BBC programme on puppy breeding

[JoanneF]

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To be fair we don't know exactly what is planned but BBC3 appears to be planning a programme following young breeders launching their breeding ”business”. The concern is obviously that puppies are portrayed as commodities and that other people will be tempted to jump on the bandwagon. There is a petition against it here - no idea why it seems to have linked in German ...

Petition unterschreiben

 

[JudyN]

There's a write-up about the programme here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2020/will-my-puppies-make-me-rich

I haven't signed the petition yet because apparently the programme will push the importance of good practice, health checks, etc., and the dangers of puppy farming. Maybe an honest portrayal of what good breeding involves will stop caring but uninformed people mating their dog with any other that looks right. There's never been a programme, to my knowledge, that discusses the 'how to'.

On the other hand, the programme is called Will My Puppies Make Me Rich?, and it talks about 'capitalising on the demand for designer dogs'. I don't want to judge a programme without knowing what the content will be, but those two aspects make it difficult not to.... Dogs shouldn't be treated as commodities to make, sell and make a profit (running an exceptional breeding establishment as a business, producing dogs with excellent health and temperament, and vetting potential buyers, is a different matter).

 

[JoanneF]

the programme is called Will My Puppies Make Me Rich?

'capitalising on the demand for designer dogs'

It doesn't sound promising, does it

 

[Rinkydinkydo]

What ever you do,you will never stop it while people are paying £1500 for a lurcher pup when they should cost around £300 max. Or paying up to £3000 for terrier pups that should be around the £600 mark. Big money is being made and most of it tax free money. One litter of pups could equal a years salary for some people,it's crazy.

 

[Finsky]

What ever you do,you will never stop it while people are paying £1500 for a lurcher pup when they should cost around £300 max. Or paying up to £3000 for terrier pups that should be around the £600 mark. Big money is being made and most of it tax free money. One litter of pups could equal a years salary for some people,it's crazy.

I don't think puppy prices will drop down to what they used to be. Not because of the Covid...but because those 'old' prices have not shifted with the times for some time now. But yes, there is some silly asking prices around and those breeders are pushing their luck..but do they really sell for that??
Because of our current litter, I've now seen the 'other side of the coin'. Yes, there is money to be made if one pushes it. But if the breeding is done properly and providing there is no huge surprise vet bills or other costs that one has to find money for AND the litter size is good...you could be winning..if you don't count the working hours that put into it!
'Old' puppy prices didn't go up as fast as the rate of vet and other costs. And then there is the effort that one has to make with one's bitch to ensure the girl is in good condition and well looked after long before the pregnancy takes place....stud feeds have started gone up too...not feeding the bitch nor the pups with any 'old' cheap food is not cheap. I spent months of planning and organizing things to even get to the breeding stage...all the sleepless hours spent of looking after the pups is HUGE amount of work.
Now those 'old' prices are something that is ok with friends and such...sure. But why should anybody sell pups for totally strangers for lower price...some that could be tempted to flog those pups off to make quick profit from my hard work? Nah....I totally understand now that when somebody does proper job with bringing pups into this world, it is worth of decent pay too.
But the problem is that it is not always easy to tell what kind kind of start for the life they've had. New owners may soon find that that reasonably priced pup is costing money with vet bills and turn out to be very expensive indeed...even worst if it was expensive pup and not with proper start neither.

I was given book of bitch by my bitch's breeder and back of it was written down the costs involved bringing up the litter Iida came from. I was very surprised how little money was made with the pups as they were sold for reasonable 'old money'...it barely covered the costs, never mind covering all the hard work involved!

Yes, everything can be put price on it and valued as such...but I don't think anymore that there is such a thing as 'should' prices. If I live long enough and stay healthy so that I will still be able to buy a pup (rather than result breeding anymore)...I will now be totally happy to pay the reasonable asking price or even higher rate for a PROPERLY brought up pup. The effort that is put for it is worth of every penny.

But going back to original subject...this program sounds like horrid idea! NO NO NO from me

 

[JudyN]

We need to think about what breeders should 'look like'. Can we rely on people like Finsky who do it for love, and do it properly despite making little, if any, money, and who don't have a 'proper' job? Or do we want professional breeders who, though they still may love their dogs and do everything to find them good homes, run it as a business so it is their job? (Say, like a professional behaviourist.)

 

[Finsky]

We need to think about what breeders should 'look like'. Can we rely on people like Finsky who do it for love, and do it properly despite making little, if any, money, and who don't have a 'proper' job? Or do we want professional breeders who, though they still may love their dogs and do everything to find them good homes, run it as a business so it is their job? (Say, like a professional behaviourist.)

And there is issues along the way in many ways. Will 'professional breeders' have the time and energy to handle each and every pup all the time as these kind of dogs will undoubtedly have better chance to be more suitable for 'home pets'. Dogs that are more of 'working dogs', that require getting used to different kind of handling than kisses and cuddles and they may well be better off brought up in kennels in a professional set up. In my very limited experience that I have seen with terriers, the character of the dogs that have been brought up in a little 'tougher' conditions (but not in a bad ways) than in a home comforts, can be different and having these dogs to be more of 'dual purpose' companions to be kept in home even if they are still 'worked' ain't always quite as straight forward.
Personally I don't have issues if the dogs are brought up either way, I'm sure there is a need for home breeders as well as pros...as long as the pups are happy and healthy AND people who are selling them do make it clear who they selling for what kind of 'product' they are selling and they are intended for. That would be the ideal situation and could already cut back the situation 'wrong dog for wrong home'.
But unfortunately situation is far from ideal even with current 'pros' OR with some 'home' breeders ...
I doubt that current breeder licensing is doing anything or much to help the welfare of the dogs neither.
Honesty is in short supply with so many people and it is not only about with puppy breeding....all this thieving going on too...
The way BBC's program is said to be made sounds like a missed opportunity to truly target today's issues, it is going to be like all the other current 'reality' programs...

 

[Tinytom]

Daily mail report ...
The RSPCA have asked for this programme to be scrapped as they fear it will encourage more people to breed dogs just to make money ....