What is a Back Yard Breeder?

[sj]

I would like to here from members what they understand the term "Back Yard Breeder" to mean.

I am working on a page for my website and would like to include your views.

[Irena]

This one seems very controversial to me. Since I've come to see that MOST people out there want "just a pet" resembling their chosen breed in appearance and character, I've come to agree that theoretically breeding "just for pets" is fine. (Which is what most BYB's are said to do.) Whether we need to produce more of just pets in any country I know of, is a different question, with so many available in rescues. However there is an opinion that if we get all the ignorant BYB's to do at least a little more than NOTHING before they breed and sell their pups, that will already be much better, and that way we could lessen the Puppy Farmers chances to dominate the market. (We would have to constantly educate potential buyers about why it is better to not buy from pet shops etc.)

I take it that a BYB is someone who breeds their own dogs for purely sentimental reasons or out of their ignorance. ("Why, my dog is just as good, if not better, than those snobs' dogs at Westminster!")

That is where the controversy creeps in:

I know of QUITE a few GOOD breeders who own both the dog and the bitch and do not necessarily travel half way around the world to mate their bitch - that happens in their own back yard. ;D

Another thing that so many people list as "a red flag" - "breeders of multiple breeds" (maybe more in discussions about Puppy Farmers) - also is not an argument carved in stone to me either. Again, I personally know quite a few PROMINENT breeders who breed several breeds and do a heck of a good job with it.

Or, everyone here in Europe and also in the US goes on and on about how you can't breed without hip checks and that only BYB's do that, but here is a whole continent (Australia) where this is not a requirement. Must be for a reason, I guess.

I could go on and on but I think we all know that it is very difficult to label breeders. Perhaps the most important thing is (which I've also learned over the years) that the things BYB's do, are often(if not ALWAYS) forgiven if they are done by "reputable" breeders. So if we wanted to grade or classify them, I wouldn't want to be the one to do it.