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Breeder vs Puppy Mill what's different ??

mx5055

Well-Known Member
Interesting conversation. I have gotten flack because I got my pup from a pet store, thus I support puppy mills. I knew when I got him that he would not a perfect specimen, that he would not have been in a pet store if he were closer to what ever the breeder wanted in a dog. He isn't papered and I overpaid for him. But, I fell in love with him. Not his breed, not a pure bred, etc. After I saw him the 1st time, I researched and researched, even tried to find a rescue that I could fall in love with, but I kept going back to see him and I loved him more and more each time. I wanted a calm, mellow, not aggressive, smart puppy. I have had him just under 3 weeks, and so far, I was exactly right to pick him! At times I wish he were better bred, or not a puppy m ill puppy, but that is more for MY bragging rights. When i get to go home to him, I am happy he is him.


Most of us, at one time or another, have chosen a dog based totally on an emotional reaction to that said dog; even though in our head we might have known it was not the smartest/most logical/best reason to do so...but, instead of listening to our heads, for whatever reason we chose with our heart. I have done it, and if I'm totally honest I have to admit I don't regret that decision for an instant. You have no need to justify why you chose that dog...love it and give it a good life :)
 

WalnutCrest

Well-Known Member
"The most important thing your dog will ever do is wag his tail when you come home from a bad day."

-- Me
 

rangermom

Well-Known Member
This is a very interesting thread.

I just want to point out something to the ethical breeders that you may already know...........you're VERY hard to find.

If I am looking for an ethical breeder that does health testing on her dogs, shows and titles her dogs, AND has working titles; quite honestly, I don't think I would have ever found my dog!

In my search for my pup, in addition to asking 2 vets, I contacted the AKC and Mastiff Club of America. I got contact info for ALL of the breeders in 4 states closest to mine and contacted them, (I do not feel comfortable having a pup shipped as I want to see my pups living conditions and her parents prior to purchase. So I only contacted those that I was willing to drive to. Still, 4 states is significant).

Know how many got back to me of the 15 reputable breeders I contacted? 2. Neither of them ever returned my message when I thanked them for their time and expressed interest in purchasing their pups.

I am an average person that wants a pet, and to be honest, I take above average care of my pets. We are an excellent family for a dog..........but not a single person wanted to work with me. Heck, they wouldn't even return my calls or emails to get to know me and my family!

It was so discouraging.

This is why people go to the byb and unfortunately, the puppy mills.
 
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belawyer

Well-Known Member
why is it that to be a reputable breeder at all you must show your dogs? I am curious could you not be in love with a breed do everything else test guarantee proper breeding with proper stud etc.. but not have an interest in showing? Oh and why does cost have anything to do with a good breeder my breeder charged me $1400 for Jacks and I know she loves her dogs and cares about the breed?

I'm just asking not arguing don't take theses questions as an argument.

I'm shopping for Cane Corso breeders within 4-8 hours of me (i'm in Dallas, TX area) and I'm a sucker for the breeders with the website that show all these fancy dogs winning prizes at dog shows. So I had the similar question as above because I've found some breeders that don't have the pics of the sire and dam winning some AKC shows and all that and I'm not savvy enough to tell if they are legitimate or not. Here is a link to a thread I started about an Oklahoma breeder that falls into this category http://www.mastiff-forum.com/index....er-in-ok-what-do-you-think-of-this-one.30435/
 

Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
I'm shopping for Cane Corso breeders within 4-8 hours of me (i'm in Dallas, TX area) and I'm a sucker for the breeders with the website that show all these fancy dogs winning prizes at dog shows. So I had the similar question as above because I've found some breeders that don't have the pics of the sire and dam winning some AKC shows and all that and I'm not savvy enough to tell if they are legitimate or not. Here is a link to a thread I started about an Oklahoma breeder that falls into this category http://www.mastiff-forum.com/index....er-in-ok-what-do-you-think-of-this-one.30435/

It always bothers me a little when people use terms like "fancy dogs", etc. The majority of breeders show their dogs for a reason, not because they are trying to be better than anyone else. Here's a good explanation of why a breeder chooses to show their dogs.

http://www.canismajor.com/dog/consho2.html

My advice is to get to know your breed well. Know the standard and find a breeder that is breeding for that perfect specimen to maintain the integrity of the breed. I know boxers, having been involved with them for over 20 years. I know what the breed standard is and I know when I see a dog that doesn't adhere to that, even if they have achieved a champion title. There has been damage done to some breeds due to current trends and that's a shame, but it doesn't mean that showing is all bad. This is why you need to know the breed standard and what typifies the best in your breed choice. Know the inheritable conditions and demand that those than can be tested for have been. If you love a breed, it's because good breeders have done the work to produce dogs that adhere to the standard and are good representations of what the breed should be. Those are the ones I choose to support, whether they be show or hobby breeders or both.
 
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belawyer

Well-Known Member
It always bothers me a little when people use terms like "fancy dogs", etc. The majority of breeders show their dogs for a reason, not because they are trying to be better than anyone else. Here's a good explanation of why a breeder chooses to show their dogs.

http://www.canismajor.com/dog/consho2.html

My advice is to get to know your breed well. Know the standard and find a breeder that is breeding for that perfect specimen to maintain the integrity of the breed. I know boxers, having been involved with them for over 20 years. I know what the breed standard is and I know when I see a dog that doesn't adhere to that, even if they have achieved a champion title. There has been damage done to some breeds due to current trends and that's a shame, but it doesn't mean that showing is all bad. This is why you need to know the breed standard and what typifies the best in your breed choice. Know the inheritable conditions and demand that those than can be tested for have been. If you love a breed, it's because good breeders have done the work to produce dogs that adhere to the standard and are good representations of what the breed should be. Those are the ones I choose to support, whether they be show or hobby breeders or both.

I do think the pics of dogs in dog shows and winning prizes provides very good evidence that the breeder is breeding for that perfect specimen to maintain the integrity of the breed. I think having that evidence just makes it a lot easier for me as a consumer to ascertain whether or not they are a good breeder. Otherwise, I'm left guessing with some of these other breeders that I have asked about on this forum. Thanks!
 

Nik

Well-Known Member
This is a very interesting thread.

I just want to point out something to the ethical breeders that you may already know...........you're VERY hard to find.

If I am looking for an ethical breeder that does health testing on her dogs, shows and titles her dogs, AND has working titles; quite honestly, I don't think I would have ever found my dog!

In my search for my pup, in addition to asking 2 vets, I contacted the AKC and Mastiff Club of America. I got contact info for ALL of the breeders in 4 states closest to mine and contacted them, (I do not feel comfortable having a pup shipped as I want to see my pups living conditions and her parents prior to purchase. So I only contacted those that I was willing to drive to. Still, 4 states is significant).

Know how many got back to me of the 15 reputable breeders I contacted? 2. Neither of them ever returned my message when I thanked them for their time and expressed interest in purchasing their pups.

I am an average person that wants a pet, and to be honest, I take above average care of my pets. We are an excellent family for a dog..........but not a single person wanted to work with me. Heck, they wouldn't even return my calls or emails to get to know me and my family!

It was so discouraging.

This is why people go to the byb and unfortunately, the puppy mills.

I completely agree. I think a lot of the issue is that most breeders may not have the time to do the follow through work and it also seems most don't have the technical savvy to maintain a good online presence or do their own marketing. In breeding communities there is a lot of reliance on word of mouth and reputation. But, if you are a new person to the breed and just looking for a pet from someone reputable this can make it very difficult (depending on your area).

One of my best friends has been looking for a puppy for a couple of years and they experienced the same thing with having people not return calls or ever get back to them. It took them quite awhile to finally get a response from a good breeder. They went up for the interview and to see the dogs, got on the waiting list and now they have a puppy. But, that was after 5 years of hunting and looking and trying to get responses. It is definitely an issue.
 

DennasMom

Well-Known Member
We wouldn't last 5 weeks without a dog in the house, let along 5 YEARS.

I guess that's why we normally go the shelter/rescue route... Denna's our first purebred dog, but she's from a BYB... because we're not that patient when we're dogless and we lost our last dog (a Dane/lab/X) suddenly to a tumor in his spine.

Considering we met Denna's parents, that's a huge step up for us, when we normally get puppies of unknown breedings dropped off on doorsteps with no note. And we love them all the same (i.e. completely).

I am a big supporter of ethical breeders though. I'd like to see well-bred puppies everywhere, with bred-specific drives (herding, hunting, protection, therapy, etc.) great temperaments and no genetic health issues being passed on.
 
As breeders and as dog lovers we need to stop playing into the hands of the Peta puffers at the human society, and stop using there lingo to talk about these issues...your letting them set the rules of the game by letting them control your language.
Peta wants to end pet ownership. Re read that. Now you might not like the jack ass that knowingly breeds dogs with shity nerves( ahum...ethical dane breeders) , or breeds dogs who have no drive or ability to move ( ahum...show em breeders), or bad hips( gsd.. anyone) but if you side with the " animal rights" folks on that and use there language Evan anoung yourselves...trying to build definitions for there slurs evan....just stop....stop...if we've had a litter in our lives ...on purpose...that we selected the parents for..how ever poorly and however stupidly...we are breeders. Period .
If not we're dog lovers or dog folk or what ever neutral or positive label you prefer.
Are all breeders good breeders...no
Are all breeders in it for the same reasons ..ofcourse not.
Should we as a community come up with a way of discussing these issues within our community, without resorting to the meme set and language of theENEMY ...cause make no mistake that what they are...they literally do not want you to be able to own a dog...that's Killin and dieing stuff for me ....how but you...so stoop using there slurs and definitions...if a breeder is truly treating the dogs so bad you feel you have to do something, then get in touch with some who feel. Same way and grab some are hanles...teach avlesson...but don't call animal conteol...if it's bad enuff to feel good about it putem in the river...or just take the dogs and let that be thst...but don't take to the pound....give away to poor kids or somthing or gell to poor wants be breeders......taking care of our own house is where we start....if it don't call for that kind of action then it ain't your business.
Im a breeder...I breed line bred bandogs, perro de Presa canarios, and pittwahwah terriers. I'm proud of my dogs....im proud of my profession, no my calling...cause I still do it when I don't make a dime. I have proven ill take up arms for my dogs and I expect the same from them if they want to live in my pack and eat my soupbones....and chicken livers..mmmmm....but I've always kept to the rule I fight and you don't you've eaten your last meal with me.. maby dogs should act the same with those of you who'd rather take the opportunity to judge and feel superior by siding with the ENEMY. THINK ABOUT IT .
 
Since I just unloaded my vitriol about the Peta puffin labels ...here's a rough try at co.ing up with some new ones...
Feel free to critique and add or take what you like and make the rest up whole cloth ...we need to have dislodge about this as rebranding is needed if dog breedingvisnt gona be to the generation yet a birthing what meth cooking is to this one...an outlaw activity for smart folks that can get you in a lot of trouble if your caught doing it....
Instead of puppy mill....maby large scale commercial breeder, or financially motivated large scale breeder...or
Or commercial puppy farmer....idk , because the puppy farms I've been to vary a lot and I'm also very aware that some breeds thrive under conditions that others wouldn't last in...that's facts...I know from seeing it first hand that you can take two gamedogs bro and sis, never outcross, like never ,and in 20 years you got a yard with 200 dogs and you can mate anything on it to anything else and uoull get a 10 pups litter with no casualty or maby one, no birthdefects, and any oup in that litter will do what they were bored for better than any ethical bred petbull could hope to....because from the 1900s till the 80s that's what it was and the recessive that were undesirable were culled from the breeding pool...look at to. Garners kennels
 
He ourcrosses to other bloodline occasionally but read the peds.. extremely inbred dogs...and among the best in the world at what they do ...but I'll admit the apbt is an outlier in this discussion...actually as a bandog breeder, if you have an issue that isn't lack of size, or lack of man aggression, then the lazy answer is always breed to a solid game dog...I don't often use that solution because it can cause the above two issues if over done, and also adds in more dog aggression which I don't want...I expect mine to work as a pack, and if they have to much da to do thT then I've messed up...other great bandog men like Lee Robinson are less interested in the dogs working togsther...aiming instead to breed one man gangs...this approach dose work it just depends on what you like.
So for a more on topic example...Sparta wildboys...great Presa canarios they breed there...some of the best ever bred. A large percentage of there dogs being sent around the world to improve the local stock are hours bred back to his mother macerena ...these dogs aren't small sickly or week because the ancestors from Linea m Kankas ppb ironbull kingzulu ect were tested and the culls were excluded from the breeding pool for generations. Leaving very few undesirable recessive in play...so they can be bred this way ...I don't advocate buying the first two presas you can get on hoobly and trying to breed them like pits because you probably will not get this quality of stock...and somthing bred to look impressive isn't going to be tested in a sideways manner, by doing its job , like somthing bred to perform, also if you read Presa peds you see a lot of dogs with no known ancestors...those are 1) majareros...cattle dogs bred g or aggression, 2) bandogs 3) mastinos and 4) pits/ bulllterriers...not always mind you...since curto let the cat out of the bag about the bandog like breeding practices during the recovery period , folks have been a little more forthcoming about stuff ...I saw one a few weeks ago that had out of 4 grandparents 1 presa,1 ridge back,1 neo, 1 pitbull...that dog is still in the peds about 8 to 10 Gen back on a lot of dogs....and let's nor forget arbaco who was the first Presa foundation stock dog registered ukc...50/50 pit and MN eo first generation cross...a bandog pure and simple and a fresh cross at that. So Evan when you look and see a very inbred looking ped it helps to remember that the gene pool wasn't kept closed like pits and there are undesirable ressesives lurking in mastiff dna....but guess who uncovers and eliminates them..." puppy mills" who test, andwho arnt afraid to cull failures.
What would you call the knpv lines of the Mal and durtvhie...or rather more correctly...herders...they can have 1/8 any other breed in them , per breed not total...a man who deals in very costly herders told me he figured 1/8 pit and 1/8 dane was the minimum of non mal/ dutchie in the best knpv dogs...he's been to Holland buying dogs and speaks German well...he also buys and sells 50k dogs so I figure he knows more about herders than I'll ever know and those were his fractions. But once the mixing was done they inbred like hell....tested hard...and I mean hard...and unmercfully culled any failure...the result is the modern police and military Mal. ...still not as immune to inbreeding depression as pits but compare to the gsd...it's night and day
...please note these full proof breeding dogs are not dogs most will want to live with...working line presas aren't so bad although they are still a world away from bullmastiffs and douges in ability to spontaneously spew forth chaos at undeniable times...but military grade mass and real game dogs..not petbulls...the difference is to enormous to convey in words...those two are HARD to keep except as they always have been ...the pit on a chain the Mal in a kennel....he'll the Canadians kept most presas on a meter chain ...which is exactly what it sounds like....truth...not politicaly correct but facts. Hounds men often keep there hounds all tethered till iyts hunting time all through the American south.
Imagine a farm keeping labs or terriers or Danes or English mastiff that way....it would be hellish....but to dogs bred that way it's home...
I know thats a major digression but in understanding this you will be able to see that the Cannariann kennels with there meter chains are not the same as a 101 Dalmatians on meter chains, because the tolerances of the dogs are different.
Let's try another one....when I first started breeding dogs I'd say I was a subsistence breeder....I couldn't afford to buy the dogs I needed to stop constant breaking when ever I left my home...so when I was able to breed a litter with some real mandogs in it I had to breed them to what ever u could find that would produce more of the same when I could...on average once every 3 to 5 years, when I could afford it ,or it was given to me. The majority of candidates were rescues...I didn't think of it that way ,but if I didn't take that damn biting trouble making dog it was going to be put down....nowadays I eople would be shure to fixed first to make sure no one else could ever profit from somthing they'd let go ...greedy bastards....so since I was breeding for myself, and giving my excess away or at most trading a pup for a sack of weed, I'd say I was a subsistence breeder...kinda like preservation breeders of ex gamedogs are subsistence breeders
OK let's try some more...
What about some one who's breeding for looks but doesn't show or care about papers...like Greg hermes or 80% of "pit" breeders and almost all bully breeders in my region of appalachia...? Idk what a good neutral term would be can yall chome in ...help me out...
Or what about the breeder who's huge on papers and pure breeding but can't tell you a thing about the dogs in the papers ....
Or what about what I evolved into...a man who tests by using the dogs for the job there bred for and breeds some time 3 litters a year and some years none at all , depending on who's geting old and needs to pass the seed and who is looking so fierce that I can pick and chose who gets a pup from them...I don't use the vet much or do hip test but my dogs free run the Appalachia wilderness with coywolf packs and bobcats and on one occasion Evan a shotgun weildingvgoatman...up and down steppe revines chasing deer and foxes and coons...think I have many cases of bad hips...I'd say I've had two ...one was culled by his littermate brother at 5 months, sadly just days before he was to be picked up to be pet homed, the other had flawless guardian temperament, he was bred once before he fell to his brother in a battle for dominance, I broke it up, but it was to lste...I loved that dog and I'm glad I have one daughter from him who seams to have his temperament and her mother's hips....bad hips rarely get to breed on this mountain.....what kinda bite do you think my dogs hsve...I didn't check detention until about4 or5 years back but most have perfect scissors and a few reverse scissors ...no underbites here...that's not cause I took them for tests it's cause they were bred to be biting dogs and that happens to be the detection that is best suited for the task at hand....I haven't to this time participated in any bite sports...though I'm feeling it's about time to try them out and I did buy a sleve last year to start trying to test them the safe way...for many years my policy was I breed no dog who has not layer fang to flesh on a man in anger, and no dog that quit from the fight that ensued save by being removed by others....by demanding that I got a good foundation of courageous temperament that I'm not shure I'd have gotten playing slave games...the men who were bites weren't saints they were to a one loud violent criminals, often armed and ussuly large....one was Evan firing an AR into my ceiling to scare my g and her friends cause I wasntvhome...one of my dogs removed a NY strip from his left asscheek right thru the jeans and all....the blood pool when I arrived home was impressive ...the pink having already been drug out by his friends....think I need to test at ipo to see if my dogs will bite? I dont...but I will have to figure somthing out as I no longer live that life and this last generation is the first I've ever bred without live bites...I'll have to set up a test for shure...I am not shure if it will be public or in house, or if I care enuff about fancy ob routines to compete, but yes a test is needed and if anyone wants to volunteer to decoy , I'm thankfull to them. So my dogs are proven or from proven stock, there health test is the rustic way there raised and that I don't usually breed them till say 4 yr or older, cause I like to watch and see what they have temperament wise and in mountain running and coyote fighting ability before I give the nod....but you will not find a lot of fancy titles and such nor any show trophy at my cabin...so am I " ethical" ? I'll put my dogs up in private completion with any of the dogmen I've known ...not always under the illusion of wining as I've known some very good dog men ...in a comp of just biting, and coming when cslled....no tracking...I don't got hounds.... no ob ...I don't got herders...just grip and shake till a piece comes off.....in my world my dogs are proven ...but I understand most folks nowadays are lies so if you don't belive what an old hillbilly says online I forgive ya. But if ya want a real man dog ...hit me up...if you raised like I tell ya and he won't amputate somthing of somebody draging you off at 3 yr I'll give ya two to replace him or your money and 50% more back....how's that for a guarentee...never had to pay up yet.
What about the breeder who sells his dogs for thousands and thousands of dollars...who has good solid dogs...maby Evan the kind that can win shows and bite holes...but he charges say 5 or6k a pup...placing them out of reach of those who arnt well off . What's a good neutral name for him.....
What about the breeder who doesn't got nothing but papers cause his dogs ain't shit but he still selksem for thousands cause papers....what should we call him......
Come on folks chime in....I need help....this should be a community effort....
And finally I'll do one last one myself
The budreax(sp?), Crenshaw, Lee Robinsons, Joe Lucero, Manuel Curto, Alonso xerach, Benjamin febeles, Manuel lesadema, Gabi Gallegos, the game keeper who bred Thornley wood terror and so on and so forth...I say we call them master breeders or maby just legends.
Here's to the legends, everyone's got to have somthing to aspire to....as breeders they should be that somthing.
For real though yall chime in and help make new labels...no more back yard breeder nonsinse( we letem do it in the living room like good freeky folk. Hell in the hills that's where we breed the dope hos as well haha)...no more puppy mill....he's got a lot of dogs on the yard...still ain't said if that's good or bad cause it's what he produces that tells that tell
.