What aren't you okay with?

In an ideal world there would be perfect dogs bred to perfect dogs. Unfortunately we don't (typically) live in that rose-colored ideal world.

I have a list of things that I am not willing to deal with, and won't look twice at a breeder if they're breeding dogs with these "traits." These obviously aren't deal breakers for other people, so I'm curious what's important to you.

1) Allergies/intolerances/sensitivities to environment or food--Buzz has pretty terrible intolerances and sensitivities. I really only got a handle on it when he was 14. That doesn't mean I wasn't trying before, I just wasn't successful!

2) Epilepsy. It's enough to scare me away from breeds I might otherwise like. And I've never even dealt with it.

3) Separation anxiety: I know this one has huge environmental factors as well in many cases, but it's so heartbreaking for both owner and dog.

4) Dog aggression--pretty self explanatory. I can probably handle reactivity but I have no desire to handle aggression.

5) Resource guarding. Again, lots of environmental factors come into play as well, but watching dogs able to interact/walk by/share valuables with other dogs is really nice. And I don't mean "trained" or "forced to" accept the presence of other dogs. They just inherintly don't mind other dogs in their space, and don't feel the need to guard valuables.

You know, I've been thinking a lot about that. Agression (especially human) is something I don't want to live with. I have a really hard time with anxious dogs as well. I'm not sure if there are medical issues that would keep me away from a breed. I'd look to find a breeder who's on the better end of the spectrum. Otherwise I can deal with pretty much anything else.

Do you mean traits within a dog, or breeder related things?

Dog wise, there isn't much I'm not willing to deal with. Obviously I'd prefer to not have any DA/HA/RG/blahblahblah and wouldn't seek a dog with those issues out, but I can't think of anything that would flat-out make me give a dog up.

Allergies make me super sad. Em's allergic to grains and I feel terrible whenever she accidentally gets some, she itches herself until she's bloody and raw

Hm, I am pretty breed locked in so I'll just say what won't stay in my household.

I want a performance dog/puppy so they need to have toy/food drive and stable nerves. AKA breeders who emphasize things like health OVER a stable temperament, will not be interested.

I will NOT deal or keep a handler aggressive dog (referring primarily to GSDs here).

That's pretty much it. K doesn't have separation anxiety, but he's a total jerk so it manifests pretty similarly and as much as I'd love to never deal with that again, it's clearly not a deal breaker.

Also, prefer a dog that's not SEVERELY dog aggressive. I can handle some DA or some reactiveness but would prefer to not deal with a dog that just NEEDS to kill another dog in the household because of hate.

Well, I'm assuming you mean things that I wouldn't ever support from a breeder like you mentioned, or things I would never get a dog knowing they have that "issue". Obviously if one of my current dogs developed an issue listed, we would work with it.

1) Human aggression. I don't care if it is fear, protective instinct, or guarding. I'd rather own the dog that lets someone in the front door to rob the place or lets someone grab me than the dog that misjudges the situation and bites without just cause.

2) Physical deformities. This one is kind of hard, because there are a few brachycephalic breeds I really, really love. But it is hard for me to get behind the production of dogs with issues like that or dwarfism intentionally. It twists my heart up and makes me confused, because I love the dogs but not the issues and...I just will avoid it.

3) I'll steal your allergies/sensitivities answer. Particularly to environmental factors, but to food as well. I live that life myself, and I know how miserable it can be.

4) Car sickness. I imagine there is no way to predict that, but with my lifestyle, I am so, so relieved that both of my dogs ride well and comfortably!

Everything I was going to say off the top of my head I either am dealing with or have dealt with, so nothing?

HA would be kind of a deal breaker for me, I think.

Breeds (or lines within breeds) that have very extreme physical features that are considered "normal" like extreme brachycephalic syndrome, super excessive skin folds, valgus or varus deformities, etc. are also a dealbreaker.

If a particular health problem is so intimately associated with a breed in my mind that I can't think of the breed without almost immediately thinking of the problem, then I'll skip the breed. Because there are a few breeds that feel like... "All X get Y, nope nope nope."

Most other things I can live with and deal with, even if I would strongly prefer not to.

Basically this. Yes. Also, anxiety. Roxie's got separation anxiety, and while I've got a good handle on it, there are times when I want to give up an put her on medication because something gets sprung on us and messes up everything and she's hell dog again.

Human aggression is the biggest thing for me. I want a dog that loves crowds and going with me everywhere.

I suppose it's not really a "thing" as much as a practice that I won't stand for. Merle-to-merle breedings. There are two breeders in particular around here who do a lot of them, are quite proud of them, and brag about them. It disgusts me.

I want to do my best to pick out breeders breeding nice dogs with good breed appropriate temperaments that fit what I want in a sport and companion dog. I don't want to go to a breeder that breeds for just sport or one that breeds for just show. I'd prefer someone breeding an all around dog.

I could not deal with severe 'I'm going to eat the other household dog' dog aggression. I can deal with non strange dog friendly and reactive. But if a new dog tries to kill my other dog, it's going to have to be rehomed.

I don't want to have to deal with super strong guardian instinct either. Could deal with some of the milder ones but the COs, Filas, etc are so incredibly not my cup of tea.

Will not deal with drool. Nope.

Also will not deal with a dog that needs to go to the groomer. To me it's just money down the drain.

I don't ever WANT to deal with health problems of course but that's a difficult thing. No breeder is perfect and dogs aren't always predictable. I will avoid breeds that have short life expectancies or are virtually guaranteed to have a certain health problem. Beyond that I want a breeder that does what they can to breed healthy dogs and stands by them. I feel like that's all I can ask for realistically.

Oh, drool. That is a huge one. A couple of agility people I run into all the time seem to think it is hysterical to try to get their dogs to drool on me because it grosses me out so much. No. Get your dog away.

When I worked in the shelter I had this boxer come lay his head in my lap and leave this huge slobbery mess on me. No. No way. 'Clean' faces and tight lipped breeds for me.

I thought I felt this way... but Elsie drools. Oh well.

More like "if I were looking at this particular breeder and she said the pairing had a likelihood to produce these things" then I wouldn't be interested. I'm in it for the long haul with any dog I get, unless they're causing me (or my other pets I had first) harm. My list is things I will actively avoid. Because they cause me stress in various forms that I'd just rather not deal with. I've dealt with 3/5 for many years.

Got it!

I'm not down with breeding a dog with fair hips, 9/10. Same goes for any non-passing score on anything else.
Dogs with poor structure being bred.
A breeder that has overweight/poorly conditioned dogs.
Dogs need to be at least two and proven in something before being bred.
I love many brachy breeds, but... come on. Give them SOME face please.
If, as a whole, breeding and giving birth naturally is almost impossible in the breed, just stop.
Epilepsy or anything of that nature.
Allergies.
DA/SSA (in breeds where it is prominent, I would like to see a breeder who has multiple dogs of both sexes successfully living together if possible).
Any HA whatsoever. Obviously if I was buying a shepherd and one parent was a PPD or something that isn't the same.

Um. I know there's more. Can't think of them.

ANY BREEDING ANIMALS WITH...

- Fair hips, cerf notations, bad elbows etc... Sorry I'm not sorry, health should be the TOP priority of your breeding program.

- Human aggression (resource guarding, food aggression, fear aggression yada yada yada)

- Anxiety issues (fear, SA, shyness, noise sensitivities)

- Allergies (environmental mostly)

- Dog aggression (not dealing with it, don't want to deal with it)

- Merle/Merle (just not something I support)

- Any bodily extreme (breeds for very flat faces, very short legs,very large dogs, very small dogs, very wrinkly etc...) I mean, beyond breed traits, people that go for the EXTREMES of those already breed traits. AKA: Yes, chihuahuas are meant to be small, but that doesn't mean you should be gunning for 3 pound dogs. Pugs have flat faces but no need to go for the extreme of that either. HEALTH SHOULD BE FIRST, not what sells or what is winning in whatever venue

BREEDING PROGRAM CONDITIONS

- No kennels/dogs kept outside. I want it all, I want you to do it all, prove your dogs AND be able to tell me what her favorite toy is and where her favorite spot on the couch is. I HATE the idea that people think it should be one or the other, like breeding dogs can't be part of the family. WRONG.

- No one trick ponies. I want versatility...show breeders who do agility, sport breeders whose dogs do therapy work, working breeders whose dogs do canine freestyle lol whatever. Your dogs can do it all? prove it.

- No breeders with no social skills. I don't care how great your dogs are...just be nice and easy to communicate with.

- Go above and beyond puppy socialization wise. ENS, new play areas, clicker training, crate training etc..

Weaklings Astro flings his drool at you both!

In all seriousness, I do try to warn people that Astro is slimy, because I know how much some people hate that and want to be considerate. But a lot of people don't seem to believe how wet his mouth will actually be....I think it's because he doesn't have a truly cavernous St. Bernard mouth or something. Then he deposits an ocean's worth of saliva in their lap and happy-dances away, and they're in shock. Thing is, drool used to be one of my "no way, no how" things, and I have no idea why it changed. It just...did. Barking took its place and is still #1 in my list of "I will murder you if you do it too much" traits.

And on that note, my list of things I'm not ok with:

1) Barking. I have actually given up on entire breeds, and lovely individual breeders within the breeds I still like, because of this issue. I would pass up some genuinely awesome opportunities if I met the sire or the dam and they were barking their fool head off, I wouldn't even hesitate to back out.

2) Instability. I don't mind a degree of guardiness (in the breeds in which it is appropriate, and there are a few I like that fit in this category), but it has to be stable and predictable.

3) To echo some others, SA. Forget it. I'm a meanie when it comes to this, you get a Kong in your crate, we'll play crate games to build positive associations, but if you still can't take it I will not negotiate with your crying. This I think is more related to my noise intolerance than anything else - a dog who barks ceaselessly is like nails on chalkboard for me. I don't know how people with separation-anxiety afflicted dogs do it.

4) Strong, universal DA. I respect that it can be an accepted breed trait, but I really, really want a multi-dog household (hence all my hair-pulling threads about my dilemma in liking lots of DA breeds!)

5) Over-sensitivity. Again, I've scrapped a lot of possibilities because of this. Dogs that jump and don't recover after a loud noise, etc. I tend to like bold, strong, even obnoxious types that bump into things and check everything out and knock stuff over; I would not look at a litter of pups that could potentially be "spooky," no matter what other great qualities they might have.

6) For certain breeds, physical disqualifiers come up. For Pei, for example, I don't mind a big meaty mouth, but I prefer not to see SO much extra flesh that there's skin piling up on the hocks, or hindering movement. For Dobermans, there's a limit to reediness that I will tolerate.

Everything else, I've gotten more lax on. I used to think I couldn't get into a breed with extensive health issues, but I sold out on that one. I used to think I couldn't get into a breed with extreme traits, like excessive wrinkling, but I sold out on that one too. One of my top 10 used to be shedding, and now I think I'd take the right Husky if it came to me.

Forgot MM breedings. Any breedings that will potentially compromise the pups' health for the sake of color.

1.) Poor temperament. And this includes being sound sensitive, fearful of strangers, intolerant of handling, possessive, any kind of anxiety, overly protective, etc., etc. Just no. I realize some of this is environmental and proper socialization/training is a large part, but a genetically unstable dog...just no.

2.) Poor structure. If I don't like the way the dog looks, or the way the dog moves, I will not be purchasing a pup. Even if the breeder only has ONE dog that I think is sub-par, that, to me, leads me to believe they still think it is acceptable.

3.) Poor health. And this includes severe allergies and other conditions that aren't routinely screened for.

1) HA. The only exception is controlled aggression in sports (like IPO) or work (PPD) for GSDs. I'm talking weak nerves, reactivity, etc. Plus in most of the breeds I like, ANY human aggression is a deal breaker.

2) DA. I would be okay with a dog that isn't great with strange dogs, but I am a multi-dog household and always will be. The dog needs to get along with housemates. Again this isn't an issue in most breeds I like, so it's almost even more of a deal breaker.

3) Merle x Merle breedings. I will not support it, period.

4) Allergies. If I ended up with a dog with allergies I could deal (Rowan can't have kibble that has chicken) but someone breeding a dog with known moderate to severe allergies would be a deal breaker. Mild seasonal allergies, like slightly itchy feet in spring, wouldn't be terrible.

5) Physical extremes. I don't think that I could ever own a brachy breed. I hate the extreme wrinkles in some breeds (like show Neos.) I really dislike how extreme a lot of the dwarf breeds are becoming, too. A big selling point on the Cardi breeder I want a pup from is that they're breeding dogs with longer, more functional legs than a lot of what you see in the show ring.

6) I want dogs that *do* something. I'm not really interested in dogs bred just for show. Conformation is fine, I'd like to show a dog or dogs someday, but for me, either work or performance is more important. Both show and performance is good, but if it's one or the other, give me performance/work. But that's WITH temperament being paramount... a great performance dog that I can't live with is no good to me.

Would you mind PMing me the breeder?