Hobby Breeders vs Reputable Breeders?

All these made up terms really don't work.

The reality is that most reputable breeders consider themselves hobby breeders.

Think about it, dogs are their hobby - therefore they show them and do all the things reputable breeders do because that's what they enjoy doing in their free time. They complete in field trials or agility trials or herding trials because.... it's their HOBBY.

All hobby really means is that it's not their full time job - they do it because they like it rather than as a primary income. That's true of the vast majority of good breeders out there. Only a few make up the "professional" ranks. That delineation alone does not determine the quality of their dogs.

All these classifications and labels get a little out of hand. I research the breeders breeding philosophy and base my decision by how much I support their practices. Simple as that.

I would buy from a hobby breeder, and, from the description that you have given, I have.

My breeding Mentors are a couple that lives about 45 minutes away from where I live. They have 3 bitches, though they are planning on getting a ***** from Germany this summer- the Vom Hause Wagner line. They have one dog(male), too, and currently are raising a litter of 10 great dane puppies. That's the thing- they are good reputable breeders, they could only be better if I could only convince them to take their dogs to the show. They get all of the needed health testing done (don't ask me, I'm only 13 so I don't know) and next week they are taking about 4 of their co-owned dogs to the vet for hip dypsplasia testing.

On the other hand, all but one of their "pack" of great danes come from Poland, France, or Germany and have champion grandparents and parents. These dogs are very beautiful and sturdy and muscular. They are the most beautiful body shape and an awsome steel blue with no white- but their body forms are quite a bit different than american danes. So, they would most likely not place well in an American show; they would have to go to another country to get the places they deserved, and of course that will not matter to the AKC. So look at it anyway you want, but here is my opinion; some breeders may be very responsible but not as well known because they do not show their dogs. These dogs may not do well in Amercian shows, but it does not change the "hobby breeders" quality of dogs.

Many of the show breeders I know would call themselves "Hobby Breeders" - But as there is no official term, and it is the individuals interpretation then the mere name "Hobby Breeder" is not in itself either reputable or disreputable.

As your definition of a Hobby Breeder is someone who does all health screening but does not show, then providing they had the lines and all genetic testing in place that I would require, I would be happy to buy a puppy from them.

A show title does not guarantee that the puppies will become show champions, although that is not my main criterior for owning a dog anyway. My main criterior would be the correct breed type, in appearance, temperament, working ability, "Fit for Pupose" and HEALTHY. i.e. an all-round dog that fits the breed.

I repeat, I would only buy from ANYONE, whether they show, work or not, IF I knew the lines and they produced what I was looking for.

In the UK, only a VERY small percentage of dogs gain a Show title or Working title, show classes are much larger, in my breed around 300 dogs entered per show, and some of the dogs producing the top Show or Working offspring have not themselves been champions. To title a show dog, in the UK, a dog has to also beat dogs that are already Champions/multi-titled.

In showing, perhaps a better gauge of quality is if a dog gain a Stud Book entry, which it has to be by gaining top places or awards, other than Show Champion Titles.

There are good and bad in all spheres of dog breeding, that includes Show Breeders and Working Dog Breeders. When involved in a sport or hobby you get to know these and avoid them.

I would probably prefer to buy from the dedicated "Hobby Breeder" than a Show Breeder who churns out hundreds of puppies a year just to get a better show prospect.

I would simply NEVER buy from someone who did not health screen or randomly bred to the dog down the road, without knowing anything about the lines. I would NEVER buy anything from a puppy store or puppy mill/farm.

I consider myself a hobby breeder. (the IRS does too!)

I dabble in showing, but it isn't my occupation. I only *use* showing, to affirm that I am on the right track..so that I don't become "kennel blind" as happens to so many breeders. .I also enjoy it as a fun sport. I rarely produce a pup that wouldn't show well, and they all can lurecourse successfully..

I am passionate about my breed, and would never do anything but enhance it. My breed has such a small genepool, that it is a great responsibility to breed right, and not to take it casually. There were only 820 of my breed whelped in 2008. If at least a few of us don't breed, there will be no more of these magnificent hounds. (I actually feel guilty that my last litter was 5 years ago.) My hounds are good ambassadors for the breed, and my pups are sent away, being house-mannered, and ready for a good start.

I study, study, and study some more..pedigrees, so I can make informed choices.

I stand behind my pups 100%...( If an owner can even think about parting with the dog or pup, I want it back, for a full refund..no matter what the reason or age of the dog)

I carefully screen prospective buyers, and make many demands.

However, I don't make my living off my dogs, but only hope that they cover some of their own expenses.

IRS says that makes me a *hobby breeder*. But, I am also a *reputable* breeder.

I was the regional rescue for my breed for several years. I am a member of the breed club and the regional kennel club.

I work just as hard to help shelter dogs..I have trained or rehabbed and placed hundreds of them.

Added:

Most of the hobby breeders I know, produce a very special litter every three or four years, when they want another dog to show. They always have a long waiting list for the rest of the litter.

I see that many here don't understand what a *hobby breeder* really is. Here is a good summary:

http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/comparison.html

My definition of a hobby breeder IS a reputable breeder. Hobby = reputable, Backyard = NOT reputable. No "in-betweens." What you've described is a backyard breeder. Sure their dogs might be healthy, but if they don't show in conformation, don't participate in ANY kinds of events, then how do they know that their dogs are good examples of the breed? What makes them *worthy* of breeding if they're not contributing to anything?

It really depends on what we mean by Hobby Breeders.

I might be wrong, but I picture a "Hobby Breeder" as someone who owns seven dogs in a smelly apartment, breeds dogs with no breeding quality, b*tches under two years of age and more than once a year, doesn't care about genetics and breed standard - "it's only a hobby!!!" That also tells us something about the knowledge of this person in what comes to dogs. To me, a GOOD breeder is one hundred and ten per cent interested on the dogs, shows and takes breeding as seriously as breathing.

I agree with Good Riddance to Bad Rubbish's definition of a "hobby breeder", although I don't think it is a terrible thing if someone makes money off of their hobby, so long as they don't cut corners or inflate their prices to do so.

A hobby breeder is a reputable breeder who does it as a hobby. That is they have a much smaller breeding program. They still work/show their dogs and does all of the appropriate testing. Most reputable breeders are hobby breeders.

I also feel that anyone not breeding for a reason is a BYB and I would avoid them out of principle. While the type of BYB who does testing, even offer contracts, etc, aren't as bad, there is still no reason to be producing dogs unless they have a purpose.

Part of this had to do with the fact that my breed is a working breed. The very thing that makes the breed great is directly related to its working ability. I don't want a GSD with "pet" personality. I want all the energy, intelligence and challenge of the working dog.

So yes, I would buy from a hobby breeders, no I would not buy from the type you are describing.

I prefer an animal from a breeder that shows. I would not support a hobby breeder simply because I want actual proof that I'm spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on a pet that is more than simply pet quality. I want to see that you are indeed breeding for the betterment and love of the breed. Winning shows proves this for me.

If a breeder does not compete or work with their dog in any way, then how can they possibly evaluate the success of their breeding programme?

(The only exception I can think of is with those breeders trying to breed out a certain prevalent genetic defect from a breed. There, the evaluation comes from health testing as opposed to the show ring or performance.)

If they cannot evaluate the success of their breeding programme, then they are not producing anything better than what is available in any rescue.

The hypothetical hobby breeder you describe is one I wouldn't touch with a bargepole. One of the better BYBs, but a BYB nonetheless.

Some hobby breeders produce good dogs. But these are usually older people who ran larger established breeding programs and as time and age constraints took hold, they downsized to a few dogs. These people have established their own bloodline, and know their dogs well. These people I have, and will again buy from. But the average American "hobbyist" is somebody who thinks they have 3 or 4 good show dogs and pop off puppies...

I would and have gotten puppies from hobby breeders. Most I know show their dogs in conformation and performance. To me hobby breeders are quite similar to what I would call a reputable breeder.