03/10/2022
Taken from Barbara Miller:
“TOPIC FOR DISCUSSION: heritage vs for-profit breeders
Let’s do a quick exam of the pros and cons for each type of breeder.
Definitions:
Heritage breeders charge a price per puppy that most usually acts as a partial reimbursement for breeding and raising your puppy. Profit is not part of the equation, and they breed despite knowing they will almost always lose a significant amount of money. They breed for the love of the breed.
A for-profit breeder breeds with income in mind. If they consistently lost money, they would switch to another breed or mixed breed or give up breeding. They charge whatever the market will bear.
HERITAGE BREEDER PROS:
1- your breeder knows everything they can about every ancestor in your puppy’s pedigree and can use that information to guide you through health and behavior questions
2- your breeder understands the ins and outs of the breed. They can tell you what is a normal phase of your puppy’s development and what isn’t
3- your puppy’s parents were chosen because their health test results, family health histories, temperaments, aptitudes and physical structures complemented each other, which increases your chances of having a long-lived, healthy companion who is able to participate in whatever activities you have chosen.
4- your puppy will be raised with protocols that challenge and support its mental and physical development
5- your puppy will probably be introduced to basic commands, be crate and leash trained and will have a good start on housebreaking
6- your breeder will provide unlimited guidance and support to you throughout your dog’s life.
7- your breeder will provide a safe home for your dog at any time throughout its life for any reason, should you be unable to care for your dog, yourself
HERITAGE BREEDER CONS:
1- Breeders don’t breed often.
2-waitlists are long.
3- it is scary letting someone else choose your puppy.
4- many dog people are not great people people so communication may be awkward at first
5- breeders do not consider their dogs a business, and most do not work to romance buyers. Buyers will not get the bend-over-backwards treatment they are used from most salespeople. (The special treatment comes after you take your puppy home, and you are now part of the family.)
6- heritage breeders are hard to find. They rarely, if ever, advertise. Often, the only way to find one is via word of mouth.
FOR-PROFIT BREEDER PROS:
1. Puppies are available often, if not always
2. You can choose and lock in your purchase the day the puppies are born, often sooner
3. Because the breeder is a salesperson, you will get a lot of attention and customer support until the sale is finalized.
4. Easy to find. They advertise often and on many easily searchable sites.
FOR-PROFIT BREEDER CONS:
1- your breeder is not a breed expert. They will not be able to guide you with regard to any breed-related health or temperament issues. They often have not lived in partnership with enough dogs throughout their life to have a good feel for general dog behavior, either.
2- many for-profit breeders have little to no experience training dogs to an advanced level. Their understanding of dog psychology and potential behavioral issues may be lacking.
3- your puppy was raised with profit in mind. This limits pre- and post-natal vet care, puppy nutrition choices, and the frequency and quality of worming and vaccination protocols.
4- your puppy is a commodity. The breeder will not have taken steps to ensure your puppy is with its best home throughout its life. Efforts are focused on making the sale, not on supporting the puppy.
5- the indulgent attention you received prior to picking up your puppy very often disappears afterwards.
6- when dogs don’t work out for the original purchaser, they are passed from home to home or end up in a shelter”
If you have a question about your puppy or dog, please ask us, if we can’t help, we can guide you in the right direction.
Thank you to the families that have trusted us to bring a puppy into their families. You are forever our family ❤️
Photo of Meeko from Tracer x Illidan Fall 2021 litter ✨