This whole post is about my view on things related to canines. It's way easier to post online without anyone interrupting you compared to explaning in real life where people who can't accept my opinion just tell me to shut up.
I'll list it down in point form, and elaborate further later.
1. I do not support pet shops, backyard breeders, puppymills or some so-called 'breeders'.
2. I support adopting from the shelter
3. I support some breeders.
4. I do not support PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) or the ALF (Animal Liberation Front)
1. I do not support pet shops, backyard breeders, puppymills or some so-called 'breeders'.
Definitions:
Backyard breeder aka BYB = People who breed dogs for the sake of it. They may have a sweet pet they want to try and reproduce or they think that their dog has quality because they have papers and/or are registered with some registry/club. They just put out dogs without real consideration for the future of not only the breed but also the puppies produced. They want to make money by selling puppies. They may even sell to puppy mills.
Backyard breeder aka BYB = People who breed dogs for the sake of it. They may have a sweet pet they want to try and reproduce or they think that their dog has quality because they have papers and/or are registered with some registry/club. They just put out dogs without real consideration for the future of not only the breed but also the puppies produced. They want to make money by selling puppies. They may even sell to puppy mills.
Puppy mills = Facilities that breed purebred dogs in large numbers. For making money purposes.
So. Pet shops. Where do they get their puppies from? I've seen puppies whose eyes haven't yet opened at a petshop. They were obviously not weaned yet, given/sold to the petshop by someone who didn't want the responsibility of taking care of a litter of puppies. Puppies are a huge responsibility. Most of the puppies in pet shops in this area come from backyard breeders, puppymills, people who do not want the responsibility for the accidental litter or people who claim to be good breeders.
Well, one, good breeders don't sell to pet shops because they do not know which home and family the puppy goes to. Dogs from pet shops are mostly not vaccinated, not dewormed, not health tested etc. I've seen puppies with whitish splotches on their bodies which I believe to be demodectic mange, a skin problem that my dog Inky had when he was little.
Now, since puppies in the pet shops are so pitiful, shouldn't we go rescue them? I bought my Lara from a backyard breeder and at that time, I was very uninformed about canines, all I wanted was a dog. One of the most important things one must know is NEVER rush into getting a dog. Do your research first and take your time with things.
In case you have no clue and have never seen what a puppy mill is like, check out these videos from youtube. Click here for a very good and informative video about puppy mills which pretty much sums up what I want to say about puppy mills and pet shops. Click here for a video with backyard breeders and puppy mills in one video. I am aware that those videos are more focussed in the US. But, do know, BYBs and puppy mills are in Malaysia too.
I have a friend who is a BYB. She said in my face that all they cared about was money. They dumped a couple GSDs (I believe) in the pound because of skin problems and got another couple purebreds and bred them for money. And if you went to the Sunday market, perhaps try asking where their breeding facility is. Don't be surprised if the address you go to doesn't exist or resembles what you saw in the videos.
Now is the time for me to address the issue of some people who claim to be breeders. Here are some very obvious ways to know whether or not a dog breeder is a good, professional breeder. Even BYBs are breeders, remember that.
#1. If the breeder breeds mixed breeds eg. Chihuahua x German Shepherd Dog, this is a very obvious sign that the breeder is NOT a good one.
What kind of breeder would breed a mix (mixing can result in bad genetics)? It doesn't better the breed. The only breeders who are good are those who strive to better the breed. They train their dogs and compete, and make them champions and then only breed them.
#2. If the breeder calls it a purebred and sells it for the same price a purebred is sold at, you are being cheated.
Do your research. There is no such thing as a Cockapoo purebred (Cocker Spaniel x Poodle) or a Puggle (Pug x Poodle). They are mixed breeds. NOT purebreds. This is why you have to do your research, many breeders use the word 'purebred' and coin a lame breed word (like: Maltipoonese [Maltese x Poodle x Pekinese]) to sell their dogs at extremely high prices when their dogs, in all actuality, are mutts. And once you know that there is no such breed, you know that the person is cheating you, and when the person is cheating you, I doubt you'd trust such a breeder.
#3. No good breeder would sell his/her puppies before the pup is 8 weeks of age.
Pretty self-explanatory. The puppies have to be together to learn bite inhibition. This helps avoid any biting incidents that may happen in the future.
#4. Good breeders breed not just to make money but also to better the breed.
Money from the litter may be a source of their income but that is not their priority. They do not sell their puppies to the first person who shows up with lots of money. They will ask you questions about what your plans are with the dog, why you want another dog (if you already have one) and they are going to want to be updated about how their pup is getting along. They health test, vaccinate, give you the dog's papers, deworm the dog.
Click here for a good site about how to find a good breeder. Just remember that not every breeder who claims to be one is a good breeder.
2. I support adopting from the shelter.
There are too many dogs already. I don't really support any type of breeding besides the breeders with champion dogs who genuinely want to better the breed. In the US, 25 to 30 percent of the dogs in their shelters are purebred. I personally don't really care whether or not the dog is purebred because they are all dogs with their own unique personalities. So, adopt from the shelter, I think they spay and neuter and vaccinate all the dogs there ready for you. And it's cheap anyway.
3. I support some breeders.
Not many people agree with me, but I am somewhat reluctant to even really support the ones who better the breed. Like, if there are 100 breeders breeding the same breed of dog to better the breed, I'd prefer it if that was cut down to a smaller number. There is overpopulation crisis in the world and I fully support spaying and neutering unless your dog has some medical issues (your dog can die during the operation or after, but don't let that discourage you).
4. I do not support PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) or the ALF (Animal Liberation Front).
LOL. I'm not going to say anything here and just let you watch this video. CLICK. This is the best video that can sum everything up. xD A bit of foul language included I believe, but overall, it does put everything about PETA straight.
^^
