Puppy farm or not, that is the question?

[Toni-UK]

This sounds more like a commercial breeder to me   and if something doesn't sit right with you always walk away.

When i was looking for Ruby i went to see a breeder who also had around 12 or more cockers.The 3 or 4 litters she had at the time were in kennels (under heat lamps) next to the house.

The breeder has a good reputation but have since realised/learned that they are a commercial breeder.

[sarahm2008]

I phoned the rspca who were relatively helpful and just told me they will look into it...im not really sure whether they will come back to me or not? Im assuming probably not...may follow up in a month or so.....

[Snoopy]

When i was looking for Ruby i went to see a breeder who also had around 12 or more cockers.The 3 or 4 litters she had at the time where in kennels (under heat lamps) next to the house.

The breeder has a good reputation but have since realised/learned that they are a commercial breeder.

If they have a good reputation and look after their cockers in clean conditions, health test etc does it matter if they are commercial?

Seems to me there are much worse breeders out there  

[Cayley]

They use their dogs for money and that is wrong. It would be very difficult to find enough good homes, we had a litter of 4 puppies in the Summer where it took us 10 weeks to find 3 suitable homes and at the same time there was a commercial breeder who had 6 litters and 39 puppies  .

[Snoopy]

Sooner they were with a respected commercial breeder carrying out the health tests etc than a puppy farmer or a hobby breeder who didn't have a clue.

The bitches don't have a choice in any of it, showing, commercial breeding or having a litter to get holiday money, so what makes one any better than the other?

As for making money, we all say there isn't any to be made anyway. 

[Toni-UK]

When i was looking for Ruby i went to see a breeder who also had around 12 or more cockers.The 3 or 4 litters she had at the time where in revamped kennels (under heat lamps) next to the house.

The breeder has a good reputation but have since realised/learned that they are a commercial breeder.

If they have a good reputation and look after their cockers in clean conditions, health test etc does it matter if they are commercial?

Seems to me there are much worse breeders out there  

I didn't say it did matter  

Though I think churning out many,many litters in one year claiming it's for the love of the breed does matter,there are far too many unwanted puppies as it is.I also don't think passing on the costs of health testing by charging more for puppies is very ethical.However,Having said that given a choice i would obviously choose a health testing commercial breeder over a puppy farm.
I could add many more negative things about this commercial breeder but i think i've said enough and this is wandering off topic.

Edited to add :-

The bitches don't have a choice in any of it, showing, commercial breeding or having a litter to get holiday money, so what makes one any better than the other?

Any breeder that breeds for that reason is disgusting.

[Helen]

The thing is that there are very few "respected" commercial breeders out there.....

[Cayley]

There is no such thing as a respectable commercial breeder. Most of them don't test their bitches and have a few tested dogs so that saves on stud fees. The difference between them and reputable breeders is that they breed for other people whereas the reputable breeders breed for themselves with the intention of keeping a puppy  .

[Brimbeck(Dyllan)]

A commercial breeder I know of out in the sticks has a few studs he uses over again and 20+ bitches!
The puppy buying public only see part of his set up. I often wonder what happens to the bitches after there is no use for them, never seen any rehommed  but they are not at the kennels/house either  Local vets I know never see the adult dog but often deal with the poorly bred offspring brought in by new owners. 

[Snoopy]

There is no such thing as a respectable commercial breeder.

That's quite a sweeping statement.....

[Sheryl]

I bought Holly and Chloe from a commercial breeder. Although her dogs were well looked after and she would get veterinary treatment for them if necessary, she did not health test. When I knew somebody else was looking to get a dog from them I told them to ask if they were health tested. They got the answer that the vet had checked them and she knew they were healthy. Unless she had the gift of second sight, how could she know anything of the sort?

[piph]

What's the difference between a 'commercial breeder' and a 'puppy farmer'?  Seems to me that the first is just a more polite name for the second!
After all, you wouldn't say there was any difference between a 'commercial pig breeder', and a 'pig farmer', would you? So why differentiate just because it's puppies? 

[Sheryl]

There was with mine. She did get veterinary treatment for her dogs which as far as I know, puppy farms don't.

[Snoopy]

What's the difference between a 'commercial breeder' and a 'puppy farmer'?  Seems to me that the first is just a more polite name for the second!
After all, you wouldn't say there was any difference between a 'commercial pig breeder', and a 'pig farmer', would you? So why differentiate just because it's puppies? 

What is the difference?

Why is it acceptable to farm livestock?

[Cayley]

In my opinion it is the environment that tells the difference between a puppy farmer and commercial breeder, the conditions are usually filthy whereas a commercial breeder keeps it clean and probably has proper kennels  .