There are some very strong opinions around when it comes to breeding dogs.
There are debates
about who should be breeding, what they should be breeding,
how they should be breeding and even whether breeding dogs
should be permitted at all.
Do we need more
dogs?
Some people think
that we should stop breeding dogs altogether, at least for long
enough to reduce the numbers of dogs in rescue homes or shelters.
Dog’s Today
magazine is currently campaigning for a moratorium on breeding
Staffordshire Bull Terriers, so overwhelmed are Staffie rescues
at the moment.
Whilst it is
arguably unethical to bring more dogs into the world when there are
dogs in animal shelters waiting for homes, many would
argue that buying a puppy gives them a better chance of getting the
dog that they want than adopting an older dog.
Do we have the
right to take away people’s choices in this matter, or to set dogs
apart from all the other animals that people keep as pets and breed
from?
Whatever our views
on this issue, it seems unlikely that dog breeding will be
stopped anytime soon. So if dogs are going to continue to
be bred from, who should be doing the breeding?
Who should be
breeding dogs?
This is another
question that arouses strong feelings. Undoubtedly some
think that breeding should be left to breeders. But of
course, there is no ‘school’ for breeders, no ‘breeder
training’ programme.
Dog breeders are
just people that breed dogs. And they all had to start
somewhere. Perhaps what is more important, is how dogs
are bred. If we get that right, perhaps it doesn’t much
matter who is doing the breeding.
How should dogs be
bred?
Here is an area
where there is much more agreement. Most of us dislike the idea
of dogs being bred on puppy farms, or vast commercial kennels where
breeding bitches get little attention and are treated more like farm
animals than pet dogs.
Virtually all of us
would agree that dogs being bred from and their puppies, should
be properly fed, exercised, and socialised. And should
receive proper veterinary attention whenever it is needed.
Beyond this it all
gets a little murky again. Especially when it comes to the
breeder’s motivation for breeding.
Reasons for
breeding
Here are some
popular reasons for breeding (though not everyone admits to them)
For financial
gain
To better the breed
To get another dog like mine
My
bitch would love puppies
Financial gain
There are those
that firmly object to dogs being bred for financial gain. And
whilst I sympathise, I do not entirely agree. To
me, the welfare of the dog should be the yardstick and if
someone can make money from breeding a litter or offering their dog
at stud, whilst maintaining exemplary welfare standards, I do
not think the issue of financial reward is relevant.
However, the
fact is, it is not easy to make money from breeding dogs if
standards are high and proper health tests carried out, in fact
most people breeding a single litter will lose money if they do it
properly.
Bettering the breed
Many times I have
heard breeders state that dogs should only ever be bred to ‘better
the breed’. These tend to be breeders of pedigree dogs that
use the results of competitive dog showing as their ‘standard’
for determining the quality of the dogs that they hope to better.
Unfortunately
with so many breeds under the microscope due to massive failures by
some breed clubs to ensure that their standards are acceptable,
this means of measurement is now mistrusted by many members of the
public.
Indeed it is
arguable that some of the top breeders in the UK should not be
breeding from their stock due to inherently unhealthy
conformation of the breed as a whole. Check out
Breeding dogs with disabilities for a look at this
issue
Essentially,
betterment is a completely subjective issue. What I think is a
better spaniel for example, would be a very different dog than
the spaniel which might do well at Crufts.
Of all the reasons
for breeding puppies, some are based on myths, and
some are founded in fact. If you are thinking of breeding
your own bitch, you might be interested to read an
article I wrote for the Labrador site called “should you let
your dog have puppies” which looks at these
issues in more detail
Designer dogs
And then of course
there is the issue of cross-breeds. This is another hot
potato, especially when cross-breeds are deliberately created
to fulfil the market for so called ‘designer dogs’.
Breeders of
pure bred dogs may object to designer breeds such as labradoodles,
on a number of grounds. Especially if health tests are
neglected. Yet not everyone agrees that purity of breed is
essential or even desirable in dog breeding. Nor do
breeders of purebred pedigree dogs have a monopoly on health testing
and good welfare standards.
Legislation or
education?
It is a complex
issue. Sadly, irresponsible breeders who care nothing for
their dogs and have no interest in anything other than making a few
pounds out of puppies, are unlikely to be reading this
article. And they are just as likely to be breeding purebred
dogs as they are to be breeding cross-breeds or mongrels.
So what is the best
way to go about improving standards in welfare for breeding dogs,
and to reduce the numbers of dogs in rescue homes? Is it
legislation we need? Or education?
What do you think?