Of course you are right but there are obviously decent breeders who breed because they care about dogs, then there are those who need a few quid and think it is a form of easy money and lets face it, if someone cuts corners and doesn't look after the pups so well and has numerous litters from their dogs then there can be and is money to be made. Of course it depends how much the pups are being sold for also.

You know when they breed for money, when they do it regularly, like 2/3/4/5 times a year and rarely keep one back. They produce high numbers purely to supply the pet market.

Ive not known any that breed and cant cope with numbers and breed more, I do know of those that cant sell them immediately, but still breed more and sell eventually.

Your own type of dog being a prime example.

I know of several"sports"people who go through dogs at a rate of knots. I was offered a dog last year at a show by an obedience handler, because & I quote"he doesn't work well enough & I have booked another puppy. You only have pets so it won't matter to you" This was said in front of a witness who was "gob smacked" If I had had the room to take the poor thing home I would have done & then let everyone know what she was really like !

I've had other "sport"people ask me what to do with a dog that doesn't compete any more "get rid or PTS !!!"in their words.

I often wonder what happens to all the young dogs & puppies I see around the rings that"disappear"& are replaced with yet another puppy.

Perhaps I'm just a cynic but there are "sports"breeders out there that take chances with the breedings they do & the chances result is a sad outcome.

If & when I do breed a litter(all health test results permitting of course)I already have puppies booked & the litter won't even be on the ground for 2 years at the earliest, in fact the mother to be hasn't even been conceived yet !

Yes, indeed Dawn.

Shame isnt it. There are a few in my breed too, and of course more in welfare who display typical Terrier behaviour that owners cannot cope with, breeders dont tell them that though!

It's no different to the dog though is it? It's only different because you think working dogs are different to show dogs....

There's a very successful show breeder not far from me who I'm beginning to wonder is in it more for the money. They must breed at least 4 times a year (and that's just in one breed, they own 2 similar breeds) and yet you only ever see a new pup once a year at the most. And then if it doesn't do well it disappears! Makes me bloody sick!

Mmm see what you mean. Ive never had to part with a dog because it wasnt "right" for showing, Ive kept all of my dogs regardless. This, with Livvy will be the first time I will have to rehome if she isnt good enough, that was the whole idea of having her. It breaks my heart to think about it, and I so hope I will not have to do it, no reason to think I will though so far.

Not going to make myself any friends in the British Leonberger world here but, the Sh*t Dogs being breed from these days are so far from the original bred standard its sad.I'm sure a large number must be in it for the money... because I cant see many Dogs being bred to Improve the breed.
I would never buy a British Leo again.

Just like to add when I say Sh*t Dogs I'm not blaming the Dogs they all Lovely. Just mean they really have no benefit to the breed to be bred from. If I was ever to breed(never will) it would have to be with a Dog that had a lot to offer the breed to improve it...if a Dog has nothing to add... its being bred for money ....simple IMO

As far as I can see if when your dog is too old to breed its living conditions are not good enough so it is kinder to find it a better home - then its living conditions are not good enough NOW, the person is not fit to own the dog but is only keeping it because it is useful to them

Same goes with showing the dogs - showing should be a hobby that strengthens the bond between you and your dogs, but if they cant do it then fair enough

i do agility with my dogs, if Ben was suddenly unable to do agility or didnt like it then I would find something else for us to do
Same with Mia, she might never be able to run at shows - or she might, dosent matter, I am a dog owner and these are things I do with my dogs because we both enjoy them


Farmers with working dogs are different in my mind, the dogs are not house pets, they have a fufilling job to do but their lives are totaly different from that of a pet dog

Breeding is not a fuffiling job, dogs need more out of life than churning out pups and if someone dumps the dogs after that then they are not a good breeder - or person