WOW.
Now, I'm a new member here, my family has always purchased dogs from BYBs and never had a problem with an animal, and I never really thought about BYBs being all that terrible until I got here and I found everyone to be EXTREMELY INTENSE about it.
To be honest, I've always viewed the purebred breeders as the villians because they seemed so elitist to me. Everyone that has bred dogs has added to overpopulation, and that's a fact. You make more puppies, there's a higher puppy population, period. I get now that reputable breeders are preserving a breed's health and disposition and so the fact that they are adding to overpopulation is okay because they're creating healthy dogs...or something. Okay, maybe I still don't get it entirely. That's okay. I'm not getting another dog for a long time, I already have a dog from a BYB and what's done is done, and I'll keep fighting to understand this whole argument, really I will. The problem is that I can seldom actually make out the argument through all the emotional attacks being thrown. I have to literally force myself to read each post because I find myself reading the first sentence and going, "oh boy, not this jerk again..." What shocks me the most is not the argument, because I can kind of make that out and sympathize. Probably when I get it totally I'll full-on agree. What is shocking is the way that many people in this forum approach other people, especially new people.
You guys terrify me. The only reason I keep coming back is because I want all the information I can get to help care for Winston. I am scared to post or socialize on this forum. I'm making myself do it, but I'm also reading old posts and the more I'm exposed to, the more afraid I am that everyone is going to attack me. Many of you are mocking and sarcastic and throw underhanded insults at one another and then pretend like if you didn't say it outright, it wasn't suggested. I want to like you all, and I want to learn, but many of you outright scare me. I don't remember specific names, either. I'm new. All I get is the feeling that the new guy said this and everybody else said this, a million to one. It makes everybody look bad, not just the individuals who are actually saying it.
I read the whole, "this post is okay because we educated lurkers" thing, but honestly, if you handed this thread to a person with little to no dog knowledge and had them read it cold-turkey, I think most would come off thinking you were snobbish and would consequently bad-mouth purebred breeders as elitist. I did this, actually, linked this site for a friend of mine, and that was the reaction.
Maybe the OP is out to get a rise out of you. But you don't end up looking great to the lurking masses when you close your eyes, fling insults, and insist that "I didn't see it!" The OP gave curt responses meant to make the opposition look over-aggressive and irrational. Guess what? He met with success. I read a lot of comments generally along the lines of: "look, we said your puppy was cute, okay, just admit that you messed up and tell us you won't do it again!" This feels like a religious confession and repentance. I feel like I've joined a dog cult and the forum is God. You can see why I'm a little iffy here.
And as for the "Well if you can't handle it, leave this forum! Survival of the fittest!" arument? I think that's what makes this forum feel so elitist. For heaven's sake, I'm not here to prove I'm made out of steel and NOTHING CAN KILL ME, I'm here to talk to more experienced people about healthy dog treats and making him comfortable with nail clipping.
I don't want to turn this argument around and seem like an abrasive trouble-maker attacking the Forum Gospel. I just think it's important to let those who are particularly passionate and maybe even a little over-the-top know that sometimes their opinions come across as a little too fire and brimstone for the beginners.
This post isn't a threat saying that if you don't shape up, I'm out. I just feel like I might hit a point where I feel like I have to leave this forum because it's too aggressive, and I think it's only fair to let everyone see why I feel like that.