I have to come in here and add this. I know a lady who breeds Beagles. She spend over 2 years researching about the breed and learning. She first got a spayed female Beagle puppy. Once the puppy passed away she started looking to breed, she DINT take at breeding right away and she ONLY breeds Beagles NO she does not mix them either. She will health test all her dogs, she will care for them like ANY reputable breeder would do. She lives alone out in the estates and she does this for a passion for Beagles. She does NOT work and lives alone. She owns a lot of land and manages with all. She is over 50 years old, and you should see the condition her dogs are in passed excelence. The sad thing is that she has NO time to show, and does that make her a terrible BYB? She dedicates her life to her dogs, she only has 2 litters per year from different females and she has 3 females and 2 males ALL health tested. She could have more than 6 litters per year if she wanted and NO she only has 2, thats her limit and sometimes none or 1. She NEVER breeds for xmas because she believes pets should never be given as a gift, she does not have a website adverticing her puppies either. She has her own personal vet that comes all the way from Talahasee to give her puppies health certificates plus shots. She lets them go in a spay/neuter contract ONLY. And is sad how she is classified under as a BYB just because she does not show her dogs. Here is something i agree with
BYB is a generalized term that pet people have found handy to use for breeders of other than show quality animals. There certainly are plenty that fit under this term but why not discuss the puppy mills run by people far worse than any BYB. My personal dog is from what folks would call a BYB but she is a true purebred in lineage and is documented. She was also veted immediately and both her parents had been health tested as well. Sure, people other than kennels or show breeders will spend time on forums and ask questions if they want to be informed. I say again, BYB is as generalized a term for folks that don't breed for show etc as player refers to someone that mooches off of others and calls it playing them. Just my humble opinion.
I dont know if you agree or not, but there are good and bad things to everything.
As for puppy mills there is no GOOD thing. Those people are the ones doing wrong to all of us. Having over 50 dogs some dying in cages without them knowing and rotting to death. Those people should be the ones taking the bad name.