Preservation breeders have been under constant attack from the animal rights and rescue agenda for decades now. Many of us were afraid at first and went into hiding, and we became almost an underground operation. But today, if we want our breeds to continue—and even prosper—we need to ask ourselves, “Where are people going to get their purebred dogs in the future?”
I often hear complaining that the AKC does not do much to counter the efforts of the animal rights and rescue agenda. But let’s be realistic here, AKC’s advertising budget is a mere fraction of that of our opposition. So, let’s not focus on something that does not compare.
What makes the AR and rescue agenda so powerful is that they are front and center in the spotlight, especially on social media, as the riotous “savior” of dogs and animals. As the opposition, the majority of dog fanciers and breeders do not stand their ground. Many would say they beat us in numbers many times over, which is absolutely true. But the real reason why they have the power is because they hold the narrative, and they have multiplied that exponentially with many devoted activists.
If we count only the fancy, we are a small and limited group by number of people. But we all seem to forget a very important consequence of our breeding programs: we have all developed a network of puppy homes that are spread around the country, and they represent many different segments of our society.
These puppy homes are very devoted to their purebred dogs, and many of them are loyal to their breeds and breeders. Many rely on their breeders to provide their next purebred puppy. They are just as passionate about their breeds as we are. They have all learned the benefits of the predictability of purebred dogs and the amazing ability that responsible breeders have in developing healthy, sound, and well-adjusted puppies that will thrive in their new homes.
When we consider every family that each one of us has in our network, we are no longer a small community. Suddenly we realize that we are a representative part of the constituency of many towns, counties, and states—and the country as a whole. We are a sleeping giant!
So, with the current scenario of anti-breeder legislation and the aging of our community of breeders, it’s time for us to ask ourselves, “Where are people going to get their purebred dogs in the future?”
It is true that because of hostile local/state legislation and the never-ending activism of our opponents, many of us have limited our breeding plans or just walked away from breeding altogether. Many will say that this is because they have had trouble placing puppies, because there is not enough demand. And that may be true, but this is only because the opposition holds the narrative. They are telling the public “adopt don’t shop” or “purebred dogs are less healthy” or that “breeders are heartless” or the fancy “doesn’t LOVE our dogs.”
I have heard it said before that companion homes don’t want to get involved in the fight against anti-breeder legislation, that they don’t care and it is not their problem. Guess what?! If they want to get another purebred dog in the future, they need to make it
their problem.
Educating the general public about what we do is a daunting task. But it must be done. We must reclaim the narrative in this country when it comes to dogs. It may seem impossible for just us to do, but it is not if we engage every puppy home we have in
our networks.
Companion homes are a very important aspect of our sport of purebred dogs. Unfortunately, it is very often overlooked and not often explored by us. I always explain to my puppy families the role of the parent club in each breed. How our mission is to preserve, protect, and promote each breed, and how, in many cases, responsible breeders are heritage/preservation breeders who promote part of the heritage of many countries. We are preserving their National Treasures.
Supporting a parent club by becoming a member, and maybe even getting involved with the club if desired, can contribute to the club’s preservation mission. Our breeding program’s goal is to have every family that owns one of our puppies become a supporter of the parent club.
To change the narrative, we don’t need go it alone. If we have our puppy homes contact their representatives, to become a voice in their community that advocates for their dogs at home, things will change. If they voice the benefits of a purebred dog and why they as their constituents are concerned about their right to choose the best dog from their families, things will change. And this will change when they ask their representatives, “Where are we going to get our next purebred puppy?”
This alone would multiply our voices exponentially and bring to light the importance of the mission of the breeders, the parent clubs, and the AKC’s role in preserving, protecting, and promoting our beloved breeds.
We must make our voices louder by increasing the size of the population that understands the value of purebred dogs and what they represent in the history of humanity. We must engage our puppy homes and have them join our voices in defense of purebred dogs. Let’s take back control of the narrative… because WE ARE THE EXPERTS when it comes to dogs.
