Message to Breeders from a Former Breeder-A Plea for German Shepherds

deblewellen · 06-01-2011, 11:29 AM

Hi, I know this is going to step on some toes, but it's not my intention to offend or be disrespectful. My point on this subject is with the deepest sincerity.
I want to address the seriousness of the economy and over breeding taking place right now.
I had bred Bouviers and GSD's from time to time over the last 30 yrs, I even went thru a 15 yr. time frame where I did not breed my dogs had the girls spayed.
The reason for this posting is because as I recently started in GSD rescue, I'm floored by the amount of dogs being turned into animal Control and how many are being Euthanized. There is a huge surplus of purebred GSD pups right now and people get these dogs on a whim and don't understand the breed and 3-6-9 months 1 yr. later, they can't handle it, they're broke, they're moving, losing their house, they're divorcing, blah, blah, blah, the excuses go on. And these awesome and noble dogs end up in AC, many end up getting killed because there simply is not enough GSD rescues nor All breed rescues to help them. If these people think someone will come and adopt their dog, they are so wrong. I've seen purebred pups in animal control. Just this Friday someone in NC sent their purebred female to AC with a litter of 5 week old pups, and the pups were not even given a chance, they were Euthanized as soon as the man left. I'm crying with tears in my eyes, over these pups, cuz no one else gave a ****.
All I'm asking is if you will please take a break from breeding for a yr. or two? Please, I'm begging and pleading. The chances of your pups ending up in Animal Control are staggering and you have no idea how bad it is.
If you have the resources, kennels, any way to help these awesome dogs, please we need help so bad, we need fosters, adopters and help with transports. The need is beyond your comprehension and every day delayed another German Shepherd Gets Euthanized.
Debbie Lewellen
Imminent Danger German Shepherd Rescue
Greeneville, TN

Emoore · 06-01-2011, 11:36 AM

I'm a rescuer too and have seen the surplus of purebred German Shepherds that are dying in shelters.

The thing is, there is a surplus of backyard bred, $300-$500 purebred German Shepherds in shelters. I do see quality GSDs in shelters, but not very often.

The dogs whose parents have titles behind their names, the dogs that somebody paid $1500 for, the dogs whose breeders make the buyers sign a contract stating they will return the dog if they can no longer keep it. . . . they're just not there. I've seen maybe 3 truly high quality, well-bred dogs in my nearly 10 years of rescue.

The crappy backyard breeders aren't going to stop breeding. I wish they would, but they won't. If the great breeders stop breeding, all we'll be left with is a bunch of sub-par dogs.

The good breeders aren't the problem; the people supporting backyard breeders are the problem. If people would stop expecting to get a pet for $300 and then dumping it when it chews on the furniture/knocks over their kid/pees on the rug/sheds too much/we're moving and can't take him/he jumps on grandma/he needs room to run/etc, we wouldn't have an overpopulation of dogs.

EJQ · 06-01-2011, 11:44 AM

Well, I wasn't offended because a lot of what you say is true. There are sooo many things that come into play when you breed any kind of animal. One (and this is only one) secret is to qualify the prospective buyer.
Of course there are many things that need to be considered. Some of my rules: must exhibit knowledge of the breed, must provide references, must have prior experience with the breed and must have a darn good reason for bringing a puppy into their home.

Courtney · 06-01-2011, 12:05 PM

I felt you just poured your heart out & rightfully so

However, I feel like your barking up the wrong tree (no pun intended) with the breeders here your pleading too. They are not the issue. I'm certainly not saying reputable breeders puppies/dogs NEVER end up in shelters, but I have a hard time believing this is the case, it's poorly bred BYB & puppy mills that are and GOOD LUCK having them see the light. You should see some of the threads started around here right now where memebers are BEGGING them NOT to breed their family dog.

This is a breed that serves a purpose we want them to be well bred from a conscientious breeder that knows this breed inside & out. I would not dare tell them not to breed.

shannonrae · 06-01-2011, 12:55 PM

I own one of these well bred dogs. He has a pedigree that is longer than I am tall. His ancestors are mostly winning show dogs. Both parents are ROM. I am sure his original owner paid a hefty price for him. I know for a fact the the owner signed a contract to return him to the breeder if she could no longer keep him. Through all the homes he had passed through is AKC paperwork stayed with him. I know it is the same dog because the microchip he has matches the one on the AKC paperwork (no owner, out of 3 before me bothered to register the chip). I have contacted the breeder and have permission to keep him.

He was on death row when I found him, for aggression issues. by the time he was one year old he had been passed through 3 homes, one of which tried to turn him into a "guard" dog. By keeping him shut in a room by himself, and shocking him with a shock collar every time he tried to meet a new person. He was set to be euthanized when I found him. I was able to adopt him, and have worked very hard on his training throughout the year I have had him. He has made progress, and is doing much better.

Had the right person not found him he would be among the statistics right now. I do not think it is accurate to say these dogs are uncommon in shelters. I think that it is rare for the dog to have its paperwork travel with it to be able to know the pedigree of the dog. I have no doubt that BYB contribute to the majority of shelter dogs. But I believe a fair amount are probably like mine only minus the paperwork/proof.

I do not place all the blame on breeders. People (even puppy buyers) can be deceitful. And how do the breeders know for sure that the pups they sold are still in the same home, years later? No matter how careful you are the unexpected happens. Probably more often than is realized.

I am not against breeding, so please don't take it that way. I can understand why somebody may want a dog bred for a specific purpose. However the simple fact remains, 1 puppy being purchased = 1 dog dying in a shelter.

stealthq · 06-01-2011, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shannonrae

1 puppy being purchased = 1 dog dying in a shelter.

No. You made your point, which I am not contradicting, just fine. But, you are not going to convince me that because I chose to buy a dog from a breeder that I automatically condemned another to death. My dog didn't end up in a shelter, and I was not interested in a rescue dog. My family had a previous bad experience and I wanted to know my dog's family history and have a health guarantee. I cannot be the only person who has felt this way.

shannonrae · 06-01-2011, 02:02 PM

I own a dog purchased from a breeder . . . read my signature. The one that is not a rescue, I purchased from a breeder. So I get BOTH sides. The reality is if there were no puppies being bred (unreasonable) people would have no choice but to adopt rescue dogs. This would result in less death.
I UNDERSTAND why someone may go to a breeder for a puppy, I have done it! However, the simple fact is that the puppy I purchased took a home away from one in a shelter.

**gsdraven** · 06-01-2011, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shannonrae

However, the simple fact is that the puppy I purchased took a home away from one in a shelter.

That is you and not necessarily true across the board. Not everyone who doesn't buy from a breeder is open to (or even know about) adopting one from a rescue or shelter. For some people, buying a puppy is the only option. So it's not a fact nor is it simple.

Emoore · 06-01-2011, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shannonrae

The reality is if there were no puppies being bred (unreasonable) people would have no choice but to adopt rescue dogs.

Sure they'd have a choice. They don't have to get a dog. For some people it's puppy or nothing.

cliffson1 · 06-01-2011, 02:16 PM

Shannonrae you are making a point that many miss. Many dogs are in shelters because of behavoirs. Aggression, hyperactivity, excessive barking, digging, destructive behavoirs, etc. These behavoirs and owners that are ill prepared to own a German Shepherd are recipes for shelters. Many times because the dogs from reputable breeders that cost 1500 dollars with these behavoirs end up going from home to home because the people paid so much for them. This is a very complicated phenomena of today's society.

06-01-2011, 11:29 AM	#1 (permalink)
deblewellen Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 277	Message to Breeders from a Former Breeder-A Plea for German Shepherds Hi, I know this is going to step on some toes, but it's not my intention to offend or be disrespectful. My point on this subject is with the deepest sincerity. I want to address the seriousness of the economy and over breeding taking place right now. I had bred Bouviers and GSD's from time to time over the last 30 yrs, I even went thru a 15 yr. time frame where I did not breed my dogs had the girls spayed. The reason for this posting is because as I recently started in GSD rescue, I'm floored by the amount of dogs being turned into animal Control and how many are being Euthanized. There is a huge surplus of purebred GSD pups right now and people get these dogs on a whim and don't understand the breed and 3-6-9 months 1 yr. later, they can't handle it, they're broke, they're moving, losing their house, they're divorcing, blah, blah, blah, the excuses go on. And these awesome and noble dogs end up in AC, many end up getting killed because there simply is not enough GSD rescues nor All breed rescues to help them. If these people think someone will come and adopt their dog, they are so wrong. I've seen purebred pups in animal control. Just this Friday someone in NC sent their purebred female to AC with a litter of 5 week old pups, and the pups were not even given a chance, they were Euthanized as soon as the man left. I'm crying with tears in my eyes, over these pups, cuz no one else gave a ****. All I'm asking is if you will please take a break from breeding for a yr. or two? Please, I'm begging and pleading. The chances of your pups ending up in Animal Control are staggering and you have no idea how bad it is. If you have the resources, kennels, any way to help these awesome dogs, please we need help so bad, we need fosters, adopters and help with transports. The need is beyond your comprehension and every day delayed another German Shepherd Gets Euthanized. Debbie Lewellen Imminent Danger German Shepherd Rescue Greeneville, TN

06-01-2011, 11:36 AM	#2 (permalink)
Emoore Crowned Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: North DFW, TX Posts: 9,214	I'm a rescuer too and have seen the surplus of purebred German Shepherds that are dying in shelters. The thing is, there is a surplus of backyard bred, $300-$500 purebred German Shepherds in shelters. I do see quality GSDs in shelters, but not very often. The dogs whose parents have titles behind their names, the dogs that somebody paid $1500 for, the dogs whose breeders make the buyers sign a contract stating they will return the dog if they can no longer keep it. . . . they're just not there. I've seen maybe 3 truly high quality, well-bred dogs in my nearly 10 years of rescue. The crappy backyard breeders aren't going to stop breeding. I wish they would, but they won't. If the great breeders stop breeding, all we'll be left with is a bunch of sub-par dogs. The good breeders aren't the problem; the people supporting backyard breeders are the problem. If people would stop expecting to get a pet for $300 and then dumping it when it chews on the furniture/knocks over their kid/pees on the rug/sheds too much/we're moving and can't take him/he jumps on grandma/he needs room to run/etc, we wouldn't have an overpopulation of dogs. __________________ Rocky vom Backyard- 10 years young Kopper vom Felssclucht Bach - 17 months At the Bridge: Cash van der Animal Shelter 2006-2010 Last edited by Emoore; 06-01-2011 at 11:39 AM.

06-01-2011, 11:44 AM	#3 (permalink)
EJQ Knighted Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: New York State Capital Region Posts: 2,349	Well, I wasn't offended because a lot of what you say is true. There are sooo many things that come into play when you breed any kind of animal. One (and this is only one) secret is to qualify the prospective buyer. Of course there are many things that need to be considered. Some of my rules: must exhibit knowledge of the breed, must provide references, must have prior experience with the breed and must have a darn good reason for bringing a puppy into their home. __________________ ARABELLE vom Garringer CGC, TDI BRYNNA vom Garringer AKC STAR PUPPY, CGC, TDI AHREN vom Garringer (crossed over December 30, 2011) B'ELANNA vom FlaglerHaus CGC, SAR (crossed over March 4, 2011) MISSY (crossed) MERCEDES (crossed) DION (crossed)

06-01-2011, 12:55 PM	#5 (permalink)
shannonrae Master Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Maine Posts: 606	I own one of these well bred dogs. He has a pedigree that is longer than I am tall. His ancestors are mostly winning show dogs. Both parents are ROM. I am sure his original owner paid a hefty price for him. I know for a fact the the owner signed a contract to return him to the breeder if she could no longer keep him. Through all the homes he had passed through is AKC paperwork stayed with him. I know it is the same dog because the microchip he has matches the one on the AKC paperwork (no owner, out of 3 before me bothered to register the chip). I have contacted the breeder and have permission to keep him. He was on death row when I found him, for aggression issues. by the time he was one year old he had been passed through 3 homes, one of which tried to turn him into a "guard" dog. By keeping him shut in a room by himself, and shocking him with a shock collar every time he tried to meet a new person. He was set to be euthanized when I found him. I was able to adopt him, and have worked very hard on his training throughout the year I have had him. He has made progress, and is doing much better. Had the right person not found him he would be among the statistics right now. I do not think it is accurate to say these dogs are uncommon in shelters. I think that it is rare for the dog to have its paperwork travel with it to be able to know the pedigree of the dog. I have no doubt that BYB contribute to the majority of shelter dogs. But I believe a fair amount are probably like mine only minus the paperwork/proof. I do not place all the blame on breeders. People (even puppy buyers) can be deceitful. And how do the breeders know for sure that the pups they sold are still in the same home, years later? No matter how careful you are the unexpected happens. Probably more often than is realized. I am not against breeding, so please don't take it that way. I can understand why somebody may want a dog bred for a specific purpose. However the simple fact remains, 1 puppy being purchased = 1 dog dying in a shelter. __________________ Sydney(rescue)-Pit cross Birbo(rescue)-GSD Until we meet again . . . Bear(rescue)-GSD, my soul mate. Kai-(rescue)GSD, my forever baby. Kobie-Pomeranian, my tiniest dog with the biggest heart.

06-01-2011, 02:02 PM	#7 (permalink)
shannonrae Master Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Maine Posts: 606	I own a dog purchased from a breeder . . . read my signature. The one that is not a rescue, I purchased from a breeder. So I get BOTH sides. The reality is if there were no puppies being bred (unreasonable) people would have no choice but to adopt rescue dogs. This would result in less death. I UNDERSTAND why someone may go to a breeder for a puppy, I have done it! However, the simple fact is that the puppy I purchased took a home away from one in a shelter. __________________ Sydney(rescue)-Pit cross Birbo(rescue)-GSD Until we meet again . . . Bear(rescue)-GSD, my soul mate. Kai-(rescue)GSD, my forever baby. Kobie-Pomeranian, my tiniest dog with the biggest heart.

06-01-2011, 12:05 PM	#4 (permalink)
Courtney Knighted Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 2,907	I felt you just poured your heart out & rightfully so However, I feel like your barking up the wrong tree (no pun intended) with the breeders here your pleading too. They are not the issue. I'm certainly not saying reputable breeders puppies/dogs NEVER end up in shelters, but I have a hard time believing this is the case, it's poorly bred BYB & puppy mills that are and GOOD LUCK having them see the light. You should see some of the threads started around here right now where memebers are BEGGING them NOT to breed their family dog. This is a breed that serves a purpose we want them to be well bred from a conscientious breeder that knows this breed inside & out. I would not dare tell them not to breed.

06-01-2011, 02:16 PM	#10 (permalink)
cliffson1 Knighted Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 2,929	Shannonrae you are making a point that many miss. Many dogs are in shelters because of behavoirs. Aggression, hyperactivity, excessive barking, digging, destructive behavoirs, etc. These behavoirs and owners that are ill prepared to own a German Shepherd are recipes for shelters. Many times because the dogs from reputable breeders that cost 1500 dollars with these behavoirs end up going from home to home because the people paid so much for them. This is a very complicated phenomena of today's society.

Remove Advertisements Sponsored Links
German Shepherd Advertisement