So Why Are Breeders Reluctant To Advertise Where There Is A Demand For

[SwaY]

So why are breeders reluctant to advertise where there is a demand for animals? -

From our January Edition out now, you can view it for free at www.k9online.com.au

[Steve]

Who wrote this sway?

[SwaY]

Who wrote this sway?

Myself and EmilyKate Clements.

[Kirislin]

I know the vic whippet association actively discourage people from buying from newspapers and claim they're all puppy farmers. They then mention they might be VCA reg but ask to see the papers.

Here's a quote from their site. "Reputable breeders do not need to sell their puppies through these channels and it also against the code of ethics of our governing body the VCA."

Claims like this dont help. I see nothing wrong with advertising in the paper or on gumtree, you still need to screen buyers how ever they come to you.

[Dame Aussie]

Yep, totally agree. The only way to get people to buy purebred dogs (I.e. people who don't know much about them, not us on DOL) is to advertise where people look for puppies. Most people look on the trading post, gumtree etc. you can't compete with BYBs if they are all these people are seeing.

I found my Aussie in the trading post, she was from a great breeder. Where you advertise is irrelevant IMO, as Kirislin said, you will be screening the home anyway.

[Rebanne]

I'll advertise wherever there are potential buyers. I take no notice of others who say you shouldn't do that cause it just makes you as bad as them ( all the byb ). Someone said that just today on Face Book. When I got my second dog, way back when, you looked in the Age on a Saturday morning. I was looking for a German Shepherd and there were plenty to choose from. I got a purebred without papers, not sure why, but there were plenty of registered pups available.

[Kirislin]

I suspect the vic whippet association's claim that it is against the VCA code of ethics is untrue although I haven't looked it up myself to confirm.

[WreckitWhippet]

EK did a great job

[BlackJaq]

I think reg. breeders need to stop judging each other like this in general. The quality of pups and homes is what counts, not the nitpicking shit fights that see breeders persecute each other better than all the OL and "I hate Greeders" could manage on their own.

I know there are black sheep in every mob but accusing anyone and everyone until proven guilty is not helping. And neither is beating down any newcomer who mentions breeding. Where do you think tomorrow's breeders will come from? And do you think they will be the ethical kind that we want or the ignorant, puppy milling, money grabbing or non health checking kind, if instead of receiving gentle education, they receive scathing sarcasm and hostility.

The overall face the dog world presents to the public is pretty piss poor in my opinion and needs changing badly if pure breds are not going to leave the stage to designer mutts and byb puppies in the near future. Every other industry also utilizes TV ads, magazines etc for education and advertisement, cannot see why the KC wouldn't, since that is the best way to reach Joe Bloe these days (that and fb I guess but the crazy on fb seems boundless lol)

ETA: Oh and great article!

Edited January 2, 2014 by BlackJaq

[Little Gifts]

I personally don't care where a breeder advertises and have always assumed they would be using all and any tools available to them that would illicit the right kind of enquiry. I also assumed that breeders would be advertising before the puppy was available, putting feelers out for the right type of homes? What does concern me most is how some ads are worded as I think it is the wording that encourages the wrong kind of potential home and indicates the quality of the 'breeder'. For example, wrong or right I can't tolerate advertising any live animal as a great Christmas present. I got into a fight on FB last year when an OS breeder was trying to flog a litter of pei pups in time for Christmas. I got called every name under the sun when all I simply said to him was please don't advertise them as Christmas presents, just sell them as beautiful dogs needing the right home.

To me it should be the quality of the dogs that should be the selling point and the breeder's standing/history, as a lot of hard yards has probably gone to in creating this great dog. Show off a little. Be proud of what you have created. I like to see some pride in an ad.

I appreciate that people take time off over this period of the year and kids are on school holidays so will get to spend quality time with their new pup and that you can't always control when a bitch comes into season, whelps and gives you a litter for rehoming, but just don't use present giving as a selling point. That automatically makes me suspicious. As does the use of 'rare' and 'blue' when it comes to staffords! Don't lie and don't manipulate the truth and don't try to cash in on big celebrations that we know often lead to impulse purchasing followed by regret, neglect and abandonment.

I can't imagine a good breeder not caring what happens to their dogs after all the effort they put in to creating them. That's the kind of breeder I want to deal with. I want to carry on their pride in how I raise their beautiful pup. That's what I look for in an ad regardless of where it is placed.

Edited January 2, 2014 by Little Gifts

[Kirislin]

I'm a registered breeder and although I haven't bred a litter for years, and dont intend to in the near future, if I was going to, I would have to use papers and online sites because I'm not able to advertise thought the vic whippet association as I'm no longer a member.

[Salukifan]

I think it stems from a misapprehension that responsible breeders shouldn't be advertising alongside their less ethical number because they are somehow "better" than that.

Poor standards aren't like cooties - they aren't catching.

Of course, one reason some breeders don't advertise a great deal is they don't have to. An ad here can be all it takes to sell a litter.

Edited January 2, 2014 by Haredown Whippets

[Pjrt]

I have often wondered why the pedigree dog community, via the controlling bodies or a private enterprise, doesn't fight fire with fire. Not only should pedigree dog breeders be all over pet advertising sites bringing their message to the people via clever and honest advertising, but what about really taking it to the people via shopfronts. why not have the state controlling body offices in Westfield or the state capital mall for example. Next door to the pet shop even. Take the challenge of public relations to the public.

[Airedaler]

Here's a quote from their site. "Reputable breeders do not need to sell their puppies through these channels and it also against the code of ethics of our governing body the VCA."

Claims like this dont help. I see nothing wrong with advertising in the paper or on gumtree, you still need to screen buyers how ever they come to you.

I have just read the VCA Code of Ethics and there is nothing like this in there so it is a porky by the Whippet Club.

I see no difference advertising on a website or in a newspaper. What is important is how one evaluates the prospective buyers and the initial contact is IMO irrelevant. It is purely a sign of the times. when I started breeding in the mid 1970's the standard for advertising litters in Victoria was Saturday's Age Newspaper and the (then) Sun (now Herald Sun). We also sent adverts to some of the Interstate capital city newspapers. There were of course not the options but I'm not sure where this assumption that breeders only breed when they have enough sales. I always bred when I wanted something for myself and as this was mainly only one litter in a year I never maintained a waiting list.

[WreckitWhippet]

I think it stems from a misapprehension that responsible breeders shouldn't be advertising alongside their less ethical number because they are somehow "better" than that.

Poor standards aren't like cooties - they aren't catching.

Of course, one reason some breeders don't advertise a great deal is they don't have to. An ad here can be all it takes to sell a litter.

often ten times over. I advertised in a couple of places with my last litter, gumtree and some online sites included. All I got from those were tyre kickers and those that wanted to argue price and get a bargain, I'll advertise outside of DOL again , just so it's not all puppy farmers and byber's

[dragonwoman]

Here's a quote from their site. "Reputable breeders do not need to sell their puppies through these channels and it also against the code of ethics of our governing body the VCA."

Claims like this dont help. I see nothing wrong with advertising in the paper or on gumtree, you still need to screen buyers how ever they come to you.

I have just read the VCA Code of Ethics and there is nothing like this in there so it is a porky by the Whippet Club.

I see no difference advertising on a website or in a newspaper. What is important is how one evaluates the prospective buyers and the initial contact is IMO irrelevant. It is purely a sign of the times. when I started breeding in the mid 1970's the standard for advertising litters in Victoria was Saturday's Age Newspaper and the (then) Sun (now Herald Sun). We also sent adverts to some of the Interstate capital city newspapers. There were of course not the options but I'm not sure where this assumption that breeders only breed when they have enough sales. I always bred when I wanted something for myself and as this was mainly only one litter in a year I never maintained a waiting list.

And in the days when Saturday's Age was the place to look to buy dogs, the KCC as we were then actually had the first ad in the Dogs For Sale column advising people to contact them for a list of breeders, the larger breed clubs also had regular ads........and if you wanted a good country reared registered pup you looked in the Weekly Times!!!

[Kajirin]

My first pedigree I found via the classified in the newspaper [reg'd breeder/exhibitor]. Current one I found via the DOL breeders page. I still mainly check the DOL breeders pages but also look in the paper classifieds and gumtree etc. Mainly to see what's going on and what's available. I'd never go to a BYB though [and they're pretty easy to see in advertising].

[sandgrubber]

Seems to me the possible downside to advertizing is that in the longer term it may bring on market mechanisms Advertizing generates demand. Increased demand may allow breeders to bring their prices up to the high levels commercial dog breeders charge, whereupon breeding becomes profitable, and there will be an incentive to breed more, which will, in the long term, drive prices down. The good side, hobby breeders take greater market share and puppy quality increases (hopefully): the bad side, hobby breeders get more commercial.

I guess economists would call that a correction. The inferior product costing more is, in theory, an unstable situation, waiting to be corrected.

[BlackJaq]

I get sick of hearing the "good breeders only breed when they need a puppy" and all that crap, too. Where are good quality pets and working dogs going to come from if good quality breeders don't breed them? As many reg breeders here have said, puppies could be sold many times over, maybe more good puppies need to be bred to help satisfy customer demand. Many people just want a nice pet and when they can't find one from a reg breeder they will take the next best thing (and many don't even know why a reg breeder is the place to go) from a pet shop or byb

[ish]

I think it stems from a misapprehension that responsible breeders shouldn't be advertising alongside their less ethical number because they are somehow "better" than that.

Poor standards aren't like cooties - they aren't catching.

Of course, one reason some breeders don't advertise a great deal is they don't have to. An ad here can be all it takes to sell a litter.

often ten times over. I advertised in a couple of places with my last litter, gumtree and some online sites included. All I got from those were tyre kickers and those that wanted to argue price and get a bargain, I'll advertise outside of DOL again , just so it's not all puppy farmers and byber's

I agree, and this has been my experience too. There are plenty of quality enquiries through DOL and mostly tyre kickers on the other online classifieds/buy, swap & sell sites