Breeders in Classifieds

[adeinert]

[QUOTE=leighann]I know rescues are the way to go, but sometimes you have to be a little leary on their personality and wonder what they would do in your house in your situation. I have a house full of loud, vibrant kids and a cat, and a highway close by, QUOTE]

You're right! Getting a free dog from a stranger can be very risky. If you are not able to adopt any boxer with any condition, getting a dog from an owner (they often lie) or from a shelter is quite a risk. You have no idea of their personality. That has always been the hard part of fostering for me. The first day or so, I just had no idea how they would behave in my house and get along with my dogs. Rescue is a bit different in that they live with families or we know more of their background. I always ask my applicants with young children or cats to please only consider adopting boxers who have been living with children or cats. It's just not a risk worth trying for the family or the boxer. There are always boxers coming through rescue that are very child friendly and cat friendly and it's so much better for those families to wait for one of those boxers.

Christine, you summed it up beautifully,
"My opinion then would be that to support someone from the paper (who is obviously not a reputable breeder) is risky yes, but more importantly, it's contributing to the overall problem and hurting the boxer breed in itself. Rescuing a boxer is also risky, but you're not supporting the BYB's---on the contrary, you're then actually HELPING SOLVE the problem rather than contributing to it."

If only all prospective boxer owners were aware of rescue and reputable breeders I highly doubt many would choose to support BYB's and puppy mills. It just takes education, awareness, and a deep love of the breed. It's great to see those who don't understand learning more.

Leighann, your questions are great, that's what this board is for! Your questions show you care.

Ashlie

[JBBOXERLOVE]

Hi,
We bought our puppy about a year ago. According to everything learned on this site our pup was from a BYB. The breeder seemed okay but didn't follow a lot of the ethics on breeding. She let the puppies go at 5 weeks, let me have breeding rights, etc. Let me tell you that we paid more than double than that and more than what a professional breeder would've charged. But at the time she presented herself very professional and I didn't know any better. All I can say from my experience is, keep in mind the points mentioned over and over on this site. ****Health Test with backup, Direct Parents are are shown and conform to standards etc. My puppy has a lot of CH, DOM, SOM but in past generations of her Pedigree. But her parents don't have titles, so don't let someone flash a pedigree at you. It is very easy to get taken. TAKE CARE--

[adeinert]

Good point. Even poorly bred boxers can have champions in the pedigree somewhere.
In fact, I have heard that boxers with a big kennel name were bought and then used by puppy mills. You can be sure that the breeding standards were not kept up and those names back on the pedigree are washed out by the poor breeding choices.

Don't let a little cheap "bling bling" catch your attention. There is so much more than just seeing the word champion with a few names.

Ashlie

[JBBOXERLOVE]

Originally Posted by adeinert

Good point. Even poorly bred boxers can have champions in the pedigree somewhere.
In fact, I have heard that boxers with a big kennel name were bought and then used by puppy mills. You can be sure that the breeding standards were not kept up and those names back on the pedigree are washed out by the poor breeding choices.

Don't let a little cheap "bling bling" catch your attention. There is so much more than just seeing the word champion with a few names.

Ashlie

This is what really started making me thing of the big picture. No person breeding their dog and selling them in the classifieds would have purchased the parents from a reputable breeder. Reputable breeders have spay/nueter contracts and give limited AKC papers (offspring can't have papers). It's not like they do this to keep all the profits to themselves. These contracts protect life. So a reputable breeder breeds responsibly and then can track the offspring. Reputable breeders are available for future help. Try asking a person in the classified what their return policy/guarantee is. Try asking them for help when you are at your wits end when your boxer is 8 months (I only say this because I heard that's when many dogs end up rehomed/or go to a rescue). On the contrary a reputable breeder would help you prepare for the obstacles of puppyhood beforehand. You would be asked a lot of questions before you would have a puppy.

By the way I love my dog, I am an average dog owner, but I did not do enough research. Out of all the breeders that I contacted, the one reputable breeder turned me down b/c my kids were too young. I just met a boxer the other day that was adopted b/c the family could keep the boxer realizing the dog was too much for their young children. I am sure if I responded with the question when would be a good time. But I didn't realize what a great difference in breeding practices there is. At the time I didn't think anything of it. But now I respect what she did.

Another boxer in our puppy class was the second one b/c the first died at 3 months. Their current boxer was from a BYB and was turning out to look much NOT like a boxer.

So far we have been fortunate (except for the large amount we paid). I am more mad thought that I supported a BYB.

Someone posted these and if you haven't read them yet it will help clarify any doubts: http://justonelitter.com/flyer.html and www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/Fair/1901/chart.html