| An Ethical Breeder |
| What are ethics. Here is a definition from the American Heritage Dictionary on the internet: A set of principles of right conduct. |
| What does it mean to be an ethical breeder? What would be the right conduct of a breeder? |
| *An ethical breeder is someone who operates in an honest manner. |
| *An ethical breeder will do what is best for the breed--not only the appearance, but the temperament, the general genetic health and to provide animals who are a credit to their breed. Not all of us are striving to always "improve the breed". Some of us like our breeds the way they are right now, or we are working to bring the breed back to what it once was (before over-breeding and irresponsible breeding created some of the current problems). |
| *An ethical breeder will not continue to breed a dog (or its lines (that's the pedigree)) because "it looks good" even though there are underlying (unseen) health issues in the animal or the background. Just because a dog looks good is not enough of a reason to continue breeding it when knowing the genetic defects that could or would occur. |
| *An ethical breeder will provide a comprehensive guarantee for their animals--after all, the animals are good quality, right? A guarantee of one year is enough to insure serious defects are covered, since most serious defects will show up in the first year of life. |
| *An ethical breeder knows their breed--the good, the bad and the ugly. It all exists--there is no such thing as a perfect breed. There may be one perfect for you, but no breed is perfect for everyone. We should know the common health problems inherent in our breeds, the general disposition an owner could expect and the best environment for our breeds. |
| *An ethical breeder will be knowledgeable and honest about the temperament of their puppies and the parents. We should know our dogs and should have an idea of what to expect from their offspring. We should be able to help you figure out which puppy (or breed) will fit in with your family or situation. |
| *An ethical breeder is available and agreeable to answer questions regarding puppy ownership even after the puppy goes home. We want the best possible outcome for everyone involved--the owner, the puppy and the breeder as well. |
| And finally, the ultimate set of ethics are those of the Golden Rule: Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto You. Treat people as you would want to be treated--in all aspects of life. |
| For more information Contact: mtl@munchkinstolove.com |