I'm not an expert on anything really. But I am
educated enough to know what I Don't know.
Pure Bred Dogs are to be bred to the STANDARD
set forth by that breed's national club.
For Boxers, here is a link to the American Boxer Clubs Breed Standard
When Judging a dog in a dog show, Westminster comes to mind,
the judges don't judge one dog against another. They judge each dog as it meets the exact standard set forth by it's club.
This is how a Boxer and a Chihuahua can come to be competing against each other for
BEST IN SHOW.
They have already beat all the other dogs that were competing in their own breed category.
For Best in Show, they are judged only to the standard set forth and therefore, can come to be in the same ring together.
Of course, it's all political and people naturally gravitate to the dog breed they really like, but that's not my point for today.
Let's assume you want a Boxer dog, you want it from a puppy, and there aren't any puppies in your local Boxer Shelter. Where do you go? To a breeder, right? But breeders come in all shapes and sizes, so to speak. I found my breeders in North Carolina which, as most of you know, is quite a distance from Oklahoma. What on Earth would make me go that far to buy a dog? It's the quality of the breeder.
The reason for this blog today is to get some things off my feeble chest. Some guy on G+ asked a question on a dog community page that just crawled up my spine. 'Does anyone know if artificial insemination works? Cause I just inseminated my dog.' (I didn't use quotes, because I didn't quote him. His grammar and spelling were terrible). I had several problems with this question, not the least of which, was his spelling and grammar. And I'm not talking about typos or typing as if he was in a conversation with someone. If he's not interested enough to learn the English language and not interested enough to learn about artificial insemination BEFORE he does it; how does he think anyone will believe that he is interested enough in the breed to be a responsible breeder?
This is just another guy who breeds bully dogs for money. He's a backyard breeder. He says he loves the breed. Then what does he do with the Bitches he uses to breed, when they get to old? Does he dump them in the country somewhere? Does he keep them healthy? What are his dogs' living conditions? Does he show or train any of his dogs? Does he breed to the standard? Does he KNOW the standard? How many litters does he require from his females? Who does he sell to? Does he know the health history of the Sires? Or is he just looking at dogs and deciding to breed on how they look, not knowing anything else.
My breeders can tell you the health and temperament of each dog they use to breed. They don't breed often, only when they are wanting another dog to show. They can't show them all, so the sell the other pups. But they don't tell anyone they have pups. They don't post pictures. They will not sell to anyone they don't know. I had to be recommended to my breeder before he would even send me a picture. This is a guy who does love the breed.
That backyard breeder only likes the looks of the breed. A good responsible breeder can breed out heart disease, thyroid and kidney disease etc. They scientifically do this all the time while still maintaining the standard. They won't let any of their dogs go to a home they don't know and trust. They love the breed. Period. And they do things with their dogs. They travel with them and go to shows and compare what they are doing with other responsible breeders. They are members of the American Boxer Club and other local Boxer Clubs. They are informed and in touch.
The puppy mills and back yard breeders don't care about the breed even if they say they do. They do not do things to enjoy the breed. They are in it for the money. They don't care who they sell to and that is a major problem for many shelters across the nation. Much of their effort ends in animal abuse and cruelty. I beg you. If you want a dog and can't find one to adopt from a shelter, make sure you are buying from a responsible breeder who loves the breed and wants only the continuation of a perfected Boxer. And if you are thinking of breeding, please think again. Don't mess around with something you don't know enough about.
2 comments:
At the moment all five of our dogs are rescues. But, if we ever get another Shetland Sheepdog, I would have no problem going to a breeder. However, if I cannot meet the parents, see health records of the line, and see the environment where the dogs are kept, it would be no deal. And I would only go to a breeder that only bred one breed of dog. We did that with our first Sheltie and had a wonderful dog for many years.
Responsible breeders serve a very important purpose. Without them, we would not have the breeds we love so dearly. It sounds like you know how to check out the breeder you use. I love my breeders and trust that they know exactly what they are doing to perpetuate the Boxer breed. That is the only dog they breed and I emphasize that they do not sell over the internet, nor do they even post pictures of puppies on their website. I am required to check in with them on a regular basis so that they can keep track of any health issues that might arise. They also like to keep up with what their pups are doing as they grow up to make sure they have good homes.
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