Educated a co-worker on pet stores

ORIGINAL: FourIsCompany

ORIGINAL: DPU
I think with regards to owning a purebred it is devotion to dog type, an attention getter, pride, and purpose. 

Each person has their personal reasons (and priorities) for either adopting from a rescue, buying from a breeder or going to the pound. Notice I'm not voicing a moral judgment one way or another for whatever their reasons are. My reasons for getting a purebred dog were first, love of the breed and second, functionality. And it's clear that some people want a dog that other people will envy them for or something. Like a Prada bag or a Porshe. That's not MY reason, not YOUR reason, but I think we have to accept that some people want purebred dogs for JUST that reason.

Having worked as an AC and heard all the possible excuses and such, yes, people do want a "purebred" because it's a status thing.  Not all people, maybe not even the majority, but some do.  But those people are typically not what I would call "good" owners.  I know of one family, living in a very large, very nice house in an expensive, secluded subdivision that I was called out on because the dog was chained outside with no food, water or shelter.  When I went to make the call out there, the dog was inside the garage, where it lived when it was not outside.  Purebred yellow lab.  Nice dog, but "not in my house!  The carpets would get dirty!"  Then why have a dog at all?  Seriously....

anyone interested in not supporting puppy mills...

i just got an email from the lady we adopted amelia from. her organization is looking for foster homes/permanent homes for at least 9 puppies. i think most of them were born in may 07.

additionally she is looking for a foster home for a litter of 5 wk old pups (no pics yet). they will up for adoption when they are old enough.

anyone interested here is her link....

http://west.petfinder.com/shelters/SC133.html

(psst... look up ajax and mazon... they are my favs!)

I don't know about the word 'status'.  To me it is self serving saying I have arrived and you have not.  I think with regards to owning a purebred it is devotion to dog type, an attention getter, pride, and purpose. 

 
Okay, let's go with the term "attention-getter" instead of status, because I think that's truly what many mean.  It's like my neighbors with the two great big motorcycles that they are forever parking on the sidewalk and leaving out, or their Chevy Camaro IROCs that they cruise around in all buffed and shiny (when any car buff knows that the Camaro goes way back before 1984) - they want the attention, a "Look What I Have" if you will.
 
Like my co-worker who wanted the Siberian Husky, bought one from someplace on the internet, doesn't have time for it, didn't spay it, leaves it in a kennel cage all day, and then can't figure out why it's always running away - but  "Look What I Have - A Husky."  It's the same reason she walked around here for 6 months with her cell phone hanging off her belt when she first got it - not because she needs it to, but because it was so we could see what she had.  She is one of the types I call a "stuff person" - the kind that has things and wants to make sure everyone knows she has them.
 
And it's just like many of the college students around here who get Pit Bulls.  "Look What I Have - A Pit Bull." 
 
I suppose that's the logic the morons who were selling "AKC Silver Labs" across from Walmart here on Monday.  How many people do you think bought one just so they could say "Look What I Have - A Rare Silver Lab."  [sm=smack.gif]

And it's clear that some people want a dog that other people will envy them for or something. Like a Prada bag or a Porshe. That's not MY reason, not YOUR reason, but I think we have to accept that some people want purebred dogs for JUST that reason.

Do you agree?
Xerxes, do we agree on this?

I guess...But I've never seen anyone in real life that wanted that.  I can say that yes, persons like Paris Hilton who use a dog as a fashion accessory might have status type motivations for wanting that particular dog.  I honestly have never met anyone that feels that way. 

ORIGINAL: cyclefiend2000

anyone interested in not supporting puppy mills...

i just got an email from the lady we adopted amelia from. her organization is looking for foster homes/permanent homes for at least 9 puppies. i think most of them were born in may 07.

What a pitiful write-up on the pups.  What pitiful pictures.  What a great deed it would be for someone locally to take care of these two things.  Such a easy thing to do and it doesn't take much time at all.  What a great help it would be to give these pups a competitive edge.

Look, I receive about 50 of these emails every day.  I could receive hundreds if I chose.  Each time I have to say no even though there may be a free corner in my house that the pup would be content to have.  But going beyond capacity for one hurts the others I have committed to place.  One gets tired of this very fast and when it is me, I start creative thinking.  If what I chose to do helps the many and goes against common thinking, then too bad.  It is still better than judging and blaming others and not doing all that you could.

Again, just don't follow your post at all. If you are saying uniform guidelines should be established for the industry and enforced within the industry and by law, then I agree. The only acceptable deviation from the established guideliness would be upping the two breeding factors in your post, quality and facility.

And that is what I am referring to.  Quality-not just quality of the producing animal (sire and dam) but the quality of life for said animal.  These animals are being kept in a strict "puppy making" capacity.  The dogs get no exercise, sub-standard foods, are bred every cycle possible and rarely given good and consistent veterinary care.  The "product" (puppies) cannot be considered better or worse, but merely the same-when given the conditions they are born into.  However, even with the substandard conditions into which they are born, these puppies, (sorry, "the products") are harvested before they are ripe (taken from their mother [oops I mean dam] at too young an age.)  Unfortunately, there are not chemicals which we can spray on them to hasten the ripening process, or to completely freeze this process before it begins.

During the shipping process, the spoilage (death) by percentages is quite high.  Some estimates that I've seen place it above 50%.   Fifty percent product loss is horrifying in a business.   The shipping process is easily accomplished though..  Simply pack as many travel cages with as many puppies (as much product...again sorry) as possible.  It's easy to place 6-8 puppies (units) into a cage that should hold only one or two maximum.  Stack them as high as possible.  Remember we're paying the freight company by load, not by units shipped.

So now we have a product of dubious origin, taken from the producer too early, shipped in less than accomodating conditions, and presented for sale.  End result...an unsocialized puppy, with a plethora of health problems and ailments around the corner. 

It's obvious to me that the business process has been perfected by these commercial suppliers.  They can still reap profits with a loss of 50% or so of their units shipped.  That's amazing.  Most suppliers would question either their process or the supply chain somewhere at that kind of loss.  Most suppliers would not be able to sustain that kind of loss.

So from an economic standpoint, the commercial supplier is a complete success.  All of this because they fall under USDA guidelines, which are not strictly enforced.  And even when those guidelines are enforced, the telltale infraction only results in a small fine, never the shutdown of the entire operation.  After all, these operations are the economic lifeline of many families-especially when harvest of other crops is low.

I can see why some of the posters were suggesting that commercial suppliers are beneficial.  I mean, after all, everybody loves a winner.  Right?


/end sarcasm.

What a pitiful write-up on the pups. What pitiful pictures. What a great deed it would be for someone locally to take care of these two things. Such a easy thing to do and it doesn't take much time at all. What a great help it would be to give these pups a competitive edge.

Look, I receive about 50 of these emails every day. I could receive hundreds if I chose. Each time I have to say no even though there may be a free corner in my house that the pup would content to have. But going beyond capacity for one hurts the others I have committed to place. One gets tired of this very fast and when it is me, I start creative thinking. If what I chose to do helps the many and goes against common thinking, then too bad. It is still better than judging and blaming others and not doing all that you could.

thanks for the helpful? suggestions.

you said on here that there were not enough puppies to fill demand. that obviously isnt an accurate statement. i simply posted this to illustrate that fact. this lady (a lady that i really respect by the way) is reaching out for help and i thought there might be someone here who could help. posting in such a derogatory way is not the help i was seeking. thanks for nothing. if you cant help, fine. i cant at this time either, but you keep your nasty comments to yourself though.

ORIGINAL: DPU

What a pitiful write-up on the pups. What pitiful pictures.

ORIGINAL: DPU

One gets tired of this very fast and when it is me, I start creative thinking. If what I chose to do helps the many and goes against common thinking, then too bad. It is still better than judging and blaming others and not doing all that you could.

HOW can you say these 2 things in the same post? "Pitiful" in the context you used it is incredibly judgmental, especially if you stopped to think that they were most likely written by someone as busy with rescue as you claim to be. Want to do all you can? Email the rescue and use your superlative communication skills to re-write the dog bios and then email them back. Otherwise, how dare you use the word pitiful to describe a fellow rescuer's efforts. Would you want someone to say that about you?

ORIGINAL: cyclefiend2000
you said on here that there were not enough puppies to fill demand. that obviously isnt an accurate statement.

When you specify a scenario that certain breeder types are eliminated then that is an accurate statement.  Why can't you see the consequences of what you advocate.  So simple to see.

I have no problem with telling people they could always do more for the shelter dog.  If my comment solicits a post such as yours, then I believe there is guilt behind it and you can do more.  For example, in the time it took you to post on this thread, you could have done a very good job in writing up those puppy profile.

ORIGINAL: DPU

ORIGINAL: cyclefiend2000

anyone interested in not supporting puppy mills...

i just got an email from the lady we adopted amelia from. her organization is looking for foster homes/permanent homes for at least 9 puppies. i think most of them were born in may 07.

What a pitiful write-up on the pups.  What pitiful pictures.  What a great deed it would be for someone locally to take care of these two things.  Such a easy thing to do and it doesn't take much time at all.  What a great help it would be to give these pups a competitive edge.

Look, I receive about 50 of these emails every day.  I could receive hundreds if I chose.  Each time I have to say no even though there may be a free corner in my house that the pup would be content to have.  But going beyond capacity for one hurts the others I have committed to place.  One gets tired of this very fast and when it is me, I start creative thinking.  If what I chose to do helps the many and goes against common thinking, then too bad.  It is still better than judging and blaming others and not doing all that you could.

And you don't think there is a problem with puppymills, hmm? [sm=huh.gif]

Look, I receive about 50 of these emails every day. I could receive hundreds if I chose.

Please start posting them in Advocacy or Canine Connection for us.  Perhaps all that needs to happen to help these puppies is for you to simply let someone know.  I'm sure I haven't seen a post like that from you.  Perhaps I've missed it though.

Why can't you see the consequences of what you advocate. So simple to see.

i could say the same to you. my opinion and its consequences are easy for me to see. i find it hard to see the consequences of what you advocate.

If my comment solicits a post such as yours, then I believe there is guilt behind it and you can do more.

really? i see you as just being a pompous a$$, but maybe that is just me.

ORIGINAL: Xerxes

Please start posting them in Advocacy or Canine Connection for us.  Perhaps all that needs to happen to help these puppies is for you to simply let someone know.  I'm sure I haven't seen a post like that from you.  Perhaps I've missed it though.

 
Well, lets see you how you do.  Lets take Marvin a Treeing Walker Coonhound that I have fostered now for over a year.  I believe there are posts on him in every category of this board.  So I believe Marvin is well known here.  I even remember mentioning this hound to you in a pm.  I still have it so I can forward to refresh your memory.  

ORIGINAL: cyclefiend2000

DPU
If my comment solicits a post such as yours, then I believe there is guilt behind it and you can do more.

really? i see you as just being a pompous a$$, but maybe that is just me.

 
That is ok, I am use to such jabs but I bet you are secretly doing those write-ups or some others.

so outta the 50 emails you receive each day about dogs needing homes, you have only ever posted about 1?

how pitiful.

i have posted more than that, and apparently i am not doing enough. [&:]