PLACING THE "BLAME" - worth reading - YorkieTalk.com Forums

feminvstr · 05-23-2006, 05:13 PM

PLACING THE "BLAME"

by Dorothy Kendall (Orlane-Elan Yorkshire Terriers) 8/05 Editor's Choice

I read an article that caused anger, sadness and a sense of resignation or futility. Growing up and living in the Midwest during the first half of my life, I'm well aware of dog auctions, the dealers, the wholesalers, puppy mills etc. that traffic in purebred dogs. I've fought the good fight, and am still fighting it ... but I've come to realize that what we're fighting is greed, hunger for power and the attitude of those breeders who think if everyone else is doing it, why shouldn’t they?

This attitude is hosted by many breeders, from the neighbors with their one pet female bred once a year for pocket money, to some of the most respected "show" breeders advertising their wins in national magazines! So where do I place the blame for outrageous situations like those Robyn described? Squarely at your own door, dear reader, go look in the mirror - stop shedding those alligator tears for the poor little wretches you see pictured in those ads. Ask yourself if it isn't possible that some of your own dogs are behind those pictured (and the thousands that suffer terribly across this nation that AREN'T pictured)?

Oh, I can see your astonished looks and open mouths now - but let me ask you a couple of questions before you start sending hate mail, OK?

1. Have you ever had someone that you didn't know personally ask to breed to one of your stud dogs; they seemed nice enough and their little bitch was of decent quality, and you felt your stud was so good that they would get a really quality litter - if you didn’t breed her, someone else would - and it might not even be to a good dog? Did you go ahead with the mating after Vet tests, etc.? Did you offer to help sell the puppies?

2. Now, can you tell me what happened to every puppy in the resulting litter? Multiply this occurrence hundreds of times across this country, and what do you get? Lots of pups, raised by amateurs, quickly tired of, hastily sold - with AKC papers, of course. Can you guarantee me that none of these pups ever wind up in commercial breeding situations?

3. Have you ever sold a female puppy as a pet, with AKC papers and no breeding restrictions, because the buyer thought he/she "might like to have a litter someday, didn't believe in spaying - it's unnatural, thought it was their right to have an 'intact' dog since they were paying so much, etc.", even though he/she assured you that was the last thing in mind in purchasing this dog? You just knew this buyer would never breed his little pet, right?

4. Have you ever sold/placed a Champion , top producer or other adult dog to someone you didn't know personally who wanted to "upgrade" their line with one of your quality dogs, and then you kind of lost track of what happened to all (not just the winners) of the puppies from that dog?

5. Have you ever sold a "show" puppy to a potential show home, and found out later it wasn't going to be shown, and was producing puppies that were sold with no restrictions?

6. Have you ever sold a "show" puppy to a show home because you knew the dog would be finished quickly, even though you knew the buyer was careless about where they sold their dogs? After all, one or more puppies to chalk up as winners for your name, right?

Listen, I made those mistakes starting out, but I wised up when I saw what was happening. That was in the Sixties, and it wasn't difficult to find out what was going on ... there were dogs turning up in puppy mills with my name behind them, and it made me sick! I vowed that I would be responsible for the dogs I loved and raised, that I would make sure this situation would not happen again. Sure, I got "taken in" a couple of more times, but it just doesn't happen any more, at least, not with the restrictions I've put in place on sale of puppies.

So, I'm pointing blame at those who DO know what they're doing, but do it anyway - because they're afraid the pups might be around too long, and they don't want to be bothered. Because they're afraid too many restrictions might put off potential buyers ... and they might have to cut down on breeding as the pet market just won't support it. Breeders who are anxious to rack up statistics, "numbers" of Champions, Top Producers, records of all kinds, may be a little less than careful when they sell their puppies.

It might be for profit for some breeders, but I don't think that's the principal reason for most. Puppy sales do help support showing our dogs, but breeding is not a profitable business unless you're a commercial kennel with 100 dogs, and pups sold at 5 weeks to dealers - I'm not suggesting that. I guess I'm talking about the hobby breeder, working diligently out of his home, who's trying to build a win record of quality animals to be proud of. Nothing wrong with that, is there?

But - if you answered "Yes" to any of the above questions, there is something wrong, whether you admit it or not. You've got a good pet puppy market, and no problem selling pets - but what will happen in a couple of years when those little females you sold with papers start producing, and you start seeing the classified ads for "Lhasa Apsos, AKC champion lines - $150.00" in your local newspaper? Or someone calls you about a puppy they purchased from someone local, and they're having problems with (housetraining, grooming, temperament, you name it), and they called you because one of the parents came from you (and once the pup is sold, the seller wants nothing more to do with the pup).

You say, that can't happen to me, I sell all my puppies on spay/neuter contracts - but how do you enforce those contracts? Is it even possible to do so? Well, you say, all AKC papers for pet puppies are signed as non-breeding status ... and I say Good For You! You are being a responsible breeder, and I commend you - but did you answer yes to any of the other questions above ... come on now, be honest. If so, you're part of the problem.

What can you do to avoid these bad situations? I can only tell you what I've done that works 90% of the time, and I modeled this after two Yorkshire breeders, Anne Serranne and Barbara Wolferman of Mayfair Kennels and authors of "The Joy Of Breeding Your Own Show Dog".

1. Absolutely no public stud service. None. Period.

2. Only females owned by people we know personally are ever bred to one of our dogs, and we insist any resulting puppies are either kept by them, or will be sold on non-breeding papers.

3. We don't even register pet puppies, only those we keep and show. These pet puppies are sold without AKC papers, but a copy of the full pedigree is given, along with a written contract stating our guarantee of pure-breeding, and a life-time health and temperament guarantee. (PS - don't tell me this can't be done, people won't buy puppies without AKC papers! Hogwash, I've been doing it for years, and when buyers understand we are doing this to protect our beloved breed, we've had no problems whatsoever!)

4. Any adults (champion or not) are sold with the understanding that they are for the buyers use exclusively. No puppies from them will ever be sold with breeding rights to a third party, under any circumstances. If dogs cannot be kept by the buyer for any reason, we will take them back, and hold them until such time as they can go home. And, again, if these people are not known personally, all this is contained in a written contract, with appropriate penalties.

I've been told these are "unreasonable" restrictions, and no one will want to deal with me. Well, be that as it may, if we (Ann and I) never sold another puppy, we know in our hearts that we are not responsible for the waifs pictured in Robyn's article. We love our dogs, and know that we are protecting them from the "profiteering" going on all around us. So, where does the blame lie? Ask yourself.

- Dorothy Kendall http://geocities.com/heartland e-mail: orlane@fast.net

Lacy's Mom · 05-23-2006, 06:39 PM

I read this twice and probably should read it a few more times.

Anyway, I'm thinking just by not giving AKC papers or giving a limited registration is not going to stop puppy mills or even prevent your puppies from winding up there - it doesn't make since.

The only thing I see happening if all "breeders" retain papers or give limited registration is the price of an AKC yorkie would be driven higher. I dislike puppy mills as much as everyone else, but I think the real reason behind this writing is to keep others from breeding quality AKC Yorkies at reasonable prices.

I hate seeing "Wanted Free teacup Yorkie", but I also think there are excellent homes out there that can't afford to pay outrageous prices, but can still provide a quality home and vet care.

feminvstr · 05-24-2006, 07:44 AM

Interesting each persons perception when reading the written word. The Author is Dorothy Kendall, a yorkie breeder herself.

http://www.thedogplace.org/library/E...eeStacking.htm

here is her bio

Dorothy Kendall

Hi! I'm Dorothy Kendall, from Orlane-Elan Yorkshire Terriers ... and welcome to this wonderful outlet for our Yorkies! I've had Yorkies since 1958 and have raised and exhibited them for the past 35 years. I'm currently secretary for the Yorkshire Terrier Club of the Nation's Capital and the Greater Dover K.C. Ann Zevnik and I have raised or finished over 20 Yorkies in the past twenty years ... and are currently showing Ricochet as a special. Ann was an OR Nurse for many years, and now monitors drug studies around the East Coast. I'm retired, or should I say just "tired" ... but I love the dogs and the shows, so watch for us in a ring near you!

Orlane-Elan Yorkshire Terriers - Clayton, DE phone: 302-659-1811 e-mail: orlane@fast.net

doggrooming · 05-24-2006, 07:44 AM

I totally agree with Lacys Mom. Holding papers and giving limited registation is not going to stop puppy mills. I got my little girl for free. I have always wanted a yorkie but have never been able to afford it. If it weren't for a wonderful sister who breed her sweet girl I would never have one. I am going to have her spayed and she is current on all vet care. I have funds avalible for emerencys but I would have never been able to justify spending the money on the prices asked for yorkies. JMO but puppymills will find a way to stay in business no matter what.

feminvstr · 05-24-2006, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lacy's Mom

I read this twice and probably should read it a few more times.

The only thing I see happening if all "breeders" retain papers or give limited registration is the price of an AKC yorkie would be driven higher. I dislike puppy mills as much as everyone else, but I think the real reason behind this writing is to keep others from breeding quality AKC Yorkies at reasonable prices.

I hate seeing "Wanted Free teacup Yorkie", but I also think there are excellent homes out there that can't afford to pay outrageous prices, but can still provide a quality home and vet care.

While I agree with the puppy mill remark, how many potential breeders would purchase a breeding male/female from a pet store??? I think the odds are very low one would use that avenue just for breeding rights.

My take on the article was be responsible when placing your pups. The breed standard is a clear blueprint and one that every breeder should strive toward, if it doesnt fit dont breed it or sell it for breeding!

CindyP · 05-24-2006, 08:31 AM

If breeders don't want their puppies bred and want to make sure they aren't why don't they keep them for six months, fix them themselves and then sell them?

doggrooming · 05-24-2006, 08:35 AM

That is a very good idea CindyP.

feminvstr · 05-24-2006, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CindyP

If breeders don't want their puppies bred and want to make sure they aren't why don't they keep them for six months, fix them themselves and then sell them?

There are many breeder that do early neuter/spay before 12 weeks just for that reason.

BamaFan121s · 05-26-2006, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by feminvstr

There are many breeder that do early neuter/spay before 12 weeks just for that reason.

I haven't had to deal with that yet...I actually knew the owners of our 1st litter and know for a fact that ALL 4 pups are alive, healthy and FIXED now.
But had they not been people we know, I wouldn't have hesitated to do early s/n.

Happyjack · 05-26-2006, 06:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CindyP

If breeders don't want their puppies bred and want to make sure they aren't why don't they keep them for six months, fix them themselves and then sell them?

THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I DO!! GREAT IDEA!! [/SIZE]

kristalk2006 · 05-26-2006, 06:49 AM

A friend of a friend of mine breeds Newfoundland dogs, and she takes a $500.00 deposit from everyone she sells pups to and as soon as they come back with papers proving the dog has been spayed/neutered they get their deposit back. She says no one has ever not come back with proof.
Mind you some people refuse to leave the deposit, but they just don't get a puppy.

That is where we got my parents dog from, and my parents left the deposit...and got it back

Gazou · 05-26-2006, 07:09 AM

All the puppies that I am not keeping for my breeding program are spayed or neutered before leaving my home .

CindyP · 05-26-2006, 07:15 AM

I know there are alot of differences between small and Large dogs and maybe this is one of them as I haven't researched this subject as much as I should have by now. I grew up with German Shepehrds and I had/have two Rottweilers when I moved out of my Parents home. My female is from an excellent breeder that cares very much for her well being. My Male came froma backyard breeder and I have had quite a few struggles with him.

I am very against breeding unless you are adding something to the breed. I haven't had dogs yet that I felt could add positively to the breeds so I don't breed. However I also take into consideration the health of my dog when fxing them. With my Rottweilers fixng them too young can change the growth. The males head may not get as big as it is supposed and with females fixing them too young can higher her risk for bone Cancer. I decided to fix both my Rottweilers at 18 months to let them mature as much as I can, lower the rishk of Bone Cancer, testicular Cancer and Breast Cancer.

Like I said I haven't read much about the smaller dogs so this may be a difference with them but I'm not sure fixing them at 12 weeks of age is a healthy decision. I have never gone younger than 6 months with any dog.

I have heard of several people keeping puppies till six months of age to potty train them, socialize them properly and to fix the puppies and I really like those breeders because I think they are doing all they can to better the breeds and stop pet overpopulation. Just my opinion.

Happyjack · 05-26-2006, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CindyP

I have heard of several people keeping puppies till six months of age to potty train them, socialize them properly and to fix the puppies and I really like those breeders because I think they are doing all they can to better the breeds and stop pet overpopulation. Just my opinion.

Also if the breeder does the spay/neuter.....it removes any "perceived" value of the dog to a breeder. So from a dog's perspective....he has NO VALUE to anyone except a pet/companion owner. I consider this to be a dog's insurance he/she will NOT end up living in somebody's back yard or in some tiny cage....being bred to death.

red98vett · 05-28-2006, 03:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kristalk2006

A friend of a friend of mine breeds Newfoundland dogs, and she takes a $500.00 deposit from everyone she sells pups to and as soon as they come back with papers proving the dog has been spayed/neutered they get their deposit back. She says no one has ever not come back with proof.
Mind you some people refuse to leave the deposit, but they just don't get a puppy.

That is where we got my parents dog from, and my parents left the deposit...and got it back

Now THAT makes sense and what a good way to do business AND be a responsible breeder. That was a provoking article Kimberly....Really interesting.... and it just makes me so SAD that there are so many dogs that end up in Mills...or being overbred.

I just saw Pictures of a puppy from a Breeder yesterday that totally blew me away....The poor little yorkie DID NOT LOOK like a yorkie - THESE are the Breeders that are totally CLUELESS. Matter of fact - I don't even want to call that person a Breeder.

05-23-2006, 05:13 PM	#1
feminvstr Donating YT 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Portland Oregon Posts: 4,405	PLACING THE "BLAME" - worth reading PLACING THE "BLAME" by Dorothy Kendall (Orlane-Elan Yorkshire Terriers) 8/05 Editor's Choice I read an article that caused anger, sadness and a sense of resignation or futility. Growing up and living in the Midwest during the first half of my life, I'm well aware of dog auctions, the dealers, the wholesalers, puppy mills etc. that traffic in purebred dogs. I've fought the good fight, and am still fighting it ... but I've come to realize that what we're fighting is greed, hunger for power and the attitude of those breeders who think if everyone else is doing it, why shouldn’t they? This attitude is hosted by many breeders, from the neighbors with their one pet female bred once a year for pocket money, to some of the most respected "show" breeders advertising their wins in national magazines! So where do I place the blame for outrageous situations like those Robyn described? Squarely at your own door, dear reader, go look in the mirror - stop shedding those alligator tears for the poor little wretches you see pictured in those ads. Ask yourself if it isn't possible that some of your own dogs are behind those pictured (and the thousands that suffer terribly across this nation that AREN'T pictured)? Oh, I can see your astonished looks and open mouths now - but let me ask you a couple of questions before you start sending hate mail, OK? 1. Have you ever had someone that you didn't know personally ask to breed to one of your stud dogs; they seemed nice enough and their little bitch was of decent quality, and you felt your stud was so good that they would get a really quality litter - if you didn’t breed her, someone else would - and it might not even be to a good dog? Did you go ahead with the mating after Vet tests, etc.? Did you offer to help sell the puppies? 2. Now, can you tell me what happened to every puppy in the resulting litter? Multiply this occurrence hundreds of times across this country, and what do you get? Lots of pups, raised by amateurs, quickly tired of, hastily sold - with AKC papers, of course. Can you guarantee me that none of these pups ever wind up in commercial breeding situations? 3. Have you ever sold a female puppy as a pet, with AKC papers and no breeding restrictions, because the buyer thought he/she "might like to have a litter someday, didn't believe in spaying - it's unnatural, thought it was their right to have an 'intact' dog since they were paying so much, etc.", even though he/she assured you that was the last thing in mind in purchasing this dog? You just knew this buyer would never breed his little pet, right? 4. Have you ever sold/placed a Champion , top producer or other adult dog to someone you didn't know personally who wanted to "upgrade" their line with one of your quality dogs, and then you kind of lost track of what happened to all (not just the winners) of the puppies from that dog? 5. Have you ever sold a "show" puppy to a potential show home, and found out later it wasn't going to be shown, and was producing puppies that were sold with no restrictions? 6. Have you ever sold a "show" puppy to a show home because you knew the dog would be finished quickly, even though you knew the buyer was careless about where they sold their dogs? After all, one or more puppies to chalk up as winners for your name, right? Listen, I made those mistakes starting out, but I wised up when I saw what was happening. That was in the Sixties, and it wasn't difficult to find out what was going on ... there were dogs turning up in puppy mills with my name behind them, and it made me sick! I vowed that I would be responsible for the dogs I loved and raised, that I would make sure this situation would not happen again. Sure, I got "taken in" a couple of more times, but it just doesn't happen any more, at least, not with the restrictions I've put in place on sale of puppies. So, I'm pointing blame at those who DO know what they're doing, but do it anyway - because they're afraid the pups might be around too long, and they don't want to be bothered. Because they're afraid too many restrictions might put off potential buyers ... and they might have to cut down on breeding as the pet market just won't support it. Breeders who are anxious to rack up statistics, "numbers" of Champions, Top Producers, records of all kinds, may be a little less than careful when they sell their puppies. It might be for profit for some breeders, but I don't think that's the principal reason for most. Puppy sales do help support showing our dogs, but breeding is not a profitable business unless you're a commercial kennel with 100 dogs, and pups sold at 5 weeks to dealers - I'm not suggesting that. I guess I'm talking about the hobby breeder, working diligently out of his home, who's trying to build a win record of quality animals to be proud of. Nothing wrong with that, is there? But - if you answered "Yes" to any of the above questions, there is something wrong, whether you admit it or not. You've got a good pet puppy market, and no problem selling pets - but what will happen in a couple of years when those little females you sold with papers start producing, and you start seeing the classified ads for "Lhasa Apsos, AKC champion lines - $150.00" in your local newspaper? Or someone calls you about a puppy they purchased from someone local, and they're having problems with (housetraining, grooming, temperament, you name it), and they called you because one of the parents came from you (and once the pup is sold, the seller wants nothing more to do with the pup). You say, that can't happen to me, I sell all my puppies on spay/neuter contracts - but how do you enforce those contracts? Is it even possible to do so? Well, you say, all AKC papers for pet puppies are signed as non-breeding status ... and I say Good For You! You are being a responsible breeder, and I commend you - but did you answer yes to any of the other questions above ... come on now, be honest. If so, you're part of the problem. What can you do to avoid these bad situations? I can only tell you what I've done that works 90% of the time, and I modeled this after two Yorkshire breeders, Anne Serranne and Barbara Wolferman of Mayfair Kennels and authors of "The Joy Of Breeding Your Own Show Dog". 1. Absolutely no public stud service. None. Period. 2. Only females owned by people we know personally are ever bred to one of our dogs, and we insist any resulting puppies are either kept by them, or will be sold on non-breeding papers. 3. We don't even register pet puppies, only those we keep and show. These pet puppies are sold without AKC papers, but a copy of the full pedigree is given, along with a written contract stating our guarantee of pure-breeding, and a life-time health and temperament guarantee. (PS - don't tell me this can't be done, people won't buy puppies without AKC papers! Hogwash, I've been doing it for years, and when buyers understand we are doing this to protect our beloved breed, we've had no problems whatsoever!) 4. Any adults (champion or not) are sold with the understanding that they are for the buyers use exclusively. No puppies from them will ever be sold with breeding rights to a third party, under any circumstances. If dogs cannot be kept by the buyer for any reason, we will take them back, and hold them until such time as they can go home. And, again, if these people are not known personally, all this is contained in a written contract, with appropriate penalties. I've been told these are "unreasonable" restrictions, and no one will want to deal with me. Well, be that as it may, if we (Ann and I) never sold another puppy, we know in our hearts that we are not responsible for the waifs pictured in Robyn's article. We love our dogs, and know that we are protecting them from the "profiteering" going on all around us. So, where does the blame lie? Ask yourself. - Dorothy Kendall http://geocities.com/heartland e-mail: orlane@fast.net __________________ Kimberly

05-24-2006, 07:44 AM	#3
feminvstr Donating YT 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Portland Oregon Posts: 4,405	Interesting each persons perception when reading the written word. The Author is Dorothy Kendall, a yorkie breeder herself. http://www.thedogplace.org/library/E...eeStacking.htm here is her bio Dorothy Kendall Hi! I'm Dorothy Kendall, from Orlane-Elan Yorkshire Terriers ... and welcome to this wonderful outlet for our Yorkies! I've had Yorkies since 1958 and have raised and exhibited them for the past 35 years. I'm currently secretary for the Yorkshire Terrier Club of the Nation's Capital and the Greater Dover K.C. Ann Zevnik and I have raised or finished over 20 Yorkies in the past twenty years ... and are currently showing Ricochet as a special. Ann was an OR Nurse for many years, and now monitors drug studies around the East Coast. I'm retired, or should I say just "tired" ... but I love the dogs and the shows, so watch for us in a ring near you! Orlane-Elan Yorkshire Terriers - Clayton, DE phone: 302-659-1811 e-mail: orlane@fast.net __________________ Kimberly

05-26-2006, 06:49 AM	#11
kristalk2006 Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 319	A friend of a friend of mine breeds Newfoundland dogs, and she takes a $500.00 deposit from everyone she sells pups to and as soon as they come back with papers proving the dog has been spayed/neutered they get their deposit back. She says no one has ever not come back with proof. Mind you some people refuse to leave the deposit, but they just don't get a puppy. That is where we got my parents dog from, and my parents left the deposit...and got it back __________________ Kristal Proud Mommie of Princess Peach She's FINALLY home, and doing great!

05-23-2006, 06:39 PM	#2
Lacy's Mom YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: El Paso, Texas Posts: 3,065	I read this twice and probably should read it a few more times. Anyway, I'm thinking just by not giving AKC papers or giving a limited registration is not going to stop puppy mills or even prevent your puppies from winding up there - it doesn't make since. The only thing I see happening if all "breeders" retain papers or give limited registration is the price of an AKC yorkie would be driven higher. I dislike puppy mills as much as everyone else, but I think the real reason behind this writing is to keep others from breeding quality AKC Yorkies at reasonable prices. I hate seeing "Wanted Free teacup Yorkie", but I also think there are excellent homes out there that can't afford to pay outrageous prices, but can still provide a quality home and vet care.

05-24-2006, 07:44 AM	#4
doggrooming YT Addict Join Date: May 2006 Location: foss, ok Posts: 321	I totally agree with Lacys Mom. Holding papers and giving limited registation is not going to stop puppy mills. I got my little girl for free. I have always wanted a yorkie but have never been able to afford it. If it weren't for a wonderful sister who breed her sweet girl I would never have one. I am going to have her spayed and she is current on all vet care. I have funds avalible for emerencys but I would have never been able to justify spending the money on the prices asked for yorkies. JMO but puppymills will find a way to stay in business no matter what.

05-24-2006, 08:31 AM	#6
CindyP Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 23	If breeders don't want their puppies bred and want to make sure they aren't why don't they keep them for six months, fix them themselves and then sell them?

05-24-2006, 08:35 AM	#7
doggrooming YT Addict Join Date: May 2006 Location: foss, ok Posts: 321	That is a very good idea CindyP.

05-26-2006, 07:09 AM	#12
Gazou YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Canada Posts: 2,180	All the puppies that I am not keeping for my breeding program are spayed or neutered before leaving my home .

05-26-2006, 07:15 AM	#13
CindyP Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 23	I know there are alot of differences between small and Large dogs and maybe this is one of them as I haven't researched this subject as much as I should have by now. I grew up with German Shepehrds and I had/have two Rottweilers when I moved out of my Parents home. My female is from an excellent breeder that cares very much for her well being. My Male came froma backyard breeder and I have had quite a few struggles with him. I am very against breeding unless you are adding something to the breed. I haven't had dogs yet that I felt could add positively to the breeds so I don't breed. However I also take into consideration the health of my dog when fxing them. With my Rottweilers fixng them too young can change the growth. The males head may not get as big as it is supposed and with females fixing them too young can higher her risk for bone Cancer. I decided to fix both my Rottweilers at 18 months to let them mature as much as I can, lower the rishk of Bone Cancer, testicular Cancer and Breast Cancer. Like I said I haven't read much about the smaller dogs so this may be a difference with them but I'm not sure fixing them at 12 weeks of age is a healthy decision. I have never gone younger than 6 months with any dog. I have heard of several people keeping puppies till six months of age to potty train them, socialize them properly and to fix the puppies and I really like those breeders because I think they are doing all they can to better the breeds and stop pet overpopulation. Just my opinion.