"I've also seen on these breeder websites that retired breed dogs are up for adoption.....if they were such a part of their family, when their sole purpose in this "family" is served, why get rid of them? So much for the love of your "family". I guess once the dollar is done being earned-they are outta there!"


I saw your disclaimer, but the fact is that I do plan to place my breeding dogs in pet homes when I retire them and I will probably never get out of the 'red' on my hobby, so I do find this comment offensive.

I have a friend who lives in San Antonio and she fosters dogs for the humane society...she said a large number of the dogs she gets are from breeders. She said after what she has witnessed, she'll never purchase a purebred.

Me, on the other hand, there are a few purebred dogs that I love and cant resist...but I wouldn't get mine from a large scale breeding operation.

But I promise, Im not attacking anyone here. If the breeders arent making any money and cant keep the retirees....and try to convince those interested in thinking twice about breeding--then why do it?

Is it possible to keep a retiree and just purchase a pup from someone else's breeding program to introduce fresh blood??

That's not heartbreaking, that's disappointment.

Heartbreaking was the two women I met the other week when I took one of my Shelties into the veterinary hospital for dental work. One had come from NY and one had come from North Jersey. Both had brought their Yorkies (from different breeders in different states) to the hospital to see if they would be able to save their precious pets. Both pups had liver shunt and it was very doubtful that they could be saved even though the owners were willing to spend any amount of money to help them.

My brief meeting with these two heartbroken strangers has haunted me for weeks now. If that is what I saw in a brief time frame on a random Tuesday in a single practice, how many other dogs show up at how many other vets offices on any given day?

THAT, I dare to say, is heartbreaking. :(

Yes of course that is heartbreaking....irresponsible breeding practices.

Sylvan, are you breeding that many dogs that you cant keep a retiree?

The kind of breeders who would allow their dogs to wind up in rescue are the very ones we get slapped at for referring to as backyard breeders. This exemplifies the point made in the article I posted.

Why do it? I can only answer for myself. 'For love of the breed' encompasses a wide range of motivations. I find a well-bred dog a joy to behold on many levels, I am fascinated with the history and tradition behind it, I respect the effort and knowledge and dedication that was involved in producing it, I find the study of genetics endlessly absorbing and I am grateful for the day to day interaction I have with my crew of critters. There is also satisfaction in being able to provide a deserving family with a healthy, quality dog to bring the kind of joy to their lives that mine bring to me...and the bonus is being allowed to consider many of those people friends that I was fortunate to meet.
Most hobbies do not provide income and do cost money, but provide personal satifaction that doesn't need to be explained to people that have them..

If I kept all the retirees for the average lifespan of 14 yrs and continued purchasing pups from someone else's breeding program to introduce 'fresh' blood, I would very quickly become a Large scale breeding operation. I can only provide the proper care and interaction with about 12 dogs in my home, if the numbers increase far past that point, someone is not going to get the proper amount of attention since there are still only 24 hrs in a day, and I only sleep about 4 now. So what you are saying is that I should just quit my hobby when my dogs all reach retirement age....instead of placing them in a home where they will get the devoted one on one care that they would enjoy and leave me able to continue doing something that I have dedicated a large part of my life to and have a sincere commitment to doing well.

who said anything about a backyard breeder? She got her dogs from people who are in it for the "business".....they show dogs as well. They go through extensive training too....very high-scale operations...are the dogs mistreated? From what she says-yes they are....but there is no proof of that, but time and time again she has to attempt to "undo" the damage that has been done-some she keeps and some she cant.

I guess Im kinda "dawgin" on the large scale breeders who are in it for the sole purpose to make a buck for their well-rounded dogs...

Thank heaven there are people like her that take these dogs in just simply for the love of an animal.

I am thankful there are reputable breeders who are willing to take in a dog that the owner for some reason changed their mind or just simply couldnt care for any longer for whatever their reason may be....

There are many advantages to adopting an older dog rather than a puppy. An older dog can be as cute and lovable as a puppy, and the older dog often comes with many wonderful qualities that the puppy takes years to grow into. Most retired dogs come into a new household with little fanfare. They find a soft, warm lap and claim it as their own.

For some people, an older dog, usually house-trained and calmer than a puppy, is the perfect companion. Other people want to share their lives with a dog, but they do not want to make a commitment of 15 or more years. An older dog's shorter life expectancy fits in with their future plans when the children go off to college, for example. Still others enjoy the unwavering devotion and constant companionship of a trained retired dog.

Retired dogs have learned most of life's lessons and are ready to enjoy their golden years. With lives far from over, retired dogs can indeed be valuable family and community members. Not surprisingly, they make excellent therapy dogs and companions to older people.

Most recently I placed Cappie into a very loving only dog home. Where he is the center of this wonderful couple life and attention. My decision to no longer use him in my breeding program was deliberate and long thought out. Is it an easy thing to do "of course not" but yet I had to think what was best for him.

I recently placed two kids of mine and you tell me if it isnt the right thing to do? Read for yourself what their new family had to say.

From: Marie ***** <******@yahoo.com>
To: yorkiepassion@comcast.net
Subject: Re: cappie
Date: Tuesday, April 25, 2006 10:45:59 AM


Kim - Just to update you on Cappie. He is doing absolutely wonderful. He is adapting very well with our family and seems to be happy. He has been sleeping with us now every night. He ran around with us all weekend and you were right, he does love to go for rides. We absolutely love him.

Marie

From: Jody
To: yorkiepassion@comcast.net
Subject: Thank you :)
Date: Tuesday, April 25, 2006 8:35:12 AM


I feel like it was fate Ashlee was meant to be mine. I love my little boy but he is very hyper. Ashlee is my most precious baby. She truly is a princess. She is treated like royalty at our house.

Thank you so much for sharing her with us.

Jody

:bravo: glad to hear

I think that Pat said it best..."Breeders are cut from a different cloth". Not everyone can understand how breeders do it. It isn't for everyone.

I am always keeping my show prospect puppies until 7 to 9 months . Don't forget that sometimes peoples want to have the puppy before due time . It is not always the fault of the breeder if a person don't have what he or she want.
Once , I had a person wanting to have a show pup and when I told the person she would have to wait , she called me all sort of names and went to the nearest pet shop and bough the most horrible puppy I have ever seen .
The secret for buying a show puppy is patience , patience and patience .[/QUOTE]
I totally agree....when I decided to get my second yorkie. My first in not in the breed standard. I contacted and developed a relationship with the breeder. I was on her waiting list for over a year before a pup became available.

When I started looking for a show quality yorkie , some breeders told me " dont' even bother to write or email us because we don't have time for those stupid things , if you really want a puppy from us , go to dogshows and let yourself known because if one day , we have a puppy available , you'll miss the train if we don't know you " . At first , I though it was rude . I purchased my first girl for show from one of them , she became my mentor for a few years . Now , she is retired from breeding and often come to visit me and the girls when we are at dogshows . I am always proud to see her .

breeders
 

All I can say is...children grow up and leave the nest..puppies and retired dogs do the same. Doesn't mean we do not love and cherish them..it just means, "that is the way it is" for many and we do not need to defend our practices..they are legal, moral and ethcial.
A breeder who chooses to keep all retirees, has that option..but be forwarned, unless they have live-in help and limitless funds, their breeding life span will be about 5 to 8 years.

Cares4Dogs~

Hmmm...while I don't agree with all of your opinions, you have brought up some very intersting...and convincing...points of view. Very thought provoking!

(Lol...have you ever considered a career in sales...or better yet, as a lawyer? ;) )