Ok. I know this is the biggest answer here for people who have dogs. Being a backyard breeder. What makes you a backyard breeder? I understand the concept of puppy mills and people who breed from their houses, who’s dogs are not champion lines or AKC registered or breed registered. But I still don’t get what people are considering a backyard breeder?
Lets say you get a dog from a champion line and decide to enter him/her into a competition, i.e. agility competitions and they win. So you want to breed them with another champion dog to continue on in making a "hobby" out of agility competitions. Since I’ve never bred before, does that make me a backyard breeder? or just inexperienced?
Obviously I’m not stupid by any means and would consult with the breeder I got my dog from as well as work closely with my vet. (Not that I’m considering doing this at this point in time, but some day when I have a bigger place I’d like to breed and train Jack Russell Terriers for agility competitions)
I’ve tried asking around, but I really just don’t get why people always get called backyard breeders. Couldn’t it just be some people are extremely inexperienced and haven’t saught the proper guidance? And didn’t everyone at one point start off as a "novice breeder"? I mean you can’t just say "I’m a professional", if it’s your first litter can you? If you could help me understand this better.
Also, what exactly is the difference between a behaviorist and a trainer? Aren’t they kind of the same thing? I mean they both work with dogs who have a hard time with commands and problems right? I rescued a Jack Russell/West Highland mix and he has aggression issues but I don’t know whether to work with a behaviorist or a trainer? Money isn’t an issue, I just need to know which would be more beneficial.
Please no rude answers. I’m really just trying to understand the language of the dog world so when I enter it later on I don’t sound like an idiot.
Thanks for all the help so far. This isn’t my first experience with dogs by any means, but I’m ready to persue the "next level" and all your answers have really been helpful.
Everyone really has their own definition. Some on here feel a BYB is someone who literally has the puppies in their backyard, or does it just for money or in bad conditions, some feel a BYB is someone who does not title and show their dogs.
The best definition I read was in an ASPCA article that described a BYB as "the average pet owner who breeds their dogs".
Everyone was novice at sometime.That does not make a BYB.
Personally titles aren’t required, although the dog should be proven someway, whether it is working or titles.
The difference between a novice and a BYB is they have spent years learning and working with the breed not to mention mentoring with a reputable breeder.
And no health clearances is an automatic BYB in my book.
There are a few more differences. like contracts, health guarantees, being willing to take the dog back at any time, offering a life time of support but those are the big ones.
A behaviorists focus more on the behaviors and what the cause is behind them, trying to find ways to fix them with training.
Trainers can have little understanding of behavior, they can simply use a method of training they find works. (not all trainers are like this).
It is important to understand there is no certification for these. That means no basic criteria or training. Anyone can call themselves a trainer or behaviorist.
For aggression I would consult a behaviorist.
Basically, if you have to come to YahooAnswers to ask questions about breeding, you’re a BYB.
If you weren’t, you’d have the knowledge, resources, and network already to know where to go and who to ask about breeding responsibly.
That aside:
http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/comparison.html
To me, one of the biggest indicators of a responsible breeder is one who also is active in breed rescue. They’re adding to the population problem, they’d damned well better be doing something to offset that.
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Everyone really has their own definition. Some on here feel a BYB is someone who literally has the puppies in their backyard, or does it just for money or in bad conditions, some feel a BYB is someone who does not title and show their dogs.
The best definition I read was in an ASPCA article that described a BYB as "the average pet owner who breeds their dogs".
Everyone was novice at sometime.That does not make a BYB.
Personally titles aren’t required, although the dog should be proven someway, whether it is working or titles.
The difference between a novice and a BYB is they have spent years learning and working with the breed not to mention mentoring with a reputable breeder.
And no health clearances is an automatic BYB in my book.
There are a few more differences. like contracts, health guarantees, being willing to take the dog back at any time, offering a life time of support but those are the big ones.
A behaviorists focus more on the behaviors and what the cause is behind them, trying to find ways to fix them with training.
Trainers can have little understanding of behavior, they can simply use a method of training they find works. (not all trainers are like this).
It is important to understand there is no certification for these. That means no basic criteria or training. Anyone can call themselves a trainer or behaviorist.
For aggression I would consult a behaviorist.
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BYB is a broad spectrum. Most are those in it to ‘make money’. #1 thing among breeders is that you cannot make money in dogs. Just can’t. The expense of showing, training, feeding, testing and vetting a dog far outweigh the profit. Many BYB probably think they are professional – they love their dog and their breed and think that AKC registration makes it acceptable. It does not.
That’s great you want to do agility but those titles alone do not make breeding stock. The entire purpose of breeding should be to enhance or maintain the gene pool of the breed. A lot of study goes into the genetics and the fixed traits of certain breeds. So while showing confirmation will not attest to the dog’s trainability or temperment, it will rank the dog according to the specifications of the breed.
THAT said, there are many CH dogs out there that are only champions because the owners entered them so often and in so many venues that they may have acquired points based on being the only dog entered of that particular breed. So that is also something that is questionable unless you have a knowledge or history with that breeder. It is tricky. And if you ask around, many in the dog show world feel it is highly political. But I won’t go there… ;~0
Best way to get familiar with this is to talk talk talk to a lot of breeders. Spend a lot of time at dog shows. Find a breeding mentor. Most people in the dog world are more than willing to share their knowlege and talk about their dogs. Well phrased thoughtful questions will never make you look like an idiot.
And regarding the behavorist/trainer – I know there are distinctions but cannot really tell you what makes one more desirable than the other… sorry.
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To me, and let me say other people might have a different definition for a BYB, a back yard breeder is someone who breeds for profit. They don’t have just ONE breed that they breed but more then one. They have several different breeds and end up having several dogs. They breed the dogs way to early. They take the pups from the mom too early. They don’t get their dogs OFA/CERF certified. All those things, in MY eyes, screams BYB. Even if the are AKC registered. That don’t mean a thing because a lot of BYB can have registered dogs. BYB will sell pups throught the year, including holidays. They have pups always ready for sell. One litter is born while another is already old enough to be sold. I’ve seen that done.
What makes a reputable breeder, in my eyes, is someone that has all the necessary tests on their breeders. They don’t breed more then one breed and don’t keep a lot of breeding dogs. It’s different if some are kept solely as pets.
They have waiting lists for their puppies because they have proven themselves as a reputable breeder and has good results from previous litters. They don’t breed too young or to old. They keep the pups until they are ready to go. They don’t breed for profit but rather improving the breed, for dog showing or dog agility( I’m interested in this as well but haven’t gotten around to it yet). Their puppies, generally come with a spray/neuter contract, from what I’ve seen. Those sold with breeding rights, they have certain stipulations.
Generally the reputable breeders started out by showing dogs or even agility and such. They have studied their breed of choice for many many years. They don’t breed just any dog, they breed the ones that confirm to the breed standard. They watch dog show or attends some to see what other breeders breed.
Some of them have contracts. Some have a stipulation that if the buyer ends up having to get rid of bought puppy that they have to be brought back to the seller. That’s a main difference between BYB and a reputable one because BYB breeder’s sell to anyone. They don’t make sure that the buyers are qualified to buy the pup, they are in it for the money. They don’t make sure they are in a stable environment or anything. And thats one of the reasons those puppies bought from a BYB breeder end up in the shelter after a year or so!
I been wanting to show and have dogs for agility. I don’t know about breeding though, I don’t want to add to the pet over population as it is. If I ever did, it would be only with the winners who were healthy( OFA and CERF certified). The pups would be neutered/spayed before leaving the home. I serioulsy doubt I would ever breed though. I rather like the idea of showing and agility and just enjoying my pet.
As to the aggression issue, I would go with a dog behaviorist.
Dog trainers usually have a set program that their clients enroll in. There is puppy kindergarten, C.G.C. training, handling classes, obedience and sometimes scent or guard dog work. The average trainer has a pre-set program, and he works at fitting the dog into the classes as they exist. A behaviorist is much more likely to have a single dog (or multiple dogs in a multiple dog family) and a problem or goal from which he or she creates an individual plan of behavior modification.
And while some dog trainers do one on one sessions with dogs, I still would go with the behaviorist.
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i love dogs!
Even if your dog is an agility champion, if you don’t do genetic and heath testing and your dog is not up to the breed standard (at least as far as body type and condition goes), then you are still a byb. Just because you breed for a purpose doesn’t mean you are a good breeder. You need to have good breeding stock (that follow the breed standard or are doing what the breed is bred to do like herding), have genetic and health testing (and pass the tests), and have good breeding practises. You would have to be selling the puppies as agility dogs, keep at least 1 from each litter to train and compete with
Just because it is your first litter, doesn’t mean you are a BYB. As long as you have a good breeding mentor and are willing to learn and practise responsible breeding, then you do have the potential to be a reputable breeder.
Backyard Breeders mostly breed pets. They don’t care about the genetic health of the dogs or if a dog conforms to the breed standard. They don’t show or work the dogs to prove that their dog should be bred. They say that they breed good pets and focus on temperament. Reputable breeders will have pet quality dogs just due to the fact that not all puppies born will be showable or breedable. A reputable breeder will not breed dogs will poor temperaments and those dogs would not do well in the show ring or make good pets.
A trainer basically trains obedience, agility, fly ball, herding and other general stuff. They may be able to work on basic issues, but aren’t really up for the challenge of serious issues. Behaviourists work on the harder problems if individual dogs. They don’t generally work on basic obedience and usually don’t hold that sort of class.
You go to a trainer to learn new things with your dog, and go to a behaviourist when things go wrong. Depending on how bad the aggression is, I would go see a behaviourist. You should probably find someone who wants you to learn the language of dogs rather than having the dog learn people language. A behaviourist who does not want you to change and only works with the dog is not really getting to the root of the problem. They may be able to control your dog in 5 minutes, but they need to teach you how to do it. This can mean changing your habits and your relationship with your dog (for the better).
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You probably wouldn’t be able to get a dog from a champion line that didn’t have a spay/neuter contract unless you were planning to show the dog in conformation or working trials. Agility does not count. It is a dog sport, whereas the others test to make sure the dog looks and/or acts like it’s breed.
Basically a Backyard Breeder is someone who just throws any 2 dogs together, who happen to be purebred (or not if they’re cashing in on the designer dog craze), without testing them in conformation or working trials, without doing genetic health testing, and without any real knowledge of what they’re doing. They may be doing it for money, because they want their dog or their children to "experience the miracle of childbirth", for fun, or just out of pure ignorance of what a good breeder is. These people typically advertise in the classifieds or on online sites like Kijiji and puppyfind.
Difference between a trainer and a behaviorist: BIG difference. Trainer’s typically focus on training dogs new behaviors or resolving fairly simple unwanted behaviors. They typically learn from other trainers or are self taught and don’t have any formal education (or very limited).
A behaviorist goes through LOTS of schooling. You can go about it 2 ways: you can get your DVM and then specialize in animal behavior (kinda like getting your MD and then specializing in psychiatry), then you become a Diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (DAVCB). Or you can get your bachelor’s in Biology, Zoology, or Psychology and then get your master’s or Ph.D in either Animal Behavior, Comparative Psychology, Ethology, or something similar. Then you get accredited by the Animal Behavior Society (ABS) and become a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB). These people tend to deal with animals with severe behavioral problems, ie intense anxiety, OCD, aggression, separation anxiety, etc. Because behaviorists can also prescribe medications for your dog, they can approach the dog’s issue from multiple angles (they’re not all about drugging your dog though). I’m currently in school working toward my B.A. In Psych hoping to one day become a behaviorist so I know all about what it takes to become one…
I’d definitely go with the behaviorist for aggression issues.
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A behaviorist works with dogs with major dysfunctional behavior; a trainer works with untrained dogs. In the absence of a behaviorist, an experienced trainer can be a big help.
Basically, the best dogs are bred in family homes with backyards. They are bred by "hobby breeders." Professional is not a word with positive connotations in the dog world: it makes you sound like someone who is doing this for a living, which is a puppy mill. Done correctly, raising a great litter of puppies costs more than one can reasonably charge for the pups, making it a labor of love, not a profit-making operation.
Hobby breeders are also the people who form the core membership of the breed’s parent club and the regional clubs. They run the specialties, hold judges’ clinics and teach junior handlers how to show their breed.
A hobby breeder will rarely have more than 5-6 dogs, usually less. Almost all will be females, and if they maintain a stud, he is not the father of all the puppies they produce. That is because they only breed one or two litters a year, and their own male may not be the appropriate match for their girls. Often he’s an excellent son of their foundation dam, and thus brother to the other females, and therefore not an appropriate mate.
Many hobby breeders linebreed: grandson to grandmother, cousins to cousins, with the occasional judicious outcross. A hobby breeder has an image of the perfect member of their breed, and is constantly studying pedigrees and pictures of other dogs seeking the perfect mating combination to create the perfect dog.
To that end, it is hobby breeders, people who actually love the breed, who initiated the health screenings that many breed clubs now advocate. Basically, every dog bred to better the breed should be a conformation champion, have at least one performance degree of some kind. The German Shepherd club in Germany, for example, does not register pups born of two dogs that have not been passed by a breed warden as being respectable members of their breed and has at least a Sch-I degree, which involves obedience, tracking and bite work. This demonstrates to the breed members that the dog fits the physical standard for a GSD, is trainable and capable of doing the work that the breed was created to do.
The most common health screenings needed are x-rays of hips, elbows and knees to screen for hip and elbow dysplasia and patellar luxation. Those x-rays go to the OFA for examination and rating. Dogs should be screened annually by a canine ophthamologist for signs of several congenital diseases that do not manifest at once: Progressive Retina Atrophy and Collie Eye Anomaly are the most common. The results of the doctor’s tests are submitted to CERF which issues an annual certificate for the dog.
In addition to those screenings, each breed has its own problems, and each breed club has a list of the health screenings each dog should pass before being bred. The OFA has recently begun issuing CHIC numbers for dogs that have DNA on file and are being regularly tested and passing.
A dedicated hobby breeder will be showing and working with the breeder dogs as well as the younger dogs; just because they have their championship doesn’t mean they have to be shut in a whelping house and never worked again. A hobby breeder shows and works and campaigns their dogs because they love doing it, and they breed to perpetuate what is wonderful about their breed.
Most hobby breeders only work with one breed. Sometimes you’ll find one that works with two; a big dog and a toy.
The major objection to professional breeders, no matter how clean they maintain their facilities, is that dogs are not livestock and cannot be raised as livestock. Dogs were created to be family members, to live with our children and sleep on our beds. They are not cattle and cannot be raised that way.
Puppies raised in puppy mills miss out on the earliest bonding with humans, they never get the veterinarian care puppies need, they get no immunizations. Half die before they are weaned; half the survivors die before they can be sold to unsuspecting customers in mall pet shops. Those owners face a decade of huge medical bills for these animals and most have significant emotional and behavioral issues.
One of my neighbors, years ago, watched me training my dog in the parking lot of our complex, and was so fascinated that she went out to the mall and bought a puppy, then brought the puppy out to introduce herself to me and ask how my dog became so well-trained.
My Jenny was a foundling; found freezing to death as a 5-week-old puppy, brought to police headquarters because it was the middle of the night and the shelter was closed. I worked there at the time, and I took her home. She looked like a meatloaf with feet. She grew up to look like a half-sized Doberman with long hair and a long tail. She was hysterical, suffered from severe separation anxiety, and had all th
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bybers don’t breed by kennel club breed standards so they breed healthier dogs…
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pom breeder