Dog Breeders

The Super Bowl is over. We know the winner and the season has ended, but if your a dog lover, your big competition to watch hasn't begun. The "Super Bowl" of dog shows is coming your way next week! The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show be televised on USA Network and CNBC Monday, Feb. 13 and Tuesday, Feb. 14. from Madison Square Garden in New York.

This year marks the 136th Westminster Dog Show and continues the yearly tradition of America's oldest organization dedicated to purebred dogs.  This year, over 2,000 dogs are competing for Best In Show title.  What's great about this years competition is that six new breeds will be gracing the stage at Westminster. BBS has been covering these breeds in our Breed Spotlights every week. They include the Cesky Terrier, the American English Coonhound, the Xoloitzcuintli, the Entlebucher Mountain Dog, the Norwegian Lundehund and the Finnish Lapphund.

Monday night's competition will showcase the Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding Groups airing on USA starting at 8 ET on USA Network and continue at 9 on CNBC. Tuesday night audiences will see the Sporting, Working and Terrier Groups as well as Best In Show starting at 8 ET on USA Network.  So, curl up with you pup and some treats and watch the Westminster Dog Show this Monday and Tuesday.

Fun Facts About Westminster

-First held in 1877, the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is America's second-longest continuously held sporting event, behind only the Kentucky Derby.

-Westminster pre-dates the invention of the light bulb and the automobile, the building of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Washington Monument, the invention of basketball and the establishment of the World Series.

-A portion of the proceeds from Westminster's first show in 1877 was donated to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) to establish a home for stray and disabled animals.

-There have been a total of 301,650 dogs entered in Westminster's 134 shows through 2011

-Westminster was established in 1877, pre-dating the founding of the governing body of the sport, the American Kennel Club, which was established in 1884.

Every year around the time of the Westminster Dog Show, the debate of adopting dogs from shelters versus purchasing one through a breeder is brought up.  Each side has their argument, but for somebody looking to bring a dog into their life for the first time, it's a question that needs answering.  Which way of finding a dog is better?  Rescue adoptions or breeders?

The first question that you have to ask yourself before even considering to adopt a dog using either method is what kind of dog do you want?  This doesn't always mean which breed to you want (though that can certainly help), but what kind of temperament are you looking for in your dog.  Are you looking for a guard dog or one that will cuddle up next to you in bed at night?  Do you want a dog you can carry around in a bag or one that small children can ride?  With these things in mind, here are the arguments for both the breeder and the rescue adoption.

Breeders tend to get a bad reputation because of puppy mills that have gained notoriety for turning out puppies en masse that are often less than healthy.  While a certified breeder is very different from a puppy mill, looking into a breeder's credentials is a crucial first step when looking to get a dog from a breeder.

One advantage to going to a breeder is that they can give you the dog that you're looking for, usually with documentation to prove the health of the dog.  If you're looking for a Boston Terrier or a Poodle, you can find them at breeders that specialize in these particular breeds, and you can even find breeders that specialize in mixed breed dogs such as Labradoodles (Labrador and Poodle) or Puggles (Pug and Beagle).  The dogs purchased through a breeder tend to have fewer surprises for the new owner, and often come with guarantees to their health and temperament. 

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