When I look at a website and am trying to "rate" a breeder, I am skeptical when I see only show titles. I don't want to know that a dog is just pretty, I also want to know that it is healthy and has working ability and a good temperment. That is why it is important for me to put as many titles on my dogs as possible. I want people to know that their puppies are coming from good lines.
As for keeping dogs in cages, if they are kennel runs, I don't really mind it, depending on the situation of course. I know a border collie breeder who keeps her dogs in large outdoor kennels with proper doghouses and such because she lives in a trailer and can't have a bunch of crazy border collies in the house. However, she also lives on an acreage and owns sheep and works her dogs everyday, so they still recieve a good amount of exercise and attention. Her dogs are herding titled and I know several pups that came from her that have gone on to be great agility dogs. Maybe I'm just old fashioned, but when I think of a bunch of herding dogs or hounds in kennel runs, it doesn't bother me as much, because either way they will recieve ten times as much stimulation as most dogs get. It's breeders that keep their dogs in kennels 24/7 without any attention that really get to me. Personally, I like to keep housedogs. Visa may get alot of physical and mental stimulation daily, but it's nowhere near what that breeder's border collies get working the sheep.
After experiencing certain things, I am very skeptical about breeders. In all honesty, if you want a real opinion, you have to ask the people that know the breeders best. Talk to other breeders in the area or of the same breed -- often they will know whether or not this person is reputable. I know a toller breeder who appears to be very reputable on her website. Her dogs are all shown and worked, they have show and working titles, they do several sports, they look great in their pics. The breeder feeds RAW and practises limited vaccinations. You would never know by looking at this site that this breeder starved four of her puppies that could not nurse, or that her dogs are only show titled because she pins them up against eachother, or that her dogs have horrible temperments. I know a collie breeder who also looks awesome from her website. Her dogs are champions, they are titled in herding, obedience, agility, the works. The breeder is a professional handler. You would never know by looking at this site that she was recently disqualified from a show for kicking a dog (not even her dog) down a hill. Visa was fine at shows until she went off with this person; we don't know what she did to her. I know a rottweiler breeder whose dogs are all show and working titled as well. This same breeder tried to have a dog returned to a home that she knew was neglecting it (this dog was severely in need of medical care). It goes to show that you really need to talk to people who know of the breeders.
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks