question about breeding.
- Thread starter Milo's Daddy
- Start date
I guess there are some of us that just don't understand the whole mixed breed thing. If you want a maltese, get a maltese. If you want a poodle, get a poodle.
Some people say that they want a combination of what the two have to offer, but genetics, being as they are, are never consistent on what is produced when mixing breeds. There is absolutely no predicting what will come of mixing breeds, whereas, when breeding one breed, we can make fairly educated guesses on to what will be produced. For me with my variety of Belgian, I can guarantee my owners that they will get either a fawn/red and black, or grey and black dog with long hair, and black mask. They will get a dog that looks like a Tervuren and will be recognized as a Tervuren. They will get a dog that is very active, extremely intelligent, with a strong desire to please his/her people. I make my breeding decisions based on pedigree, health results of parents, siblings, and offspring, temperaments of the parents (and offspring, siblings, etc.), drive, and almost always keep something from my breedings for my future generation (I've only not kept something from one litter, and that is only because my mother was very ill with Leukemia at the time and I could not be home to raise a puppy). I have many people who own my dogs that did not want a show dog. They wanted a pet, but they wanted a Tervuren for a pet. They came to me to get a Tervuren. I don't hold out for show homes, as my first priority is that my dogs be much loved family companions.
Some people say that they want a combination of what the two have to offer, but genetics, being as they are, are never consistent on what is produced when mixing breeds. There is absolutely no predicting what will come of mixing breeds, whereas, when breeding one breed, we can make fairly educated guesses on to what will be produced. For me with my variety of Belgian, I can guarantee my owners that they will get either a fawn/red and black, or grey and black dog with long hair, and black mask. They will get a dog that looks like a Tervuren and will be recognized as a Tervuren. They will get a dog that is very active, extremely intelligent, with a strong desire to please his/her people. I make my breeding decisions based on pedigree, health results of parents, siblings, and offspring, temperaments of the parents (and offspring, siblings, etc.), drive, and almost always keep something from my breedings for my future generation (I've only not kept something from one litter, and that is only because my mother was very ill with Leukemia at the time and I could not be home to raise a puppy). I have many people who own my dogs that did not want a show dog. They wanted a pet, but they wanted a Tervuren for a pet. They came to me to get a Tervuren. I don't hold out for show homes, as my first priority is that my dogs be much loved family companions.
I need to add to my post.... after the first line.... and if you want a good mixed breed dog, go rescue one from a shelter. 
I don't think a breeder breeding purebred anything without titling or health screening is any different than a breeder breeding crosses without health screening.
Here's what I think- If I want a dog for a purpose, I'll get a purebred from a breeder. If I want a dog for companionship and I want a healthy with certain traits, well tempered dog I'll get a purebred from a breeder. If I just wnat a nice companion, I'll rescue. I just think the designer breeders are not the type of people I'd want to endorse by giving them my money. There's nothing wrong with wanting a well bred companion, but if you're going to pay for a companion while there are so many just waiting in shelters, I want to know it's a good representation of the breed. That way I better know the traits, personality, looks, etc I am getting. I'm paying for consistency and quality, which to me is the only reason to purchase a dog.
That said, my first dog is a purbred sheltie from a bad breeder. Nice dog, healthy, no showing her parents or health screening. She's been wonderful, but looking back at it honestly, they weren't the best breeders. Today, there'd be no way I'd give my money to someone who does that.
Here's what I think- If I want a dog for a purpose, I'll get a purebred from a breeder. If I want a dog for companionship and I want a healthy with certain traits, well tempered dog I'll get a purebred from a breeder. If I just wnat a nice companion, I'll rescue. I just think the designer breeders are not the type of people I'd want to endorse by giving them my money. There's nothing wrong with wanting a well bred companion, but if you're going to pay for a companion while there are so many just waiting in shelters, I want to know it's a good representation of the breed. That way I better know the traits, personality, looks, etc I am getting. I'm paying for consistency and quality, which to me is the only reason to purchase a dog.
That said, my first dog is a purbred sheltie from a bad breeder. Nice dog, healthy, no showing her parents or health screening. She's been wonderful, but looking back at it honestly, they weren't the best breeders. Today, there'd be no way I'd give my money to someone who does that.
I am the one that said that your dog is from a puppy mill. Sorry for jumping to conclusions, but a back yard breeder isn't very much better. The fact is, two untested dogs were bred for the financial gain of the breeder. I'm glad you felt comfortable, but there are plenty of small, young (even baby) mixed dogs waiting for homes in shelters.
Good breeders aren't looking for profit. They carefully select breeding pairs, health test them, and do as much as possible to ensure that they fit the breed standard. It isn't about having cute puppies, experiencing "the miracle of life", or anything like that. Good breeders do as much as possible to ensure that their puppies will have predictable temperaments, health, and appearance. This isn't just about being snotty and making "best of show" dogs.
Breeding a dog to be a "companion" or a "pet" could be ethical, but it is often done for the wrong reasons. Did your breeder health test all of her breeding stock? If not, why not?
There are plenty of breed specific (or even mixed breed) rescues that know more about the health and temperaments about their dogs than any back yard breeder will know about their litters. Buying a "companion" or a "pet" from a poor breeder provides no guarantees.
Do breeders of "designer dogs" ever test their stock? Show me an example. Labradoodle breeders are an exception and that is because there were a few select people working towards a standard. Why do we need new breeds of dogs, aren't there enough? (There was recently a show on PBS Nature titled "Dogs That Changed the World." I suggest you watch it for more perspective.)
People consciously choose to produce offspring. It's a completely different story when you choose to have another being produce offspring so you can profit from the sale. These are living, breathing animals--not objects that should be distributed and sold for our personal gain.
P-R-O-F-I-T How's that for a reason? How much did your dog cost? How many litters does your breeder have per year? How much money is she raking in?
Why do it intentionally? There are thousands of mixed dogs that die every day because they aren't adopted in time. I bought a dog from a backyard breeder. I did some research and I learned from my mistake.
Good breeders aren't looking for profit. They carefully select breeding pairs, health test them, and do as much as possible to ensure that they fit the breed standard. It isn't about having cute puppies, experiencing "the miracle of life", or anything like that. Good breeders do as much as possible to ensure that their puppies will have predictable temperaments, health, and appearance. This isn't just about being snotty and making "best of show" dogs.
Breeding a dog to be a "companion" or a "pet" could be ethical, but it is often done for the wrong reasons. Did your breeder health test all of her breeding stock? If not, why not?
There are plenty of breed specific (or even mixed breed) rescues that know more about the health and temperaments about their dogs than any back yard breeder will know about their litters. Buying a "companion" or a "pet" from a poor breeder provides no guarantees.
Do breeders of "designer dogs" ever test their stock? Show me an example. Labradoodle breeders are an exception and that is because there were a few select people working towards a standard. Why do we need new breeds of dogs, aren't there enough? (There was recently a show on PBS Nature titled "Dogs That Changed the World." I suggest you watch it for more perspective.)
People consciously choose to produce offspring. It's a completely different story when you choose to have another being produce offspring so you can profit from the sale. These are living, breathing animals--not objects that should be distributed and sold for our personal gain.
P-R-O-F-I-T How's that for a reason? How much did your dog cost? How many litters does your breeder have per year? How much money is she raking in?
Why do it intentionally? There are thousands of mixed dogs that die every day because they aren't adopted in time. I bought a dog from a backyard breeder. I did some research and I learned from my mistake.
And my point is that with mixed breeds, even if you see the parents and see how the pups are being raised, you still don't know what you are going to get. Genetics over-rides everything, and to put it simply, with any mixed breed dog, you do not know what you are truly getting until the dog grows up. Other than colour, which is very obvious, people can't even realistically guess what the dog is going to grow up to look like, act like, etc., because in blending the genetics of two different breeds, you don't know what traits are being passed.
This is proven in Labrador/Poodle crosses. Breeders tout that the dogs will be hypoallergenic and not shed, but this is simply not true. With Labs and Poodles, the only way to get a hypoallergenic dog is to buy a Poodle. A "breeder" cannot accurately state that each pup will be non-shedding and hypoallergenic - how could they? Non-shedding Poodle hair does not genetically override shedding Lab fur. Some will be non shedding, some will shed. Some will be hypoallergenic, some won't, and the combination of non shedding AND hypoallerginic may not be together in any one puppy from the combination. Same thing goes for temperament, intelligence, drive, altheleticism, body structure, etc.
Milo's Daddy, I posted this thread especially for you. I know it's long, but if you can get through the whole thing, it may give you another perspective, a different point of view. Take your time and read little by little, if you wish. But I worked hard on this for you and others with doubts of what a lot of people are trying to explain. I hope it is useful.
http://www.chazhound.com/forums/showthread.php?p=694335#post694335
http://www.chazhound.com/forums/showthread.php?p=694335#post694335
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I'm glad you're here asking questions and not just breeding your dogs without first looking into the why's and why not's - this alone puts you above any backyard/irresponsible breeder type of person.
I'll give you my honest opinion on the concept of BYB's and breeding mixed breeds. There are hundreds of established breeds already. These are breeds that have been carefully molded throughout the years, breeding dogs with certain attributes to other dogs with certain attributes to develop a consistent set of traits that makes up a particular breed. This is why, when you breed a chow to a chow, you will get a predictable result. There are breeds to match any person's needs already, and because of the number of dogs already out there it is hard to support the concept of people deliberately mixing breeds just to feed into a money-making fad.
Pet over-population is a serious problem. Many of the people on this forum have helped with rescue and understand the huge problem that is out there. It's not just mixed breeds, it's purebred dogs too. And this is why ANY breeding - mixed or not - is under a certain amount of scrutiny. If all those breeding for the wrong reasons (or allowing their dogs to breed indiscriminately) would stop, the suffering of hundreds of thousands of dogs would stop.
Breeding dogs should be a huge responsibility. A good breeder is one who is very conscientious about what they're doing. It's a lot more than simply taking a male and a female and putting them together to produce puppies that they can now sell for a profit. It's testing their dogs for genetic diseases. It's knowing the lines behind their dogs for at LEAST 4-5 generations and understanding what is in those lines (including health). It's breeding for a specific goal that has zero to do with making money. It's being responsible enough to take back any dog they have produced throughout the dog's lifetime - for any reason.
There is a huge fad going on in this country of "designer dogs". It's led to a lot of unscrupulous people breeding just because they can sell these pups for a large amount of money to people who fall for that cute little puppy face. Designer dogs are not a breed - they're a mix of breeds that can often be found in animal shelters across the country. By putting a cute name on them, those breeding these dogs increase the desirability and therefore the price. These breeders don't research to find the best matches as far as health. These breeders don't know the backgrounds of their breeding stock, other than maybe having a pedigree with some names on it. They don't understand the concept of researching a pedigree to try to avoid genetic diseases. Even if they have their own dogs tested (which is rare), without the background on the dogs they really don't know what they're breeding.
What they DO know is that they've got a money-maker, and if they happen to produce dysplasia, epilepsy, hypothyroidism, entropion, etc. it doesn't really matter to them as they have their money in hand and the people who bought the puppy are already in love with it by the time the disease is diagnosed. They don't care that the dog may be in pain the rest of its life, or that the owner may rack up thousands of dollars in vet bills.
Like I said earlier, this isn't JUST mixed breed breeders. ANY breeder who does not test their stock, know the backgrounds, and work toward producing a healthy and proper representation of the breed is a backyard breeder. Yes, your breeder probably knew she could sell these puppies - breeders like that depend on the almighty $$$ and know that these puppies are cute and people will fall for it. And unfortunately she will probably continue breeding her bitch just to make more money.
You were comparing dog breeding to human breeding, and to me there's just no valid comparison. Humans have a choice. Dogs do not. If a human had a disease that they knew would likely be inherited by their offspring and would likely create a life of pain for their children, I would hope that they would seriously consider adoption instead.
I really feel that we humans should be working toward reducing the number of dogs out there that are being produced by irresponsible breeders and we can't do that if people continue to support them by buying their dogs. People aren't doing this deliberately for the most part - it's a matter of just not knowing. Education is the key.
By the way - did your breeder health screen her dogs? This doesn't mean that she says "my vet checked them over and said they're healthy". This means that she has OFA numbers available to look up. Poodles have a large range of genetic health risks, including progressive retinal atrophy, luxating patellas and von willebrands disease. They also run about 13% in hip dysplasia. Maltese can also have a problem with PRA as well as luxating patellas. Mixing these breeds doesn't guarantee health by any means but the mix is more likely to be healthy if the breeder tested her dogs and researched the pedigrees to avoid health problems.
Best of luck to you with your new pup and again I'm glad you're asking questions here. People ARE passionate about dogs on this forum and when you ask about breeding mixes you may get some heated replies. This is not a reflection of their feelings about you or your purchase but about the overall "irresponsible breeder" problem.
Melanie and the gang in Alaska
I'll give you my honest opinion on the concept of BYB's and breeding mixed breeds. There are hundreds of established breeds already. These are breeds that have been carefully molded throughout the years, breeding dogs with certain attributes to other dogs with certain attributes to develop a consistent set of traits that makes up a particular breed. This is why, when you breed a chow to a chow, you will get a predictable result. There are breeds to match any person's needs already, and because of the number of dogs already out there it is hard to support the concept of people deliberately mixing breeds just to feed into a money-making fad.
Pet over-population is a serious problem. Many of the people on this forum have helped with rescue and understand the huge problem that is out there. It's not just mixed breeds, it's purebred dogs too. And this is why ANY breeding - mixed or not - is under a certain amount of scrutiny. If all those breeding for the wrong reasons (or allowing their dogs to breed indiscriminately) would stop, the suffering of hundreds of thousands of dogs would stop.
Breeding dogs should be a huge responsibility. A good breeder is one who is very conscientious about what they're doing. It's a lot more than simply taking a male and a female and putting them together to produce puppies that they can now sell for a profit. It's testing their dogs for genetic diseases. It's knowing the lines behind their dogs for at LEAST 4-5 generations and understanding what is in those lines (including health). It's breeding for a specific goal that has zero to do with making money. It's being responsible enough to take back any dog they have produced throughout the dog's lifetime - for any reason.
There is a huge fad going on in this country of "designer dogs". It's led to a lot of unscrupulous people breeding just because they can sell these pups for a large amount of money to people who fall for that cute little puppy face. Designer dogs are not a breed - they're a mix of breeds that can often be found in animal shelters across the country. By putting a cute name on them, those breeding these dogs increase the desirability and therefore the price. These breeders don't research to find the best matches as far as health. These breeders don't know the backgrounds of their breeding stock, other than maybe having a pedigree with some names on it. They don't understand the concept of researching a pedigree to try to avoid genetic diseases. Even if they have their own dogs tested (which is rare), without the background on the dogs they really don't know what they're breeding.
What they DO know is that they've got a money-maker, and if they happen to produce dysplasia, epilepsy, hypothyroidism, entropion, etc. it doesn't really matter to them as they have their money in hand and the people who bought the puppy are already in love with it by the time the disease is diagnosed. They don't care that the dog may be in pain the rest of its life, or that the owner may rack up thousands of dollars in vet bills.
Like I said earlier, this isn't JUST mixed breed breeders. ANY breeder who does not test their stock, know the backgrounds, and work toward producing a healthy and proper representation of the breed is a backyard breeder. Yes, your breeder probably knew she could sell these puppies - breeders like that depend on the almighty $$$ and know that these puppies are cute and people will fall for it. And unfortunately she will probably continue breeding her bitch just to make more money.
You were comparing dog breeding to human breeding, and to me there's just no valid comparison. Humans have a choice. Dogs do not. If a human had a disease that they knew would likely be inherited by their offspring and would likely create a life of pain for their children, I would hope that they would seriously consider adoption instead.
I really feel that we humans should be working toward reducing the number of dogs out there that are being produced by irresponsible breeders and we can't do that if people continue to support them by buying their dogs. People aren't doing this deliberately for the most part - it's a matter of just not knowing. Education is the key.
By the way - did your breeder health screen her dogs? This doesn't mean that she says "my vet checked them over and said they're healthy". This means that she has OFA numbers available to look up. Poodles have a large range of genetic health risks, including progressive retinal atrophy, luxating patellas and von willebrands disease. They also run about 13% in hip dysplasia. Maltese can also have a problem with PRA as well as luxating patellas. Mixing these breeds doesn't guarantee health by any means but the mix is more likely to be healthy if the breeder tested her dogs and researched the pedigrees to avoid health problems.
Best of luck to you with your new pup and again I'm glad you're asking questions here. People ARE passionate about dogs on this forum and when you ask about breeding mixes you may get some heated replies. This is not a reflection of their feelings about you or your purchase but about the overall "irresponsible breeder" problem.
Melanie and the gang in Alaska
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Are you planning on selling your baby to the first person who walks up with the asking price? That's what these "designer dog" breeders typically do.
The "check mate" quip makes it sound like you consider this a game - we are looking at the broader picture, and that DOES include the hundreds of thousands of dogs who are going to be euthanized because they don't have homes.
Melanie and the gang in Alaska
The "check mate" quip makes it sound like you consider this a game - we are looking at the broader picture, and that DOES include the hundreds of thousands of dogs who are going to be euthanized because they don't have homes.
Melanie and the gang in Alaska
Dogs are not people. Puppies are not children. I for one am very offended at your using this as a comparison. How dare you compare the breeding of dogs and puppy selection to making such a personal decision as to have a child or to adopt a child, or in that matter, whether to have children or not!
This just sickens me.
This just sickens me.
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These are living, breathing animals--not objects that should be distributed and sold for our personal gain.
The above statement makes no sense in relation to the message you are trying to convey. If a purebred is bred for the intention of being sold from a "responsible" breeder or a mixed breed is bred to be sold...Then in both cases both breeders are working for personal gain. No breeds and sells intentionally at a loss or to break even. So based on your above statement it is wrong and unethical to breed any dog.
P-R-O-F-I-T How's that for a reason? How much did your dog cost? How many litters does your breeder have per year? How much money is she raking in?
She has 1 sometimes 2 per year. I had to wait for my puppy to be born I knew she was having a litter, and before she had the litter she already had homes for all of the pups.
Why do it intentionally? There are thousands of mixed dogs that die every day because they aren't adopted in time. I bought a dog from a backyard breeder. I did some research and I learned from my mistake.[/QUOTE]
Well I guess you should have done some research before you bought your dog.
The above statement makes no sense in relation to the message you are trying to convey. If a purebred is bred for the intention of being sold from a "responsible" breeder or a mixed breed is bred to be sold...Then in both cases both breeders are working for personal gain. No breeds and sells intentionally at a loss or to break even. So based on your above statement it is wrong and unethical to breed any dog.
P-R-O-F-I-T How's that for a reason? How much did your dog cost? How many litters does your breeder have per year? How much money is she raking in?
She has 1 sometimes 2 per year. I had to wait for my puppy to be born I knew she was having a litter, and before she had the litter she already had homes for all of the pups.
Why do it intentionally? There are thousands of mixed dogs that die every day because they aren't adopted in time. I bought a dog from a backyard breeder. I did some research and I learned from my mistake.[/QUOTE]
Well I guess you should have done some research before you bought your dog.
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My point is most breeders and I am not refering to ones who breed to keep the dogs themselves and show them or whatever are breeding to sell the dogs. And if that is the case the type of dog is irrelevant mixed or pure if a dog is being bred to be sold it is the same thing.
My breeder did test both mother and father before breeding. So if she sold me a pure Maltese or a Maltipoo both were bred to be sold. That does not make the breeder a puppy mill. She was a responsible breeder in that she tested the health of both animals and prior to the pups even being born she already had homes for them.
My breeder did test both mother and father before breeding. So if she sold me a pure Maltese or a Maltipoo both were bred to be sold. That does not make the breeder a puppy mill. She was a responsible breeder in that she tested the health of both animals and prior to the pups even being born she already had homes for them.
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My point and the comparison is very valid. we are referring to mixing breeds. And since the genetic composition of people and dogs is similar there is nothing wrong with making the comparison.
I am sorry you are offended...but the comparison is valid.
If mixing a maltese and a poodle is wrong and irresponsible when there are plenty of other mixes out there in shelters then the same is true in mixing an asian man with a hispanic woman there are plenty of "mixed" babies in orphanages.
While my example is a little extreme it is valid and serves its purpose in this debate.
I am sorry you are offended...but the comparison is valid.
If mixing a maltese and a poodle is wrong and irresponsible when there are plenty of other mixes out there in shelters then the same is true in mixing an asian man with a hispanic woman there are plenty of "mixed" babies in orphanages.
While my example is a little extreme it is valid and serves its purpose in this debate.
Actually, the only breeders most of us here consider responsible DO NOT sell puppies for money. They breed to improve the breed. They do this by testing dogs for health issues and by competing with their dogs. The dogs that are sold as pets are the ones that do not fit their breeding programs. These pups are always born and do need homes. A breeder who does this rarely makes much profit on their litters.
There are so many fees- titling the parents, stud fees, health screenings that it costs several thousand dollars to breed a litter. Usually they try to break even if they are lucky.
There are so many fees- titling the parents, stud fees, health screenings that it costs several thousand dollars to breed a litter. Usually they try to break even if they are lucky.
I'm going to completely disregard your ridiculous "check mate" comment. You're showing that you really don't understand responsible breeding. I'm not picking on you, but I really think you should look into it and try to see that it isn't about financial gain or human personal gain. It is about bettering a breed of dog to ensure that it stays healthy, maintains the characteristics that make it unique, and doesn't go extinct.
That means that she breeds every heat. Her poor dogs are basically just machines that churn out puppies so she can make money!
You're right--I really should have done some research. I regret my mistake and will never repeat it. I don't love Herschel any less for his meager beginnings (I probably love him even more), but I can't believe that this dog that is so special to me was used as an object for someone else's profit.
We're probably getting a second dog soon and it will be from a breed specific rescue. We picked the breed last September (meaning we started researching in August) and aren't planning to adopt for at least another month. She is one year old and I can't wait to bring her home.
That means that she breeds every heat. Her poor dogs are basically just machines that churn out puppies so she can make money!
You're right--I really should have done some research. I regret my mistake and will never repeat it. I don't love Herschel any less for his meager beginnings (I probably love him even more), but I can't believe that this dog that is so special to me was used as an object for someone else's profit.
We're probably getting a second dog soon and it will be from a breed specific rescue. We picked the breed last September (meaning we started researching in August) and aren't planning to adopt for at least another month. She is one year old and I can't wait to bring her home.
You're absolutely right. An irresponsible breeder is just as irresponsible for breeding mixed dogs or purebreds.
There are plenty of dogs waiting for homes--dogs of all types and sizes. A search on http://www.petfinder.org will show you just about everything you could imagine. Why do we need to breed more companion dogs?
What tests did she perform? "Vet checked" does NOT count as health testing. Why did she breed her dogs? Is she working towards a standard or to better the "Maltipoo" breed?
If she has a website, I would really like to see it. Since she's a responsible breeder I'm sure you wouldn't mind sharing.
There are plenty of dogs waiting for homes--dogs of all types and sizes. A search on http://www.petfinder.org will show you just about everything you could imagine. Why do we need to breed more companion dogs?
What tests did she perform? "Vet checked" does NOT count as health testing. Why did she breed her dogs? Is she working towards a standard or to better the "Maltipoo" breed?
If she has a website, I would really like to see it. Since she's a responsible breeder I'm sure you wouldn't mind sharing.
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Welcome to the forum, first of all. You've come to a great place if you open to learning and being objective. What you will find here is that we have an awesome community of dog-lovin' people.. from the mutts of the world to the purebred champions as displayed by some of our members. Being that you are new, I really suggest taking some things with a grain (or two) of salt until you get to know us a little better. Our hearts definitely come from the right place.
Now, let's get to business.
I really, really suggest that you do some searching on the forum for puppy mills and back yard breeders. Just read through some of them and become familiar with "our" definitions of these things. Once you have an understanding of where many of us are coming from, I think you will better be able to take advice from members.
Absolutely!! Which is why, when people mention puppy mill or BYB, people balk, because to these people, dogs are exactly as you described above "objects that are distributed for personal gain".
Not so, MD. A responsible breeder is breeding to better their specific breed. Two near perfect specimens are bred together to create even better specimens and so on. These dogs later turn out to be champions and/or excelling working dogs, such as cattle dogs and police dogs, etc..
My two boys, Buddy and Banzai are two of the greatest loves in the world. I wouldn't trade them for anything. In fact, if I thought it were even remotely possible, I'd clone my Buddy and keep one of him around for the rest of my life. He's my heart dog, a great dog and he's a... *gasp* mutt! However, along with being a mutt, comes health problems.. oy vey, the health problems. My Buddy could be the poster child for irresponsible breeding and the ill effects. But, that's okay. He's mine and always will be. But, he was fixed as a puppy and we would never have bred him, or cloned him and neither will Banzai and neither will Bella, even though she is a purebred. Ok, I'm rambling. I'm done for now.
No one is perfect and we all make dog-owning mistakes. But we live and learn...and love.
What you will find here is that we have an awesome community of dog-lovin' people.. from the mutts of the world to the purebred champions as displayed by some of our members. Being that you are new, I really suggest taking some things with a grain (or two) of salt until you get to know us a little better. Our hearts definitely come from the right place. Now, let's get to business.
I really, really suggest that you do some searching on the forum for puppy mills and back yard breeders. Just read through some of them and become familiar with "our" definitions of these things. Once you have an understanding of where many of us are coming from, I think you will better be able to take advice from members.
Absolutely!! Which is why, when people mention puppy mill or BYB, people balk, because to these people, dogs are exactly as you described above "objects that are distributed for personal gain".
Not so, MD. A responsible breeder is breeding to better their specific breed. Two near perfect specimens are bred together to create even better specimens and so on. These dogs later turn out to be champions and/or excelling working dogs, such as cattle dogs and police dogs, etc..
My two boys, Buddy and Banzai are two of the greatest loves in the world. I wouldn't trade them for anything. In fact, if I thought it were even remotely possible, I'd clone my Buddy and keep one of him around for the rest of my life. He's my heart dog, a great dog and he's a... *gasp* mutt!
However, along with being a mutt, comes health problems.. oy vey, the health problems. My Buddy could be the poster child for irresponsible breeding and the ill effects. But, that's okay. He's mine and always will be. But, he was fixed as a puppy and we would never have bred him, or cloned him and neither will Banzai and neither will Bella, even though she is a purebred. Ok, I'm rambling. I'm done for now. No one is perfect and we all make dog-owning mistakes. But we live and learn...and love.