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Originally Posted by Belle Noir  ll dogs to deserve homes, all dogs deserve to be love... But let's be honest, not all dogs deserve to be bred. And if fewer people bought these dogs, fewer of them will be bred. |
Very very true. I think one needs to look at a circular, inclusive approach to education. And I am reminded of what a very respected expert judge in a seminar I attended said; " Don't bring to me in the ring what can be finished, but what should be finished". Finishing a dog refers to championing that dog.
Quite frankly if 40% of the American population is breeding their family pet, and giving away the puppies to their friends (source APPA-2yr survey), they need to understand why this is not a good idea.
The veterinary associations also need to get on board with a consistent message to those self same owners, to say no, or to at least recommend all the expensive breed specific tests be done. To have a pamphlet on the risks of breeding, whelping, and raising puppies.
The general public needs to be educated upon what a good quality representative of the breed looks like, and to demand proof of health testing. The public deserves a pet dog, that is in all ways a good representative of the breed standard. I am talking internal and external health, organs, bones, ligaments. Great temperaments, and is easily identified especially when mature as this breed or that breed.
Financial responsibility for these lackadaisical breeders. I am not sure practically how it could be done, but one way is to start out with mandatory microchipping or another means of permanent identification for any dog that is bred, and its' subsequent puppies. THis way health problems can be traced back to the "breeder" in question.
Hit them in their pocketbooks is a good deterent in my mind. For genetic problems that occur in puppies from non health tested parents, 75% financially responsibility bounces back to the breeder. One of the catching points will be and it can happen to any breeder, what if you do all the health testings, and a puppy of your breeding ends up with genetic problem a/b or c? I think that if you have a contract of sale that delineates all the known health problems of your breed, and clearly state that you as a responsible breeder have worked hard to breed clear dogs of these health concerns, but there could be, as happens with polygenetic conditions, a puppy that presents with this; you have done your best to prepare owners for a potential problem, and if the buyer wants to go ahead then so be it. And assume full financial responsibility for their decision.
And for me given my breed, I strongly urge all purchasers to purchase health insurance that does cover genetic defects. Trupanion here in Canada seems to be the best so far. And cancer seems to be running rampant through many breeds of dogs and cats, cancer is a very expensive illness to try to heal or deal with. With very few exceptions cancer is not thought to be inherited or genetic.
You know what I would love to see here in a stickie, in a pictorial form, good representatives of the breed as 8wk old puppies, 12 wks old, six months old, 1 year old, and matured 3 year old dogs. Then the senior pictures, just because I love senior dogs
If show breeders and others could show that beautifull long coat, then what the adult dog looks like trimmed down after retirement.
There are variations in the "look" of a Yorkie, even show Yorkies, to some more experienced eyes they are obvious, to others not so much so. But in my eyes they all look like a Yorkie without any doubt or equivocation.
My mind is appalled by many things vs a vs the dog "industry". I deeply feel that the public when paying a lot of money for a pure-bred should get what they pay for, and not settle for some substandard representative. And to be clear I am not talking about Yorkies that end up being 2x the weight standard. I am talking about YOrkies who look very little like a Yorkie, who have structural defects, internal organ problems, plagued by health issues, have poor temperament et al.
Truly Mr Public get educated, if you are spending a lot of money to purchase a purebred, make sure it is well bred. For sure the long term costs of owning an un-healthy dog are HUGE.