by Lynn Dee Galey
A friend called today and asked my thoughts on a litter that has puppies available and ready to go. The litter owner was encouraging him to buy a puppy and told him that the sire was from the famous XX kennel and the dam was from the equally respected ZZ kennel so the pups were going to be great. My friend understandably was attracted to the litter based on this pedigree since in past years his family had actually purchased from both of the named kennels. After I did a little research and checking I replied that I strongly could not recommend the litter. My friend was surprised because he knows that I like each of the lines behind the pups. So, what was the problem?
Kennel ZZ and Kennel XX have both been breeding for many years and they have worked hard to earn their strong reputation. Earned it through honest, ethical breeding practices and dealings with other breeders and puppy buyers. The problem here is that the owner of this litter is doing unethical things that the good breeders would never do yet they are bragging and banking on those good names as a sales tool. This litter owner is lying by omission by not telling potential buyers that their sire of the litter has hip dysplasia and failed his OFA xrays: they are perhaps banking on the fact that most buyers would just trust and not check the OFA database where the dog’s dysplastic results are openly listed. In addition, the mother to the litter was bred at only 10 months of age, she had her litter before turning 1 year old. IF the breeding was accidental, the ethical thing to do would have been to have the vet spay the female right away to avoid producing pups from this disastrous breeding. Although the litter owner had been in recent contact with the female’s breeder, they never told them about the litter, knowing that the breeding was in direct violation of the purchase contract signed when buying her as a puppy.
The lesson here for puppy buyers is this: if in order to sell puppies, someone is advertising other breeders kennel names from the pedigree, contact the owners of the kennels being named. Ask them if they endorse or recommend this breeding. If it is a quality breeding involving their line they will be pleased to talk about why they think it is a good litter and you will hear it straight from the source as to what traits and characteristics their line is expected to contribute. Contact the good breeders whose name is being used, you might also learn that the litter goes against the very reputation they have worked to earn. That someone else is simply trying to profit by using their name. Honor the names of the good breeders and be an informed buyer.
Note: Since I know that my friends will quickly ask, no, the dogs involved in this situation are not Firelight.
