Breeding Question

[woogiebear]

Hi all! I absolutly LOVE this site! It is SO informative.

I have come up with a question that I am sure crosses all newbies heads. How exactly do you define a *backyard breeder*? And how would you know if you came across one?

Corgi's are not very popular here. You rarely see one. It may be the climate down here (Houston is VERY hot!) and I have found my one Corgi sheds more fur than my three cats do!

The only Pem breeder here in the city sells her pups for $950 and up. What would be a reasonable price for one so that we would know we are not being taken for a ride? (I did not buy mine locally.)

AKC has rescue programs and to obtain a rescue Corgi is at least $300 in itself. What would be the difference in paying this much for a rescue versus a non-rescue Corgi?

Again....these are just some average questions that have flitted through my feeble mind over the past 6 months since Rotten has joined the family. Any heads up anyone?

[corgimom]

Woogiebear,

I had posted a thread a short time ago regarding the various prices breeders
charge for Corgis - $500 to $900 and Deb was nice enough to enlighten
everyone in regards to this, you might want to check that out.

I have my own opinion on backyard breeders, but I am sure Deb can even
fill you in on that more. I consider my sister in law(thank heavens she doesn't read this site) a backyard breeder. The last two times she bought her own dog from a back yard breeder - they usually sell them on full registration. So now, my sister in law, will in the future ,breed her new dog, and the puppies will be able to be registered by the AKC. She will not do the research on what problems could affect her breed of dog,and will not do any genetic testing on either the sire or dam because that would cost too much money out of her pocket. She will also sell them on full registration to the new owners so they can go on to breed also if they want, and then may pass on negative genetic problems if there are any - it is a wait and see and tough luck for the new owner if it does happen down the road.

She breeds to make money rather than to improve the breed; they think inbreeding is fine and dandy. Back yard breeders let their puppies go younger than what is in the best interest for the puppy - they don't usually have contracts and will not be there for you if something goes wrong with your puppy, and most of all, they advertise in the classifieds and are usually not members of their breeds reputable club because then they would have to follow more strict breeding rules, They often boast that their puppies are raised underfoot, and usually charge different prices for the males and females. There are other things, but I think you get the idea, Deb will have more comments, I am sure.

Linda

[Michael Romanos]

A Backyard Breeder is simply a terminology for someone who might be sloppy (careless) with their breeding management techniques. It is pure conjecture how far this sloppiness and carelessness goes before labelling anyone.

[woogiebear]

Spoilt (who I am anxiously awaiting his arrival today!) is what she called a Bluey. She said that when Bluey's are sold that they are often with the stipulation that they not be bred because the blue eyes are not normal for Corgi's. Is this true? She said they are rare but does this mean that there may be a possibility that he may have sight problems later on? I know with cats that those cats that have one blue eye and one yellow one are more often than not deaf in one ear. Personally, it doesn't really matter, I want the pup anyways. I am just trying to get a heads up on any possibly impending trouble I may encounter.

[glencorgi]

Originally Posted by woogiebear

I have come up with a question that I am sure crosses all newbies heads. How exactly do you define a *backyard breeder*? And how would you know if you came across one?

Linda has given a good description of someone who meets the definition; Michael too has elaborated. I recommend checking thru some of the back threads where it has been covered in more detail.

Originally Posted by woogiebear

Corgi's are not very popular here. You rarely see one. It may be the climate down here (Houston is VERY hot!) and I have found my one Corgi sheds more fur than my three cats do!

Corgis are a whole more popular in Houston than you have discovered yet. There is a regional Pembroke Club located in Houston: <http://www.houstonpembrokes.org/> and they do offer get togethers and activities for all corgi owners. In addition to the club's rescue program, there is also an independent corgi rescue based in the Houston area. Both stay very busy.

The only Pem breeder here in the city sells her pups for $950 and up. What would be a reasonable price for one so that we would know we are not being taken for a ride? (I did not buy mine locally.)

It is not an out of line price at all. Again, check the thread where I itemized out expenses that can be incurred from a to z by Breeders.

AKC has rescue programs and to obtain a rescue Corgi is at least $300 in itself. What would be the difference in paying this much for a rescue versus a non-rescue Corgi?

AKC does not actually have rescue programs, their clubs do, but not the AKC itself. $300 is the average adoption fee my club's rescue program charges and that is the usual amount we have invested in a rescue's veterinary care - spaying/neutering, wellness exam, all vaccinations, heartworm testing. So the $300 is really just covering the veterinary expenses on a healthy dog. Should they turn out to be heartworm positive, we treat for that as well as other medical issues that should arise. The rescue has been in our homes a minimum of two weeks for evaluation (usually longer). A good rescue program is like a good Breeder; they will do everything they can to make sure the corgi one would be adopting is as healthy as possible, all personality quirks and/or issues are disclosed and that the individual rescue will be a good match for your home. For $300 out of an ad in a paper, 99% of the time you'll get what is hopefully a purebred corgi and the only thing that matters is whether your check is good. Granted with rescues there is often a lot of unknowns as far as background and history, but it is not quite buying the pig in the poke that it is sometimes buying from internet, ads in papers and road side signs "breeders." With rescues, from reputable rescue groups, you also get a support and network system for the life of your corgi.

Hope this helps clear up some of your questions.

Debbie who will be away until Monday

[Fluffypants]

Definitely stay away from anyone advertising on the internet / in the paper. Reputable breeders don't need to advertise this way, and usually have waiting lists for their pups. I (personally) would not trust any breeder who is not a member of the PWCCA, or one of it's affiliated regional clubs. If they don't care enough to join a club about corgis, they don't care enough to breed them . . . just my opinion.

Reputable breeders should have proof that the sire & dam have certified eyes and hips. They should interview you about your lifestyle, how you plan to provide for your pup, etc. Also, they must be willing to take the pup back at any point in it's life, for any reason, should you decide that you no longer can keep it. These are just a few things they do that show they are dedicated to their breed, and the pups they sell.

The breed club website www.pwcca.org is a great source of info.