Puppy mills are sad places.

[Arne]

usually, a good breeder will want to meet you face to face... they do not want their dogs going to bad homes... and you are kind of interviewed about kids, cats, other dogs, fenced in yard, etc.

They usually have a good idea about where the dogs will do well based on the disposition of the parents...

[Geron]

The Monks of New Skete had an adoption questionaire to be filled out by a prospective buyer. I believe there was a series of interviews involved as well.

I can no longer find their adoption info on their website. Wonder if they have quite breeding German Shepherds? However, buying a dog from The Monks was quite an "involved" process.

[Changer]

They still are, but the quality is (and realistically, according to shepherd folks I know, always has been) kind of spotty - I know two pet people who have gotten pet dogs they love frfom there and three who have not been UNHAPPY but felt the quality was not all it was made out to be. I don't think I'd call them a mill though- and realistically, there's a big gap between 'breeder I think is good enough to recommend' and puppy mill - and quite a few breeders that many people would find acceptable are ones that I still wouldn't advise training clients to look at and/or would actively warn them away from, especially in breeds like GSDs and BCs where there are so, so, so many people who are REALLY good at marketing their dogs and perhaps NOT so good at the breeding and genetics decisions.

Statistics of registrations show that the vast majority of registered dogs are bred by folks who breed only a litter every 5 years or less and that about 15% of AKC registered dogs compete in AKC events (conformation AND performance, including hunting events.) It's easy in working and sporting breeds to say "Look for someone who works AND shows, or at elast works" their dogs (and there are some people for whom the show-line working bred dogs ARE going to be a better match) but when it comes to companion breeds, the line gets fuzzier. Even if we assume ALL performance/show breeders are reputable (which is definitely not the case, Although I think more are than not), that still goes a long way to explaining the 'registered with papers!" dog that ends up in the shelter. Casual breeders- people who want 'just one litter' and give away the puppies without spay/neuter agreements to people who then repeat the process are, I suspect, the source of the vast majority of purebred dogs in shelters- not mills. (Which are a digusting problem, but numerically are not the main source of dogs dying in this country. They're just disgusting because dogs aren't livestock.)

Christie Keith says it best. Family pets from family homes.

[Arne]

German sheps in the usa have been 'bred to conform' so often, they, as a breed have developed health problems which are found almost across the board now... which is why our local g/s k9 dog was brought in from Austria.. as previously mentioned..

http://leerburg.com/gsd-gate.htm

[Arne]

I highly recommend this video... If you want more information, google "riddle the blind dog".....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXdxwnmg8xA

[Arne]

a happy link, finally...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Z_8YQLAYZU&feature=related

[Geron]

Two legged dog. Check it out.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091216/ap_on_fe_st/us_fea_pets_two_legged_dog_4

[Arne]

quote:

We are only one behind Stamford on the national and state level!!! Maybe their voters are getting preoccupied with the holidays. So please vote, Sunday is the last day.

Bea & the Girlz
fostering Samson

-------------------

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/shelterchallenge.faces?siteId=3

So, folks, please keep voting.... only a couple of more days.. and if you can forward this to some others, that could make us no. 1 in CT and get us some cash to help out mutts who need it... and thank you all... Arne

p.s. Samson is a dog I personally did an adoption evaluation on.. and he will be headed to his 'forever home' right after the holidays.. After Monday, you can all take a well needed rest... :}

[Arne]

Please come out in full force! today till midnight ST is our last chance to overtake the Stamford shelter and win NEBCR $1000!

http://tinyurl.com/3j3rj2

New England Border Collie Rescue
State: CT

[Arne]

After I get the final results of the contest, I will post them and close down this thread....

I did find this UK b/c rescue site with some interesting videos.. I have not watched them all, but if you scroll about 1/2 way down, you will find a video of Pan, a b/c who was 12 y/o 2 years ago, and was blind since birth....

I think all rescue groups do similar work... but watching a pooch who has been taken care of for this length of time in spite her disability by dedicated people is still inspirational....

http://www.bordercollierescue.org/Floating/videopage.html

[Classic Finn]

usually, a good breeder will want to meet you face to face... they do not want their dogs going to bad homes... and you are kind of interviewed about kids, cats, other dogs, fenced in yard, etc.

They usually have a good idea about where the dogs will do well based on the disposition of the parents...

Arne when we in a way rescued Una our Samoyed from the young couple that originally purchased her thinking she was only a little huggy bear that wont need attention and wont grow. We went through an intensive questionaire from the Kennel it was purchased from. Which is excellent in my opinion. We met the Kennel Owner and Breeder as well as asked as to what kind of outdoor area we had for her and outting facilities. Wether we
live in an apartment or own house or what. To this day we are in contact with the breeder. Children or no and previous experience with dogs.

The laws here are quite strict in animal abuse and as has been mentioned pet mills in general.

I just dont understand how people can abuse or be cruel to any animal for that matter but there are the ones who are just plain cruel. In my opinion if caught they should be locked up.

[Arne]

Now, this is a cute dog xmas video...

http://ak.imgag.com/imgag/product/preview/flash/pdShell.swf?ihost=http://ak.imgag.com/imgag&brandldrPath=/product/full/el/&cardNum=/product/full/ap/3173936/graphic1

[Arne]

The voting is completed. For CT, Stamford had been ahead most of the time... here is the final result for the state of CT..... you guys were a big help and I suspect your extra votes made the difference... scroll down to the states..... and THANK YOU....!!

quote from NEBCR web site:

No clue how you guys pulled it off on the very last day, but it turns out NEBCR won the voting contest on the Animal Rescue site AGAIN! That's $1,000!!!!! Eeeeee haaaaaa! Mo did a great job nagging, lol!

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/shelterchallenge.faces?siteId=3&origin=ARS_TYteas

[Arne]

quote: Dear Friends,

The Stamford Animal Care & Control Shelter and OPIN, Inc. would like to
thank all of our friends and supporters who voted day by day to try to help
us win the $1,000 prize in the Animal Rescue Shelter Challenge contest. We
appreciate your time and commitment and well wishes. The final results can
be found on the link above.

Unfortunately, for us, New England Border Collie Rescue passed us by on the
very last day. We were in first place into Sunday morning but, we'll have
to give them an enormous amount of credit, they pulled it off. We
congratulate NEBCR on their win and wish them good use of their prize
money, they fought very hard for it and are well deserving. Like all of
us, they must care deeply about the animals they support. Good going
NEBCR! It was fun to run against you.

We wish everyone and their loving pets a wonderful holiday season and a
healthy and happy 2010.

Jen
Stamford Shelter Volunteer
Co-founder of OPIN, Inc.