Dog Community

What is a byb?

Posted : 1/31/2007 11:33:21 AM

This is a crosspost from another forum. I found it very interesting and thought I would share. Seems we can search for other posts on the topic but maybe some don't know how and they may find this interesting. If anyone wants to bypass due to it being this subject again, I do understand but somethings definitely need repeating.

Back yard breeders usually bring two breeding animals together regardless of their quality. They are not interested in scientific breeding. Their aim is to fulfill a personal need or goal, not to improve the breed and bring excellent quality dogs to the world. Since breed excellence is generally unimportant, the breeding dogs generally will not have been tested for genetic and health problems.

Back yard breeders are not necessarily bad people, they often come from middle to upper income families, and their dogs can be well loved and kept. However, getting a pup from a back yard breeder is a gamble:

the parents likely have not been screened for health problems
puppies usually are not sold with contracts
the breeders are not in it for the long haul
They will be working on new personal objectives in five years when your pet has a problem and you need help.
Although you might pay less for the breed of your choice from a pet store or backyard breeder, it's almost a given that in the long run, you'll pay a good deal more in vet bills and perhaps emotional bills (if the dog has to be euthanized due to a health or temperament problem), than you would from a reputable breeder.

The following stats are American, but the percentages will be comparable in Canada:

Of the 52.9 million dogs who live in the United States, approximately 2.9 million of them are killed in shelters annually (AVMA, 1998, and AHA, 199

. Where do all these dogs come from? Puppy mills churn out 20% of the total number of dogs whelped yearly, and roughly 1% are the results of feral dogs reproducing on their own. Less than 12% come from breeders who actively test their stock in conformation, obedience, and field trials. Backyard breeders, or people who breed their dogs without testing and certifying their stock, produce nearly 67% of all the dogs born annually in this country (Gardner, 1994)1. You will not pay more for a pet quality puppy from a reputable breeder than one from a backyard breeder. Unfortunately, there are backyard breeders everywhere: in kennel clubs, advertising in the newspaper, and also in dog publications. The difference is that the ethical breeder has spent time and effort developing the healthiest, soundest, and most representative of the breed possible.

snownose

Posted : 1/31/2007 11:37:59 AM

approximately 2.9 million of them are killed in shelters annually

I think I am going to be sick.........

labcrab

Posted : 1/31/2007 2:05:28 PM

omgomgomgomg.. those stats are SHOCKING. Thank you for posting this. And snownose, make room for me...

Chuffy

Posted : 1/31/2007 2:09:02 PM

The mods should make that a sticky IMO. I did suggest something like that but nothing doing so far...... That is one serious eye opener, and I would imagine even more so to a newbie dog owner looking for their first dog/puppy, or the first one in a long time.

houndlove

Posted : 1/31/2007 2:15:18 PM

So I've got t-shirts with the stats on pet overpopulation and euthanization for sale in my cafepress store:http://www.cafepress.com/geekgurl/1677585 I don't really make any money from that btw. About once a year out of the blue I get a check for like $30.00. I just do it cuz I have stuff to say and occaisional ideas for funny t-shirts and bumper stickers. Anyway, the design is kind of hard to read from the front page but it says:

In the next one minute...
8 human babies will be born
120 puppies and kittens will be born
15 dogs and cats will enter an animal shelter
6 homeless pets will be euthanized

Help STOP pet overpopulation
Spay and neuter your pets!

Chuffy

Posted : 1/31/2007 2:33:59 PM

If the OP stats are accurate, then its not JQP who is the problem (for once).

Unfortunately, the greedy, the unethical, the irresponsible and downright cruel (BYBs) are well aware of spaying and neutering and have no intention of doing it. They like it that JQP neuters. Means there's more of the market for them. There should be another line on that t-shirt: "Don't support BYBs or puppy mills - always choose a shelter or a GOOD breeder" but I admit its not so snappy.

lisa baker

Posted : 1/31/2007 2:41:04 PM

ORIGINAL: Chuffy
If the OP stats are accurate, then its not JQP who is the problem (for once).

But JQP does play an important role in the equation. JQP buys the puppies from the byb's and thus keeping them in the business. JQP needs to research and than make a wise decision thought byb's are definitely a huge problem. IMO byb and jqp are both an equal part of the equation while the sum of their equation = euthanization.

Chuffy

Posted : 1/31/2007 2:44:15 PM

I totally agree with you - but what I meant was I don't believe the problem is JQP not neutering. I think pretty much most people do now. Its JQP not knowing about bybs and so buying puppies from them or from pet shops.

houndlove

Posted : 1/31/2007 2:45:14 PM

Also, BYBs start out as JQPs. They start out as JQP who bought a dog from another BYB and then decided, hey! I can do that too! And thus a BYB is born. If the dogs are spayed and neutered, they can't just wake up one day and decide, hey, I could use a few extra thousand dollars, I think I'll pimp out my dog!

lisa baker

Posted : 1/31/2007 3:05:40 PM

I love the way you worded this... which is exactly how I feel. If it weren't for wanting to put money in their pockets why else would this over population be going on.
There is a breeder who breeds danes ... has three bitches. The pups are litsted on puppyfind all the time. The bitches are bred every heat so they have 2 litters a year. Those pups average $500 a piece some a little less some a little more. The bitches average 9 pups a litter. If you do the math that figures out to $27,000 a year. These pups are not top of the line and not color pure.
Why is she breeding dogs if not to line her pocket?

Luvntzus

Posted : 2/1/2007 12:05:06 AM

Thank you for posting that! Byb most definitely DO vastly contribute to the pet overpopulation problem. Just one litter can add to the population exponentially, when even half of the puppies go on to have a litter and those puppies go on to have a litter.... [&o]

What I find interesting is that no one who is a backyard breeder actually considers themselves to be one. Just because they care about their dog, have it "vet checked", and only breed their dog once or twice they think that they're not doing anything wrong. [

]

Nevermind the fact that their dog doesn't meet the breed standard, they probably don't know anything about it or the stud's family history, don't even know what health tests are available, don't sell the puppies on a spay/neuter contract, etc.

lorib

Posted : 2/1/2007 12:29:14 AM

I agree with everything listed here except for one thing: that the puppies from a pet store will cost LESS than from a reputable breeder. From what I have seen, the pet store pups will cost LOTS more!