Responsible Breeding While our club members believe the Weimaraner is the best breed there is, we are realistic and know that not everyone should have a Weimaraner or any dog for that matter. It follows then that a breeder has a responsibility to the breed that they profess to love and value so highly. PLEASE, BEFORE YOU BREED, think about what being a responsible breeder means. Responsible breeders: have an over riding protective love and dedication for the betterment and welfare of a particular breed breed to perfect the breed in temperament, health, conformation and any number of competitive characteristics and natural instincts educate themselves on the health issues that affect the breed and do the appropriate screenings before breeding educate themselves on how to choose a stud and a brood bitch educate themselves on proper health care, whelping, socialization and general raising of puppies honestly evaluate the personalities, structure and natural instincts of their puppies place puppies or dogs in homes that offer the best conditions for the welfare of the individual puppy or dog regardless of the price of a sale protect their pet puppies by using the American Kennel Club limited registration option on the back of the registration application and a simple non breeding contract and they protect their breeding and competition prospects by using protective contracts work very hard to educate puppy buyers and stand ready to help with problems throughout the life of the dog assume responsibility for the welfare of the puppies they produce should they become in need of another home educate their puppy buyers who want to become responsible breeders As in everything in life, there is a cycle. What you do starts a cycle in motion. Will you be a "breeder" or will you be a "puppy producer?" Will it be the cycle just described above, or will it be a cycle of greed and non commitment that results in putting as little as you can into dogs so that you can reap more profits. As the latter cycle continues, a puppy producer will sell to anyone with the money in hand who shows up on their door step regardless of what kind of home they can provide for a dog and in fact, may want to become puppy producers themselves. Can you see where this cycle leads. Responsible breeders and dedicated rescue volunteers know where it leads because they deal with the results year round. Rescue knows no season. Animal control and protection officers know where it leads. In each shelter there are individuals whose job it is to put to death the results of puppy mill producers and irresponsible owners. Our very humanity is diminished by this tragic cycle and you have a choice to make. Dogs are companion animals and are not live stock to be acquired and managed as a cash crop. Dogs do the follow: Help blind people see Help deaf people hear Help emotionally troubled and lonely people enjoy life a little more as therapy dogs Help police and military protect society Help responsible hunters bring home more game while spending a glorious day afield hunting dogs provide unconditional love and companionship to people who allow them into their homes and lives. Because of this, dogs deserve better than to be treated as live stock or an over the counter product. Indiscriminate breedings based on the sole desire to make money along with the uneducated, irresponsible owners doing back yard breedings are directly responsible for the overwhelming majority of the tragic overpopulation problem we have with dogs (pure-bred and mixed breed) all over this country. The Weimaraner Club of America, its local breed clubs and many unaffiliated Weimaraner owners all across the country spend immeasurable amounts of time, energy, emotions and money to help the many unwanted Weimaraners who were hastily placed in the wrong homes by puppy producers who didn't know any better or even worse, didn't care. So, when breeders are reluctant to sell a puppy to you without having breeding restrictions on it, please do not take it personally. We welcome anyone who wants to learn about Weimaraners and what it takes to be a responsible breeder. That takes a lot of time, energy and effort. Usually it means you'll be interested in competing with your Weimaraner while you're meeting other owners and breeders and learning from them. Usually it means you'll have bought your puppy from an established breeder and will have someone to mentor you. It means taking the placement of puppies deathly serious, because it is - for the puppy. No breed can afford even one more puppy producer. The stakes are just too high. Printed with permission from, Connie Morris, Chairman Breeder Referral/Education Comms. Weimaraner Club of Greater Louisville Back   © 1998-2006 Tarheel Weimaraner Club