Sensitive Topic Puppy Mills

[Ste11aeres]

A while back I made an offhand reference in a post to "problems with backyard breeding" (of dogs).
I would like to revise that statement.
I've been watching a video about puppy mills. Clearly, "backyard" breeding is not the worst way to breed a dog. Dogs have to breed or else they will go extinct. And there are four contexts in which a dog may breed/be bred, Puppy Mills, breeding as strays, backyard breeding, and a reputable small scale breeder. The first two are bad conditions, the second two can be pretty good.

This is in this forum because dogs are an obsession of mine.

 

[Jess]

Yikes. I'm a child welfare worker and can see child abuse day in and day out, but abused and/or neglected animals, or any animal in poor condition? Nope nope nope.

 

[Ste11aeres]

Yikes. I'm a child welfare worker and can see child abuse day in and day out, but abused and/or neglected animals, or any animal in poor condition? Nope nope nope.

Child abuse? Oh, that's horrible. I go to pieces just seeing parents and caregivers being cold or verbally nasty to a child.

 

[Harrison]

Puppy mills are a big problem in the UK where some puppies can fetch up to £1k each. Where I used to farm there was a guy breeding from a timber wolf and an akita female, the police managed to track his 'den' down eventually. It's a sick trade.

 

[Ste11aeres]

the UK where some puppies can fetch up to £1k each.

!!!

Who the heck spends that kind of money to buy a puppy, and why so much?

 

[Harrison]

Puppy mills are breeding banned fighting dog breeds and wolf mixed breeds, people pay a lot of money for them. In the UK you can pay £700-800 for a good standard pedigree dog like a Leonburgh.

 

[Ste11aeres]

Puppy mills are breeding banned fighting dog breeds and wolf mixed breeds, people pay a lot of money for them. In the UK you can pay £700-800 for a good standard pedigree dog like a Leonburgh.

Do people use those dogs for fighting?
I'm generally against breed specific banning,
(in the UK, dog-caused hospitalization has gone drastically up since the enactment of such bans, not down: Interesting and perceptive article on the reasons for this: Failure of breed-specific policy in the UK - KC DOG BLOG )
but wolf-dog hybrids are another story. They're not bad dogs in themselves, they're just not suited for captivity. Wolves have a roaming instinct that is far more powerful than that of domestic dogs, a predator instinct that is more powerful, etc, etc, etc, and pass those traits to their mixed offspring.
People think those wolf dogs are cool, but most such owners don't have the skills or even space to have such a pet.

 

[Digger]

We are looking to get a puppy in the next year or two so I've been doing a lot of research on breeds and breeders. To me, a backyard breeder is someone who is looking to make money from breeding. From what I've heard about breeding dogs, there's not a lot of profit in it after you've done all the relevant genetic tests, paid vet bills etc. And if there is a problem with the birth then you might not make any money at all. So good breeders who get all the health checks done are doing it for the love of the breed rather than for their own pocket. Whether this is someone doing it on a small scale in their own home or someone that's been breeding Crufts champions for years, doesn't matter- as long as they are doing it for the right reasons.

A lot of these backyard breeders are also selling crossbreeds with cutesy names. These go for way more than a pedigree and I have no idea why. Puggles, cockapoos, jackshits....

I would never buy a puppy that comes from parents who haven't been health checked. Luckily we've been recommended a very good labrador breeder. Now all we have to do is wait for the right moment!

I think breed specific legislation is silly. Staffies have a bad reputation but they are wonderful dogs with a lovely temperament. You can train any dog to be a fighter if you're mean enough to it. You can bet huskies will be the next breed to get a bad reputation. What needs banning is the morons that treat dogs like this, not the breeds. If you ban their breed of choice then they'll just move onto the next one, and the next one, and the next one, until all we're left with is chihuahuas.

 

[Harrison]

Do people use those dogs for fighting?

Not Leonburghs, no. But they breed American Pit Bull dogs etc to fight.

 

[Ste11aeres]

Not Leonburghs, no. But they breed American Pit Bull dogs etc to fight.

Yes, they're used for that purpose in the United States as well. It's really sad, because, when treated and trained properly they are great dogs. I volunteer at a shelter, and work with lots of American Pit Bull Terriers. This morning I just spent two hours with one of them, walking him, and then spending quiet time in the kennel together, him lying next to me while I read Being and Some Philosophies by Etienne Gilson. He likes me because I am calm and stable.

But a bad owner equals a bad dog. And those who have dogs in order to train them to fight are the worst owners.

 

[Harrison]

Yes, they're used for that purpose in the United States as well. It's really sad, because, when treated and trained properly they are great dogs. I volunteer at a shelter, and work with lots of American Pit Bull Terriers. This morning I just spent two hours with one of them, walking him, and then spending quiet time in the kennel together, him lying next to me while I read Being and Some Philosophies by Etienne Gilson. He likes me because I am calm and stable.

But a bad owner equals a bad dog. And those who have dogs in order to train them to fight are the worst owners.

Good to know there are people like yourself prepared to help these poor dogs, the RSPCA over here seems to have it's hands tied in solving the problem.

 

[AsheSkyler]

We've always bought from local breeders, the pound, or been given dogs by random people. I'm not keen on puppy mills and thankfully have never come across them or other bad people when it comes to pets. I don't even like pens for hunting dogs because the dogs are kept cooped up in these ridiculously little cages, and some don't get enough lovin'. When I was visiting a friend's house, one adult hunting beagle that was out with some pups that were learning to run rabbits came up to me and I had his undivided attention while I scratched his ears. He was well fed, had a good coat, wasn't outright abused, and was in great condition, but dogs need some affection. They're social critters. Poor dog didn't get much love from his owner.

I'd love to get ahold of some shepherding dogs again because they're so energetic and intelligent (well, most of them), but even those dogs can run a few hundred dollars. My husband used to have a really good team that he'd breed every so often and he could make nearly a several hundred off of one litter of pups. I guess that's the problem with those puppy mill people, they're just straight up greedy and greed can seriously cloud a person's judgment. But I never trust a person who mistreats a varmint anyway, I think animals are like alcohol: they bring out your true self because they're "safe".