EDITOR’S PAGE
New Exhibitors and
the Golden Rule
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10
DOGSinREVIEW.com
puppy that will be shown, perhaps by a professional handler,
perhaps advertised and certainly bragged about by a proud
owner on Facebook, will help legitimize the breeder, vali-
date the kennel’s iffy reputation and very likely generate a
few more sales.
The new owner’s interactions with the famous but aloof
breeder and the friendly, accessible, second-rate breeder
couldn’t be more different. Who would an excited but intimi-
dated novice be more inclined to want to work with?
Back in the Dark Ages, in p.c. (pre-computer) days, re-
sponding to an inquiry meant typing a personal reply, maybe
typing up a four-generation pedigree, paying for prints of
color photos you might not get back, fi nding an envelope
and a stamp, and taking your letter to the mailbox. Some
breeders ignored their puppy inquiries then, too, after plac-
ing ads in dog magazines to tell the world about their litter.
I remember writing editorials in those days, pointing out
that paying for part-time secretarial help was a lot cheaper
than ignoring letters from puppy buyers and missing out on
$1,000 sales. Today, there is no excuse for ignoring inquiries
when, in a matter of minutes, you can send off a short, polite
email, a few PDFs about the care of your breed, some photos
and a pedigree.
This isn’t rocket science. It is as simple as following
the Golden Rule, and doing unto others as you would have
them do unto you. If you’re too busy for newcomers to the
sport, you don’t get to complain about where they bought
their dog.
Allan Reznik, Editor
[email protected]
esponsible dog fan-
ciers often wonder
why a new exhibi-
tor would purchase a show
prospect from a commer-
cial kennel rather than an
established, successful
breeder and parent club
member. It may come as
a shock to learn that the
new exhibitor went to
“good” breeders fi rst, but
was rebuffed or ignored,
and then found a warm-
er welcome from a less-
than-savory breeder.
I recently met a new
exhibitor who is very
proud of his puppy. He
is out with a handler and has already
picked up a major under a well-respected judge. Money is
clearly not an issue, and this puppy will have the best of ev-
erything with his devoted owner. When I asked how it was
that he came to choose the breeder he did, he answered that
he had reached out to every breeder on the AKC website and
heard back from only one, that one informing him that having
never before owned the breed, she would not have a dog for
him. Bear in mind that he had admired the breed for many
decades and done his due diligence but was simply never in
the position (his own house, fenced yard) to do the breed
justice (in his mind).
Imagine his frustration at being treated so rudely by what
he had been led to believe were some of the most respected
breeders in the country. Who wouldn’t appreciate a kinder,
more civil reception?
The truth of the matter is that many good breeders who
produce great dogs view fi rst-time buyers as a nuisance, a
time-waster, a bother, an inconvenience. “They’ll want to vis-
it, they’ll need help with grooming and handling and fi lling
out entry forms. Who has the time?” The obvious question
would be: Why, then, do you list yourself on a website that
is designed to assist the novice in buying a healthy, well-
bred dog? The bad breeder, instead of ignoring the inquiry,
welcomes the newcomer with open arms. Selling him a nice