10/28/2025
This is so very true I had to find this post to share! Controversial yes!
Controversial topic!
I think sometimes people put way too much emphasis on 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴, 𝘱𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘴, as if those alone automatically make a breeder “good” or “ethical.
Don’t get me wrong, pedigrees, health history, and proper registration have their place. But somewhere along the way, people started acting like those pieces of paper meant more than the 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘰𝘨𝘴 behind them.
The truth is, a breeder can have all the titles, ribbons, and pedigreed “purebred” dogs in the world, and still completely miss the mark when it comes to health, temperament, and ethics.
A fancy pedigree doesn’t guarantee a stable temperament. It doesn’t mean the dog is well-bred, well-socialized, or even healthy. And it definitely doesn’t mean the breeder cares about the lives they’re bringing into the world.
I see it all the time, people proudly showing off their “champion bloodlines” while skipping OFA testing, ignoring behavior issues, or raising pups in conditions that don’t set them up for success.
They talk down about “backyard breeders” or “doodle breeders,” yet make many of the same mistakes, sometimes worse, because they’re so focused on appearance and reputation that they forget about responsibility.
Just because someone breeds pure dogs doesn’t automatically make them better than someone who raises doodles, not even close. Paperwork doesn’t make you a better human, and it doesn’t make you a better breeder. What makes someone a true breeder of integrity is how they handle 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥-𝘵𝘩𝘦-𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘴.
It’s the ones who spend nights researching pairings, doing full panels of health testing, carefully watching temperaments, and raising pups like they matter long before they ever have a name or a home lined up. It’s the ones who stand by their dogs for life, who educate new owners, who constantly strive to do better, not just “produce more.”
A lot of people love to throw around the word ethical but forget that ethics isn’t something you can prove with a pedigree. It’s shown through consistency, compassion, transparency, and a deep understanding of the responsibility that comes with creating life.
Breeding isn’t a hobby or a status symbol. It’s a commitment, to the dogs, to the families, and to the betterment of the breed or cross you’re working with. It’s about looking at the whole picture, health, temperament, structure, genetics, socialization, and lifelong support, not just what sounds good on paper or looks good in a show ring.
At the end of the day, dogs don’t care about titles or purebred status. They care about being loved, understood, and raised with intention. And honestly, that’s where the real difference lies.
Because the best breeders, no matter what they produce, are the ones who never lose sight of the heart behind it all.
