</font><font color="blue" class="small">( There's already too many pure breds in the pound. )</font>
Which begs my question, what do good, reputable, responsible dog breeders do with the puppies that don't meet the "standards"? I'm sure not every puppy in the litter meets the AKC's rigid standards.
We were all set to purhase a Yorkie from a "reputable" breeder here in Memphis who has ton's of trophys and awards all over his house from AKC competition, and years in the business. He was going to sell us the runt of the litter, which we picked out and wanted. He required with the sell that we spay the dog. That was our intention anyway, but I didn't like be told what I had to do with my dog after I purchased it. The most rediculous thing was, he still wanted to charge for the puppy as if it's pedigree was really an issue since he was requiring it to be sterilized, even though it was a "cull".
95% of the people who are looking for a good pet don't give a tinkers dam about pedigree, confirmation, or whether the dog will hold still while they blow dry it and tie little bows on it's ears. They just want a good natured, healthy animal. In my opinion, it's egotistical to presume that a potential breeder would be irresponsible simply because he isn't showing his dogs in competitions. One has nothing to do with the other. I do agree that a knowledge of genetics and blood lines is important so as to prevent the introduction of recessive characteristics, congenital abnormalities, etc., but I fail to see how showing animals in competitions for years is a pre-requisite to achieving these goals.
We ended up buying our GREAT little yorkie from two neighbors who bred their dogs. And YES they are AKC registered, if that really matters. And yes, the first thing we did with him was have him nutered, but that was OUR choice.
I think you should consider your market. I think you can do this without being a "puppy mill", which I also abhor. You can sell a good, healthy, pure bred dog to people who want a good pure bred dog. Or, once again in my opinion, you can sell a fool a dog for a rediculous amount of money so he can prance it around a little ring and pin blue ribbons on it. I"m a dog lover and If chose to breed them I would. But with love and responsibility. That does not have to be to what the AKC's clouded, snobbish view of "responsible breeder" obviously means.
Ken