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Caught In The Middle: the ethical pet breeder's dilemma

© Betty Sleep

On the average, I get two or three calls per week at my kennels, inquiring about Golden Retrievers. Unfortunately, many of the conversations go like this: “How much are your puppies? Oh. Well, I really only want a pet. I don’t care if it has papers.”

That’s when I tell them they should care, and why. Goldens, along with many purebred dogs, are susceptible to hereditary disorders, principal among them, hip dysplasia. The chances of a dog having one of these problems does not lessen because it doesn’t have papers. In fact, the chances are greater, because most unregistered dogs are never examined for hereditary problems, and may represent several generations of this careless practice.

Even if you should find a breeder with an unregistered dog who has been hip checked and passed, you don’t know what is “behind” that dog. One of the top producing females of all time, was the only puppy in her litter of ten, who was not dysplastic. The dysplasia reproduced in her grandchildren. This was at a time when the dog community in general was just becoming aware of the complexities of the condition.

For a better price or whatever reason, people will buy a puppy from individuals who are not bona fide breeders.Sometimes they even get a “guarantee” that will replace the puppy if it has problems. But does anyone really want another puppy from a breeder who has knowingly been reproducing defective pets, as one Alaskan Malamute breeder with a hereditary esophageal problem admitted to doing? Guarantees are little consolation when you have to give up a much-loved pet. At least with an ethical breeder who provides a contract and guarantee, your chances are far better, that you have bought a sound, healthy animal. “Backyard” guarantees are often just empty promises, as was the case of someone selling Rottweilers for several hundred dollars. Two of their puppies died and could not be replaced since the sire had been put down for biting the owners’ grandchildren. (The puppies had been advertised as gentle and good-tempered.) No refunds were ever made.

The question arises, of course, as to what constitutes a good, bona-fide, ethical (etc.) breeder? The basics can be outlined this way:

- A good breeder cares about their dogs. They have invested time and money in choosing their breeding stock,and spent countless hours on training and grooming.

- A good breeder never sells breeding rights to their dogs without examining the credentials and motives of the purchaser.