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What good breeders do: Little things mean a lot
By Gina Spadafori
June 9, 2009
I wrote earlier about a typical day of puppy-raising, and how what I and other reputable, ethical and compassionate breeders do is utterly different than what even a well-meaning casual breeder would do — and certainly different from what puppy-milling scum do.
Seriously, I had to laugh out loud at the comments on Christie’s SFGate.com column that tried to negate her point by charging her with taking kickbacks from breeders or asked her if she reported the income from selling puppies, and what shelter she dumped her “defects” on.
Clueless. Utterly clueless. These people really don’t know anything about reputable breeders, and they sure as hell don’t know Christie.
Although we will never get through to the most radical of PETA-type haters, I have hope that we will get the overwhelming majority of pet-lovers to understand the difference between a good breeder and the rest. We do it by not being silent anymore.
Profit? Let’s start there.
For my litter, two people flew out at their own expense to evaluate and place the litter. Add that to the cost of flying mommy to daddy and back, and all the expensive pre-breeding health clearances on them both, pre- and post-natal care for mom and puppies — plus all the training, entry fees and travel costs associated with shows, tests and titles for both dogs (and all the dogs before them).
Undeclared income? Hey, we were happy to keep the loss under $10K. But of course, it’s not about the money. It’s about the work of preserving a heritage breed while working to make wonderful companions out of each puppy as an individual.
Anyone who thinks it is about the money doesn’t get it, and maybe never will.
Speaking of the working towards developing wonderful family companions, one small but telling detail. After 10 hours of puppy evaluations on Saturday, the puppies were beat. So were we, but we still had to make the placement decisions, get the crates and paperwork ready … and do one more thing:
We had to clip their nails.
Why? Because we wanted the new homes to have lots of loving bonding time, as much as possible, before they had to do what puppies don’t like: Trim nails.
Of course, the puppies were so exhausted by Saturday afternoon that the clipping was fast and easy. And it was the fourth time they’d had them done. But as Katie and I lovingly cradled each of the puppies while Mary snipped the nails, I couldn’t help but think how much this little task mattered. One more solid piece of foundation for a lifetime of love.
Who’d have thought a nail trim could be so important? Why, a reputable breeder, of course!
Pictured: One of my puppies, now at home in the Midwest. See those nice short nails? (Oh, OK, sure: It’s just another excuse to use a puppy picture.)
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There’s none so deaf as those who will not hear ! Some people will never ‘get it’. All they see/hear is $$$$ flooding in when the litter is sold. I’m not sure if many of them actually own pets, they seem to have no idea of how much money they cost. Once you start doing anything extra, like showing, working etc the costs go crazy.
I show, (Rottweilers). I’ve had Rotties for 12 years now. I’ve bred 1 litter. My first bitch, I did have her health checks done, wasn’t happy with her elbow x-ray results, so she was speyed. Unfortunately she broke my heart at 5 by dying of cancer, and since I believe cancer does have an hereditary factor, I’m glad I never bred from her. The closest (I believe) you can get to *making* money is to lessen the costs outlayed (as you stated) = Profit absolutely forget it.
Some idiot asked me if I made much money from breeding dogs, I just replied tiredly that the hourly rate was crap.
Comment by Alison Woolley — June 9, 2009 @ 2:45 pm
You gotta be kidding. The shelter where I volunteer is staffed with folks barely making minimum wage, and you’re touting the obscene waste of money and resources to fly to check out a puppy?! Then to whine about how much it all costs? Many shelters are struggling just to pay their utility bills.
This is precisely why so many feel you are way out of touch with how desperate things really are in the real world.
For shame.
Comment by Dennis Carlson — June 10, 2009 @ 7:26 am
Fortunately, people are still allowed to spend the money they earned on the things that they feel are worthwhile. Like making sure dogs they raise won’t end up in your shelter.
Comment by Original Lori — June 10, 2009 @ 7:33 am
No, Dennis, Shame on you, for thinking the inadequate amount of attention and socializing your shelter puppies get is all they — and all dogs — deserve.
The goal is not to drag a well-raised puppy down to a puppy-mill or underfunded shelter level, but to get ALL puppies up to where the science is, with carefully planned experiences and socialization. THIS IS WHAT HELPS KEEPS DOGS IN HOMES AND OUT OF SHELTERS!
All puppies deserve a head start on a forever home. I’m sorry you don’t think the puppies in shelters — or any puppies — are entitled.
Do you also think that because some children attend inner-city schools in facilities that are run-down or dangerous, taught by burned-out teachers and harassed by junior gangsters that ALL children should do so? Or should we be working to help the children who aren’t getting what they need to thrive?
As for “whining” — clearly that’s your take, not mine. I’m PROUD of the work we put into this litter. Because that’s what reputable, ethical and compassionate breeders do.
I wasn’t whining. I was debunking the lie — told again and again and again by PETA-type haters — that reputable, ethical, compassionate breeding is profitable.
Stop blaming me for your shelter’s problems. Engage the community in ways to help, and there are plenty of examples of success to choose from. Your pets deserve better, and so does your community.
Why am I willing to bet your “shelter” is the kind of “blame the public” facility that makes anyone turning over a pet feel like such a loser and a dirtbag that the next time they need help they’ll look somewhere else?
Comment by Gina Spadafori — June 10, 2009 @ 8:00 am
Sorry Gina, but I strongly disagree on your espenses, other than health required clearances, nobody has to breed from dogs with titles, entries paid for or any other expenses, as for training, basic training can be learnt and provided by the breeders, not necesarily to have proffesional services paid for. There are many ways a breeder can cut expenses, and to this day, not one REPUTABLE breeder has given me a dog or stud service for free, I have paid top prices for the quality I want, in the other hand, it is the buyer’s choice, what they want to spend in a dog, if they want to get it from the next door neighbor or fly across the world to get it. Nobody forces them. I think your evaluation should be considered on more realistic facts and not only, based on “the love of the breeder”
Comment by David — June 10, 2009 @ 8:42 am
I guess the points, David, are these:
1) I’m not trying to cut expenses. I’m trying to preserve a working heritage breed AND provide each individual puppy with the health, care, socialization and training foundation that will get him or her off to the best start possible in life. This is not a for-profit venture.
2) You don’t have a right to decide how I spend my money. I choose to spend it on point No. 1, which is why I don’t have an expensive car, flat-screen TV, etc., etc. I’m always amazed — no make it stunned — at how people trash others for spending anything on pets (vet care, top-quality food, etc.) while not saying a peep about others who live in more house than they need, drive expensive cars, etc. I mean, seriously, where do you get off?
As for “realistic facts,” well, you don’t seem to be in possession of many of them. How do you think you can evaluate a dog as being breedable without whatever testing is appropriate for that breed — working titles, championships, etc. (At the very least, having experts come over — or, yes, fly in — to evaluate the dogs/puppies … without which “kennel blindness” is a risk.) And how about those expensive health certs? I have a wonderful 12.5-year-old who was spayed a decade ago, despite all the certs and training “invested” in her. She wasn’t what we were looking for, so she was never bred, but she is my “heart dog.” As for training, I train them myself, and it’s more than “basic,” I assure you.
We had more people wanting these puppies than we had puppies. Imagine that.
If you paid “top dollar” for your dogs without any of the work that should have gone into them, well, I have some over-priced real estate in Phoenix I’d like to sell you.
Also: Consider that these dogs (cute as they may be) are dual- or triple-purpose: They are bred to be both family companions and working dogs. That may help explain what may seem “above and beyond” effort in the breeding, raising and evaluating.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — June 10, 2009 @ 8:59 am
Wow, wow, wow. Please, Gina, read your response to me again and perhaps you’ll see why your credibility is nil. You make assumptions, you voice opinions about things you know nothing about, and condemn the good folks who are working day and night to make the days for shelter animals as comfortable and happy as possible. On top of it all you’re judgmental, strident, and self-righteous.
I can’t even bother addressing your erroneous points one by one, but you truly need to take a deep, hard look at what you’ve become. Your rants help not a single animal.
Comment by Dennis Carlson — June 10, 2009 @ 9:16 am
OK, so … if I make money on a litter, I’m a “greeder.” If I put eight weeks of my life into doing everything I can to socialize, train and care for the puppies — not to mention all the effort that went into their parents — I’m not being fair to shelter pets because I spent so much money raising a litter at a loss.
Why don’t you just be honest? You don’t think anyone should ever breed, no matter what.
I disagree. And for the record, I have run a breed rescue, pulled from shelters, fostered and placed many more dogs than I will ever breed in my life. (At this point that would be more than 100 rescued vs. six bred.)
My dogs aren’t ending up in your shelter. And the people who took my puppies wouldn’t have taken a shelter dog instead. No matter what. I support shelter adoptions, and always steer people who are looking for pets to shelters and rescues first. But if people want and need a purpose-bred dog — or are involved in the work of preserving our heritage breeds — I support them, too.
You’ve made it clear that you think there’s no such thing as a good breeder. On this point, we’ll have to disagree. If that means my credibility is “nil” with the forces of pet extinction … well, believe me, I can live with that. Mandatory spay-neuter kills more animals than it saves, but it sure sounds good while nicely advancing the pure animal rights agenda of no domesticated animals to exploit, even as “pets.”
As for your shelter’s issues … there are solutions. Look around, and quit blaming others.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — June 10, 2009 @ 9:25 am
Dennis, you scare the hell out of me and I fear greatly for the animals in your “care”.
You are SO obviously new here that, frankly, it’s your credibility that is nil.
“I can’t even bother addressing your erroneous points one by one…” No, mudslingers like you never do. They’d rather troll around and bail when called on their BS.
Oh, and I volunteer at a open admission county shelter and I could write a 1000 words easy on the valuable information that I’ve gained from this blog, but I can’t be bothered.
Comment by Susan Fox — June 10, 2009 @ 9:28 am
Whoo, TROLL ALERT
Save your breath folks for someone who might, ya know, think?
this is an Ingrid acolyte, scroll to the comments sections here to see where he stands
http://www.expressindia.com/la.....ty/382028/
If Dennis thinks 97% wholesale slaughter is A-OK you can’t have a civil discussion with him
http://www.bloggernews.net/111444
Comment by JenniferJ — June 10, 2009 @ 9:50 am
Whoa!
No surprise my “credibility is nil” with someone who writes:
“Ms. Newkirk should be awarded the medal of bravery!”
Someone who is not only listening to PETA but totally drinks the Kool-Aid.
Thanks, Jen.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — June 10, 2009 @ 10:04 am
OMIGOD, and he’s anywhere near a shelter? *shudder*
Comment by Susan Fox — June 10, 2009 @ 10:15 am
I hope they’re counting their animals every morning . . . .
Comment by The OTHER Pat — June 10, 2009 @ 10:47 am
I hope they’re counting their animals every morning . . . .
Comment by The OTHER Pat — June 10, 2009
In the kennel runs and cages, or the walk-in freezer?
Comment by Gina Spadafori — June 10, 2009 @ 10:48 am
Completely O/T but had to share.
Good antidote for that PETA after-taste
And full of happy
http://io9.com/5286030/webby-a.....oplay=true
Comment by JenniferJ — June 10, 2009 @ 12:27 pm
Okay, now that you’ve drug Trollie McTrollson the PeTA plant and Mr. “Top Dollar” out from under their duplex bridge …
I’ve been cogitating on the nail clip.
Because, first, I was thinking, yeah, that nail trim just before leaving is one of the little touches that makes a difference.
But for some reason, the example kept bugging me.
And I think it’s because of the ways that I’ve been seeing REALLY BAD BREEDERS starting to ape some of the field marks of good breeders.
Online puppymills with “applications” for a puppy and a “health guarantee.” (That I can guarantee has never, ever been successfully invoked.) The local broker of little mop mongrels and ACA-registered “purebreds” who presents the pups freshly bathed and with bows in their hair. Beautiful web sites. Even Andrew Hunte now owns a show dog.
All those little touches that involve little or no effort.
None of the hard work of developing the parent dogs, culling dogs from the gene pool that are in almost every way “perfect,” but have one bad functional flaw, training the parents for work, not only as an end in itself, but as a form of testing, competing and titling in events that take talent and effort from both dog and owner.
No, the puppymillers, brokers, show-mills, and just plain rotten breeders avoid the hard stuff.
But hire a handler to get a championship on a stud? Drop the pups in a flea dip before shipping? Trim toenails?
Sure — it’s effort-free marketing.
Comment by H. Houlahan — June 10, 2009 @ 11:57 pm
And since none of the other handling or socializing has been done, I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that a lot of those puppies are the ones that absolutely hate having their paws touched.
Comment by Susan Fox — June 11, 2009 @ 6:09 am
The thing, the most important thing, the thing that would, all by itself get Ma and Pa crappy breeder, in most cases, out of busines.
DO NOT BUY ANY PUPPY UNTIL YOU VISIT THE BREEDERS HOME, SEE THE LITTER, THE MOTHER AND THE OTHER DOGS AND WHERE THEY LIVE, EAT AND SLEEP.
I don’t care if you are looking at an out of state puppy. Go on Price Line and get a cheap flight out there.
or have a trusted friend go visit and pick up the puppy.
But as a breeder, I must say that unless I know you or you have been vetted very very well by people I know and trust, I would have to meet you in the flesh before you’d get a puppy. And for heavens sake, I want you to meet the puppy and make sure you match well too.
No meeting in parking lots
No sight unseen shipping
No you can only come into this room
Mom might be blowing her coat or looking a little tired, but she should be clean and happy and treated with respect.
Pups might not be “sparkling” (especially right after a meal!) but they should look well kept, free of any form of mange, mucus or itching and no wormy bellies.
If you showed up here unannounced, you’ll see I’m not a Good Housekeeping nominee, but I would not be ashamed to show you how my family and the dogs live.
Comment by JenniferJ — June 11, 2009 @ 8:15 am
This nearly broke my heart:
http://www.dailypuppy.com/pupp.....2009-06-11
“I’ve only had them for not even a day but they have a lot of life. They are all about eight weeks old. They weren’t abused or neglected; their mother died and the breeder didn’t want to care for them.”
How fishy does that sound? What kind of breeder would even IMAGINE…. Oh wait, I know what kind, don’t I?
Comment by Original Lori — June 11, 2009 @ 8:30 am
Jennifer … I gotta say: My house and my yard is a disgusting mess. Or rather, the yard was. I’m not neat by any means normally, but the situation got away from me while caring for the puppies.
The animals were always in great shape and had the best of care. That was my priority, always is. I’m horrified at how bad things got, and that’s the truth.
Yesterday, four strong men cleaned my yard, picked up, threw out, trimmed and power-washed everything. It was wonderful! I’m getting a barbecue to celebrate and will sit out there with a friend, my brother and the pets this weekend.
This week, I catch up on the laundry and put all the pup-linens away. The housekeepers are coming in extra to catch up on the house. (I can hear my mom: “You can do all that yourself!” But yo, not with my workload and deadlines. Editors don’t wait.)
The last of the leaving puppies — Keen, the former Miss Purple — touched down in Utah a couple hours ago. And next week, I’ll be bringing Miss Faith — the former Miss Red — to the day job, at least half the day, so she can get some great socialization.
Life, such as it is, is returning to normal.
Will I do this again? Not without more time, more help and more sanity! But otherwise … what a great experience, and I’m so proud of the puppies McKenzie and I raised, so smart, resourceful, stable, well-socialized and bold. I can’t wait to see how they do with the great bunch of people who’ll be loving on them from here on out.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — June 11, 2009 @ 9:23 am
You should be very proud! Thanks for letting us come along for the ride.
Comment by Original Lori — June 11, 2009 @ 10:07 am
“Wow, wow, wow. Please, Gina, read your response to me again and perhaps you’ll see why your credibility is nil. You make assumptions, you voice opinions about things you know nothing about, and condemn the good folks who are working day and night to make the days for shelter animals as comfortable and happy as possible. On top of it all you’re judgmental, strident, and self-righteous.”
“I can’t even bother addressing your erroneous points one by one, but you truly need to take a deep, hard look at what you’ve become. Your rants help not a single animal.”
“Comment by Dennis Carlson — June 10, 2009 @ 9:16 am”
Jeebus, I am SO sorry I missed this wanker!
Dennis, if you’re still lurking around here, I’m one of those shelter workers who doesn’t earn nearly enough money (and has forgone a raise for the past several years), and I can tell you that you certainly do NOT speak for everyone who works or volunteers in shelters!
If there were MORE people with the dedication and love for their dogs as Gina and the rest of the people on here who do put all they can into their puppies, there would indeed be FAR fewer animals in our shelters!
Maybe you should be putting your attention towards looking into how many animals adopted from shelters are still in those homes a month or a year later, and if they aren’t, why…? Shelters are not perfect, so we really shouldn’t be casting stones at the people who are doing things the right way.
Stop ranting and start thinking, you might actually get somewhere.
Comment by stellaluna — June 11, 2009 @ 10:11 am
Gina, you have done an excellent job with your litter. Puppies (and new puppy owners) should all be so lucky! Congratulations, and thanks for showing how to do it right.
Comment by stellaluna — June 11, 2009 @ 10:12 am
Gina, that’s why you’ll NEVER catch me inviting prospective puppy families over until pups are 8-9 weeks.
I don’t know anyone who does not at some point around the 5th to 7th week, look around at everything that hasn’t gotten done in deference to the little darlings and gone “Ack!”
I’m in Zombie mode for the first four weeks.
Kids and dog laundry gets done, but Jay and mine might be half way to the ceiling by the time I emerge from puppy induced trance time. :)
But the point is that the dogs, kids etc… are all happy, fed and clean (enough!) And even if the house looks like a tornado shook it up, it’s basically sanitary if extremely disorganized.
Full confession time. For years we had a puppy room that was only used the once or twice yearly we had puppies. After five weeks it was a jumbled disaster and I’d move the pups out, close the door and vow to deal with it later.
Later usually lasted until someone was bred again!
Didn’t say if you stopped by I’d let you in EVERY room ;-)
Comment by JenniferJ — June 11, 2009 @ 10:29 am