First, I read this whole thread and I'm glad to see you brought them inside...I hope you really did bring them inside and you will consider getting them fixed and retiring them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by blitz
(Post 1781985)
One thing that strikes me hypocritical, however, is how so many (not all but many) breeders on here sell entire litters of puppies. What is the purpose of that breeding if you sell them all at 12 weeks? I would think $$$$$. Please tell me why else would a breeder sell an entire litter.
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Second, I saw this and i had to respond. I'm kind of confused. Why shouldn't breeders be selling their entire litters? If they keep dogs from every litter, their lives will become so hectic with taking care of their dogs that they won't be able to put in the endless hours needed for their breeding program.
When else should they be selling them? According to the YTCA, a reputable breeder sells no earlier than 12 weeks (I don't really agree with that, but that's what it says). 12 weeks is the age because that's when they've had all of their shots, that's when they're starting to be housebroken, and that's when they've learned all the social skills they need.
Good breeders are NOT in it for the $$$$, because there isn't really any $$$$. I'm not a breeder, and I have no intention on becoming a breeder, but I know a tiny bit about it from being on this forum, and just one litter costs a crap load of money. If the stud doesn't belong to the breeder, they need to pay stud fees. If it does, they need to pay to have ALL kinds of tests done on BOTH dogs (collapsing trachea, luxating pattella, liver shunt, etc.), they need to pay to take their bitch in for countless check ups while she is pregnant -- including x-rays/ultra sounds. They need to pay for bedding so that the bitch can nest. When the puppies are going to be born, the breeder needs to be ready to pay for a possible c-section (which I've heard can be about $1000). After they're born, the breeder needs to pay for the first vet visit (including the removal of dew claws and tail docking) and to get the female checked out. The breeder THEN, if they are keeping them until 12 weeks, needs to pay for 3 rounds of shots for on average about 6 puppies. and these are the costs when everything goes perfectly. What about when a sick puppy is born? When the mother can't deliver? When anything that can go wrong WILL go wrong? Not to mention, if the breeders have regular jobs, they need to take off of work in the days leading up to the delivery, and the days after.
When you put together all of this, it hardly seems fair to condemn breeders for selling their puppies. AND even if they do sell every puppy, more than likely they won't even break even with the amount they spent to bring the puppies into the world.
