What is a breeder?

The definitions below were written by Marjorie Simon, relative of a volunteer. Ms. Simon is well known B/F for Brussels Griffon. Some additional information was added to Ms. Simon's explanation as it pertains to our local community.


What is a Breeder?

Breeder Fanciers (B/F) breed for one reason and that is to better the breed and to exhibit dogs in AKC shows and trials [in the efforts to gain comfirmation points]. B/F carefully screen their buyers and agree to buy back their dogs for the sales price if the dog doesn’t fit into the new home. They stand behind every dog they breed for the life of the dog. They test their breeding dogs for inheritable problems by using appropriate screening protocols. They breed primarily for themselves. You may have to wait several years in order to get a dog from a good B/F.
B/F would never sell to a third party like a pet shop where they never get to meet or interview the person buying their dog. They spay and neuter their pet quality pups before they sell them.
Backyard Breeders (BB) breed with the sole intention of selling dogs to make extra money. They do not test their breeding stock for inheritable problems. They usually have breeding pairs and sell their puppies on the internet and classified ads in the newspapers. They do not stand behind their dogs should problems come up. They have no history of their breeding lines, knowledge of breed type, breed in ignorance thus creating health problems and do not hold back puppies not meeting breed standards. Buyer beware!! They tell rescues that they don't have their animal spay/neutered because it's a purebreed. Many purebreed dogs you can purchase through the paper, Craig's List, etc do not have confirmation points or a Champion award.

Puppy Mill Breeders (PMB) supply pet shops with puppies. Pups are picked up by distributors from different puppy mills and are taken from their mothers at a very early age. They are then brought to a warehouse where they are inventoried and packed on trucks for delivery to pet shops or auctions. This brings them to the pet shops by the time they are seven or eight weeks old. Their survival rate is poor and their heath is compromised.
Some PMB specialize in only small breeds. They sell their pups at swap meets to anyone who will buy them. They advertise champions and some do show their dogs at isolated shows that usually don’t have any other of that breed in the competition. These BB or PMB will enter enough of their own dogs so there will be points to make one of their dogs a Champion. We use to call these ‘cheap champions’ but with the price of an entry fee it is not cheap to make a dog a champion this way. A Ch. in front of a dog’s name does not mean it is a well bred dog either does an AKC registration. Pet shops buy from PMB or BB.

Within the NW Ohio area there are "rescues" that purchase puppies at auction from PMB. They claim they have rescued the dog, but really they are supporting an industry. The price they charge is surprising, the animals are often ill and they are not spay or neutered.


Planned Pethood gets lots of purebreed dogs and cats. All those animals come from legitimate pounds and humane societies where the animal would have otherwise been put to sleep. We have reason to suspect many of the dogs in pounds are a PM's breeding stock that have been cast aside for whatever reason.