Seen in the wilds of Facebook this morning: https://www.facebook.com/adam.levy.549/posts/pfbid02ymbie29yQsWMeoxaxz1EyQ5gva674tmk8wSmAqUtPEv9eQs2R6ZLsyLfyA8tX4u4l
Copy of Text from Article:
Every once in a while, I hear someone make the statement about their program being about “quality, not quantity.” It happened again recently and got me thinking, what, exactly, is the point of that statement? Many of the greatest dogs in history came from what we would call “breeding kennels” today. These are the kennels and breeders that are studied and celebrated. They produced families of dogs that carried distinct characteristics, hallmarking their stamp on a breed. When did it happen, that breeding kennels became negative or frowned upon, over the hobby breeder? So, is the phrase “quality over quantity” being used with a negative connotation? As a preservation breeder, are you really doing your breed a service by attempting to put down other breeders who might have more litters than you do? Who defines and judges quantity? And how? 14 puppies can come from one litter…or four. Is quantity really a bad thing, if you consistently produce quality? Can you call it a “program” when you aren’t breeding enough or consistently to understand what you are making? Can you define your style or do you know what you are breeding for, mentally and physically? How are you defining quality? Is it titles? Health clearances? Well-loved pets and/or working dogs with happy families? Who makes the judgement that one breeder is producing quantity over quality, where another is producing quality over quantity? I personally believe that any breed will make its biggest leaps forward when a breeder with a clear vision has the guts to ignore all the background noise and keep pushing forward in the right direction. Let’s leave it to the AR groups to be the one common enemy and not within.
Do I have something to say about this? Yes I do!
Here's my take on this.
My personal opinion: as long as EVERY dog in your breeding program is living in an environment appropriate to its breed (ie, in a home as a family member for most breeds with the exception of LGDs and hard core working dogs), I'm ok with quantity. I know people with large programs but they have an extensive family of co-owns and guardian homes so I'm fine with that. Every dog is living a normal "pet life". The minute your dogs are living in kennels outside the home and NOT living a full fledged life as a member of the family (or member of the flock for LGD breeds), I have an ethical issue with that. The ends don't always justify the means. Just because a program is producing great dogs doesn't mean their manner of doing it is ethical. We could produce perfect humans if we wanted, but we'd have to step on a lot of ethical boundaries to do that and the ends wouldn't justify the means. Frankly, I'd rather see "mediocre" dogs raised with love than stellar dogs raised as a commodity because 95% of dogs are companions first (even if they also are show dogs, sport dogs or part time working dogs). Unless you're raising working dogs for a very specific purpose (military, law enforcement, true working dogs that are NOT considered pets), then we must first treat every dog as a companion and provide them an appropriate quality of life. The dogs "working" for us as breeders deserve normal lives and if you can't provide that, there's an issue. That's where the quantity vs quality issue becomes an argument. 20 dogs spread out in guardian homes? Cool. 20 dogs in a fancy half million dollar kennel? That makes them a puppy mill no matter how many titles those dogs produce or how clean the kennel may be. This is why we have so many "show mills" in AKC. People try to convince themselves that it's ok to own more dogs than they can provide a normal life for if they're producing enough champions. I'll be the first to say I don't have a true "program". I'm not trying to change the bigger picture in any way, shape, or form and my dogs are my children first and foremost. I breed occasionally when I want to add a member to my family and want a new sport partner. I do believe the dogs I'm breeding are worthy, quality dogs that belong in our gene pool and contribute in a positive manner, but that's not my reason for breeding. I'm breeding to create a new partner for *me*. The other pups go to people who value similar traits to the ones I value in a partner/family member.
Comments