Responsible Breeding

cotts135 · Dec 10, 2008

Lately been thinking alot about how to let people know what responsible breeding is all about. At least in my area it is unbelievable to me how many people have no idea how indiscriminate breeding is affecting their dogs. The only people I have been talking to are lab owners who are hunters and are member of various hunting clubs. These people are not dumb just uneducated and I was just kind of thinking how could I or others interested, go about telling what they really need to know so we can improve our treasured hunting companions.
What I have come up with is to put together a Power point presentation to show to owners why they should be concerned about the breeding of their sport dogs. It might just be a 15 minute presentation maybe given at say a Ducks Unlimited meeting or maybe advertised and given at a Gander Mountain. Anyplace with an interested audience would do.
I would like to get peoples ideas about this with suggestions or any other pertinent info that might make something like this work. This might have already been done and I am not aware of it but if it hasn't I am sure It won't hurt anything. I don't confess to be an expert on breeding and would ask the forum for ideas to put together and effective presentation.
Please feel free to leave any comments in my inbox if you would like.

Fowl Play WA · Dec 10, 2008

Healthy dogs that have had their appropriate health clearances.

Dogs that can do what they were originally designed to do.

Dogs that actually look like the breed they're supposed to be.

9199cope · Dec 10, 2008

I feel that I'm one of those people you are talking about. I just allowed my male to breed a female that is a friend of a friend. I should have asked question first before, but I didn't, I found out that the female didn't have papers. Everybody kept telling me that she is a great dog and that she can do everything. She may be a great dog I'm sure that she is and they my throw some great pups but I should have asked some more question first.

Bob Gutermuth · Dec 10, 2008

Some bad reasons to breed: We want the kids to see the miracle of birth, She/He is a great hunting dog, no titles but a good dog and we want a pup out of him/her. I can make a few bucks.

frontier · Dec 10, 2008

http://www.ecsca.org/basicbreed.html

Montview · Dec 10, 2008

I think that is a great idea. However, for those folks that this is probably geared toward, it seems like it may be worth-while showing examples of what happens when you don't do health clearances and whatnot (I'm guessing that is what you mean by "indiscriminate"?). Your vet may be able to get you copies of some radiographs/x-rays showing some of the more severe cases of elbow dysplasia or hip dysplasia, and you may be able to include some links in the presentation to the videos of puppies with EIC or CNM, etc. Something that is TANGIBLE evidence of why you wouldn't want to be putting puppies out there whose parents have no health clearances.

cotts135 · Dec 10, 2008

Great advice so far. Keep them coming.

whelchel · Dec 10, 2008

Bob Gutermuth said:
Some bad reasons to breed: We want the kids to see the miracle of birth, She/He is a great hunting dog, no titles but a good dog and we want a pup out of him/her. I can make a few bucks.

How do you equate titles with a responsible breeding, but not a great hunting dog/good dog? Not every great dog ended up in the right trainers hands. Not every great dog came from titled dogs either. I believe in the odds of playing the pedigree chances, but I'm not an eliteist about it. If Super Tanker and Lottie ended up with a guy like myself, who hunted but didn't campaign them, I guess it would be irresponsible to consider them good breeding stock.

john fallon · Dec 11, 2008

cotts135 said:
Lately been thinking alot about how to let people know what responsible breeding is all about. At least in my area it is unbelievable to me how many people have no idea how indiscriminate breeding is affecting their dogs. The only people I have been talking to are lab owners who are hunters and are member of various hunting clubs. These people are not dumb just uneducated and I was just kind of thinking how could I or others interested, go about telling what they really need to know so we can improve our treasured hunting companions.
What I have come up with is to put together a Power point presentation to show to owners why they should be concerned about the breeding of their sport dogs. It might just be a 15 minute presentation maybe given at say a Ducks Unlimited meeting or maybe advertised and given at a Gander Mountain. Anyplace with an interested audience would do.
I would like to get peoples ideas about this with suggestions or any other pertinent info that might make something like this work. This might have already been done and I am not aware of it but if it hasn't I am sure It won't hurt anything. I don't confess to be an expert on breeding and would ask the forum for ideas to put together and effective presentation.
Please feel free to leave any comments in my inbox if you would like.

Were I a breeder, before I would give much thought to or put much stock in your presentation I would want to know something about you. Your credentials so to speak. So have at it . Who are you and how did you become what you are as it relates to retriever breeding.

As a interested reader I have the same concerns.

So if you will, after you have introduced yourself, what is your position on the favorite sire problems such as canine bottle-necking and its associated shortcomings. And.. in your estimation do the benefits outweigh the risks?

Thank you so much for your time

john

cotts135 · Dec 11, 2008

john fallon said:
Were I a breeder, before I would give much thought to or put much stock in your presentation I would want to know something about you. Your credentials so to speak. So have at it . Who are you and how did you become what you are as it relates to retriever breeding.

As a interested reader I have the same concerns.

So if you will, after you have introduced yourself, what is your position on the favorite sire problems such as canine bottle-necking and its associated shortcomings. And.. in your estimation do the benefits outweigh the risks?

Thank you so much for your time

john

Thanks for your input. Your statement about credentials is well taken and important. As I said in my first post I don't profess to know a whole lot about breeding, however I am concerned about the general lack of knowledge about the basics. At least in my area alot of people are are unaware of even having a dog x-rayed for hip displasia. Most have never heard of OFA , CERF oh thats something you do in water. I think these basic things should be known not just to breeders but to buyers also.
I would certainly run it by someone with alot more knowledge than myself so as not to disseminate bad info. It would to anyone who would want it. Just trying to keep it simple. thanks

windycanyon · Dec 11, 2008

Really good idea! Your local kennel club Education or breeder referral person would likely be of great help if you need someone to speak w/ more experience. We have a list that we came up w/ a few years ago to help folks find responsible breeders (or become one if they so desired to breed!). We run ads in the classifieds a few times a year.... the other day I got a call asking if I had puppies for sale or what because she didn't understand the ad in the paper.... It reads:

"Before You Buy or Breed, http://groups.msn.com/yakimavalleykennelclub or (phone number)"

She insisted she didn't understand. The blog site has ~10 tips about responsible breeders and lists members w/ breed club and/or personal website links. What part of that is so difficult to understand, you may ask? I've come to the conclusion we aren't dealing w/ the brightest bulbs in society......

Ends up she was looking for a stud for her SharPei as she THOUGHT it was coming into heat but now maybe it's not.... She hung up on me after it finally sunk in that it was an "Educational" ad. LOL!

Good luck.

Responsible Breeding

cotts135

Fowl Play WA

9199cope

Bob Gutermuth

frontier

Montview

cotts135

whelchel

john fallon

cotts135

windycanyon

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