Conflict

I have a feeling I'm going to become very unpopular in a real hurry. Fortunately I was never one to toe the line.

A recent hot topic of discussion was brought up amongst some Ridgeback breeders in Canada. I read the intial post and suppressed an eyeroll. There were several points expressed without a finite idea being communicated except derision for people who advertise their puppies or kennel on internet boards such as Kijiji. I believe it started with disgust over designer dog breeders and spiraled from there.

There were several points for debate, each a separate concern but all are inextricably laced together. Debate topics like that always become a chimera because there is no one point to argue and becoming side-tracked is very easy. It’s like having an argument with your S/O and while you started with who didn’t clean the bathroom it turns into how controlling his mother is … everyone knows that drill.

The points posed were:
1) breeders advertising on Kijiji is not okay (one person stated it made her sick – line breeding known eye problems to an untested bitch makes ME sick but whatever)
2) posting Rescue and Club info on Kijiji is okay
3) breed ‘promotion’ is not okay
4) breed education is okay but only via approved venues - what are those ... dunno
5) breeders are elitist snobs who drive buyers to places like Kijiji BYBs (that was mine – they SO are)
6) breeders who post on Kijiji are in league with the devil … or words to that effect
7) a fear that the Ridgeback will be construed as a popular breed and bred to death as a result of being listed on a site like Kijiji (quite a leap of assumption)
8) it’s okay to advertise in the newspaper but not the internet ‘papers’

So that’s it. I guess I’ll start with item 1 and go down the list and try to keep it uh … nice. This is simply my take, my opinion and is based on observances from both inside and outside the dog world. I try to look at purebred dog breeding with a realistic eye … something few breeders seem capable of in these hysterical times.

I feel like purebred dog breeders are drowning in a sea of BYBs, designer dog breeders & puppy millers and instead of learning to swim we are grasping at seaweed on the tide. Have fun drowning guys.