A career in dogs and why do other breeders deem it wrong.

I’ve never really understood why the word “breeder” has become such a dirty word in both the show community and the rescue world. The reality is: breeding isn’t inherently bad—and calling someone a “puppy farmer” based purely on whether they have one litter or two is unfair.  Also with out puppies you would not own your dog.  So be grateful breeders exist. 


Yes, people say “only one litter a year is acceptable”—but the moment someone has more, they’re suddenly labelled a puppy farmer. And then the term “career breeder” gets treated like it’s the worst thing you can be. But that approach needs to be challenged.


There’s nothing wrong with being a career breeder if you do it properly.


My experience: why I ended up choosing a different kind of breeder


This year I found myself in exactly that struggle. I wanted a Cocker Spaniel—we had them back in 2000, but it didn’t work out with our Weimaraner (he genuinely detested spaniels). I ended up giving the spaniel to my mother-in-law, and she then bred one and I helped her.


When I decided to try again, I contacted lots of small breeders to buy a cocker. Many of them:


    •    hadn’t done health testing (or had only done one or two tests),
    •    wouldn’t reply properly,
    •    or acted “silly” about the idea of selling to another breeder.


So I then chose a breeder who is more established. She did full health testing, the dogs were raised to a high standard, everything was clean, and the paperwork was ready and proper. I also met the entire breeding team—everything felt immaculate and organised.


I’d heard nasty rumours about her from spiteful people, but when I visited her home it didn’t match what I’d been told. It was just… well run. Nothing was too much trouble. She even had a WhatsApp group to check in with puppy owners. That—right there—is what a good breeder looks like.


And I’ve also known the opposite: a breeder who claimed she only had “one litter in five years” like it made her some kind of miracle. Her home looked like hoarding, it smelled, there was little aftercare, and the whole setup was completely different from what I experienced with the breeder I trusted.


So yes--breeding as a career is fine. The issue isn’t the number of litters. The issue is the standard.


Let’s stop calling good breeders “greeders” or “puppy farmers” just because they make money


People love to say, “Oh they’re making money from dogs.” But the truth is:


If you breed properly—health test, provide excellent welfare, raise puppies in clean environments, give them support and enrichment, exercise the dogs multiple times a day, and provide proper updates and aftercare—then the money doesn’t just vanish. It goes back into:


    •    the dogs’ welfare,
    •    equipment and living conditions,
    •    vet care and testing,
    •    and the ongoing support owners need.


That’s a very different “package” than someone doing a one-off litter with minimal effort and no proper systems.


What puppy farming actually looks like


Let’s talk about real puppy farming—not the kind where someone has two litters instead of one.


Have you seen recent stories and photos—like the a breeder in Wales who was fined? Reports said:


    •    the conditions were filthy,
    •    there were poop piles and extreme neglect,
    •    the environment was so dirty it was hard to even see the furnishings.


Some people tried to defend it with mental health arguments—but anyone can surrender animals to rescue if they’re not coping. There’s no justification for producing litters in that level of filth.


And we’ve all seen the stereotypical “puppy farmer” photos: dozens of dogs crammed in waste-filled spaces, with no proper care, no cleanliness, no real welfare.


So the problem isn’t “breeders” making money.The problem is neglect.


Bottom line


Stop branding everyone who breeds with financial purpose as a villain. The real question should be:


Were the dogs health tested and cared for properly?Were the puppies raised clean, enriched, and supported?Did the breeder provide genuine aftercare?


If yes—then they’re not the enemy. They’re simply doing breeding the right way.

One last point to remember which a lot of breeders just ignore.  Breeding licenses.  If you breed and "SELL" your puppies to the value of over £1000 which is set out by HMRC. Then you are required to be licensed.  If you breed and take under £1000 it is not a business.  So they use the term business test which means if your taking in over the £1000 you are a business.  Not you point me out a breeder who has not sold their puppies for that kind of money.  They dont exist. Even if puppies are just under £1000 each and someone has ten it's still 10k.   If a breeder has 2, and C section and stud fee then they have made nothing.  This is when councils come in to check for licenses and they look at the whole picture.  You may own a breed which has 1-2 pups you will NOT need a license.  But it's up to the council to decide if you need one.   We can pretend we do not need one as it's easier, no paper work, no health checks, no welfare checks, and not submitting tax returns. But do you want the new online spot fine of 5k if your found out? Or if you keep. breeding the 20k fine which they can issue through court? NOOOOOOooooooo.... So if you're a breeder reading this, do check with your council as I would not want to go through courts just for the sake of doing it right.  For pet owners reading this did you know 80% of breeders are NOT licensed, and they are doing it on the quiet.  It is left to you to find breeders who are doing it lawfully. 

So why post this?  Because reading online such hateful comments about a breeder which were totally unjustified.  No it was not me. But I can not see the point in being so horrible about this breeder when they are actually doing a good job.