> I think we should start a thread on how to buy a puppy. Let's get all > ideas out there for identifying the reputable and not so reputable > breeders.
If you will go to the Message Board and go through the archives you will find there are many who are VERY resistant to the idea of a breeder who shows and tests. They honestly and truly believe that a sweet family who breeds their pet (not from a good genetic or even known background, not good quality and no testing) is a perfectly wonderful place to get a pet. Many of them bought from importers/brokers and are completely in denial that they did so! One lady bought her dog from a *wonderful* FIC breeder and chose it as being a much better breeder than the two AKC breeders she visited. She said the FIC breeder tested and did everything right, but when queried she never came up with any proof that they did any testing at all. That post is still presently on the site and the website of the breeder she bought from is listed as well. Lately I have begun to wonder if we haven't already reached the majority of buyers who CAN be educated. From the calls I get it seems that the educable ones, on the whole, already understand who not to buy from and the ones who don't are extremely resistant to learning further. Some of the people on the Message Board will *battle to the death* that the breeder of their puppy is a reputable breeder--despite information to the contrary and no information to back up their feelings that the breeder is doing anywhere near a decent job. Yes there are still new converts who are becoming more knowledgeable, but it seems to be taking an extreme happening (such as buying a puppy from a not-so-reputable breeder who almost dies the first week it is brought home) to convert many of the more recent buyers. Can we be reaching a *saturation* point? I would love it if some organization would poll 1,000 randomly selected people and ask them about how they will go about buying their next purebred dog. I think the results might be very interesting. Laura Lang ========================================================= "Magic Commands": to stop receiving mail for awhile, click here and send the email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?body=SET%20CKCS-L%20NOMAIL to start it up gain click here: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?body=SET%20CKCS-L%20MAIL E-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] for assistance. Search the Archives... http://apple.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ckcs-l.html All e-mail sent through CKCS-L is Copyright 2002 by its original author.
