Today I came across a post that was talked about the debate and controversy in the dog world, specifically surrounding advertising for breeders. There was also some new information I learned about Ethical Breeders, and Back Yard Breeders. So I want to deep dive into those items and add some of my own insight into the dog world.
Hi, I’m Lily, I am the main face behind Sage House Pups, and I am still new to the breeding world, but I have had a passion for dogs since I was little. I have been in the dog scene for quite a few years in different aspects, and I am currently trying to build my breeding program up. So let’s get into it.
Why Do Ethical Breeders not like Advertising?
I saw a post by Badlands Australian Shepherds on Facebook discussing advertising and Ethical Breeders. ( I absolutely love this breeder’s content and the insight they share. The content is very friendly to new comers, and from what I have seen has kept a very welcoming vibe in the comments. I highly recommend you check them out on Facebook and Instagram.) Badlands shared some information that I did not know. Back 20 or so years, ethical breeders did not have to advertise in order to sell their puppies. They were in high demand, and puppies were easily reserved before 8 weeks of age.
As some of you may have noticed, that is no longer the case. The world of the internet and social media has changed how we do everything, and it has effected the dog world as well.
Originally, advertising as a breeder sent a red flag up, notifying others that they were a Back Yard Breeder (byber). In some spaces, breeders still think that you shouldn’t advertise. These include spaces like Good Dog and AKC Market place. Sites that are supposed to screen breeders, but is actually pretty easy to get on their sites.
You also have another side of the triangle that has happened, new breeders. We live in a day and age that you almost have to have a social media presence, a website, and advertise on some of these sites in order to get puppies in front of families that want them. This is still a business, and you still need a clientele. So how are brand new, smaller programs supposed to get up off the ground?
So the discussion became, should an Ethical Breeder advertise? Is Advertising bad?
Here is my answer, no. But I think we have a unique opportunity to do something different here. And many programs, like Badlands Australian Shepherds, is already doing.
So if not Advertising, than What?
I still think advertising is fine, get on those sites like Good Dog and AKC Market Place, and post on your social media. Keep creating your community and take advantage of having access to these popular sites, but do something a little different.
One major thing I have noticed between the programs that are unethical vs ethical bubble down to two major details, transparency and education. A byber’s content can be very chaotic, and very puppy available heavy. Where as an ethical breeder posts with intention, shares information, and sometimes will even share the story as to why they chose this pairing. Do keep in mind that life is crazy, and raising puppies is hard, so if it does seem like a breeder’s content is chaotic, they might just be running on 2 hours of sleep every night for the last 2 weeks. I will explain the content thing, I promise, so stick with me.
Like in Sage House Pups’ program, we preach Transparency. I have created an entire Data Page that holds all the data I have about our current dogs in our program. It shows that I only have 2 litters under my belt at this point. I am not hiding anything here, not intentionally anyway. And I think that is very important. I know some of these other breeders will disagree, and that is okay.
Badlands has put a focus on education, and I really like that. Sharing knowledge, sharing what to look for in a good breeder, educating about the breed you specialize in. They do it all. It has been such an inspiration for my own posts here, and is actually one of the reason why I started sharing a blog.
The important takeaway here is that Communication Eliminates Misunderstanding.
I believe our biggest problem in today’s society and social media, is the communication. We have access to so much information, but not a full understand of it, and maybe not accurate information. For example, I didn’t know advertise wasn’t a thing back in the day. That threw me through a loop for a hot minute, but a lot of things started to make sense too. I’ve been seeing a lot of creators trying to educate and bring to light what happens in these spaces and I think that is good.
My Plans Going Forward
So what does all this mean for Sage House Pups? What path are we going to take?
The short answer is we are going to keep advertising, we cannot afford not to, but I am going to be mixing in more educational, and transparency content. We do not always have a litter on the ground, but when I do, I would like my content to be more educational based. We are starting to hit that pivotal point where the program has been around long enough, and we have had enough litters to start creating our track record. So now I can shift away from just advertising, and instead share more of the day to day. Share what is happening with mom and puppies at each stage, share milestones. And continue sharing mistakes or missteps, because they will happen. We are all human. The best we can do is continue to learn and do better the next time.
I have already decided to do this next litter differently next time. I am still coming up with the exact plan with that, and it also depends on what stage we are at. This past year was a growth period, but I don’t know if this next litter, whether it be this summer, or next spring, will be a growth litter. The goal is not to hold back a puppy every litter. The program would grow too fast. But I am very happy with how this last litter turned out and I would love to see what I can do with this next generation. Anyway, I am getting ahead of myself and jumping into a topic for another time.
I hope you enjoyed today’s post, if you did, be sure to like, leave a comment and share with a friend. If you would like to see more of the day to day, head on over to our social media pages.
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If you have any thoughts on this topic, or more insight, please share them in the comments below! I’d love to hear from you, your experience, and your opinions whether you are a breeder, a buyer, or a dog lover. And if you have any questions, feel free to drop them down below as well. I’ll answer what I can, when I can, but just know, if I do not respond, it might be because I am either living life with my busy household, or creating a post surrounding the question. So please be patient. Thank you!
Lily
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