How Many Litters A Year Do You Think

[WreckitWhippet]

I think large-scale breeding is rarely justified. We already have so many puppies and dogs in the pounds that lose their chance of getting adopted every time someone decides to bring a litter into the world, breeders can't be doing that much good to the breed that they feel the need (for speed!) to breed every few months.

what a load of codswallop.

yep, the pounds are not full of pedigree registered dogs. They are bred in the minority and dumped in even smaller numbers.

Pounds of full of cross bred mutts and poor examples of breeds, they've been purchased in haste, have failed to meet expectations and are no longer wanted.

People looking for a pedigree registered dogs are not generally looking for a "rescue" and to say that reducing the number of pups bred, would mean pound mutts would find a home, is ridiculous. Reducing the number of pups bred by ethical registered breeders, would see more dogs dumped, due to poor choices on the buyers part, a lack of buyer education on the breeders part and once again, failure to meet expectations.

We should be encouraging the ethical registered breeders to have as many litters as they feel confident they can whelp and find appropriate homes for, not using emotional black mail and guilt tripping, PETA style.

[Alyosha]

That's just my opinion; I also think it's sad when breeders have 10+ (or some other high number) of dogs on their property--I mean even if they are getting fed well and looked after etc, how on earth can you provide so many dogs with..like.. love. I sound like a tree-hugging hippie, but whatever! I think dogs have a right to be in a place where they get an adequate amount of attention and affection bestowed on them, and it seems almost impossible to do that when you have a dozen or so dogs on the property. I could never do that, I'd need to hire staff to cuddle and pat so many dogs a day. :p

I know breeders with more dogs than that and their dogs get far more (not just on a par with, or a little bit more) attention, love and care than the average backyard pet. Generalisations don't work when there are such a wide variety of people keeping dogs.

And I agree with others on the thought of purebred litters making pound dogs miss out on homes. I wouldn't adopt a crossbred pound dog, regardless of whether there was a litter of dogs I wanted or not. Even on the very rare occasions when one of my breed turned up in a pound - I would rescue and re-home. I'm particular about individuals and bloodlines and I like what I like. I shouldn't have to settle for something else because of a guilt trip about dogs other people bred carelessly being stuck in pounds needing homes. Sorry if that sounds callous.

[whiskedaway]

And I agree with others on the thought of purebred litters making pound dogs miss out on homes. I wouldn't adopt a crossbred pound dog, regardless of whether there was a litter of dogs I wanted or not. Even on the very rare occasions when one of my breed turned up in a pound - I would rescue and re-home. I'm particular about individuals and bloodlines and I like what I like. I shouldn't have to settle for something else because of a guilt trip about dogs other people bred carelessly being stuck in pounds needing homes. Sorry if that sounds callous.

Agreed. I wouldn't have a crossbred dog either, I've only ever had purebreds. That said, I have had crossbred cats, which doesn't bother me so much. I like knowing how my dogs are going to turn out and the breed traits they're likely to have.

[oakway]

I think large-scale breeding is rarely justified. We already have so many puppies and dogs in the pounds that lose their chance of getting adopted every time someone decides to bring a litter into the world, breeders can't be doing that much good to the breed that they feel the need (for speed!) to breed every few months.

what a load of codswallop.

I agree completely.

If a pure bred ANKC registered dog turns up in a pound and it is rare that they do, they are the first to go to new homes.

[cowanbree]

That's just my opinion; I also think it's sad when breeders have 10+ (or some other high number) of dogs on their property--I mean even if they are getting fed well and looked after etc, how on earth can you provide so many dogs with..like.. love. I sound like a tree-hugging hippie, but whatever! I think dogs have a right to be in a place where they get an adequate amount of attention and affection bestowed on them, and it seems almost impossible to do that when you have a dozen or so dogs on the property. I could never do that, I'd need to hire staff to cuddle and pat so many dogs a day. :p

That is a pretty narrow point of view. I know many breeders with over 10 dogs, myself includes whose dogs live wonderful lives. In fact I have a fellow breeder who has over 20 dogs and if I ever come back as a dog I would like to be one of hers. They are house dogs during the day with the run of acreage to play on if they so desire. Plenty of friends to play with, good food, extremely well looked after and considering neither her or her husband work plenty of attention. Far superior to the average pet home

[Crisovar]

Dju, on 12 August 2011 - 01:23 AM, said:

I think large-scale breeding is rarely justified. We already have so many puppies and dogs in the pounds that lose their chance of getting adopted every time someone decides to bring a litter into the world, breeders can't be doing that much good to the breed that they feel the need (for speed!) to breed every few months.

Bunkum.

The animals in the pound system are rarely the result of well thought out breeding programs from ethical Breeders. The majority of pound and shelter animals are there because of ill informed or ignorant choices.

As far as I am concerned the more well bred, carefully raised pups available for informed people to buy the better.

[sas]

I just wanted to add that Rescue & Rehoming isn't just relevant to pounds. Great Dane Rescue NSW assisted in the re-homing of 89 Great Danes in the last financial year, I can't think of the number off the top of my head by it was definately under 20 that were a Pound situation.

They did not neccessarily have pedigree papers but were Purebred, so common sense tells you that there are some not so ethical breeders that are supplying (ongoing) these other breeders that are contributing to the rescue & rehome rates.

I'm not weighing in the whole discussion I'm just pointing out something that is relevant to the recent change in direction with this thread.

[sas]

Dju, on 12 August 2011 - 01:23 AM, said:

I think large-scale breeding is rarely justified. We already have so many puppies and dogs in the pounds that lose their chance of getting adopted every time someone decides to bring a litter into the world, breeders can't be doing that much good to the breed that they feel the need (for speed!) to breed every few months.

Bunkum.

The animals in the pound system are rarely the result of well thought out breeding programs from ethical Breeders. The majority of pound and shelter animals are there because of ill informed or ignorant choices.

As far as I am concerned the more well bred, carefully raised pups available for informed people to buy the better.

Yes and No, even so if your theory was correct that isn't really relevant to the actual question because then you would be saying that large scale breeding operations produced offspring that was well thought out and that they were ethical.....this isn't always going to be the case. Did I perhaps mis-interpret what you were putting across?

[Nevafollo]

As many as they like, providing they don't cut corners and sacrafice qaulity.

I'd rather see the great breeders producing many puppies.

Exactly!

[AmandaJ]

I don't health test. There are no heath tests relevant to my breed (thankfully!!). Does that make me a bad breeder? I suppose some would say so and maybe I should try and find something I can test for...

I've not been aware of hip and elbow issues in my breed. But intolerance to general anaesthetic is pretty common in many sighthounds. So test and risk it for little to not known health issues? Or not?

Umm.. Aren't Borzois on the MDR1 list? That may explain the anaesthetic issue....

[Alyosha]

Umm.. Aren't Borzois on the MDR1 list? That may explain the anaesthetic issue....

They're not. But they are partial ancestors of Rough Collies, therefore Shelties.

Silken Windhounds are on the list and have Borzoi backgrounds, but they also have Sheltie in their background.

So it's possible it would show up in Borzoi. I don't use Ivermectin because of the suspicion - not worth it!!