Hold on to your seats folks.
I am what is called a breeder! gasp!!

You know I am so sick of the way some people throw this term around and treat you like you are the scum of the earth. I recently listed one of my Shih-Tzu's on Creigslist I was giving away to a good home. My post was flagged and removed 5 times in a single day and I received many comments about how I was a "Breeder"...GASP!! I have bred and raised Shih-Tzu's for more than 10 years and I'm damn proud of it! My dogs are well cared for and AKC registered. I only have 3 females and 2 males as I don't feel I could take care of more than that.

Yet many people don't know the difference between a breeder and a puppy mill. A breeder is not in it just for a fast buck. He cares about his animals and about the quality of his breed. He does not sell to people who he thinks won't take care of his pups or won't make a good match for the breed. I turn many people away who want one of my pups. I usually base my decision on the questions they ask me. Ask me about breeding and you'll leave without your pup.

Now I know there are many people out there who have no problem with breeding a dog to death and don't care about the dog, Only about the dollar. Well guess what, If you take care of your dogs there ain't that much money in breeding. I figure over the last 10 years I've made around $12,000. That sure ain't much for all the time and effort it takes to raise them. I breed because the wife loves dogs and I enjoy the breed.

So before everyone wants to hang somebody and use that dirty word "BREEDER" GASP!! Do a little home work and see if the person really cares about their animals. First and foremost have a look at where the dogs are kept. It should be clean and sanitary. No piles of poo everywhere. They should not be Flea infested. They should have fresh food and water with good sturdy shelter. And in the case of Shih-Tzu's heat and air conditioning. And a GOOD breeder will ask you lots of questions. It should feel like you are trying to adopt a child. They should be grilling you to see if you really are worthy of the pup you want. If the breeder doesn't ask questions then walk away!

Yes I am a "BREEDER" and damn proud of it!!!

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Proud Supporter Of: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Gun carrying, Pro-choice Blue Dog Democrat and damn proud of it!

YEAH! Thanks for standing up and tellin it like it is~ I get so SICK of people looking down their noses at me because I breed AKC/UKC miniature schnauzers (specializing in BLACK, and TRUE black is difficult to get!) I have spent the last 20 years living with, loving and enjoying Mini's. I have only been breeding for about 8 years now.

I currently have the #1 miniature schnauzer in the United States. I grill people like no tomorrow, and YES I have had people in my home with cash money in their hands and have refused to sell them a dog. ALL my pups sold as pets are on a spay/neuter contract and I enforce it.

I do let people purchase pups with open registration for show purposes or to breed but I have special contract that they must sign and I DO hold them to it!

Your right, there isnt much money in being a breeder you really gotta love the breed and be willing to do ALL THE WORK involved~ I figured it out once and on a litter of pups I made 34 CENTS per hour!

My adult dogs cost a FORTUNE, you pay for great bloodlines and if you dont have great bloodlines there is NO point in breeding, period. I put in HOURS and HOURS of research on dogs before I ever purchased them, to see if their bloodline would enhance mine or was even worth adding.

THere is TONS of work that goes into these dogs for sure. You can tell someone who only does this for the money, their dogs are not well socialized, have crappy living conditions etc. MY ENTIRE house is set up for and about my dogs.........to heck with the humans. They have an entire ROOM to themselves, for sleeping,eatting and when they have puppies and this isnt a huge house. They are all leash trained, have gone to obedience classes, go to the vet at least twice a year have the entire back yard to run and play which is double fenced.....the list goes on and on and on.

There is a difference between an ETHICAL breeder a breeder and an idiot...thats what I call peopel who make "desiger breeds" or who breed whatever just to make a buck.

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We gotta start at the TOP, wipe the slate clean and take OUR country BACK!
LuvMyHubby
Proud mom of an Army Man
Wife of a trucker

Sadly the term "Breeder" has become associated with god awful people just out to make a buck. People purchase dogs all the time and do no research at all. Then they complain that they got ripped off. This could easily be avoided just by doing a little research.
Here's a few tips you should look for before you decide to buy a pup.


1. Don't buy a pup because you think it's cute. Most pups are cute but may not be what you want when it gets older.


2. NEVER buy a pup from a Flea market or street seller. How many times have you pulled into Walmart's parking lot and seen people selling puppies? You have no idea where these pups came from or what health they are in.


3. Don't be that impressed just because the pup is AKC registered. The American Kennel Club ain't what it used to be.


4. Always request to see the Dam and Sire (mother & father) as a good breeder will always be willing to show these.


5. Do lots of reasearch before you buy a pup on the Internet and make sure you are getting the same pup as they told you. ask for lots of paper work.


6. Just because a pup "looks" healthy dosen't mean it is. Have it checked out by a Vet.

Luvmyhubby feel free to add to the list.

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Proud Supporter Of: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Gun carrying, Pro-choice Blue Dog Democrat and damn proud of it!

OOPPSS, sorry gotta disagree with #5...I have both bought and sold pups/dogs over the internet. There is a safe way to do it such as asking for references, asking for pictures that include a note with the date taken so you can see it clearly and KNOW it is recent, asking for refereces, and of course checking with their vet and checking OUT their vet. Also IF you have a friend/relative or other dog person that lives close by that you trust they can go check the pup/dog out for you...and check with the sellers LOCAL better business organization.

AS for the picture: if the seller can not take and send you the picture within 1 hour be WARNED. There is a reason, they have to clean it up or the parents, they are working and nobody is home with the dogs/puppies or they have to clean up an area suitable to take the picture...NOT good signs.

__________________
We gotta start at the TOP, wipe the slate clean and take OUR country BACK!
LuvMyHubby
Proud mom of an Army Man
Wife of a trucker

Always inquire about the return policy if the pup/dog does not get a CLEAN bill of health from YOUR vet within 24 hours of bringing it home. GET all gurantees in WRITING and SIGNED by the seller.

Remember if the seller is NOT concered about you and the home you are going to provide the new family member you are better off to just walk away. I know people get annoyed with my questions but they are taking a part of my heart home with them. I would rather keep a puppy for 15 years than let one go to a home that was even the least bit questionable.

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We gotta start at the TOP, wipe the slate clean and take OUR country BACK!
LuvMyHubby
Proud mom of an Army Man
Wife of a trucker

That makes sense to me.
It surely would be a better way to go about it if you choose this method.

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Proud Supporter Of: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Gun carrying, Pro-choice Blue Dog Democrat and damn proud of it!

Thought I would "jump-in" here at this point.
While there seems to be a lot of animosity toward "breeders" today, most people haven't learned to differentiate between RESPONSIBLE breeders and "MILL" breeders.
As an avid member of the "RESCUE" community, I often find myself at odds with other members just for this reason.
RESPONSIBLE breeders (IMNSHO) are those who perpetuate the "breed" in a responsible manner, their offspring "numbers" are limited to only one (perhaps two) litters per biotch per year and limiting the number of litters each biotch can produce before "retirement". They also treat their breeding dogs as members of their family; keeping them in the house and not in "stacked" crates out in the barn, like many "mills" do.
Their "breeding" is out of their desire to perpetuate and improve the breed.

Not so with "mill" breeders, whose only objective is to make cash and could care less about the health of the breed, or even the individual dogs.

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Date stamps do not mean any thing. On the camera it can be changed and there is software that will easily change the date.

Since March of this yr I've taken close to 20,000 pics in my line of work. They all have to be date stamped................. and dates can easily be manipulated. Very easy.

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Smurf:Hence the reason I said to ask for a note to placed IN the picture with the puppy or adult dog even a recent newspaper is a better indicator, I NEVER accept the date stamp on a photo.

__________________
We gotta start at the TOP, wipe the slate clean and take OUR country BACK!
LuvMyHubby
Proud mom of an Army Man
Wife of a trucker

Duhhhhh I missed that.

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