Breeding Puppies - Morals Learned
By Nancy Houser
Breeding dogs is becoming a new economy of the United States, looking as if it were “easy money” at a stay-at-home job for people who know very little about dogs. People who breed puppies for easy money usually pay little attention to the morals of breeding puppies. In other words, they consider breeding puppies a quick way to make money with very little work.
For those who are serious about their dogs and want to improve their bloodlines – two questions need to be asked:
• Why should I breed?
• When should I breed?
The backyard breeders and puppy mills pay little attention to these two questions, breeding again and again, until the female dams drop from exhaustion, giving out emotionally and physically. But on the other hand, good breeders spend hours upon hours raising high quality dogs only to sell them to someone who has the ability to neglect them, abandon them, or abuse them. The morals of breeding puppies need to be questioned by both breeders and their purchasers, as good quality puppies are anything but easy money.
Why Should I Breed?
When most people begin breeding dogs, many questions that should be asked are not. The reason they are not asked is that most who are breeding puppies do not know to ask them. Knowing what to ask breeders about their dogs and why they are selling them as well as what questions to ask of potential owners of puppies are very important.
There are many cases of situations where a valuable and beautiful puppy is sold to a “caring, wonderful, and sweet” person who really wants the puppy. Less than a year later, these same dogs are found placed in a shelter, full of heartworms, abused to the point of certain death, and neglected enough to make you cry. Often if not for a worker at the shelter who takes the puppy under his or her wing, paying huge amounts of money for its medical bills … the dog would be dead today. Yet, pet owners are not held responsible for situations such as these. Often the original breeder that is in the business of breeding dogs is blamed for the puppy's situation, which may not be an accurate picture of the event.
In situations such as this, are breeders the only ones who are held responsible for the morals of breeding puppies? So the question, “Why should I breed?” needs to be sincerely thought about before you breed dogs or puppies, meanwhile reflecting honestly on the morals of breeding puppies. The world is full of unwanted puppies, so if you have something special to offer to the world, think about the type of people who want your puppy.
When Should I Breed?
The next question, “When should I breed?” adds another point to the questions about the moral of breeding puppies. On the other side of the fence, away from breeders and buyers, are society’s “little finger pointers.” We all know who they are – they blame the overabundance of dogs in shelters and humane societies on the breeders alone, who of course do nothing but sit around and breed puppies. And to be fair – some do that very thing.
In reality not only are there breeders to blame, but consider the fact that irresponsible dog owners are also to blame, especially those who do not properly care for their pets. They get them when they are young and cute, and then out the door they go, due to lack of training, abusive home lives, moving, children, and any reason that can be given in order to get them out of the home. But not long after that, another helpless little puppy comes into that very same home.
The morals and values involved in breeding dogs, selling puppies and getting into the breeding business need to be assessed by each individual. This is not just a money making scheme, animal's lives depend on your judgment and good sense both in breeding dogs and taking care of puppies properly.
