Monkey

AKC is falling to pieces, IF you want to buy a pure breed, do your research PROPERLY and demand to see the house the dogs are bred, or rescue instead and go an amazing deed!

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/10/sp...=fb-share&_r=0

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Sugardog

Ugh, how sad

I think people need to realize that "AKC registered" means absolutely nothing. It doesn't say squat about the temperament or health of the dog, nor the ethics of the breeder. The AKC is only a club people can register their dogs with if they wish to show or compete in sports.

Also, FWIW, you can register mutts and purebreds without a pedigree now too if you want to participate in sports. Tigger will be getting a Pal's registration with the AKC so we can do agility. The breeder I want to get my next BC from sells her pups registers her pups as limited with the AKC. It requires spay/neuter, so the dog can't do conformation, but can do sports.

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Ama

That is, indeed, why people need to do research before buying from a breeder. Anyone can have papers, but it doesn't mean they're 'reputable' breeders. Pure bred doesn't mean well bred.

People need to make sure the breeder is doing genetic testing, temperament testing, that the dogs being bred can actually DO what the breed is meant to do(herding dogs herd, retrievers retrieve, etc). Honestly, I would never buy a GSD from a breeder who only breeds for conformation/that's all they focus on for the breed.

I prefer working breeders for that breed. So, I don't really care if the dogs are AKC registered, but would rather make sure they have genetic testing done and can actually do what the breed was meant to and are stable dogs.

BUT I do think that people should either; do their research and get from a reputable breeder if they are going to buy from a breeder or get from a breed rescue or just a rescue/shelter for a companion.

Sugardog

I will not buy a conformation bred dog either.

The BC breeder I have my eye on focuses on the temperament and health of the breed. She does not show any of her dogs in conformation, and she won't allow any of her dogs to be shown conformation either once they go home. They are all required to be spayed/neutered. She will occasionally sell one with full registration, with the dog intact, but she co-owns it, and it has to be a special circumstance with somebody that she completely trusts. Her dogs go to be companions, and many additionally compete. They excel in agility, obedience and herding trials and many have achieved very high titles.

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DeeLind7

Moo, I'm surprised you post didn't stir up a can of worms. The AKC is a business. They make money. In my opinion only, I have no use for the AKC. Anyone can register a dog or multiple litters of puppies, all for a price. Go to any pet store. Most all of the puppies are registered with the AKC, and all of them come from puppy mills. If you contact the AKC about this, you will be told that they do investigate complaints about puppy mills, and they do visit some of them, but.... due to lack of resources, they can not check out every complaint. So, the general public goes into a pet store, sees a puppy they just have to have. It has papers, so that must mean it's from a good breeder. Education is key. I know first hand. I was part of the general public, and our first 3 Collies all came from pet stores, and all were puppy mill dogs. Every single one of them died early, from countless health issues. Casey, who we just lost in October, was our last Collie from a pet store. All three were registered with the AKC.
Pet registration with the AKC is only a small fraction of what I'd like to post, but I'm afraid it would be a small novel. I have no plans on ever showing a dog, breeding a dog, or doing agility. So for me, there is no need to buy from a breeder nor do I need a dog with papers. If I ever decide on another dog, it will come from the SPCA, shelter, or rescue group.

techie

We only adopt. I think we just happened to get a (possibly) pure bred this time.
techie

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Dogs rule!
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LARyan

Ontop of everything else, animal overpopulation is such a rampant problem in California, (largley due to owner neglect) I wish eveyrone would adopt. So many animals get put down every year

Speckle-legged Dog

Our wonderful dog came from the shelter as a puppy, we believe she is half-BC/half-??. But since I've started getting into dog agility I've noticed that everyone with a pure bred dog DEFINITELY knew all about the breeder and their dogs prior to getting their puppy. Often they remain in contact with the breeder, who likes getting updates on how the dog is doing. This is the best way to get a pure-bred dog.

The poor dogs from puppy mills are often much worse off mentally and physically than dogs from a good shelter or rescue. Our local shelter is wonderful, our dog's litter came to them at 5 weeks old, were fostered for 3 weeks in a home, and we adopted her at 8 weeks. She was healthy, playful, LOVED people, and just a wonderful normal puppy who has grown into a terrific companion (even though she's so smart we have to spell a lot of conversations). The horror stories I hear of the poor health and temperament of puppy mill dogs makes me so angry.

Years ago, before we decided to get a dog hubby (then BF) were on vacation and stopped to wander around a shopping mall and get off the road for a while. There was a pet store and I just had to go in, I had barely crossed the threshold when a worker thrust a Dachshund puppy into my arms, he was scared to death and shivering and in that moment all I wanted was to take that puppy with me and love and care for him. Fortunately my sig-other maneuvered me out of the store without the puppy. He thought it was bad that they were obviously manipulating people by shoving a precious pup at them to try to get them to make an impulse purchase of a dog, we didn't know anything about puppy mills then and what that poor pup had probably come from. Such tragic tactics all the way around. I would never even buy a bag of dog treats from a store that sold puppies, NO WAY.

Edited to add, the most titled agility dog I've had the privilege of watching personally, during my shaky novice experiences, is a very mixed breed dog; and he's simply awesome.