# Why Do People Do This?



## Flow&FeFe (Jan 20, 2010)

Why do people lecture us about spay/neutering our dogs and cats? On Yahoo Answers, instead of answering our questions, they TELL us to spay/neuter our dogs. What if we want to breed them? Why should they have an opinion on OUR dogs that they have no relation with? I'm not getting this, can anyone answer me? :chin:


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

because its the politically correct thing to say. There are a lot of people who are irresponsible with their pets adn over breed, dont breed for the right temperament and dont take it seriously. The dogs/cats end up in shelters because the breeders couldnt find homes for them or their temperament is awful they couldn't be homed. 

If you want answers to questions on breeding a dog or any animal go to someone who has experience with that particular animal and ask their advise and for them to come along side you and mentor you through the process. 

Dont go to Yahoo Answers for questions like that - to me thats not responsible breedership. If you want to get the best advise go to the source of it and not to the internet masses.


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## AlaskaBoers (May 7, 2008)

eh. they are probably trying to help keep down the unwanted dog population.

I'm kind of the same way I guess.. when my friend told me she was breeding her pit bull x chow just because she wanted to see what the colors would be I almost slapped her. You need a valid reason to breed your dog. but if you have reservations on every possible puppy for a good home, and there's a reason your breeding (show, LGD, not just to make some cash) and the female is in good health with vet check, then I don't think there's a problem. 

I'm also not fond of crossing dogs to get 'new breeds'..lol, a golden doodle? or 'yorkie poo'? sounds like these people just cross whatever dogs they can find and mix the names together! Though, not to be a hypocrite, both of my dogs are crosses.. my LGD is a Great Pyrenees x Marrema..great livestock dog. and my other we adopted from the pound, some kind of golden retriever cross.

I agree with stacey.. if your serious, join a club or association and then ask q's.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

I want to add this here.

I am a big on mix breeds that need homes from the pound or an oops breeding from a friend etc. But my sister had a bad experience and now is going to go to a breeder and get a specific breed of dog that is known for certain things in temperament, size, energy level etc. She says she wants to know what she is going to get instead of hoping the mix turns out ok including health wise. And I understand that. So I can see the place for breeding purebred dogs. She is looking at a breeder in NY last I spoke with her. So if you have a high profile type dog and can market them properly then even people states away will be interested.


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## goinggoaty (May 19, 2010)

I believe that you have a right to do what you want with your animals however there are literally millions of dogs and cats who are euthanized every year because people breed them irresposibly or don't get them fixed. I personally rescue all of my animals because of this I'm not saying breeding is bad because done correctly and resposibly it isn't but the majority of people dont act in such a way. Puppy mills are an epidemic right now and shelters are overun with unwanted puppies and kittens. Don't take this as rude because thats certainly not my intention but you do have to understand why people are reacting that way it isn't judging you as a person or what you do with your animals it's taking into consideration all the animals in need of homes now rather than bringing more into it.


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## SDK (Jun 26, 2008)

honestly..i'd leave breeding to the professionals who are dedicated to their animals and put in the time and effort all through the process and provide support long after. very few dogs from the responsible breeders will ever end up in shelters. its the people who think that having a litter of puppies would be awesome.. and they can make cash off it. no health checks on mom or puppies ever is a sign for me to stay away. I learned.. I bought a "basset hound" that wasn't registered but was "purebred".turns out that dog is a labxbasset, has major hip problems and all other types of issues. do i regret getting my dog, not at all, I love him to death, but i feel bad that his life will be more painful ( he's only 3 and has hip issues badly already) because someone didn't care about the animals health andonly wanted to makemoney


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## Flow&FeFe (Jan 20, 2010)

Oh, I see! Well, i got my Purebred Yorkshire Terrier from a local professional breeder that goes to my church. My mom and I were wondering if we should/can breed Shade *yorkie*. Should we? We don't have an adoption center where we are. Too small of a town.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

If I were you guys I personally would wait until the economy (hopefully) gets better. If you are equipped emotionally and financially, have time to devote and to handle the puppies and are aware of the dangers of breeding and all the responsibilities of new puppies then I do think you are being responsible, but just because a dog isn't spayed and you want some cute puppies to play with and sell isn't a valid reason. Not saying you are like that, just I see that all to often and a lot of those type breedings produce puppies that end up being unwanted. There are just so many dogs and cats out there right now and with people losing their jobs and surrending their pets at local animal shelters...it's just not a good time to breed. 

Also, to answer your origional question. A lot of people are very sensitive right now to breeding cats and dogs and many of them dont' have a clue...they are just animal lovers. They see a commercial on tv of the animals abuse and they are completely against breeding. So if you want good answers (as the others said), find a breeder and ask away, hopefully they are willing to help. Also maybe talk to a local breeder if possible. Maybe find a dog forum with breeders as well to ask more questions. The better prepared and knowledgable you are about breeding and puppies the better off you'll be.


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## goinggoaty (May 19, 2010)

If you want to breed her I recommend first making sure your girl is in the best condition health wise, Second you find a mate for her who is as well meaning vaccinated and true to the breed standard, third think about what you will do if you can't sell the puppies or even give them away are you able to care for ALL of them? I realize that is unlikely but in the case it were to happen what would happen with the puppies? Is she registered? Can you find a registered mate in your area? Not to be disturbing but just so you know alot of people who keep reptiles will look for people giving away small breed puppies for free to feed to their snakes, same with kittens and other small animals. Before you decide to breed or not to breed just think about all the ins and outs that come with the territory. Including first vaccinations and check ups on the puppies.


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## Flow&FeFe (Jan 20, 2010)

No, we'll most likely keep them and give some to my pro breeder friend. We want more experience with dogs *i want to be a Vet*. Mom might want to sell them but i want to keep them. Yes, Shade is a registered, 6 month pup. ^^


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## myfainters (Oct 30, 2009)

Ok... I 've come back to this topic a couple times now.... told myself not to post as sometimes I don't word things properly and since you can't hear tone in an email... people get offended. However, there are things here worth saying so take into account this is a generalization and NOT directed at you.  

As a responsible breeder there are sooooooo many things you need to be prepared for....especially in the dog world. I showed, raised, trained and bred Akitas and Shibas for many years. Here are some of the things that I learned and would consider a MUST for a responsible breeder. 

1) Health test your animals... research your breed and find out what the common health risks are... ie: hips, thyroid, knees, patellas, VWD, eyes.... find out the risks of your breed and TEST your breeding stock.

2) Do NOT breed before 2 years of age.... you can not have the health paperwork stated above certified if the animal is under 2. 

3) TEMPERAMENT IS EVERYTHING!!!!!! It is also GENETIC. If your dog does not have a safe temperament... please don't breed it. 

4) puppy temperament testing.... I have a puppy buyers application for all potential buyers that MUST be filled out and returned to me before I will accept a deposit on a puppy. I pick my buyers puppies for them according to their temperament match... ie: I'd never ever sell an alpha dog to a first time dog owner. I offer council for the LIFETIME of the puppy.... and trust me people use it. Do you know how many phone calls I've goten at 7AM or 10 PM by previous clients who just want to ask a question? I put in A lOT of time to make sure that the puppies I sell are able to have a happy, healthy life with the owners that I HAVE CHOOSEN for THEM. I have also turned a lot of buyers away, even if I have puppies available because I know the temperaments would not be a good match. 

5) Lifetime HEALTH guarantee

6) The space, time and money to keep or TAKE BACK any puppies bred by you so that they don't end up in a shelter. 

People seem to think that breeding dogs is easy money.... let me tell you its not..... think of how many years that those puppies will live for.... thats how long you have to worry about whether or not you placed them into the right home. 

The reason why sooooo many people (including myself) emphasize on spay/neuter is because MANY, MANY people are NOT willing to put in the time and money it takes to do whats best fort he puppies that you are producing. It is a lot of work.... thats why I no longer breed dogs.... I raise goats.... they are much hardier and much less expensive.


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## myfainters (Oct 30, 2009)

Oh... if you are just looking for more experience with dogs.... volunteer at a shelter or a breed rescue. They always need help.


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## SDK (Jun 26, 2008)

jess ,do you still breed akitas??

I love akitas and i had one for a good 8 years, he was my best buddy. I'll be looking for one down the road ( maybe 4 or 5 years) but the breeder we got our first from no longer breeds them and i'd like to get aqquainted with some breeders to even see if the akitas are still a good match forme


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## Flow&FeFe (Jan 20, 2010)

myfainters said:


> Oh... if you are just looking for more experience with dogs.... volunteer at a shelter or a breed rescue. They always need help.


Yeah, i did volunteer!  It was great! Can't wait to do it again! :greengrin:


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## Flow&FeFe (Jan 20, 2010)

myfainters said:


> Ok... I 've come back to this topic a couple times now.... told myself not to post as sometimes I don't word things properly and since you can't hear tone in an email... people get offended. However, there are things here worth saying so take into account this is a generalization and NOT directed at you.
> 
> As a responsible breeder there are sooooooo many things you need to be prepared for....especially in the dog world. I showed, raised, trained and bred Akitas and Shibas for many years. Here are some of the things that I learned and would consider a MUST for a responsible breeder.
> 
> ...


I see! Well, we've been having dogs for many years. Only one has gotten sick *because their father kept peeing in the water bowl. Of course we dump the water out everyday and refill it but it was only once that we've actually seen him pee in the water. It was then when we had to get them separate bowls and when Blossom got sick  * But she's fine after we took her to the vet. Anyway, yes, I'll do those things you listed! We've spayed our two mutts because...you know, breeding mutts wouldn't be very...yeah. Yes, when our puppy first goes to the vet for vaccinations or anytime before, we'll get him tested in genetics. Thanks! :thumbup:


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## PznIvyFarm (Jul 25, 2010)

myfainters said:


> Ok... I 've come back to this topic a couple times now.... told myself not to post as sometimes I don't word things properly and since you can't hear tone in an email... people get offended. However, there are things here worth saying so take into account this is a generalization and NOT directed at you.
> 
> As a responsible breeder there are sooooooo many things you need to be prepared for....especially in the dog world. I showed, raised, trained and bred Akitas and Shibas for many years. Here are some of the things that I learned and would consider a MUST for a responsible breeder.
> 
> ...


Thank you for posting this, i was going to say something very similar. I am a big supporter of purebred dogs from good breeders. With good genetics, careful selection of dam and sire for faults, and temperament/personality testing, you will know (pretty well anyway) what you are getting. I first did it the wrong way - just getting a purebred from a backyard breeder, and he was a very nice dog until he got a serious genetic condition and I had to have him put down at 2 years old. I then found a good breeder, observed the temperament testing, told the breeder what i was looking for in a dog, and got EXACTLY the dog I asked for. I talked to the breeder when I was considering breeding my bitch, but after I went to a talk by a vet and heard about all the things that can go wrong during pregnancy and labor, i decided not to breed her b/c it seemed too risky (and it was really expensive besides) I got another wonderful dog from a different breeder, and she is not spayed - i originally wanted to show her, and thought I might want to breed her so I could have another just like her, but after much consideration, I decided not to breed her b/c I have no guarantee what I will get out of the litter. In her litter, there were two puppies out of 12 that I was interested in, and after the temperament/personality testing, i narrowed it down to just my girl. Again, she is exactly what i asked the breeder for. However, I have observed temperament tests where all of the dogs were whacko - too shy or fearful - and I don't know if that is genetics or lack of socialization, but what do you do if you have an entire litter of 'bad' puppies? You will not make money on breeding dogs if you are doing it the right way - all the tests, stud fees, puppy care, time required to properly socialize them, etc will eat into your "profit". Good breeders don't breed for the money, they do it for the love of the breed, and to get their name out there in the dog world. When i want another dog like my girl, I will go back to her breeder (and let them bear all the expense and trouble of breeding)

I will get off my soapbox now.


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## redneck_acres (Oct 18, 2007)

I do wish more people would fix their cats.....cats reproduce very quickly. As for dogs we watch the market-which is very poor right now obviously-but when it was good we did have our dogs bred to sell unregistered purebred pups. Now they are retired-I dont think we'll have them bred again.


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## PznIvyFarm (Jul 25, 2010)

StaceyRoop said:


> because its the politically correct thing to say.


Speaking of politically correct, my son is in a summer college class, and one project was to create a power point presentation about an Ecology issue.

One girl makes this HUGE presentation (15 pages, when the assignment was to do 5ish) about Vegetarianism - she starts it out with 'Eating meat is murder' (and lost her audience right there,) but goes on to 'prove' eating meat causes global warming. My son said he couldn't even read it, but anyway, the other presentations are all politically correct, as are the weekly discussions. I WISH I was taking this class, b/c it seems like the entire class is speaking from the same political platform, and I feel like shaking them and telling them to think for themselves.


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## PznIvyFarm (Jul 25, 2010)

Maybe if it was cheaper, more people would. When i got my first dog spayed about 10 years ago, it was about $100. I recently enquired the cost to spay a cat (and a rabbit), and it was $180 for a female, $160 for a male, and dogs were well over $200. That is way out of most people's price range. Yes, i know there is help for low income families, but if you aren't low income, you are out of luck. My barn cat mostly stays home, but sometimes he roams the neighborhood, and I don't care to spend scrape together $160 to neuter him, only to have him get hit by a car. I keep him up to date on his vaccines, and feed and worm him, I can't afford more than that.

In comparison, I can adopt an already spayed bunny for $30. (I am sure cats/dogs are similar prices) So if vets decide this is an important issue, they will make it more affordable. If just males were neutered, it would greatly help the problem. When i was in college, we used to castrate sheep, pigs, calves out in the field w/o anaesthetic - I am not saying do that to cats, but for goodness sake, restraining them and using a local would be alot cheaper than knocking them out. For that matter, my goat was knocked out and dehorned for $75 - i can't imagine neutering a male cat would take longer than that.


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## SDK (Jun 26, 2008)

geez our humane society spays male cats for 25-35, female cats from 39-49, male dogs from 45-55 and femaledogs from 55-65


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## AlaskaBoers (May 7, 2008)

yeah the shelter here does free days too. free shots and neuter/spay.


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## mrs. lam (Apr 20, 2010)

Been out of town all last week and just saw this. I've had both pure breeds and mutts. Mutts seemed to be hearty but was a dice throw as to which side of the family tree it took after. Dorkies (dach/yorkie) suck. That was the meanest, yappiest little blank blank. I traded him for a reg. redbone pup. (very nice dog but dumb as a rock)

LGD around here are about 95% GP's. They go for $10 and up as six week old pups. Anatolians on the other hand are around $500. Big jump in price. Hubby was thinking of getting a pair and breeding and I shot him down real quick. Just feeding them alone would run me into the poor house let alone vet and health checks until then. Needless to say we have a GP pup. He will be fixed in another month. (costs alot less when they are under 50lbs.)  

Good luck with what ever you decide. We like pictures of single dogs as well as group "family" dog pictures. (hint hint)

Gina


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Can't reply to the breeding question as I have no experience in that...but I will say that every good dog I have had except 2 has been a stray, someone elses' cast off...Daisy was a pup that was dumped off in summertime of 04, she was hit on the road a few months later...I bought a "non papered" purebred border collie pup to "replace" Daisy, she too got hit 2 years later. I live on a cow path with the only traffic being neighbors and the township truck on occassion, it was that truck and the school bus that took them from me. Pete was a shepard stray that I sunk alot of money into because he came to us with a chain embedded in his neck...we had him for 8 years before age took him, My beloved cocker Max just passed 3 weeks ago and would have turned 16 tomorrow...he was the result of a puppy mill that has since been shut down, he suffered from hip dysplasia and bad knee's, Jack is a hound mix mutt that has been with us now for 3 years and Katie was the result of my neighbor not having her dog spayed...I felt bad for the litter and could only give one a home...I've had 4 house cats over the years, Sassy turned 18 in May and decided to leave me, Jake passed on in 05 at age 12 and my current kitties are Buster and Smokey, again..strays. I have never had a cat or a dog that hasn't been fixed, the cost to have it done is outrageous BUT I managed to be able to give them a better life without them reproducing.
There is an older farm lady out the road from me that neuters her tom cats the same as those would do a piglet...hold onto them with gloves and use a razor blade, I've never seen such big tom's as hers, after the initial "surgery" they're fine.


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