I went to a dog show recently where I met Finlay and Emma's grandkids. It was exciting and rewarding to see Finlay and Emma's offspring in the show ring. It really got me psyched up to start showing again! I had taken a hiatus from showing and breeding to raise some young "pups"of my own!..Well, that was only part of the reason. Having 2 young kids did make showing and particularly breeding challenging. Managing a litter and a nursing bitch can be time-consuming. But what really pushed me over the edge was a bad experience with another breeder. Instead of the usual camaraderie I would expect between breeders who would put each other unto potential buyers he bought a pup from me and resold it to someone for 3 times the price! As Trinidad is a small country I eventually found out. I struggled to decide whether this was capitalism at work or whether the buyer and I were taken advantage of. We surely felt as if we had been! After that experience I spayed Emma, much to the chagrin of the other breeder.
Now what's wrong with trying to make money off of selling dogs? Well, it's just that if the aim is to make a profit versus cover expenses, there is a high risk that the breeder may put profit above the welfare of his or her dogs and clients too. And this is why hobby breeders distinguish themselves from commercial breeders. And I fear we have commercial Bouvier breeders in Trinidad.
So if you are in the market for a bouvier pup or a pup of any breed I would encourage you to question the breeder. How old is the dam? How many times has she had a litter? A female large breed dog like a Bouvier should not be bred until she matures at 2-3yrs of age. I have had persons who have bought pups from me line their female at 18months old! Of course accidents do happen. But there is a particular bitch that seems to be pregnant every year! That is standard puppy mill behaviour! No other way to define it. And it is concerning. The thing is once someone owns a dog I can not dictate to the owner how they should treat their dog.
But what I can do is educate the public that there are breeders out there that are selling dogs to make a profit. A bouvier pup can range from $7,500 to $18,000. And yes, these are fair prices when you consider the cost to import a dog, feed the dog, medical bills, grooming costs etc. But if you have 8 bouviers in your yard maybe you can use the economy of scale to work for you, especially if you line every bitch every year from the day she is 18months till she passes at 12years old.
Now my kids are older and I am excited to get my dogs in the show ring again! But I am wiser now too. So I think it my duty to let dog lovers in T&T know that in the small Bouvier breeder community there are reputable breeders and there are some commercial breeders who are not so reputable. But make no mistake all these bouvier breeders are avid dog lovers that carry their dogs for walks and swims and have them inside their houses but there are those who would compromise their dog's well-being if it means they will make a quick-buck!
So question your breeder! Don't just look at how clean the surroundings are and how healthy the pups are. But ask what did the mummy dog have to go through for you to have that pretty pup!
Now what's wrong with trying to make money off of selling dogs? Well, it's just that if the aim is to make a profit versus cover expenses, there is a high risk that the breeder may put profit above the welfare of his or her dogs and clients too. And this is why hobby breeders distinguish themselves from commercial breeders. And I fear we have commercial Bouvier breeders in Trinidad.
So if you are in the market for a bouvier pup or a pup of any breed I would encourage you to question the breeder. How old is the dam? How many times has she had a litter? A female large breed dog like a Bouvier should not be bred until she matures at 2-3yrs of age. I have had persons who have bought pups from me line their female at 18months old! Of course accidents do happen. But there is a particular bitch that seems to be pregnant every year! That is standard puppy mill behaviour! No other way to define it. And it is concerning. The thing is once someone owns a dog I can not dictate to the owner how they should treat their dog.
But what I can do is educate the public that there are breeders out there that are selling dogs to make a profit. A bouvier pup can range from $7,500 to $18,000. And yes, these are fair prices when you consider the cost to import a dog, feed the dog, medical bills, grooming costs etc. But if you have 8 bouviers in your yard maybe you can use the economy of scale to work for you, especially if you line every bitch every year from the day she is 18months till she passes at 12years old.
Now my kids are older and I am excited to get my dogs in the show ring again! But I am wiser now too. So I think it my duty to let dog lovers in T&T know that in the small Bouvier breeder community there are reputable breeders and there are some commercial breeders who are not so reputable. But make no mistake all these bouvier breeders are avid dog lovers that carry their dogs for walks and swims and have them inside their houses but there are those who would compromise their dog's well-being if it means they will make a quick-buck!
So question your breeder! Don't just look at how clean the surroundings are and how healthy the pups are. But ask what did the mummy dog have to go through for you to have that pretty pup!