Help Convincing a Friend that going into Dog Breeding is a BAD idea!

Right, my friend from school, is talking about going into dog breeding, because well, his family used to do it, so he should to!

I really think this is a bad bad idea! He knows nothing about dogs in general, and was asking me about rearing puppies a few weeks ago because a friends staffy bitch, got 'stolen' and put in pup by the thiefs, then got sold back to his friend!? I said, that maybe it's a good idea to get the bitch spayed, then this can't happen again, plus there are plenty of staffs in rescue already!

When I asked him why he wanted to go into dog breeding, this is what he said (copied and pasted from a MSN conversation!)
'i love dogs, dogs are cool and my mum asked me if i'd be interested as my aunt has a pedigree german sheperd she said i can have a pup when she gets preggy, also it cool to see the pups develop'

He is having a pup from the litter that his friend had, so I am going to recommend getting it neutered, as the father is unknown!

I need some good arguements as to why it's a bad idea, because I'm not so good at convincing people!

Thanks!

x

Expense.....usually works for me when I have people who come to classes and think pups would be a good idea...
Hip scoring....DNA testing....stud fees....registration fees....then vets/feeding and general health bills.

ETA....time off work....what happens if pups can't be sold....

Thanks! He doesn't actually work, so I'm not sure how he'd pay for it anyway!! And he has 2 children to support!!

xx

im confused is he getting a pup from the SBT or GSD? is it that pup is he planning on breeding?

He is getting a pup from the SBT next week, when the pups are old enough, and then as soon as his Aunt has pups from her GSD, then he's going to have one from that litter, and then maybe breed from the GSD!

xx

dito, to the expense thing,

but that said, people like the guy in question normaly find a way to avoid expense, though its normaly at the expense of the pups health and rearing,

tell him people have no money just now, they are not buying expensive pedigree dogs or somthing like that,

also tell him the KC are trying to make it harder to breed..yada yada.

In my experience..nothing will stop people..MY sister (not that I would call her that!!!)

Got a springer bitch..with the intention of breeding..and I told her all the tests she would need, all the cost of registering, vet costs...what if she needs a section..what if she dies etc etc...Then she got a dog..and a wee while later had a litter..

Not sure if they were health tested or registered but she sold them all..didn't keep any (not a surprise!!)

Then she had another litter a year later..obviously liked the easy money...BUT this litter were all ill..she lost one or two and also lost the bitch..so...much as I hate to say I told you so...Poor bitch had a crap life and then used as a breeding machine..don't think she was even 4 when she died!

She's a scumbag..the lowest of the low..has moved onto horses now though..which I think she is finding a bit harder to move on..lets hope she's left with loads of debt and loads of horses she cant move on..LOL..

Good info at http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/articles.html#breeding

Thanks everyone!

I've just told him that OH and I might have a litter from gracie (We're not, but was interested in his reaction!) and he started babbling on to me about am I sure I can afford food for the pups!

I've given him a lecture about how food is just a small portion of money spent on a litter, and he's told me that his friend is struggling to afford food for the SBT's litter, and theres only 7 in the litter!

And he's still thinking of breeding!!

x

I am afraid I agree with Louise there is little that can be said to change their minds. You can talk of expense and dangers and risks, and the logistics of it all but at the end of the day, expense to them is nothing as they will do little if it all goes wrong, the dangers and risks, they dont care, the bitch is just a breeding machine and as for testing well that wont happen, it is sad and makes me mad but you could show them worst case scenarios on the internet they more than likely wouldnt change their minds.
Have a friend who believes a litter settles them down have argues the point but to no avail they did it to their last bitch, the owner got sick and had to go to hospital the hubby barely coped, the bitch got milk fever, have huge vet bills, I took the pups and fed them every four hours looked after them, they are still doing it with the bitch they have now. I try not to despair but there is free will and in the end we can have our say but it doesnt mean we can stop them from doing what they want