Showing posts with label Backyard breeders. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Backyard breeders. Show all posts

Backyard Breeder, or Accident?

Jeannie really loves that I'm part Great Dane and part Labrador Retriever.  She likes that I'm a bit smarter than most full-blooded Danes, but I also have a very low level of energy -- which matches her life just fine!  But, she often gets irritated when she hears people say certain things about me. Sometimes strangers will compliment her on my coat and beauty and as she's thanking them for the compliment, they sneak in something like "There's a lot of money in her!" At first, she had to really think hard about what that meant.  She was in disbelief about the cavalier way people seem to talk about "backyard breeding."

She has said before that she isn't sure where I came from.  But, she has strong suspicions that my birth was no accident.  Backyard breeding is so common and for so many reasons.  Some people (she's even heard this from immediate family members, sadly) believe all animals have the right to have at least one litter of puppies.  Jeannie is pretty sure this is another example of humans transferring human feelings and characteristics onto animals.  Other people are simply lax about sexually altering their animals, then shrug their shoulders when their dog is pregnant.  Of course, there are also those nefarious people who are really in it for the buck.  These are the people most of us think of when we hear the term "backyard breeders" -- bad guys doing bad things without apology.   But that's not a completely accurate description of backyard breeding.  Really, it's anyone who allows animals to breed without the knowledge and commitment necessary to responsibly breed animals.

While she loves having a Labradane, she would not seek one out from a backyard breeder in a million years! When Ben and Jeannie are ready for another doggy, they will go directly to a trusted source.  One who could never be called a "backyard breeder" - even during a semantics argument like she encountered via YouTube this weekend.

Now, she could have phrased her wording in a less confrontational way, but the issue really bothers her.  It bothered her so much that she ran out and adopted a dog -- something she never thought she'd do before Ben and Jeannie moved back to San Antonio and saw the city's terrible stray dog problem.  She posted the video that gave her cause for concern below.   But, first this is the back and forth that Jeannie shared with the uploader.  By the way, Jeannie's online identity is "inwhatway" -- a veiled reference to Ferris Bueller's Day Off.  She really wants to know what our blog friends think about this. Please share your thoughts on this post -- she is always open to changing her viewpoint and if she's wrong, she'd like to know why.


  • The mother is a Labradane -- she's definitely not full-blooded Dane. Black Great Danes with a trace of white are considered flawed by the AKC. And why is it that you felt compelled to seek out a backyard breeder? There are an awful lot of people who make money off breeding animals and end up perpetuating personality and medical flaws in the breed. I urge to you consider the true danger of backyard breeders and I hope that you decide not to breed this puppy you adopted.
  • @inwhatway 1. It is possible for a pure bred Great Dane to be black w/ white on their chest, however not desirable by AKC standards. 2. We didn't feel "compelled to seek out a back yard breeder" as you presume. This was an accidental litter due to the neighbor's lab getting loose & coming to their farm. 3. He has had no medical or personality flaws & both parents were healthy as well. 4. The dog was $100. They probably lost money on food & shots @ that price. 5. Try not to be so presumptuous.
  • Sorry if my comment upset you. Unfortunately, when you post material online for public consumption, it's also available for public scrutiny. I appreciate your taking the time to respond thoughtfully to my concern. But, I still have to disagree: an accidental litter (sic) is still a type of "backyard breeding." Call a local rescue group, or perform the following google search "Backyard breeder or accident" to educate yourself.