I love this thread! I have had this on my mind for a while now as we have been getting inquiries about an advertisement we placed on Cavalier Planet. ( sold!). I have talked with several folks recently who have definitely been doing their homework and calling all the reputable breeders in the midwest, visiting their web sites and sending them emails - with probably only about 50% response rate from many reputable breeders. I completely understand the time and hard work involved in talking and answering these potential buyers ( especially when you know they are not going to buy from you - but you want to educate them). I posted late this summer about my frustration with so much time involved in neatening up the house and yard for potential buyers who say they are going to buy a puppy and then call and change their mind the next day, week or month! It takes so much time to present the dogs nicely, yourself nicely and provide a good experience for these folks. I appreciate so much those breeders who did this for us in the beginning. I have been answering and taking visits from a pet buyer who is reallly doing her research that is even looking at the yahoo advertisements for pet cavaliers and obviously ( to me anyway) corresponding with puppy millers - even after all the time ( hours and hours) I have spent with her. This is a very educated woman! I finally asked her, what in the heck is so special about this puppy mill dog that you would even consider it, after talking with all of these cavalier breeders all over the midwest? She really had no answer - just trying to get a feel for breeders. I suspect $$$$ is the answer. Either they are asking more than us ( therefore yuppies think the dog must be better right?) or they are asking less than us. Some people are impulse buyers, and some research it to death. We all know the amount shouldn't make a difference in the long run, but I have to think it does. A puppy from Ireland for $2000 also gets you bragging rights. A puppy from the breeder that won BOB at Westminster or Awards of Merit or top ten AKC gets you bragging rights. Some folks really want more than a pet, I'm not sure some of us "small scale" folks who do it right can ever satisfy them. It makes me sad that Barb H has turned off her answering machine. If anyone has any common sense and humor left about this situation - it's Barb. But I completely understand and empathize after the summer I've had. It is soooooo time consuming. I love my dogs, but I have to have a life too. I want to enjoy them as pets too, not always being in the customer service mode. Thanks for letting me vent - I don't have a solution unfortunately. Most of us in cavaliers or dog breeding in general are nurturing people. You can only nurture the public for so long before you need a few pats on the back yourself! I suspect every breeder of any breed feels the same as we do. Maybe just venting on the list is good for the soul. Ellen Poti Avia Cavaliers Dayton, Ohio, USA
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