Why does everyone hate dog breeders? And are their arguments legit?

People hate dog breeders because back in the day big breeders were making a lot of money selling their AKC reg dogs. Now that you can find almost any dog breed for so much cheaper, it has got in to the pockets of the big breeders so they come up with all kinds of stuff to say. They have turned to inner breeding so much that most of those dogs have health problems. My dogs are not even registered and I have sold to 2 police officers so far. Now I don't think mutt breeding or the breeding of these millions of Chihuahuas or pits are ok as most of them end up in shelters.

Breeding if it's done the right way isn't bad- its the people who let their dog get knocked up unwillingly. or that have a puppy mill(back yard breeders) that only care about dollar signs- That's the problem with breeding. And thats the problem with why their are so many dogs in a shelter, which is why alot of people are against breeding. Someone taking their dog with no genetic/health testing and wants to breed it to the mutt down the street because they would make adorable puppies is not a good breeder. Just saying! Purebred show/working dogs are fine as long as the breeder practices good breeding and has healthy stock- A reputable breeder wont let any of there puppies, including past litters go to a shelter.

Aside from the AR PETA nut jobs, most rational people do not "hate" dog breeders. Reputable ones that is.

A breeder that has a clear and concise goal in mind (ie the betterment of the breed), has taken the time to research not only the breed standard, but the concepts of breeding and the potential issues that may arise.

A good breeder will have homes for the dogs well in advance of whelping, and will absolutely take back any of the puppies at any stage in life if the new owners for whatever reason can no longer care for them.

The issues arise when people pump out puppies for the purposes of monetary gain, or to "teach children the miracle of life" or other such nonsense. Someone who puts little to no thought into breeding beyond "they would make cute puppies." These untested, un-registerable, and wholly undesirable puppies all too often end up in the shelter system to be euthanized. At least, far more often than those from reputable breeders.

Not every breeder is bad. People who show their dogs, or use their preferred breeds as competitive dogs, or working dogs, tend to be responsible breeders who breed for quality, and don't just let their dogs go to anyone. Back yard breeders are bad because they don't really take mind of the gene pool, and are doing it for money, or just because "they want to experience puppies." And then there are puppy mills... Massive breeders who breed hundreds of dogs at a time and care little for their care... So not everyone hates every breeder, just the bad ones.

And to your updated questions(edit): Yes you can make money as a BYB, but generally speaking the puppies are of lesser quality and sometimes even mixed. No genetics are never 100% but dogs that are show/work dogs tend to have better genetics because the people breeding them are attempting to keep up the breed standard, rather than just breeding for fun or profit. "pet quality" dogs aren't retard dogs or anything. There is just something in their physical state that doesn't warrant them being show quality. This could be anything from a slightly duck-footed stance, odd colored eyes, to a slightly flopped over ear. Only the best get to be show and work dogs. And those in the litter that aren't the best are still very sound dogs, they just can't be showed for whatever reason. They're still more likely to be better than a BYB or puppy mill dog. And show/working breeders get to charge more for their dogs because they spent a lot of time selectively breeding near perfect traits. Also, I find, that show/working breeders are hesitant to let their pups go to none show/working homes and prices can be a deterring factor. Are you going to abuse/neglect a $1,200-$3,000 dog? Probably not... That would be a huge hole in your wallet to waste on being a bad or irresponsible owner. Also, "pet quality" pups are fixed so they can not pass on their genes. Once again show/work quality breeders only want the best of the breed standard to breed.

I think that there are way way more backyard breeders, or bad breeders than the real responsible ones out there and that is the problem. There are MILLIONS of dogs dying horrible deaths in shelters every year and since I do rescue I see all the purebreds murdered. There are also tons and tons of puppies murdered each year. That is the sad and tragic part. That there are millions and millions of backyard breeders that contribute to the murder of millions of dogs each year. The hate is because of that. There is only a small percentage of real breeders. Those are the people who have their dogs genetically tested, maybe have a litter or two a year, they also help in breed rescues, they breed to keep the breed sound, healthy and true. Those breeding for money, fun, and breeding dogs that are not tested are not real responsible breeders. I do rescue and I have several breeders who are friends and help. They will actually save several dogs of their breed a year from kill shelters. They give back and they breed responsibly. But the rest of them are part of the problem and that equals the hate.

We just hate loser low class money hungry BACKYARD breeders that don't care about the quality of puppies they put out or what they do by removing the pups from their mothers too early. Now I have no problem with responsible breeders that actually care about the pups and the mother and strive to sell quality puppies that have few if any genetic defects as they make sure the parents have been tested for genetic problems that can appear in the puppies. Its people that think that their mutt is the best thing ever and just HAVE to breed them without knowing if they can even sell the pups and end up having to take the litter to the pound only to be put to sleep later that we have issues with.

Do you mean, why do people dislike *backyard* breeders? Well, because REAL breeders work very hard and devote their LIVES to what they do. They invest years-decades, thousands upon thousands of dollars, metaphorical and probably literal buckets of blood sweat and tears into showing their dogs, testing their dogs, researching and studying, learning from other breeders, and carefully selecting their breeding stock. Then some random person finds a puppy on the street and says "Hey, my mutt is pretty, I'm going to breed her!" and tries to call himself/herself a breeder with no regard to the potential health issues the dam could face and the puppies could be born with and no forethought about what will most likely happen to the mongrel puppies. It's insulting, and having all these garbage pet-quality puppies constantly being churned out by ignorant greedy nobodies undermines all the hard work breeders do to produce the best puppies they can.

There's nothing wrong with wanting to breed. But if you're going to you should do it right. Don't breed dogs if you don't know what you're doing! It's dangerous to the dam's health and to the health and safety of her potential litter. Also, breeding without proper education and planning will only land all the puppies in the shelter and for that you might as well not breed at all.

ADD:

"hypothetically you buy from a "good" breeder in Ohio and then from a "good" breeder in Arizona, would you say that there is a good chance if you breed those two great dogs together you might avoid the bad breeder lable"

It is *very rare* that reputable breeders will sell show quality dogs (these are the dogs worthy of reproduction) to pet homes. So the puppies you bought, even if they came from good breeders, will not necessarily be *worth* breeding. Besides that, reputable breeders are careful to only breed dogs that will compliment each other. Two random dogs, even from good breeders, may come together to produce incredibly faulty puppies.

It takes lots of money, LOTS of hard work, training, to raise and afford puppies. It's not cheap. Costs thousands of dollars if bred properly. Certain dogs don't breed well and end up in the Humane Society or Pet Shelter because the dog has serous defects and most-likely has to be put down. Their bodies are thrown in a land fill. Just think of that every time you think you want to breed two dogs. Puppies need to have their shots done immediately or they are at high risk of getting sick.

I'm going to start with a clarification: While the term back yard "breeder" is ubiquitous, it is almost a sin to actually call these people "breeders." They may be mating a male & female dog, but "breeders" they are NOT! A TRUE BREEDER is someone who is passionate about their chosen breed. Takes the time to research and educate themselves on what that breed should be. Shows and wins with their stock. Then carefully matches the best to the best to produce as near a perfect specimen to their breed standards as is possible. Then they stand behind what they produce from whelping box to grave regardless of where that dog ends up.

Now, for your question: From the BILLION dollar annual price tag attached to selling puppies/dogs, I would venture to say not many people hate dog breeders - at least not enough to boycott them. And that goes for ALL breeding. Seems there are lots of people out there who don't really care where their puppy comes from; be it a back yard breeder, the feral pregnant female that whelps in their yard, to a puppy dumped at their local shelter and even puppy mills. Sure lots of people abhore puppy mills, but often unknowingly purchase a product of one.

But, I'm guessing your speaking about some of the knowledgeable Y/A posters who condemn BYBers on this forum. So, for many, the actions of those who indiscriminately breed dogs without a real focus on improving the breed are reprehensible. There is no love loss for those who breed for money alone. There is a world of difference between a reputable breeder and a bad breeder.

I always cringe when I see someone famous or infamous with a certain breed of dog since that usually sparks the "I want one of those" cries heard round the world. Supply and demand moves forward like a locomotive and everyone and their cousin start breeding those dogs without regard to anything except the almighty fast dollar. And that starts the decline of that breed and the standards that honest, reputable breeders have worked so hard to impart to what they produce for all these years.

Are the arguments against this kind of breeding legit? I suggest you ask someone who has purchased one of these BYBer or puppy mill puppies that has more problems than you can shake a stick at. When some have to be put down due to unstable temperament issues, or untreatable health issues before they're 2 yrs. old, and the "breeder" has long since stopped taking their calls for help. Just from what I see here on Y/A, that type of dog is being created more and more - heartbreaking for many first time dog owners.

Now, if you are one of the very lucky ones that got a puppy from a BYBer or puppy mill that is SO FAR healthy. Then good for you! But you ARE the exception.

So, unfortunately, not everyone - and actually not too many people hate breeders

I don't like Pedigree dog breeders due the health issues they create and their lack of knowledge. I talked to a GSD breeder about their dogs hackney gait: "These dogs are perfectly healthy. The hackeny gait aids their ability to herd and guard livestock."

In all fairness, the dog looked like it wa about to tip over, let alone gaurd and herd, it'd probably do some serious harm to the dog to even try herding or gaurding.

BYBers are another thing I highly dislike, though I don't know why people say they're trying to make money, whilst this may be true for the people who sell theirs for hundred. You can't afford your rent with £50 you made selling a staffordshire bull terrier.

Rescues in my opinion are great places! But also bad places. I had a rescue lab as a kid, 2 years later, I was sat minding my own buisness and I was in hospital 2 hours later. It bit me in the head and I was bleeding A LOT. He also came to us riddled in fleas, this was from Labrador Rescue Trust UK. I know many people have lovely stories from rescues, but that put me off for life.

So, in short, we should just stop breeding dogs all together.

(No, I don't agree with PETA, LOLs. I eat meat!)