WORKING SERVICE DOGS

I believe that one of the biggest scams going in the business of breeding and selling of dogs is what is normally called the "pick of the litter." The purpose of this is simply the "pick of the litter money game."
Along with this comes the question I am asked often is do I have dogs of a lesser quality that do not make the grade for working dogs to sell as pets. Dogs of lesser quality in a litter? If that is the case then that same breeding should never take place again. Dogs of a lesser quality that don't make the grade for working on the street or for Military being sold as "pet quality"?
Is this what "pet quality" has become? By "pet quality" I am guessing people mean the dog for the home as personal protectors and companions for the whole family, children included of course. There is no greater educator, in my opinion, for children than the dog and there is no greater responsibility for the dog than protecting the family especially the children. They are never "off duty." Even when they are playing with the children they remain alert and ever watchful and when the rest of the family sleeps the "pet quality only" dog remains on duty.

Then there are dogs being sold as "show quality." Again I ask you, what exactly does that mean? Dogs that are breed so they can run around in circles in a ring so they can win ribbons and be breed so that their litters can expect the same life of the "show world." The pick of the litter for breeders who are into the work is the pup that has not been sold. These picks of the litter have always worked for me and have never done me wrong yet. These pups have proven to be some of the hardest and most reliable dogs I have ever owned.

We need to ask ourselves what we are doing to our dogs and what we are accepting as acceptable practices in the breeding of our dogs.

Remember when you buy a pup that because the breeders are a recognized breeder by the C.K.C., A.K.C. or U.K.C., that does not mean that these are honest people selling good dogs. In many cases it simply means that the breeders have paid to have registered their dogs to then pass these registration papers on to you to make you feel better when you are often getting ripped off.
Mike McConnery 04/25/02

©2002-Baden K-9, Mike & Emmy McConnery

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