Back Yard Breeder

[Chantal]

What exactly does everyone on this board consider a "back yard breeder"? What makes them this?? Just curious

[Wookie'sMom]

To me a back yard breeder is someone who breeds dogs without:
1) Certifying that they are a good representitive of the breed through showing.

2) All valid health certifications on both parents (the actual tests that need to be done varies from breed to breed).

3) General knowledge of the breed aquired from time spent just learning with a mentor breeder.

4) Checking into potential homes and selling on a spay/neuter contract for pet quality dogs. (Basically no litter is ALL show quality so there will be pet quality dogs even from the best breeder).

I'm sure I've forgotten somthing, but that's a good place to start. I think that there is a sticky in the Breeding section about what a good breeder is. If someone isn't a good breeder, they're a BYB.

[mook]

I agree all accept the first 'cause you can be a great show dog not that great a temperment for a Rottweiler. They could just be agood lookin' dog and have the temperment everyone dreams of having in a rottweiler. Like for TDI but never steps foot in a showring b/c the owner doesn't like the politics. Just a thought.

[rotts and roses]

When I first came to this site, some people probably considered me a BYB. I had an accidental litter because I was careless and allowed my bitch to get pregnant without taking the proper precautions to keep her locked up.But I digress..

In my opinion a back yard breeder is someone who haphazardly yet intentionally throws a male and female together for profit, They churn out puppies with every heat the bitch has and sells them to the poor saps that do not know any better, with no regard to health or temperament, no contract to spay/neuter and they really don't care what kind of people are buying their dogs or how they will be treated.
A puppy mill is basically the same thing, but on a much larger scale.

[Birdie'sMom]

But - a BYB doesn't have to be someone who continually breeds their bitch. It could be the people who think that their bitch will not feel "fulfilled" or whatever excuse they come up with, unless she has at least one litter. Or the people who think that it would be great for their children to experience the miracle of birth by watching "Fluffy" have her puppies. Or the ones who think that their dog is just so darned cute or smart that they would be doing the breed a favor by breeding them! :(

[Chantal]

wookies mom - so are you saying that they must be show dogs in order to even be considered for breeding?
Also, what about these big kennels that advertise in the magazines? i personally would rather buy my dog from a loving home rather than from a kennel that puts out tons of puppies

[Wookie'sMom]

Well not nesecarily a show dog...I must amend my earlier statement. They need to prove in some way that they are worthy of breeding. This can be a CH or a working title, but conformation should at some point in time be evaluated by a unbiased expert, which the show ring is basially designed for, as far as I can tell. If you're breeding a dog that doesn't meet the breed standard of what a Rottweiler is, you might as well not be breeding because you aren't bettering the breed.

I would never buy a dog from either a "big kennel" OR an ad in a magazine or paper. As far as I know ads are just a way that BYB and commercial breeders (AKA puppy mills) use to sell their dogs and no responsible breeder would advertise in this way. "Big kennels" to me are just puppy mills, how many of the dogs actually have CHs or any other title for that matter? And how many of them just have "champions in their lines"? How much individual interaction do the dogs in "big kennels" get? How well do they live? Personally, I don't want to be responsible for a dog living in a cage for its entire life pumping out puppies. I would much rather get a dog from a breeder that actually cares about their dogs and so would raise a puppy to be the best dog possible with plenty of socialization and basic care. But then again I will probably never get a dog from a breeder, there are enough out there that need rescuing that I don't feel it's nesecary to go looking for a puppy to be bred for me (many responsible breeders don't breed until they have reservations for any possible pups).

[Birdie'sMom]

Originally posted by Chantal
i personally would rather buy my dog from a loving home rather than from a kennel that puts out tons of puppies

You can buy a rottweiler puppy from an ethical breeder that is not a "big kennel." Actually, most ethical breeders don't have big kennels and they are loving families and will know a lot more then your run of the mill family that wanted to breed their cute dog!

[Chantal]

my first female that we bought i got out of an ad in the paper. she only had a few left. she owned both the mother and father and both were in very good health and had very good dispostions. the male was a bit protective, but warmed up quickly. that was her first litter. she bred them again a year later and we bought another female from them. went to see them at 3 weeks old and got to hold them. the breeder kept a pup from the 2nd litter, and that was going to be her last. my sister in law also bought one from her second litter. All the dogs are friendly, well behaved pets. i'm not sure wether she would be considered a BYB or not, but I don't have any complaints. how then are people suppose to find breeders, if they don't advertise? by going to dog shows? i love to watch those dog shows, but i always wonder if those dogs ever get to have any fun, and just be normal dogs, they kind of remind of kids who are put on stage and made to prance around.

[Judi W]

I agree with Birdie's Mom. There are many a backyard breeder who are not doing it for the money. Many love their dog to bits and want to make more just like her and they've had friends or relatives who have expressed an interest in owning one also. They can be very well-intentioned but not knowlegeable. The unfortunate thing is that the health issues that have been riding in the background all too often inundate the litter and people who wanted a nice family dog have one with expensive health issues or one that might not even live to see adulthood. This is heartbreaking. I have many of these pups who end up in my obedience classes. They are often very sweet dogs but ones who make me almost cry when I watch them walk let alone try to do anything athletic. The prognosis is that they will end up being on medication at too young an age and spend uncomfortable lives and are mourned much too soon. Chantal, you were fortunate and the exception to the rule as by purchasing a dog from someone who just bred because they had one of each sex on hand it is pure luck to get a healthy and sound dog.

There are many BYB's who are kind hearted but a kind heart does not make up for ignorance. They are not limited to those who breed every year or who own a pile of dogs.

Also, I would certainly disabuse those who believe that because a dog is shown it is not first and foremost a companion. Those dogs who are fortunate enough to also work in any performance area are the happiest and I would not hesitate to say much happier than those who lie at home and snack. This is a breed with an excellent mind and that mind and wonderful versatility should not be wasted.

[TrishB]

A BYB:

- hasn't proven that their dog is a good example of the breed by either conformation or seiger shows (both parents)

- hasn't attained temperament titles on the dogs (both parents)

- hasn't attained working titles on the dogs (both parents)

- hasn't attained health certificates for eyes, heart, hips, elbows (both parents)

- has NO plan in place to take the puppies back if the home doesn't work out *HUGE ISSUE

- has no guarantee (that they intend to uphold)

- has no means of supporting the puppy owners if they have problems

- has no idea of what a "Code of Ethics" is

- doesn't participate in breed events of any kind

- is not a member of any breed or kennel clubs

- don't work their dogs in the venue for which they were bred / have knowledge of it

You get the idea.....

[Scott Fishfader]

Trish,
Looking at your breeding requierments
I doubt if there are more than a dozen
Rottweiler owners in this Rottweiler .net
forums who have dogs that meet your requierments.

[TrishB]

Originally posted by Scott Fishfader
Trish,
Looking at your breeding requierments
I doubt if there are more than a dozen
Rottweiler owners in this Rottweiler .net
forums who have dogs that meet your requierments.

Well, my pups breeder meets them. The breeders I had arranged before that did too. The breeders of the sires did too. In fact - of the breeders I know personally, they ALL do. A few of them are on this board!

The ones I don't know personally, that are on this board? MANY come to mind that meet and exceed those requirements on a daily basis. :D

They're easy enough to find, if you truly WANT to find them. Go to a show, pick up a Dogs In Canada, surf the internet, join a breed club, join your national club, etc.

[rottcrazed]

I'm with you Trish. I intend to be a breeder like that .... one day. I have bought my dogs from breeders like what you have specified as well.

It's all about caring about the breed. My little bitch is a great example of the breed, but she is no 'show stopper'. She will finish her Ch. in 2004 and onto obedience and agility and health clearances. I hope to see her produce better than herself, which should be the goal in every breeding.

I think that if more people raised the bar as far as what they are breeding and what they are breeding to, this breed and every breed for that matter, would be far better off.

Kristi

[Scott Fishfader]

Trish,
Are telling me your pups are from a Kor- Liest Breeding? Both Parents have their
Korung or advance breed test both parents are are muti Champions?
Both parents have SchH III AD & FH and have qualified and competed in the Rottweiler working Championships? Including the grandparents ? Are the parents and all the grandparents HD- or ED- ( OFA & Elbows Cert? Do all the littermates have the Breed Tests & Working Titles and have OFA & Elbows Certs? If so I am impressed !