What is a pet quality in dogs?
We see MANY – dozens posts of people selling German Shepherd pups whose Sire and Dam do not have “blue ribbons”, show titles, health clearances or even ANY supporting documentation at all. They sell them cheap-cheap-cheap and claim their pups to be a “pet quality”. This makes us very very upset.
Please stop! Please do not support this breeding. Please!
We say this because we have seen many families being hurt by these actions of back-yard-breeding. Because it truly hurts to put down your young pet to relieve it from pain or to have stiches put on your young child. Yes, having a pet is always a risk, but there is a huge difference. Let me explain.
As breeders, we always take risks, we assume risk when we sell pups, when we invest into a new breeding, show or working prospect. We have many dogs and we choose the best available to us to breed. Families have just ONE. It is their one and only – maybe they wanted this dog all their life, maybe they were putting it away for so long, maybe they had kids first, purchased the right house, build the room for it, retired, fought for our country, dreamed of it. And most likely, there are children, there are hopes to raise this pup with them, there are dreams to walk this dog when it is very-very old and becomes the only “child” once kids are gone to college… And this dog must be of a better quality than any other dog! It absolutely must be healthy, have stable temper, and have the best appearance.
Irresponsible breeding by ignoring or denying the use of proper health certifications and failing to proof type and temperament has much greater risks of producing mentally and physically unsound dogs, especially in German Shepherds. Irresponsible breeding is destructive to the breed and harmful to the reputation of the GSD. The greatest motivation for breeding in this manner is to make quick money without regard to quality of dog or new home. Unless a person buys from a responsible breeder, once the money has changed hands, the new owner is on his own.
There are pets, there are owners; there are show-homes and pet homes. But never there is a “pet quality” in German Shepherds.