Are there any BYB happy endings?

[MarcellasPen]

Like many others, I didn't realize about backyard breeders until AFTER getting our puppy and joining the group. I have read many threads telling the sad stories about dogs from BYB's. My question is are all the stories BAD? Has anyone had the experience of a puppy from a BYB going on to live a normal and long life? I am typing this while looking down at my Stella sleeping peacefully at my feet. Is she doomed or do some pups come out ok? Tell me there is hope 'cuz it is too late now that the dead has been done. :confused:

 

[gmacleod]

Yes, of course some pups come out OK. If every dog bought from a BYB or a puppy mill dropped dead aged 2, or cost it's owners tens of thousands in vet bills in the same period, they'd have been forced out of business years ago. Same goes for pet stores (usually the storefront of the mills).

The point though, is that the risk of serious (as in quality and length of life reducing) problems is far higher, as is the risk of expensive vet bills, when you buy from those who don't bother to screen for disease. Even more important though, is the risk these people pose to the future of the breed itself as serious health problems become more and more deeply established into the breed. As the consumer, the choice about which type of breeder you support is an important one - will it be those who care for the health of the breed and are trying desperately to irradicate genetic health issues, or those who're making the problem worse? One type of breeder may eventually disappear. It's up to those of us who buy puppies to dictate which one it will be.

 

[TarinLynn]

I don't have a happy ending... But I bought Jake from a pet store. He's only 8.5 months but luckily we've had no problems so far and he's a great dog. When he hurt his leg the vet took x-rays of his pelvis to see if that where the pain was..luckily it wasn't but she did say his hips look good. So hopefully we will have a happy ending.

 

[lisasentous]

Well our first boxer Bruno was from a breeder and we were unlucky with him as we had to return him after only two weeks, two different vet consultations and alot of money.
Where as with Lisa we got her from a petshop were the owner was a breeder (so they said). I know we took a gamble but Lisa has never been ill (touch wood) & she has only been to the vet for her vacinations and annual check ups.
I know alot more now than I did 6 years ago and I would do alot more research before getting another boxer. All thanks to Boxerworld.

 

[Net45582]

Our families very first Boxer(the one I claimed raised me as a child) was from a back yard breeder. Duke lived to be 14 and had no serious illnesses until he got older. He then had organ failure due to age. We were very lucky to have found each other.

 

[Donna1969]

Blizzy was from a BYB. The woman truly loved her two breeding dogs and took great care of them..she didn't health test them though. At the time (before I had the internet) I didn't know about health testing. I checked up on her, contacted the vet she used to make sure that Jazzy (the mom) and the father was routinely seen, up to date on shots etc..The BYB called frequently to check on Blizzy, she came to see her quite a few times, etc..Luckily, the BYB only breed her male and female once.

Blizzy lived 8+ years (from all the different life expectancys I've read 7-9, 8-10, 9-11 etc) I think Blizzy lived a pretty normal life expectancy. She was never sick a day in her life, she had a great temperment and never had any issues health wise. Her Mom and Dad passed at around 11 and 12 yrs old and passed of old age. Her littermates are all still alive and have had no health issues at all.

So no, not all pups from BYB are doomed. BUT its best to rule out any genetic things that could kill the pup or at the very least not let the pup live a good quality of life..CM, AS etc and that can only be done through extensive testing.

I learned my lesson and both my pups now came from health tested sires & dams breed by very reputable breeders.

 

[MarcellasPen]

Thanks to all who replied. I feel a bit better that Stella is not automatically doomed. It was getting very depressing last night reading thread after thread of sad stories. I'm not looking for anyone to defend BYB's, but I bet there are a significant number of this group who bought from one of these breeders only to find out AFTER (by joining groups such as this) that they may have made a poor choice. <sigh>

 

[Arrow]

When I was growing up my mom dated a man who had gotten a mixed dog from an shelter as a pup and raised her. I think she was 2 when she had pups from a pure bred lab (she was a lab mix) and almost all of them went to neighbors homes, he kept one pup for himself. The mother lived until she was 16, the daughter pup is still alive an healthy and 12 years old now. They both were fixed when they were able to be, he realized how much work it was and did not want to do it again. Moving around much, I heard the same story from different areas.

To get a good pet- go to a shelter/the free to a good home pet

To get a guarenteed healthy, purebred puppy- go to a pet store/newspaper

To get a show dog- look on the internet (before that, all the dogs priced above $300 in a newspaper)

I thought these were the rules reguarding pets. It was only when I joined BW that I learned how wrong that could be. Fortunately I have never had to go through the horror stories that others here have shared, but that does not mean I will in the future chance it. I'm for rescues now.

 

[carver1102]

i am not sure if we got brutus from a byb, but i am leaning toward yes we did. he is four. we have had no serious problems what so ever. granted he is four. but, i can't complain.

 

[TexasTini]

My Shadow was from a BYB. I did not know of such a thing until I found BW. I thought if you bought from a "breeder" that it was ok.

At any rate, he had some health issues here and there, but he was a GREAT little boy and lived to be 11 1/2.