Chepooka

Amateur? Dog Breeders

Ever since we lost Tucker, there’s been a big huge ginormous hole in my heart which I attempt to fill in various embarrassing ways.

First, I visit the dogs and puppies at the animal control shelter about once a week or so. Instead of just hanging around like a creepy dog stalker, I decided to go ahead and become a volunteer. My orientation isn’t for another week, but after that I can freely open cages and take dogs for walks and play fetch and so forth.

I run down to the PetCo on Saturdays to see the puppies up for adoption.

I also comb the internet to look at dog adoption information.

I have the doggie classifieds from our local paper fed via RSS to my google reader.

You get the idea.

Can I just say that I totally and 100% understand the desire to purchase a dog from a reputable breeder. In fact, if I could, I probably would right this very second. I have very specific needs allergy-wise and after Tucker, I don’t think I could take another “hi surprise your dog is chronically and hopelessly ill” situations. A health guarantee: I get it now. Problem is, there are really very few breeders in Alaska and it’s not like I can drive a few states over on a weekend. Also, I don’t have an extra $3,500 to spend on a dog right this second kthx.

Plus yunno, I really believe in adoption. 50% of shelter dogs end up in the gas chamber, so I just don’t know if I could support the “purebred dog trade” or god forbid a puppy mill.

The whole puppy mill thing is morally reprehensible, but holy canole, did you realize that average Joes are making a fortune selling puppies these days? Have you looked at your classified section lately? I mean, these people are not breeders, these dogs are not papered and registered and all of that fancy stuff. These are people that live across town in a trailer who put a yorkshire terrier and a pug together to make a few thousand bucks type deal. Talk about your passive income! (for the human, anyway lol)

I wouldn’t mind doing absolutely nothing and making and extra $5 grand a year. But ... it’s so creepy! If you’re not a breeder, but you breed dogs to make extra money ... that is creepy, right?

Posted by chepooka on 01/25 at 07:19 PM

Comments

Yes, it’s creepy. It’s reprehensible. They see their dog as a money-maker. Many of those same “breeders” are selling their puppies long before they reach 10 weeks of age. 8 weeks is standard, but a really good breeder will want the puppies to have interacted with each other, and their mother, to learn “doggie speak” a lot better before they go to their new home.

I know Cookie was taken away from her mommy way too early. I’m guessing she was all of four to five weeks old when our tenants got her (and then abandoned her at 4 months) It’s odd, it’s like she’s mentally retarded. Stuie (our other dog) is very patient with her but you know, we have so many instances where Cookie just misses the sign that it’s time to stop playing so rough and hurts Stu, or doesn’t see the warning and sparks a fight, or mistakes a friendly, but bold dog for an aggressive one. She is a mess. I love her dearly, she’s my giant teddy bear, but she is a total dork.
You’ll find a good doggie somehow, T. Man I wish I had my hands on one and that I was going to Alaska for vacation…

Posted by on 01/26 at 02:30 PM