does every dog owner have the right to breed? discussion

[Kiowa]

I had just composed a beautiful dissertation on this topic and then my wireless "burped" and I lost it. Oh well, it was too wordy anyway.

In short, I think that breeders that do it for the love of the breed, or the individual dog and are trying to get another just like the 1st, are fine. AS LONG as they have responsible, loving and COMMITTED homes lined up prior to breeding. The market is flooded with too many puppies and dogs from irresponsible breeders and this ruins the odds of a shelter dog getting a chance at a life and a loving home. Shelter dogs make the best pets if frivolous people could just get past the looks. My 1st shelter dog, Spud, is a basset-pitt mix and is the oddest little piglet of a dog you'll ever see. But he is the coolest dog on the planet. Kai is a close second, but no one would adopt her because 1) some moron thought she was part wolf (no she is not) and 2) she was so mis-behaved and uncontrollable. She is a beautiful dog and probably came from a puppy mill and was originally purchased for looks.

Money does not a responsible dog owner make, so charging thousands for a pup does not guarantee a loving home for the animal. Money breeders ruin the chances of adoption for the dogs already in shelters and the puppies they sell to anyone willing to write them a check will likely become the next pretty pooch in the pound.

[onyx'girl]

Get rid of the millers, first, IMO. That is one business that I just don't understand~ why they are still allowed to treat the animals the way they do.
Shelters wouldn't be so overwhelmed if the millers were extinct.

[LaRen616]

I feel it is wrong to breed your dogs just because you can.

It breaks my heart when I go to shelters and see all of those dogs wagging their tails when they see someone walk by. Wanting to save them all and knowing that you cant is one of the hardest things for me.

If it's an accident, well I hope they learn their lesson and find those puppies a good home. If it's not an accident then,

[GSDElsa]

I think the one thing people are forgetting is this is the internet and people are posting their decisions or potential decisions here. It is a forum in which people give advice the best way they know how. If the best way they know how is to
vehemently discourage someone from breeding their unregisterd, hip dysplasic dog just to get one puppy, then so be it.

Once you pose a question or an opinion on a public internet forum you lose your right to protest about what will come after if the person doesn't think you're ethical, correct, just, saavy, etc.

These people who are anti-irresponsible breeders are not going through the newspaper and showing up on people's doorsteps lecturing them about their irresponsibility. They are responding to something via the www that people put out there at their own risk.

[HeidiW]

No Way! Not anyone who has a dog. Only to better our breed for the future, by someone who knows and has what it takes.

[mjbgsd]

Only if you(as in general) are responsible and do your homework when it comes to the amount of time, money, and energy it takes to breed a healthy litter. Breeders should be breeding to better a breed.

[Vinnie]

I agree with those who say yes everyone has the “right” but just because they have the right doesn’t mean they should.

I have the right to do many things but that doesn’t mean I'm going to run out and do all those things.

[sagelfn]

IMO what should never be bred is..

a rescue/adopted dog, an unregistered dog, a dog that hasn't been health tested and more importantly had excellent results, a dog that has not yet been proven (working/showing etc..), a dog with poor temperment according to the breed standard, a dog that physically does not meet the breed standard

even if your dogs meet the above reasons I gave YOU should not breed them if..

you are not willing to keep the puppies if suitable homes cannot be found, you will not take puppies back even if they have severe health/temperment issues, you have not thoroughly screened future puppy buyers, you are not prepared for properly raising and caring for a new litter, you are not prepared for the risk to your own dogs during breeding and welping, you cannot financially provide for the care of the dogs and new litters should there be unforseen circumstances, you do not have knowledge of bloodlines and genetics...

drawing blanks now

[weber1b]

Like so many questions....just because you can does not mean you should. I have three rescues, one in particular who is clearly of AWFUL breeding. Lord knows what the circumstances were. It would be nice if every dog could get a good home, but until then, it would be nice to see fewer of them all being brought into the world.

[Emoore]

Do they have the right? Yes. Dogs are property and so long as they're receiving adequate food, shelter, medical care, etc you have the right to do what you want with them. Should it happen? Nope.