Last week we explored the difference between professional and amateur breeding and highlighted the characteristics that an “ideal” breeding farm should have.
Today we are going to talk about: Amateur Breeding
It was seen that breeders, in addition to caring about breed selection aspects, should have a good understanding of the puppy’s developmental stages (sensitive periods) and the importance of these in preventing behavior problems.
From a legal point of view, anyone who has a purebred female and decides to give her a litter is called an amateur breeder.
In fact there is a huge difference between the private who decides to breed their dog and the dog lover, who driven by passion for a particular breed, Decides to breed consciously, taking into account the laws of genetics, having notions not only of veterinary, but also behavioral and psychological Of the dog.
Beware, however, even here the pooch is always around the corner, and under the guise that he has four or five dogs that he regularly mates (perhaps even inbreeding), he passes himself off as what he is not, but what the law allows him to be.
Therefore, the “7 key points of ideal breeding” we discussed in the previous article also apply here. Let’s also see what the pros and cons might be compared to professional breeding:
PRO
- Puppies must live at home with their mother until they are adopted.
- The home environment is certainly much richer in stimulation than a cattery, which very often, is not at all.
- By living at home, puppies have the opportunity to become familiar with different people, noises and objects.
AGAINST
- The breeder may have insufficient training in genetics and breed selection.
- Make sure the breeder does not make inbreeding matings.
- Do not trust those who keep mother and puppies in a separate environment (attic, basement, garden, garden, basement etc.) because a poor stimulation environment, predisposes to behavioral problems.
THE PRIVATE
Raise your hand if you haven’t thought, at least once in your life, about mating your dog?
One only has to go browsing through the various for-sale ads that populate the Web to realize that this is a rather widespread phenomenon. After all, what does it take? Just put a male and a female together and you’re done?
Often one of them doesn’t even have a pedigree, but so what? It’s just as good! The trouble is that unfortunately, regardless of the sentimental value placed on it, a dog without a pedigree cannot be considered purebred, and as such, cannot even be sold, but rather “surrendered” with reimbursement for expenses incurred.
That’s why you see advertisements offering puppies at a discount!
Pedigree should not be considered a “snobbery” useful only to those who attend exhibitions; but rather a foundational document certifying that you are buying a purebred dog and not simply a dog that looks like it, without a genealogical identity linking him to his ancestors and thus, without careful selection including health, morphology and character.
That said, the main thing is that you are aware of it. Every dog, regardless of whether it is purebred or the result of various crosses, has the right to be loved for the duration of its life!
In any case, the pros and cons considered for amateur breeders remain valid for individuals as well.
Carla Beard
Sing To The Moon Dog Center
