Bad Blood Between Breeders
patpearce January 8th, 2008
Bad Blood Between Breeders
Hello I’d like to ask a breeder related question. I am very upset
about this, and there’s no one here I can ask about it, or everyone
would know who I am and who I am talking about.
I bought a show prospect girl from a very well known breeder who lives
on the other side of the country. We have a contract that says I will
show her until she gets her championship and then I will breed her to
the stud dog my breeder chooses. The breeder gets half of the litter
and I get the other half. We own my girl together on a co ownership.
I have been showing my girl and she has won some points but is not yet
finished. While I have been showing her, I have met some other local
owners, and a very prominent local breeder. Everyone has been very
nice about my girl, telling me that she is good quality and should
finish easily. The breeder I have met has been very supportive and has
even taken my girl in the ring for me when she thought it would help.
This breeder has also told me some things about the person I bought my
dog from that are worrying me. They have told me that my girls breeder
isn’t a very nice person and has an unethical reputation. I am now
being told that I shouldn’t give her back any of the puppies from my
girls litter. The breeder here says that if I give my co owner back
any puppies that they will end up mistreated. They are telling me that
I they can help me to breed my girl without my having to give puppies
to my co owner and they will help me to keep them away from her.
What should I do? I do not want to breed my girl and then have her
puppies end up being in a puppy mill. The local breeder says that
sometimes even “BIG NAME” breeders can be puppy mills and not treat
their dogs well. I do not want to raise puppies and then know that
someone is hurting them or treating them badly. But I also don’t want
to break a contract and get into trouble. Who do I believe? I have
spoken to the breeder of my girl, and she seems to really be unhappy I
am becoming friends with the breeder who lives close to me. She says
there is ‘bad blood’ between them that she doesn’t want to go into. Is
there a way I can tell if she is lying? I have always liked her but I
hear so much about how charming puppy mills can be that now I’m just
confused.
Please help me to do the right thing for my dog.
Signed Uneasy on the East Coast
Pat writes:
This is a very complicated issue….
The first question you have to ask yourself is WHAT the local breeder’s agenda is? In other words what does she/he have to gain…
If she were the breeder of your girl - how would she feel if someone were maligning her? I can tell you - she’d be very upset…
If you are truly concerned about your girls breeder, contact a local (to her) kennel club or two, and ask about her. And you should contact other French Bulldog breeders in the general area of your breeder…And even then you should take any comments with a grain of salt. Frankly this should have been done before you entered into a contract with this person. If you don’t feel completely comfortable with the person and with the contract you should not enter into it (cute puppy or not)
At this point, unless you have compelling evidence that your breeder is a puppymill, I believe you must honor the contract. And when I say compelling I don’t mean the word of someone who for whatever reason has an axe to grind.. I mean evidence where they have been formally charged with mistreatment of an animal.
One of the things that happens in the dog world is that people hear something or worse yet half hear something - or see something and add 2 and 2 together and get 6. Rumors are rampant… some have some basis of foundation and others are are just people who make up things to talk about.
I understand your distress… But when someone tries to coerce you into breaking contract, first you have to think about their motives… and if they will ask you to break a contract with someone else, then they will not treat you fairly either…. Then you have to remember that these things ‘get around’ and people in the future would be reluctant to enter into an agreement with you.
And I can also understand your breeders reluctance to discuss ‘things’. There are usually many views on any subject, and many ’takes’ on the issue… But you rarely get the entire picture form anyone. and any discussion just muddies the water…
I suggest that you honor your contract - to the best of your ability. And remember your girl came to you in I assume good condition? Why would you think it would be anyone’s best interest not to take care of frenchie puppies.. You can often ask the breeder for help selling the puppies and handle the placement yourself - and forward the money to the breeder.
I believe I would ask your breeder to help you, and ask all kinds of questions so you better know her. and so she will trust you better.
And remember that there are unethical people in all parts of the world and the dog world is no exception - you have to examine motives…
And I suggest that before you buy another dog that you do homework before the purchase. And there are better contracts out there. Ask around, look at dogs you like (not just have a big reputation), and work with a breeder. check references of other show pup owners…
I hope this helps…
Good luck
Pat
