To be honest those that are recommended through breed clubs then yes i do,
I understand that working in rescue is difficult,and at times impossible but you can't tar all breeders with the same brush.
We had a two and half dog aggressive Stafford returned to us,as his Breeder we were responsible for him,we rehomed him,when the time was right to a close family friend.

Breeders do there own checks,interviews,questionaire's,place endorsements,sell with contracts stating that if at anytime the puppy can no longer be kept it must be returned to the Breeder.

I strongly object to you assuming that I, as a respondible breeder, would not take a dog back! Of COURSE I would! However, my criteria and homechecking are very stringent and, in 24 years of being in my breed I have never had to rehome a dog I bred I am STILL in contact with the owners of my last litter (the puppies are 10 years old now!).

I HAVE, however, had to help out rehoming several Pharaohs who were taken in by the Blue Cross - one of which was rehomed three times before they contacted the breed Club and three were rehomed twice. Breeders know their breed and know who will hopefully be suitable. Rescue centres, no matter HOW reputable, can NEVER know the breed as well as someone who's lived with it and they DO get it wrong!

Debs

That truly is great to hear. But in my experience (we get a lot of dogs that originally came from so called Good Breeders) they don't want to know, or at least don't want to take the dog back.

Can I ask if you also make sure the pups you sell are neutered or don't go on to add to the unwanted staffy problem?

Excellent, Do you not think other breeders should do the same?

Staying in contact with all the puppies you have bred :smt023 that's how it should be

No, i have been member of DP for about 3 yrs, but *never* a member of the private rescue section. But i have still read or posted on threads discussing the worries over the legal enforcement of contracts AND rescues accepting out of area letters from vets or dog wardens, *instead* of homechecks.

I already know i have done my research, but have you?
As well as posting on DP, I have worked in 2 rescues and had working contacts with several, many years before i even posted on dog forums, as it happens.
And as *you* are making the statements, that it is only right and fair that you are the one to back them up with links and evidence.
Can you list which rescues have as pre adoption criteria letters from vets and dog training classes?

Again, by putting the burden back on me, the questioner, you are still dodging the questions asked regarding points you have raised.
[I]So:
1) What if the vet is too busy, unavailable, or disinclined to provide a letter? Or wishes to charge?
If they charge, you say they should change vets - so, how then do they get their letter?
2) What if there is no positive based training class available at all, or for another several months?
3) What if the class is too far away and the applicant cannot get to it?
4) What if the whole adoption process is completed, including homecheck, and the vet or dog training class delays things for another week?
Is it fair to force the dog to spend an extra week to get stressed in kennels, whilst another dog may be PTS because it has lost its rescue place?.
Is it fair on the potential adopter whom has been genuine and committed in all the other pre adoption processes we agree are necessary?

Maybe you misread my post? I agree with the extra cautions for first time owners (although *some* people whom use the phrase "i have owned dogs all my life" can be arrogant and think they dont need advice or assessment).
However, when i pointed out the first time owners dont have a vet to get a letter from, you said you only apply that rule to previous dog owners.
Thus, *you* will be making it easier for first time owners
Besides, what if the 'previous dog owner' had a dog a long time ago, and the vet records no longer exists, the vet has retired, the vet cannot remember them, the vet lives in another part of they country where the applicants moved from????. So on, so on.

You see, my point remains, when citing good practice for other industries, we should first make sure it is actually wide spread good practice in our own industry, and provide evidence to state this.
For example, the ADCH good practice standards do not mention pre adoption vet or dog trainer letters.
At the moment, on an Irish forum, as a result of the conditions exposed in an English rescue that ships dogs from Ireland, they have started a 'rescue good practices' section.
They are using these same ADCH good practice standards as the ideal.

Also, you need to think thru the practicalities of each suggestion, and note the illogical inconsistencies in some of them (as above).

Well we haven't bred a litter for 12 years,so I can assure you we haven't added to the unwanted stafford problem,the majority of these are badly bred,usually without any paperwork.The Stafford is a very popular breed and in my opinion very overbred.

As I stated before I don't believe in forcing the issue of neutering,especially if the owners want to show,if the puppy is going to be a pet only then we recommend spaying bitches to prevent pyometra,and castrating males,but I would never force the issue.

The next litter we breed,will be with the intention of keeping a puppy for ourselves,we will interview,a questionaire will have to be filled out,a contract signed,if they don't want to sign it,they won't have one of our pups,they will all be endorsed,we will meet all the family and talk in depth about the breed,it's history,training,etc...
The only thing we don't do is homecheck.

Very well said Krusewalker, it is refreshing to read such an unbiased post.

Haven't dodged the questions at all I've already answered them...

I can assure you we have had both pups and adult staffys with very good pedigrees come into rescue

A breeder wouldn't know if they were adding to the unwanted dog problem if they didn't do follow up checks or ask for proof of neutering. How can they be sure that their pups aren't being breed from. Endorsements just prevent the pups from being kc registered