to share Giving Thanks!

[Gina Heitz <brier@oregonsbest.com>]

Good Morning All,
On another list I am on we were discussing to breed or not to breed a very
passionate dialog was going on. There are several on that list that do not
condone breeding showing ect. Mary Marlowe sent this post in. With her
permission, in the spirit of giving thanks on this day of Thanksgiving, I
pass this on to all of you... This is probably the best description of
what we as reputable responsible breeders represent! Certainly words to
describe many I know here, and words for new comers to bench mark on.
Happy Thanksgiving, and to one and all, thank you for being reputable and
responsible.
 From Mary Marlowe:
The truth is, there are a LOT of conscientious breeders who raise one or two
litters of quality puppies a year in their home, who do testing for breed
specific health problems, and who participate in breed rescue. They
participate in conformation showing, so that they can make sure what they
are breeding conforms to the breed standard for whatever breed they have
fallen in love with.
They often belong to the national breed club, and help to shape
policies that benefit their breed. They answer phone calls from perspective
puppy buyers in a way that educates, rather than alienates, and they help
these callers avoid supporting the puppy mills you mentioned earlier in
your post. They will even steer people away from their breed if they don't
feel it would fit in with their lifestyle or personality - even if it will
cost them a sale. Their first priority is to find good, loving, permanent
homes for their puppies.
When they do find a suitable home, they insist that their puppies come
back to them first if there is ever a need to re-home. They place pet
puppies on limited registration, after agonizing over whether the home is
good enough for their babies. They insist that potential puppy buyers have
a fenced yard, that the new owner can be there for puppy care during the
day, and that they will keep in touch about health and behavioral issues.
Many of the people I know who are devoted to a raw diet, and who
avoid vaccination, are also show breeders. The older ones were uniquely in
a position to see the effects on their dogs of the shift to more vaccines,
more often - as well as the change to commercial kibble from more
traditional foods. Their numbers are growing, and they have the potential
to influence pet owners on these two vital issues. The laws are such that
it is a risk for them to sell puppies without vaccinations, but those that
feel strongly about it do anyway.
It is really depressing to see these folks vilified, because they are
NOT the source of the overpopulation in shelters - in fact, they save a lot
of puppy mill/pet shop dogs from being euthanized. They rehabilitate these
dogs (sometimes for months), then neuter them before placing them in
carefully screened homes. These homes are often homes that would have been
good placements for their OWN puppies, but again, money is not the
motivator here - love is.
I don't know how people would know about the efforts of the breeders,
unless, perhaps, they were to get involved with breed rescue... or perhaps
participate in a national breed club, and their rescue network. You might
notice them if you spent a little time at dog shows, but probably not -
what they do is basically invisible (as are many good works). So I am
writing this to spread the word. That which we give our attention GROWS,
and I would like to see this quiet movement grow, instead of the ranks of
the puppy millers....
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 ><> Mary Marlowe ><> ><>
<>< Lake Worth, FL USA <>< <><