Voicing Opinions on Breeders?

[Sit Stay]

If someone asks me privately about a breeder and I trust who I'm speaking to, I will let them know anything helpful and relevant I know. Especially in some breed groups I know that information that might be crucial to a potential puppy buyer may be overlooked, ignored, or simply not shared with the general public. If they ask me for breeder recommendations they will receive the good and possibly some warnings or perhaps-unknown information about local breeders I think they might discover. Whether I'm sharing rave reviews or maybe have a little more of a cautionary tone, I think it's important to be tactful and to not simply spread rumors but share legitimate information, positive or negative.

There have been times where I have wished someone would ask my opinions on a breeder or asked for advice, but unless it's a really serious situation I would never give unsolicited advice or recount my experiences. As much as I might possibly want to. I think it's one of those situations that well meaning advice can be easily taken the wrong way and it could backfire on me.

I don't think I would ever public ally criticize a breeder.

 

[yoko]

As someone who is slowly leaning toward trying to get my next dog from a breeder the feelings on giving out information stated here are really kind of worrying.

 

[noodlerubyallie]

If someone asks me directly what I think, I share my opinion based on the information I know. If it's a breeder that I know "of" and may not directly know, I share what I know. If it's a breeder I know, I can talk your ear off for hours.

It depends on your breed. Doberman people are generally friendly; if you ask a direct question you'll get a no-nonsense answer, but nearly EVERYONE is convinced their dogs are the best, no questions asked. Also, there's a near obsession with being a winner in conformation. It seems we're all a little over competitive.

I think it boils down to always using a filter. I usually don't say much unless asked directly, but if I'm passionate about something, it comes right out. Like, don't breed to the FREAKING FLAVOR OF THE MONTH ON A BREED THAT IS BASED OFF OF 7 ORIGINAL DOGS.

 

[release the hounds]

about the only time I get involved with breeder discussions anymore is if one is grossly overstating what they actually are. The ones that are breeding police dogs from parents that had a "champion" dog 10 generations ago and their own dogs have never seen the outside of their backyard. Those types I"ll rail on pretty hard.

Other than that, if you find dogs you like, why do you care what I think? Many people are happy with dogs from breeders I'd never even dream of getting a dog from, all i'm going to do is **** them off if I give them my opinion of their breeder. People take any negative talk about their dog more personal than if you picked on one of their kids.

 

[Laurelin]

If you ask me privately, I'll let you know the truth. I just won't post it on a forum like this. There's a couple nasty people in my breed and I'd like to avoid them if at all possible. On the flip side, I'm looking into 'new' breeds (well, one I haven't had to buy in 15+ years) and I appreciate all the info I've gotten from various people.

 

[Linds]

As someone who is slowly leaning toward trying to get my next dog from a breeder the feelings on giving out information stated here are really kind of worrying.

It really is isn't it?

I really do find it amazing how so many very knowledgable people who KNOW things. Who know the breed they are in, who know the stories behind breeders, good and bad, who know the dirty laundry, the good, bad and ugly are so prone to keeping quiet or giving the none opinionated version to people. This isn't pointing fingers by the way.

I don't know what it is, but more you know about a breed more you want to step back. And while I appreciate people's desire to not bad mouth or create drama I do think it ends up at times being really bad for unsuspecting people.

I've been lucky enough to find some people I trust a lot to give me information (biased and otherwise) and to have had direct contact with a number of breeders. But I didn't have that when I started and I'm lucky I found people who spoke honestly to me, though they still weren't very candid about their dislikes in other breeders.

 

[Linds]

Other than that, if you find dogs you like, why do you care what I think? Many people are happy with dogs from breeders I'd never even dream of getting a dog from, all i'm going to do is **** them off if I give them my opinion of their breeder.

That's not really the point, or the question I was posing. I don't think anyone should go to someone after they got a dog "Well, too bad because that breeder is ______ and did_______ and think______" I'm talking about BEFORE that happens. When someone is looking into a breed and asking questions, when someone is looking at a different breeder, when they want information to help make their decisions. The time when people's experience can really be useful but would also mean giving not so stellar information out about a breeder.

 

[stardogs]

Count me among the group that prefers to talk privately if there are concerns, but, as you all can probably tell, if I love a breeder or have other nice things to say, I have no trouble saying that publicly.

 

[Lyzelle]

As someone who is slowly leaning toward trying to get my next dog from a breeder the feelings on giving out information stated here are really kind of worrying.

Agreed.

I'm always annoyed by types of people who prefer sticking their heads in the sand about a controversial person or issue. I hardly see the point in trying to sugar coat anything or make it out to be more than it is. If you're marketing something, prove it's qualities. Health testing, working venues, etc. Otherwise, I don't want to hear any business gimmicks about eye color, coat color, champion lines, or other BS. And I feel that way because I'm one of the few, along with many people of Chaz, who have learned to look past all that.

Most breeders don't have to live up to a standard of breeding quality because they'll always have uneducated suckers who never knew better because some "nice" person kept their mouth shut.

 

[release the hounds]

That's not really the point, or the question I was posing. I don't think anyone should go to someone after they got a dog "Well, too bad because that breeder is ______ and did_______ and think______" I'm talking about BEFORE that happens. When someone is looking into a breed and asking questions, when someone is looking at a different breeder, when they want information to help make their decisions. The time when people's experience can really be useful but would also mean giving not so stellar information out about a breeder.

I guess I didn't even read the OP, i answered it from a stand point of what I usually tell people. Get out, find dogs you like, find out who produced them, and get one from there. If people are getting out and interacting with dogs and finding ones they like, then my opinion doesn't really matter anymore.

If someone asks me directly, I'll tell them what I think. If I don't know the breeder personally or haven't worked a lot of their dogs, I don't usually say anything.

 

[Shai]

If asked directly and privately I will share what information I have, and add the necessary caveats stating whether the information is firsthand or secondhand. So long as I know the person well enough to know they are asking in good faith and for good reason...not on some sort of vendetta or bizarre fishing expedition...I'll try to help as best as I can. I think many of us have been there and it's downright daunting trying to find the right pup especially in a new breed, so I help where I can. And it's hard to help someone find the right dog even in your breed unless you really know them well...I know where I'd look for what I want in an FCR for instance, but as we all know from discussions on this very forum, words like "drivey" or "biddable" or even "moderate build" mean different things to different people and further compound the difficulty in communication something that's already hard to put into words.

 

[SpringerLover]

I will share anything I know privately. I don't typically disclose breeder names online publicly. I will occasionally PM or email someone looking at a breeder I have strong feelings about (like or dislike) and they can do what they wish with that information.

 

[Bailey08]

I'm no expert, but the breeders I've really connected with do not badmouth other breeders (unless something accidentally slips out! ). Of course, *I* would love to know all of their thoughts about other breeders, PC or not, but I totally respect that approach and think it's the appropriate one.

In breeding, reputation is really important and I think that speculation can turn into "fact" pretty quickly. I don't think I would share something that was speculative that I heard online or third hand or something. If I had real issues with a breeder (e.g. no health testing), I do think I would be okay sharing that, but probably not much more than that.

Especially if you might consider breeding some day, I think it's good to remain very diplomatic. I would feel much more comfortable as an owner relaying third party information than I would as a breeder, which may or may not be fair.

No one I know IRL wants a Grace, though, so no one is asking for my advice.

 

[OwnedByBCs]

What do you do if someone specifically asks you why you dislike a breeder?

 

[Linds]

What do you do if someone specifically asks you why you dislike a breeder?

Good question, interested in the replies.

 

[vandog]

What do you do if someone specifically asks you why you dislike a breeder?

HONESTLY.

If you have factual evidence that can't be disproved, than by all means, be honest about it! I've set several friends up lately with breeders, more recently a Coolie, and I am nothing if not vocal about my distaste for certain breeders/breeding practices. I've never had a single potential buyer regret the information that I share with them.

With that being said, it's all information that I have solid proof to back up, and I always always only provide a detailed thought of what I think via email. Just my way of doing things. It has served me well so far.

 

[OutlineACDs]

What do you do if someone specifically asks you why you dislike a breeder?

I had an acquaintance who asked me about a specific breeder. She had an ACD who she had finished and showed a little bit, and I knew she was fairly successful in another breed. She asked me about a particular breeder, said she had wanted a dog from them for a long time. I was honest with her, I told her I wasn't a big fan of them, or their dogs. She asked me why, and I told her. With some specific details. She listened and bought a dog from them anyway.

I was nice and congratulated her, because she was truly excited, and if that's what she wanted I was happy for her. I saw her recently and she told me that she sent the dog back because of many of the reasons I told her not to buy from them. She said "live and learn". I agree, sometimes your opinion doesn't really matter, so that's another reason I'm truly careful who I give information to.

It's not that I'm trying to keep information from people, much of the info I have is available to whoever cares to look. Go to a show and observe the dogs, you can get a decent idea of temperament from that. Go to the OFA website and do a little searching. If you aren't finding the dogs on there, they haven't been done, or I'd at least assume that. I'm proud of all that money I spent to get my dogs health testing, I want it on the OFA website.

The problem is people aren't very objective. People who are out looking for a breeder (unless they have done this before and are really specific/proactive) generally just want a dog, and want it now. Those people don't really need the nitty gritty, because a lot of it is of no use to them. They want to know that they can have a puppy, and contact the breeder with questions.

 

[Flyinsbt]

What do you do if someone specifically asks you why you dislike a breeder?

If I'm willing to state that I dislike a particular breeder, I have no problem stating why. In general, the reason I would dislike breeders would be that they don't health test, and/or are among the puppy producers. The puppy producers, unfortunately, tend to be really good at selling pups because they get their name out all the time so novice people think they are "reputable", and don't see any reason to question more. And they always have puppies.

 

[SaraB]

What do you do if someone specifically asks you why you dislike a breeder?

I give my reasons and make sure I add the "this is fact, this is opinion, this may be hearsay". There are a couple breeders who I personally dislike due to unprofessional mannerisms but when asked my opinions on them I always disclose that I don't like them personally so they should take whatever I say with a grain of salt.

 

[Kat09Tails]

I'm pretty direct about what I will and won't deal with. I can tell you I won't deal with a ton of people in my breed due to contract requirements and showing requirements. That said I am not willing to name a ton of names online - stuff you post online doesn't go away and while I won't deal with someone it doesn't mean I wont buy from their lines a generation or two removed. There's no reason to make that process more difficult.

That said I'm pretty no nonsense about checking on what people are selling no matter what their reputation is. There is a ton of BS in dogs - and false advertising that could only be falser if they shipped you a cat instead of a dog. Add 2x this for the amount of BS and doubletalk in toy breeds.

Breeders I'd recommend at this point worldwide I can count on one hand and even then I suggest buyer beware. Just because they were above board dealing with me doesn't mean they'll not smell rube in the water.