And I see the BBC has joined PETA in trashing breeders. Throwing 'eugenics' around and breeding based on cosmetic choices ties in nicely with the PETA campaign. All that's left to do is bring up Hitler and Nazis and we'll have a trifecta.
We’ve gotten our last two dogs from rescue organizations, and couldn’t be happier. One is a ‘pure breed’ although as some of us know, thats just a arbitrary label from the AKC types.
When I look at our four dogs, I don’t see ‘bloodlines’.
I see our kids. Our family.
I love the idea of rescue, unfortunately I've come across too many that tend to operate more like puppy mills than a rescue should. Some are very good at placing dogs in excellent homes, doing follow up, etc. But some are like revolving doors, which does no service to the specific dog, the owner or the breed. And I think many, many people fall in to the trap of not doing their homework before they buy a dog; what kind of dog is right for me? Just because a dog is small doesn't necessarily mean it's suited to an apartment lifestyle, etc.
For a reputable breeder "pure bred" is not an arbitrary label. They spend a lot of time and money getting AKC championships on their dogs, getting all relevant test to do as much as they can to make sure that puppies are going to healthy (hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, cardiac certifications, eye certifications, thyroid certification, etc.) and making sure that the dog they breed to has followed the same path. Reputable breeders generally don't make a profit from the puppies they sell and usually are lucky to break even. They do it for the joy of strengthening the breed and hopefully producing a litter that improves the overall line.
And I see the BBC has joined PETA in trashing breeders. Throwing 'eugenics' around and breeding based on cosmetic choices ties in nicely with the PETA campaign. All that's left to do is bring up Hitler and Nazis and we'll have a trifecta.