HeelerLove Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 http://mobile.news.com.au/national/south-australia/theo-grivakis-is-australias-most-successful-breeder-of-american-staffordshire-bull-terriers/story-fnii5yv4-1227219814310 THE cages sit innocuously at the bottom of two 10-metre high towers, the words “Andonas Kennels” strung between them on wire. But when Theo Grivakis – “dog dealer” extraordinaire – holds one of his infamous Buckland Park parties, musclebound American Staffordshire bull terriers are loaded into each cage and hoisted above the crowd, who drink and dance under spotlights surrounded by larger-than-life wooden carvings of Native Americans, cobras, elephants, lions and eagles. So much wrong in this article. Wtf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pjrt Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 This is one direct reason why I dropped my Dogs SA/ ANKC membership a couple of years ago. None of the dogs from this kennel are shown or have titles. I got tired of seeing several litters listed every single month in the Dogs SA journal, many of them with the same sire. He volume breeds, and is not breeding to better the breed against the written standard. While he is not doing anything incredibly wrong, he is breeding massively pumped up off standard dogs, with pedigrees, for the market, that obviously love his 'type' of AmStaff. Im not saying he shouldn't be allowed to breed like this, as his dogs are obviously loved and cared for, I just wish that ANKC membership would be disallowed, as it should be, under the codes of practice signed up to by members. I lost respect for the system when I see many great breeders breeding to standard, and out there showing, trying to improve upon what the have and know, being true to the rules of their membership. And at the same time, they allow folks like in the OP to register dogs that are bred away from the standard and that would be tossed out of a show ring. grumpy rant over and out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melzawelza Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 (edited) Ah, Theo. Hated by anyone worth anything in the Amstaff world. He doesn't health test his dogs and there's severe hip dysplasia and other issues in his lines, too. Edited February 15, 2015 by melzawelza Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rascalmyshadow Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 (edited) Not sure why anyone would buy dogs from these lines, ugliest looking amstaffs I've ever seen and mass produced. Edited February 15, 2015 by Rascalmyshadow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poochmad Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 He sounds like a tosser. Unfortunately bogans would like the look of him and what he 'represents' in the breed. Sigh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffyluv Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 He is nothing but a puppy farmer for Amstaffs... I know someone who bought a dog from him and it had skin issues and HD.. The pup was resold to someone else because he wouldn't take it back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pjrt Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 He is nothing but a puppy farmer for Amstaffs... I know someone who bought a dog from him and it had skin issues and HD.. The pup was resold to someone else because he wouldn't take it back. Yes, unfortunately an Dogs SA/ANKC puppy farmer able to sell registered, papered puppies. Why the heck don't these associations toss these kinds of breeders out? It's a disgrace that breeders trying their hearts out, giving everything to their breed, breeding to the written standard, health testing, showing etc etc, have to be aligned with the likes of breeders like this. Does it not state in the rules that breeders agree to breed to the current written standard and breed only for the improvement of a breed? I can grasp that there needs to be volume breeding esp in some popular breeds, but it can be achieved within the regulations and to the written standards This guy is an example of completely the opposite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 (edited) He is nothing but a puppy farmer for Amstaffs... I know someone who bought a dog from him and it had skin issues and HD.. The pup was resold to someone else because he wouldn't take it back. Yes, unfortunately an Dogs SA/ANKC puppy farmer able to sell registered, papered puppies. Why the heck don't these associations toss these kinds of breeders out? It's a disgrace that breeders trying their hearts out, giving everything to their breed, breeding to the written standard, health testing, showing etc etc, have to be aligned with the likes of breeders like this. Does it not state in the rules that breeders agree to breed to the current written standard and breed only for the improvement of a breed? I can grasp that there needs to be volume breeding esp in some popular breeds, but it can be achieved within the regulations and to the written standards This guy is an example of completely the opposite. Speaking from experience, because its incredibly difficult to do so without cast iron proof of ethics breaches and for a cashed up breeder with a good lawyer, potentially financially ruinous for the Association. It is also my belief that you don't fix an imperfect system by leaving it. Edited February 15, 2015 by Haredown Whippets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeelerLove Posted February 15, 2015 Author Share Posted February 15, 2015 Surely suspending dogs in a cage 10m in the air is cruelty? I don't know much about registered breeders, but I thought health tests, desexing and vaccinating were pretty standard? Website mentions nothing about desexing and pups don't come with any vaccinations? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Surely suspending dogs in a cage 10m in the air is cruelty? I don't know much about registered breeders, but I thought health tests, desexing and vaccinating were pretty standard? Website mentions nothing about desexing and pups don't come with any vaccinations? Many breeders will not early desex pups. Microchipping and vaccinating is mandatory for all ANKC breeders. Health testing is mandatory in some breeds and certainly a way from sorting the wheat from the chaff in some breeders of breeds. Of course not all breeds have common genetic conditions or structural issues that require health tests. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeelerLove Posted February 15, 2015 Author Share Posted February 15, 2015 Thanks HW, makes sense. Assuming AmStaffs are one of those breeds that do not require health testing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Thanks HW, makes sense. Assuming AmStaffs are one of those breeds that do not require health testing? Responsible breeders are health testing for a range of conditions. Hips, elbows, eyes, hearts. However it may not be mandatory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffyluv Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Maybe that is something for the ANKC to look at - making certain health tests a requirement? I don't think Amstaffs to require health testing.. Not sure about Ataxia though - is that a standard test that is done? (Hopefully an amstaff breeder will come and answer for us). I am seeing more and more staffy's (note that most of these are not purebred or from registered breeders) with HD these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Maybe that is something for the ANKC to look at - making certain health tests a requirement? I don't think Amstaffs to require health testing.. Not sure about Ataxia though - is that a standard test that is done? (Hopefully an amstaff breeder will come and answer for us). I am seeing more and more staffy's (note that most of these are not purebred or from registered breeders) with HD these days. The individual breed councils do that. You cannot register some breeds' pups with out certain health testing on the parents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffyluv Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Maybe that is something for the ANKC to look at - making certain health tests a requirement? I don't think Amstaffs to require health testing.. Not sure about Ataxia though - is that a standard test that is done? (Hopefully an amstaff breeder will come and answer for us). I am seeing more and more staffy's (note that most of these are not purebred or from registered breeders) with HD these days. The individual breed councils do that. You cannot register some breeds' pups with out certain health testing on the parents. Of course, I forgot about that. I do remember someone saying that in a discussion a fair while ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pjrt Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 He is nothing but a puppy farmer for Amstaffs... I know someone who bought a dog from him and it had skin issues and HD.. The pup was resold to someone else because he wouldn't take it back. Yes, unfortunately an Dogs SA/ANKC puppy farmer able to sell registered, papered puppies. Why the heck don't these associations toss these kinds of breeders out? It's a disgrace that breeders trying their hearts out, giving everything to their breed, breeding to the written standard, health testing, showing etc etc, have to be aligned with the likes of breeders like this. Does it not state in the rules that breeders agree to breed to the current written standard and breed only for the improvement of a breed? I can grasp that there needs to be volume breeding esp in some popular breeds, but it can be achieved within the regulations and to the written standards This guy is an example of completely the opposite. Speaking from experience, because its incredibly difficult to do so without cast iron proof of ethics breaches and for a cashed up breeder with a good lawyer, potentially financially ruinous for the Association. It is also my belief that you don't fix an imperfect system by leaving it. First let me say I am not replying to you personally HW, just in a general sense. I find it really sad that an organisation might not try to enforce it's own rules because of the reasons you stated in your post. People pay a lot of money for membership, registrations, transfers, entry fees, etc. By not upholding it's own ethics, it cheapens the values of membership for everyone else doing the right things. Maybe an imperfect system is not fixed by leaving it, but staying with heads in the sand, and not enforcing their own rules, might be just as bad. I don't know where the answer is. I am just venting my grievances. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeelerLove Posted February 15, 2015 Author Share Posted February 15, 2015 Been thinking about this article all day- I am so disgusted! I don't know what is worse- the guy himself (honestly what a douchebag!!!!) or news.com.au for having this kind of dribble as 'news' and essentially promoting a shonky breeder that thinks it's ok to put dogs in cages 10m in the air. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pjrt Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Been thinking about this article all day- I am so disgusted! I don't know what is worse- the guy himself (honestly what a douchebag!!!!) or news.com.au for having this kind of dribble as 'news' and essentially promoting a shonky breeder that thinks it's ok to put dogs in cages 10m in the air. Both! Your second point crossed my mind too when I looked at the article! Regarding my grievances about the associations not being able to toss out members so clearly breeding against the rules they signed up to, perhaps the wording and structure of the rules needs to be looked at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taliecat Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 I read this article earlier this afternoon through QSAR's Facebook page.. Can't believe they posted this article, the dogs look nothing like amstaffs rather more like American bullies.. Which i tend to rather dislike their toad like appearance.. What a real piece of work that breeder is.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stressmagnet Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 When I was researching Amstaff breeders, this guy kept coming up. One look at his website told me all I needed to know. Looking further at his dogs - cemented my opinion. I so wish these dogs didn't appeal to this type of individual. It does nothing to help their tarnished image. Very sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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