Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2009 12:46 am Post subject: Responsible Breeders
Can one of the many breeders on these forums explain why Labradors for rescue appear so often as ex breeder animals?You commercial breeders had the use of dogs and bitches to generate the money you made on selling their offspring.When "spent"you rely on the generosity and sentimentality of labrador lovers in general for what are the most expensive and labour intensive years of the animal's lives.Yes, there are a lot of rescue animals.Many come from you commercial breeders.Good kennels (not breeders with KC affixes that produce hundreds of puppies per year)care for their animals for their WHOLE lifetime even if this means they make a small return on those animals they do sell.A number of posts in one of your forums complained about a lady who produced a litter of pups which may not be KC registered because of problems with the dam's registration with the comment that there were plenty of rescues available.What hypocracy,what unbelievable bare faced cheek.Breeders put your houses in order first.Currently the last area of genetic variation exists in people who are breeding on a small scale,often using the best sire and dam they can source and a holistic approach to the puppies they produce.Most of you breeders are concerned with having as much red as possible on the pedigree with the idea of impressing the punter.Your dogs and bitches often (but not in all cases)spend every day alone in a kennel only to be allowed out for excercise for a few hours per day.At the end of this sentence you expect Lab lovers to pick up a badly socialised animal and do what YOU should have done and should still be responsible for.
I don't think you will find any of those kinds of breeders here, by which I mean the kind that would use and abandon a bitch in the manner you describe..... least not to my knowledge
Most people that hang around Lab forums would be considerd responsible. Certainly the regular breeders that contribute to the forums hold themselves to a higher level of responsiblity than you describe!
____________
All images posted by me on this or any other website remain copyright to me with all rights reserved
I don't think the breeders you are directing your post at are regular posters here
I have been a member here just over a year and I've not yet seen any regular poster who breeds "hundreds" of puppies a year, or anywhere near that amount.
I've also been pleased to see how much irresponsible breeding - for example those considering breeding without the relevant breed health tests, or because their dog is nice - is discouraged by so many members.
I think the "ex-breeding" labs that you mention, tend to come from puppy farmers. I suspect those kinds of breeder are too busy counting their money to post somewhere like this where people actually care about the breed.
I have not been a member on here for very long and it is already obvious that the breeders on here love their labs and care for them their 'whole lifetime' as you say. They are also not in it for making money!
I persume there is not alot of money to be made anyway as if the bitches and puppies are well looked after and recieve good health care and diet then not alot of money is to be made and is totally the wrong reason to breed. The various health tests that should be carried out before breeding are also costly.
The type of people who breed to make as much money as possible are usually the people that run puppy farms and this is where the 'ex-breeding' dogs come from as they recycle their stock very fast as they declare lots of dogs no use especially bitches that they have already had several litters from.
I guess some good breeders may get rid of 'ex-breeding' dogs if they are downsizing possibly due to retirement as I have enquired about a dog before in this situation but she couldn't actually part with her in the end due to her caring about her labs but I am sure this case is quite rare. I also think that most of her labs live in her house if not all.
I also totally agree with Feebarn that most of the people hanging around on lab forums are responsible and love their labs!
I concur with Fee, Angela and Kim. Those who breed hundreds have no interest in Forums or any recommended heath tests; sadly there are many Puppy Farmers who are only interested in breeding a bitch until they've saturated the market, got tired of the breed or the bitch doesn't produce large enough litters; those people are an utter disgrace and are not 'responsible' for anything let alone responsible breeders.
I dont disagree with your sentiments 'Oldlabs' but I truly cannot think of any person on LF who could be described as a 'commercial breeder', nor who would send an ex brood off into rescue once she'd retired.
The only post I can think of where, as you say:-
".A number of posts in one of your forums complained about a lady who produced a litter of pups which may not be KC registered because of problems with the dam's registration"
was when the bitch couldn't be registered because she was under a year old! Is that the one you meant?
You obviously care greatly about dogs, but I don't quite know why you are directing your anger at people on this forum.
Call me a cynic but I`m suspicious about this poster, first post is a go at breeders supposedly from this forum, none of whom are the commercial ones s/he`s having a go at.
If the thread referred to is the one about the under age bitch then as well known that particular person seems to have intentionally allowed that to happen even after advice in respect of how to resolve the situation.
OP also has 5 labs according to their profile but no names for them other than 1 to 5?
Personally I wouldn`t add any more fuel to this person`s fire.
Can I just remind you of our forum etiquette Oldlabs.....
General Forum Etiquette
When posting in the forums please adhere to the following common sense rules:-
No personal attacks against other members of the forums.
No Abusive attacks against other members of the forums.
No Racist, Sexist posts allowed in the forums.
No offensive, insulting, profane or vulgar remarks are allowed.
No Abusive or threatening or provoking posts towards the Administrator or Moderators and other staff on the site.
Flame war threads, and other posts that are deemed to be descending into these by the forums staff will be locked or moved at moderators / staff discretion.
Do not impersonate other Members. Trying to pretend to be someone else on the site, including Staff, is not allowed, because firstly you'll be bad at it and found out and secondly you will be given a warning.
So far your original post could be seen as insulting, provoking and generally inflammatory. We will be watching.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum You cannot attach files in this forum You cannot download files in this forum
