Purebred Does Not Mean Well Bred: Advocating For Well Bred Dogs

I want to talk about an issue that many are passionate one way or another about – breeding.

If you would have asked me how I felt about dogs being bred on purpose two years ago, I would have told you that I was absolutely against it. Now, I’ve changed my mind. I’m absolutely for it but only when it’s done correctly.

I’ll preface this article by saying, I am absolutely against backyard breeders who cage up their dogs all day and turn them into baby factories. I’m against breeders who produce poor quality dogs on purpose, especially when the technology is available to produce healthy, quality dogs. I’m against purposely breeding mutts to be sold cheaply, and I’m against breeders who create mixed breed dogs to sell for high profit while acting like it’s some sort of high class designer dog.

I also know that there are a lot of good dogs in shelters who need homes. If your heart is right for that, please consider adopting. However, I also know that adopting isn’t right for everyone and that some, like myself, like puppies and breed-specific dogs. While I’d love to adopt a shelter dog later in my life if it was the right dog for me, I also know that I need a dog with specific traits that fit my lifestyle and I am particular about looks. Not all dogs are the same. Finding the right dog for you shouldn’t be about someone pressuring you into adoption if you are set on a specific breed at a specific age that you know will fit your lifestyle. Choose what is best for you and your home.

While I love mutts (and have two of my own that I cherish dearly), I do not want to see purebred dogs go extinct. I know the importance of a purebred dog that is bred well.

Aside from a particular look, a well bred purebred dog can offer specific personality traits. Breeding for temperament has become important for many quality breeders. While some breeders breed dogs for character, behavior, personality, or physical traits, it’s important to know that when not done right, breeding can end in a multitude of health issues (which is likely what most people associate breeding with).

Around two years ago, I DNA and health tested my dogs through Embark. It’s amazing the amount of information that is available through DNA testing. The test searched my dogs for over 160 common diseases found in dogs, and that number continues to grow as research evolves. I found that Jeter was a carrier for Progressive Retinal Atrophy (a disease that causes vision loss) and that Caesar is a carrier for Degenerative Myelopathy (a disorder of the spinal cord that causes the muscles to waste away and would cause gait abnormalities; it’s the dog equivalent of Lou Gehrig’s Disease). 

As carriers, my dogs are not affected by these health issues. However, if bred, they would certainly give some of their children these issues. It would be incredibly irresponsible to breed either of my dogs knowing they are a carrier for these health issues; likewise, it would be incredibly irresponsible to breed them without ever having done the health tests in the first place. Thankfully, they are both neutered, so it will never be an issue.

The problem is, many breeders are not doing the necessary health checks to find out if their dogs are at risk or are carriers for health issues. If you are considering purchasing a purebred dog, ask the breeder if they have been health tested and ask to see the results. Save yourself a lot of pain later by refusing to buy a dog that has not been health tested. There are a lot of good breeders that are doing health tests, so don’t settle for one that isn’t.

For a long time, I assumed that all breeders were shady and were breedings dogs just to earn quick cash. But, after joining Embark groups and learning more about dog breeding, I learned just how many people care about the health of their dogs and the traits passed on to their puppies. 

Through Embark, I found a wonderful German shepherd dog (GSD) breeder who uses Embark on each of her breeding dogs, as well as each puppy born. Along with offering AKC registration, she also does the necessary hip X-rays to certify her dogs’ hips and provides a limited-time hip guarantee on her GSDs; she even has a chiropractor treat her dogs regularly. She breeds her dogs for the perfect temperament, something many breeders fail to concern themselves with.  If one of her puppies or dogs is found to have health issues through Embark, she takes them out of the breeding line, has them altered, and they become wonderful family pets. Her dogs are West German Showline dogs and are stunning. Her set-up is amazing and was enough for me to change my opinion on breeders. Even better, she is located just 10 miles from me.

I’ve always been a fan of the GSD, but they are perhaps one of the most over-bred dogs I can think of, and it has resulted in a lot of issues with the breed. Take Caesar of example: Caesar is actually only 33.6 percent GSD, but many of his personality and physical traits are acquired from the breed. He also, unfortunately, acquired a lot of the negative health issues that GSDs suffer from. He has dry skin, a sensitive digestive system, a wobbly gait, and is a carrier for a common disease which occurs in GSDs. He was the product of a backyard breeder. 

There are a lot of GSDs out there, but most of the ones I see are not quality dogs. The number one health issue that affects GSDs is hip dysplasia, which is a problem caused largely by inbreeding. Early GSD breeders (and some currently) failed to make sure breeding pairs weren’t passing the trait down. If you find a breeder (of any dog) that isn’t doing the necessary health tests even though they are offering purebred dogs, I would stay away.  Don’t fall victim to a purebred dog because it is cheap (actually, that would scare me more!). Ask to see the family records of your purebred puppy. Ask if you can have it checked by your own vet before committing to it. Many breeders, including the lady I mentioned above, allow buyers to do this.

I will always advocate against puppy mills and backyard breeders. Like everything in life, there is a right and wrong way to go about breeding a purebred dog. Make sure as a buyer you are voting for proper breeding ethics through your money.

When my boys are gone, I have my heart set on the well bred GSD from the lady I mentioned above. Her dogs are pricey, but the work she puts into producing quality dogs should be rewarded accordingly.

A common saying I’ve learned through good breeders is “Purebred does not mean well bred.”