Different BYB thread

**rayluckgoo** · 05-22-2010, 09:36 AM

I have a colleague that is a small time BYB. He has only bred his bitch once but plans on doing it one or two more times. He owns both the stud and the bitch and they have both have just hip and elbow clearances. His stud is quite handsome, his bitch doesn't have a proper head, tail or coat but they both have excellent dispositions and the first litter of puppies were pretty nice. His vet recommended breeding them because they were healthy and with great dispositions.
At lunch, on occasion, we have tip-toed around this issue...trying to nicely let him know that it's important to try to keep the breed somewhat true to form by breeding the best to the best etc.

His argument is that people who have done that have priced out the people that just want a decent, healthy lab as a pet. "With a family of young children, who can spend $1200 for family companion?"

I don't have a real good answer to that. Yeah...there are shelter dogs. I have rescued horses, cats and rodents but I want pure-bred labs (for selfish reasons that I don't understand)...as I'm sure alot of people do.
Do you have any great arguments for me the next time that comes up? (And yes...my first lab...the best dog that ever lived, had severe hip dysplasia and came from a back yard breeder).

**zoezoe** · 05-22-2010, 09:59 AM

wow at least he does some clearances and his dogs have good dispositions. can't say that for most byb's.

**Luvmydog2much** · 05-22-2010, 10:15 AM

If they're priced out at the purchase, what if something goes wrong? Cruciate tears, an accident, cancer, epilepsy, heart murmurs, elbow dysplasia, etc etc etc. How then will they afford that?

IMO if you don't simply want to add to overpopulation, the biggest thing to do isn't clearances, its agreeing to be responsible for each puppy you produce, taking them back to rehome them at any point in their life. If a breeder, (be it BYB, reputable or puppy mill) is doing that, I'm not so upset. People get what they pay for, but at least their dogs won't end up in shelters.

I also like to assign a 'worth' to my puppies. People take better care of something worth $1000 than something worth $200.00.

~melissa

**BigBrownDog** · 05-22-2010, 10:22 AM

Is he also getting spay and neuter contracts on those puppies he produces? If not - he is adding to the problem exponentially.

His vet is a complete moron to recommend he breed his pets.

**rayluckgoo** · 05-22-2010, 11:35 AM

Originally Posted by Luvmydog2much

If they're priced out at the purchase, what if something goes wrong? Cruciate tears, an accident, cancer, epilepsy, heart murmurs, elbow dysplasia, etc etc etc. How then will they afford that?

IMO if you don't simply want to add to overpopulation, the biggest thing to do isn't clearances, its agreeing to be responsible for each puppy you produce, taking them back to rehome them at any point in their life. If a breeder, (be it BYB, reputable or puppy mill) is doing that, I'm not so upset.

~melissa

To his credit, he is very careful about where the puppies went. He gave most to family members and took one back because the people's living conditions traumatically changed and has "babysat" for the puppies when their owners had weddings etc. to go to. Not one puppy went to anyone he didn't personally know.
His answer to the "what if something bad happens is" they have the money they didn't spend on the dog to get it fixed!
He doesn't require spay and neuter contracts though...he went the owners to have the same experience he did. For some reason the overpopulation issue doesn't bother him.

**mitziandjudysmom** · 05-22-2010, 12:48 PM

People take better care of something worth $1000 than something worth $200.00.

Not defending BYB's, but I really disagree with this. I care for Duke, who was free, just as well as for Mitzi, Judy, or Bruno. I would spend any amount on any of them to keep them healthy, regardless of where they came from because I love them all.

**zoezoe** · 05-22-2010, 01:41 PM

Originally Posted by mitziandjudysmom

Not defending BYB's, but I really disagree with this. I care for Duke, who was free, just as well as for Mitzi, Judy, or Bruno. I would spend any amount on any of them to keep them healthy, regardless of where they came from because I love them all.

absolutely agree with this. i spent $3000 on Jax the first 3 months I had him and that doesn't include the $700 that various people donated to help me get him out of the shelter and contribute towards his broken leg. so..essentianlly he was "free" from the shelter.
i have the money to spend to get my dog's healthcare just fine...but i honestly don't think i would spend $1200 for a pet if I had no interest in breeding, showing, field trials, etc.

**rottnlab dad** · 05-22-2010, 01:54 PM

Originally Posted by BigBrownDog

His vet is a complete moron to recommend he breed his pets.

Yes. I thought this was the most shocking thing by far!

**justine** · 05-22-2010, 04:26 PM

Originally Posted by BigBrownDog

His vet is a complete moron to recommend he breed his pets.

Couldn't agree more with you, Sharon.. that is just shocking.

I didn't pay $1000 for any of my pets either, but I think I take damn good care of my furkids. For some people an animal is just a possession and only holds a value in money, but to me, my pets are much more than possessions - they are my children and I would do anything for them.

**Luvmydog2much** · 05-22-2010, 04:29 PM

Yes, but you guys are all different people, most of the people who want to spend $200 on a puppy don't think they're 'worth' any more than that.

And then they end up with people like those in Java's mom's thread...who think its so much cheaper to get a new one than to fix the one they have.

There's a specific kind of person who generally contacts a reputable breeder, and a specific one who contacts a cheap BYB, and they are very different types.