Quote:
Originally Posted by Kitty1963
I've seen reputable breeders that have way too many dogs as breeding stock. Do these dogs really have a good quality of life? Are they part of a family? Are they pets or just an experiment for someone with an ego to "improve the breed?" How is that any different then someone crossing 2 different breeds to make a "designer" dog. I prefer larger breed dogs but have to wear a uniform to work so I wanted a low shedding dog. My options were limited.
Not all back yard breeders are criminals just in it for the money.
I have a Golden/Poodle crossbreed and a Lab/Poodle crossbreed. They were purchased from a farm that had a purebred pedigreed Lab and Golden as well as a pedigreed poodle. The dogs were the owner's pets. They were well trained and were obviously loved.
My dogs are 9 years old and in perfect health and are both very smart and well trained.
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Seems to me the obvious answer to the scenarios you question is no, those would not be considered reputable breeders. And I agree that not all BYB are criminals. I would consider most to be ignorant but not malicious. Ignorant of the fact they can help ensure a new puppy has the best life possible by making sure the parents are health tested. Some tests are a gene test, for CNM or EIC in Labs for instance, where the puppy can be sure to never get those diseases. Also by providing conformationally sound parents to ensure a puppy from them has the best chance to be active in it's new family with less chance of developing lameness or injury that would limit it.
Don't confuse purebred with well bred. Simply being purebred and registered with the Canadian KC or the AKC is not in and of itself an indication of good breeding.
Are your dogs non shedding? Crossing a Poodle does not guarantee the result will be non shedding. You were lucky if they don't shed. Yours could have ended with the Lab or Golden gene for coat and been shedders. Like the expensive designer goldendoodle dog my friends got as a pup being assured the thing wouldn't shed. They have a very ill, immune compromised son. It shed. It shed tons of hair. Luckily their son was ok but he was devastated when the dog did develop severe illness itself and lived to only not much past one year old.
ETA: On re-read perhaps it's not clear I mean purebred and registered is a first step towards well bred. And, it is possible that crosses of purebreds from reputable breeders are health tested for the conditions prevalent in their breed. Don't happen to know of any, but it's possible.