Oops, I never meant to take the lid of this can of 'spaghetti'!
Please can any 'vetting' be done sensitively; home visits, questionnaires, telephone calls etc that some breeders use are very intimidating and rather off putting.
Just to reiterate, I was not advocating not vetting prospective homes, just consideration to the way it was done.
For instance Tidge, although 'Have you ever housetrained a dog before?' may sound totally innocuous to you, and does indeed help you support new owners effectively, to a prospective owner it is quite undermining:
'OMG, what if I say no, does that mean I'm not allowed a puppy, will she only let them go to experienced homes, it must be far more difficult than I think, how will I ever convince her that I am capable as I have no experience....' and before you know it the prospective owner, who may have done loads of research and reading and talking to other owners, has worked him/herself into a tizzy and gives up on your questionnaire completely.
Lizzy, I am afraid that if a breeder was sharp with me on the phone, it would suggest that they would not have the time for me once I was an owner of their pup, and be unable to support me if I need it......so they would be crossed off my list straight way. If they are too busy to talk to me, then how can they dedicate the time they need to a litter and new owners?
Gilly, no offence taken by me regarding your comments about full time workers, although having worked in rescue centre, my experiences lead me to suspect you might be surprised by the results.
The dogs in my area who are left to wander, who have behaviour problems or who never go to classes are not from working households but rather households where there are many people around all day, but no-one has the desire to dedicate their time to the dog.
I was discussing this thread with OH, and he asked a question I couldn't answer; "
If breeders find it so difficult to give up their pups, and expend so much energy seeking suitable homes, why do they breed at all?"I couldn't give him an answer, can anyone who does breed help me out?