And what happened to "let's not be rude?" You got an honest answer-more than one.

Answer 4

If the "average Joe" is willing to do what is needed to produce the healthiest, soundest dogs, with the best termperaments he can, he's not the problem. If he's willing to carefully screen those who want his pups, and is willing to take the dog back at any time in it's life for any reason, he's not the problem.

It's the person who breeds carelessly, overuses his b"tches, and is only trying to make as much money as possible who is the problem. Case in point: I have some friends who bought a golden retriever pup from a BYB. She's a really sweet dog, but at two years old, is completely blind from PRA. That's a hereditary condition, and a conscientious breeder would immediately spay and neuter both the parents of this dog. I doubt if he has done this, or would. He seems to be more interested in selling puppies than in producing quality dogs.

Because they are careless in their breeding, and in their selection of owners, a lot of their dogs wind up in shelters, or simply dumped somewhere.

True, someone with enough money can usually find a way to get what they want. And no, that doesn't make them a good owner. It's not money, but commitment and conscientiousness that make a good owner.

Answer 5

The hugest differences between a BYB and a reputable breeder are health and temperament. A BYB doesn't screen dogs for genetic health problems. So is MUCH more likely to to produce unhealthy animals. They also don't evaluate temperament. A reputable breeder can tell you ALL about their dogs going generations back! Also, a reputable breeder doesn't allow pet quality dogs to be bred. And has contracts/co-ownerships on breeding prospects. The BIG kicker is a reputable breeder takes back the dogs they have bred when the buyers can no longer keep them. Their dogs rarely end up in rescue/shelters. The fact that the dogs look the way they are supposed to look... really is just the icing on the cake. But that doesn't make it any less important. A reputable breeder breeds the dogs to look a specific way so the dogs can still perform the original duties they were originally bred to do. Hope this clears it up.

Answer 6

The main thing is responsible breeders interview their potential owners and are willing to take a pup back if things don't work out, and usually require a neuter contract unless for breeding/show. BYBs usually don't care who they sell to and won't take the animal back and they don't require you get your dog fixed.

That's where the shelter comes into play. The ones that purchased from BYBs and don't keep their animals dump them at shelters, let them run free, may/may not be fixed and may reproduce. Pet stores are on the same level as BYBs...they are just adding more problems.

You are right about worthless owners though. But getting a dog from a responsible breeder (and having to follow their rules,) will help keep the dogs from breeding or ending up being dumped.

Answer 7

BYBs:
Churn out puppies of many breeds as often as they can for money.
Don't do medical screening on their breeding stock.
Breed one breed with another, and sell the pups at purebred prices.
Keep breeding after the sires and b*t*hs should be retired.
Offer false guarantees ("Nonshedding", "Hypo-allergenic", etc)
Do not screen potential buyers. Anyone with money is welcome.
Once the pup has left their possession, they don't give a rip about it.
Often keep the breeding stock in neglected state (chained in a yard, mass kennels in a shed, etc)

Reputable breeders:
Usually own just one breeding pair.
Breed once, maybe twice a year, and rarely every break even moneywise.
Do careful medical screening on their dogs.
Breed for the betterment of the breed.
Have quality homes lined up for the pups before they're even born, as well as backups in case something doesn't work out for a potential owner.
Screen potential puppy owners.
Will take a puppy back at any time.
Retire their breeding stock when it's appropriate.
Treat the parents like members of the family.

While the overpopulation of dogs is terrible, the majority of the dogs in shelters are the result of BYBs, or the "well, we wanted just one litter to carry on his/her line" or the "she got out and we couldn't catch her in time" dogs. Yes, there are too many puppies coming into the world, but if we can get those BYBs and puppymills closed down, it should show some progress.

Answer 8

Backyard breeders breed their dogs without health testings, screening potential puppy buyers and produce litters anytime. Reputable breeders, on the other hand, plan each breeding by selecting the best males for their females. They breed to improve the breed, not to make money. They spend a lot of time to study genetics and breed standards of their breeds. Also, reputable breeders screen homes of potential puppy buyes. I'm sure responsible breeders do not sell their puppies to Paris Hilton because they don't their puppies become accessories.

Answer 9

I think the biggest difference between back yard breeders and professional breeders is that back yard breeders have no reprocussions if they breed poor quality animals. Professional breeders may still keep breeding but as soon as word gets out that their puppies are poor quality they will not make as much money. In short, there is some control on the quality of professionally bred puppies. You're right, though, both contribute to overpopulation. The only benefit is that people who breed high quality, both in conformation and personality traits, are contributing to the population of good dogs. Think about it, dogs that end up in shelters are fixed, and cannot breed, but the poor quality dogs on the streets that never get fixed are contributing to more poor quality dogs. Much of a dog's base personality is genetics, and all we're leaving out there is back yard bred, puppy mill (including "professionals" that breed poor quality animals), street dogs and high quality professional bred dogs

Answer 10

back yard breeders do not breed for quality, those that show their dogs generally breed for looks, temperement and health. All of which are factored almost wholly by genetics.

Back yard breeders breed for cute, nice looking animals that can have a range of health, temperment and mental problems.

Where the pup goes (e.g paris hilton) is up to the breeder. Doesn't mean the pup does not have a good start in life, just means it probably won't have a good end to life.