Comments on: If only people knew what good breeders do

By: Tara Choules of Dog Training Ireladn

Tara Choules of Dog Training Ireladn — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 10:18:35 +0000

What a wonderful post. With your permission I am cross posting for all to read, printing this for anyone who is thinking of getting a puppy and sending to all I know.

Thanks for writing this. You should be so very proud.

Tara

By: Gina Spadafori

Gina Spadafori — Thu, 28 May 2009 19:37:45 +0000

Remember that pet store with the $6,500 "teacup" puppies? One of the owners just filed for bankruptcy. Per the HSUS: "One of the owners of the Florida based pet store, Wizard of Claws, filed for Ch. 7 Bankruptcy yesterday after the Broward County Circuit Court issued a ruling this week refusing to dismiss several defendants from the major class action lawsuit. The suit, filed in 2007, accuses Wizard of Claws, its owners, and its affiliates of defrauding customers by misrepresenting the origin of puppies, and by selling puppy mill dogs who suffer from severe health problems and genetic defects." Oh gosh, what a darn shame! (Here's the paperwork).

By: PB

PB — Wed, 27 May 2009 09:03:53 +0000

JenniferJ-agreed! Even my daughters ages 7 and 11 are forever telling people they don’t even know, who tell them they have a tea cup “there is no such thing as tea cup in your breed.” I guess it is rude and bit know it all-y, but at the same time, nice to know they caught a clue.Of course some brreds do come tea cup, but they know which ones.

By: Annette

Annette — Mon, 25 May 2009 12:49:42 +0000

you get the same thing in the rabbit world. People want tiny rabbits…but think not of the price to the animals to get them that way.

By: Anne T

Anne T — Mon, 25 May 2009 10:21:29 +0000

These “women” and I use that noun very reluctantly, have never gotten over playing with dolls and miniature accessories. It’s not a child substitute thing, it’s a childhood/Peter Pan syndrome, IMHO.
Where’s that barf bag that I needed at Gina’s mere mention of WizardofClaws? I need it again.

By: 3FabulousFelines

3FabulousFelines — Mon, 25 May 2009 08:21:33 +0000

Last year, I took some visiting relatives to the mall, where we encountered our first Obnoxious Woman with a Dog in a Purse.

This lady was shopping with her mother, and kept pointing at everything and begging for it- “Ohhh, MOMMY, I want this!” “Mommy, LOOK! Please?” She was decked out entirely in trendy, color-coordinated pink stuff- including a pair of pink Victoria’s Secret sweatpants that had “PINK” embroidered across the butt… or what little of said butt they happened to be covering. Bleach-blonde hair, one too many trips to the tanning salon. Everything about her demeanor/behavior just screamed Paris Hilton. At first glance, from behind, I was convinced she was a teenager. Then, she turned around. This woman was not a day younger than FORTY. Yeesh.

I bent over to get a better look at one of the sale racks, and her Burberry bag started whimpering. Inside the bag was a teacup maltese. She’d picked the bag out FIRST (because it was on sale and soooooo cute she couldn’t resist) and THEN looked for a cute puppy to stuff inside it, she explained.

I felt very sorry for that dog. I’m hoping I’m wrong, but I have a sneaking suspicion that when the bag goes out of style, so too will the cute puppy.

By: H. Houlahan

H. Houlahan — Mon, 25 May 2009 07:19:06 +0000

I dunno why people want hamster-sized (but not hamster-priced) dogs.

Why do pierogi-fed chickas in Pittsburgh wear belly shirts and tourniquet-style hip-huggers? Because Britney does? (Do they not know what the term “muffin top” now denotes?)

I was in a store one day when one of these bubbleheads grabbed a dog handbag and screeched to her friend “I WANT A DOG THAT WILL FIT INTO THIS!”

In much the same way that my niece desperately wants the PINK iPod and THIS glitter nail polish.

The tiny dog is presented relentlessly as a consumer item and fashion accessory.

Quick, can you tell me one temperament trait of Paris Hilton’s purse dog? One trick it knows?

Not a dog at all. An accessory.

By: Pai

Pai — Mon, 25 May 2009 04:57:42 +0000

“Those of you who have dealt with them- why do they want them? It seems to be mostly women. Looking for child substitutes?”

More like a cute fashion accessory / stuffed animal substitute.

By: JenniferJ

JenniferJ — Mon, 25 May 2009 02:25:11 +0000

I think man people have NO clue how tiny 2-4 pounds is. I have three toy fox terriers who range from 6-8 pounds and they are tiny!

!0-12 pounds is plenty small enough for most people who desire or need a light weight dog.

A 6 to 8 pound tft can be a solid little dog. OFA hips. elbows, knees, heart, thyroid and CERF eyes with NORMAL dentition and no problems with their nervous systems along with round, heavy enough bone to run with the big dogs, jump off of things etc.. oh and free whelp, easily. 2-4 pound one? No way.

We had a 31/2 pound little girl. Not planned. Thankfully healthy enough but fragile and dainty. Spayed and placed with a friend who had experience with tiny little dogs via chihuahua rescue. She insisted on paying for the spay. That was it. I could have sold her for a
fortune, damn!

By: Susan Fox

Susan Fox — Mon, 25 May 2009 01:31:58 +0000

Fuglyhorse did quite a post a few months ago on minature horses. Lots of the same issues. Heartbreaking photos. Long list of congenital problems.

What IS it with these people who are obsessed with tiny animals? Both breeding and buying. It predates Ms. Hilton, who did, however, contribute to making it worse.

Those of you who have dealt with them- why do they want them? It seems to be mostly women. Looking for child substitutes?