HighRoller
05-11-2005, 03:52 PM
So you want to have a litter of puppies for Sassy’s sake or the kids’ education or the vacation or holiday fund? Don’t – unless you:
consider all the potential pitfalls to breeding,
are willing to guarantee the health of the puppies,
are prepared for the daily care and socialization of puppies,
can deal with the emotional impact of problems and of parting with the puppies,
will carefully screen potential puppy buyers,
can withstand the financial expenses that occur if Sassy has trouble whelping or a pup gets sick or a buyer can’t keep the pup he bought.
In other words, unless you are prepared to do the same things a responsible breeder would do, don’t bother.
Getting the litter on the ground is only half the battle. Although many litters are born without trouble and puppies trot off to new homes with nary a glance backward, responsible breeders do everything they can to make sure the pup not only gets a good start in life, but has a lifetime commitment to keep it healthy and safe. Although the best plans can go awry, they do not leave the fate of their pups to chance.
Backyard breeders have a different perspective. Whether they are producing pups for money or to give Sassy or the kids the experience of birth, they usually approach puppy production with a carefree attitude. If a pup dies, it’s too bad, but that’s life. If it has worms or fleas or mange, that’s life, too. And if that last pup or two doesn’t sell by three months, well, it’s off to the shelter.
Responsible breeders consider every aspect of puppy production to be important. After taking care to whelp healthy puppies to be sold as pets or show dogs, they treat each litter with care and concern for their physical and mental development, provide initial socialization and housetraining, and carefully screen prospective owners.
consider all the potential pitfalls to breeding,
are willing to guarantee the health of the puppies,
are prepared for the daily care and socialization of puppies,
can deal with the emotional impact of problems and of parting with the puppies,
will carefully screen potential puppy buyers,
can withstand the financial expenses that occur if Sassy has trouble whelping or a pup gets sick or a buyer can’t keep the pup he bought.
In other words, unless you are prepared to do the same things a responsible breeder would do, don’t bother.
Getting the litter on the ground is only half the battle. Although many litters are born without trouble and puppies trot off to new homes with nary a glance backward, responsible breeders do everything they can to make sure the pup not only gets a good start in life, but has a lifetime commitment to keep it healthy and safe. Although the best plans can go awry, they do not leave the fate of their pups to chance.
Backyard breeders have a different perspective. Whether they are producing pups for money or to give Sassy or the kids the experience of birth, they usually approach puppy production with a carefree attitude. If a pup dies, it’s too bad, but that’s life. If it has worms or fleas or mange, that’s life, too. And if that last pup or two doesn’t sell by three months, well, it’s off to the shelter.
Responsible breeders consider every aspect of puppy production to be important. After taking care to whelp healthy puppies to be sold as pets or show dogs, they treat each litter with care and concern for their physical and mental development, provide initial socialization and housetraining, and carefully screen prospective owners.