Breeder

But I don’t need a show dog!

Why do people recommend choosing a breeder who shows and titles their dogs to folks who are just looking for a pet and have no interest in showing? Why should breeding to breed standard be important to a pet home? Does it seem excessive, or “snobby”?

Not every dog in a well-bred litter is going to be show quality- there will ALWAYS be pet-quality puppies. Well-bred, but maybe with a slight imperfection, and those are the puppies placed in pet homes. You don’t have to want a show-quality puppy to get a well-bred puppy!

Here’s the bottom line.... every day, Corso rescues are seeing more and more aggressive Corsos. Corsos in pain because they were poorly bred. Corsos requiring extensive vet care, expensive surgery. People having to remand their dogs to breed rescue because they can’t manage the dog, fear the dog, or found out the dog needs costly vet care they can’t afford.

This is not about being snobby, being elitist, thinking that one dog is “better” than another, it’s about ensuring you get a puppy that acts and looks like the breed you fell in love with. It’s about ensuring that all Newf puppies have the best start in life, and will grow into a loving family member. It’s about loving our breed enough to want to see everything that’s good about them preserved for future generations to enjoy. If you want a healthy dog, with a properly temperament, choose your breeder wisely.

An argument for ethical dog breeding

 “I rescued him.” How many times has a dog owner said these words to you? These days people feel very confident that the only way they should obtain a dog is to rescue one. A person who is concerned with maintaining the moral high ground would never buy a pup from a breeder, because the word “breeder” is synonymous with puppy mill, right? We know to adopt and never to shop.

And how many times have you heard a person explain away their dog’s behavior issues with the phrase “He was abused by a previous owner.” They often have a story at the ready about how the dog hates men because their abuser was male, or how he is afraid of, say, flip flops because his abuser wore flip flops. How often do you think that is completely speculative? Is it very likely that a person brought the dog into the shelter and said “I am surrendering this dog after abusing him while wearing flip flops”?

These are just assumptions made by people, because they fit a preferable narrative. It feels downright heroic to think you rescued a dog from abuse, whereas it’s panic inducing to think that the dog is simply untrained and it’s your responsibility to change that. But really, which of the two scenarios is more likely to be true?

While rescuing is certainly admirable and valid, I chose not to do so for the reasons listed above, and also because I have young children. I wanted to have the very best chance at predicting the dog’s health and behavior. I wanted to have a first-hand view of the dog’s early experiences and be able to address any behavior issues as they arose.

Why you should stay in contact with your breeder!

The AKC does a nice job hitting the nail on the head with this post, it's a good read for new owners and breeders alike.  Below are some quick points they bring up, all of which are 100% true within our program here at PhogHaven Cane Corso:

"As a new owner, you may feel that once you've purchased the puppy and brought him home, the breeder has done his or her part and now you're on your own. Not so! Responsible breeders care about the puppies and are interested in hearing what's going on with your dog, good and bad."

"By staying in touch, you're sharing information that's valuable to your breeder. He or she will want to know about any temperament, health, or other problems your puppy has in order to make future breeding decisions. The breeder cares about breeding the healthiest dogs possible, and input from you is important."

"In rare cases, your life may change in such a way that you can no longer keep the dog. In this case, it's essential that you contact the breeder. Any reputable breeder will be willing to take the puppy back, even in his later years."