I think for any breed to remain "true", some breeding obviously has to be done and done the right way with stringent requirements for the parents, testing, temperament, etc. HOWEVER, the number of breeders willing and able to make this type of committment is generally very small and they do not tend to make any money from it, or very little, because they expend a lot of expense in vet care, testing, etc. For those excellent breeders it is all about the continuation of the breed and seeing to it that it remains healthy and vital AND they work diligently to not "just" sell the pups to anyone with the cash. To those breeders, we owe our heartfelt thanks for working so hard to keep this breed that we all know and love what it is.

To everyone else not willing and able to do all those things: Please stop. Really, sincerely....just STOP! This world is full of beautiful, loving animals who are euthanized by the truckload fulls every single day. And there are many, many more dogs who did nothing wrong other than to have the misfortune of being born in the first place that are alive, but what a life. They are beaten, negligected, starved, tied outside on a chain and never given affection or any notice at all except to be yelled at or have things thrown at it because it barks.

Your children do NOT need to witness the miracle of birth (rent a nature video or visit a farm for God's sake!), your dog will not realize what it's missing out on if not given a chance to have pups "just once" (they are NOT humans), and if you make $$$ on your endeavor - you're doing it WRONG!

PLEASE SPAY AND NEUTER YOUR PETS AND IF YOU'RE THINKING OF GETTING A DOG --- PLEASE CONSIDER ADOPTION AND RESCUE !!!!

Below is a group of "pure bred" rat terriers that BEG you to reconsider breeding and be responsible. Do the right thing!

Camellia - Animal Shelter, Louisianna (abandoned on a porch)

Mellow - Animal Shelter, Louisianna (surrendered by owner because of "no time" )

Lola - Animal shelter, Kentucky

(previous breeder dog abandoned in a lot with another female for 1 and 1/2 YEARS.

Jack - Animal Shelter, Texas (found on the streets; sits and stares at the door waiting)

Thank  you Tracey!  That says it all.

Jack breaks my heart. Is there any room in Ratbone for any of these dogs ya think??

VERY well said and I agree 100%

Darla

i am trying to find another puppy but a female rat terrier to breed my dog when he gets older

Have you read Tracey's post?  May I ask your reasons for wanting to breed?  Are you aware that both the female and male will need genetic testing to rule out any genetic health issues?  That you will need to have owners for the puppes lined up before you breed?  That you will need possible as much as $3000 dollars on hand in case the mother needs an emergency c-section?

If you have researched all this and are an experienced breeder who is breeding for the betterment of the rat terrier breed - wonderful.

If not, please re-think breeding.

I agree with what Mary Beth has told you.

I cannot be a hypocrite and tell you, you cannot breed. But if you are going to breed do some research. There is a right way and a VERY WRONG WAY.

I know you have made other post also along these lines and this subject. Please read the replies and think about what you are taking on. It is HUGE RESPONSABLITY!!

This was a duplicate post..I deleted it

I agree..

Being someone who is seeing the ugly side of indescriminate breeding and abandonment (even if it did turn out that she was bred rather well..)... I can't stress it enough.

And while I am giving the puppies to good homes, I am doing so with spay/neuter contracts

Spay/Neuter contracts are worthless..... Do it befre placement.

Been there done that...

Not tring to be a B***H but look, 1st off you almost had your dog die due to surgery it needed that you almost didn't get

2nd Your husband tells you, you have to keep your dog locked up because his daugter which is the same age you are just had a baby and is afraid your dog will hurt the baby. Correct me if I'm wrong but you do not need to breed, you are to young and don't even have your own life together how in the hell are you going to be able to take care of two dogs and thier puppies? Unless I have you confused with someone else then you have major problems. You act as if you have to give your dog away one moment and then you are wanting to breed him the next. I'm sorry to say this but you need to rethink alot.

I have male rat terriers for sale for 150.00 only.

Well said  Crystal! i agree 100% !

I want them alllllll

Thank you so much for that post I wish I could rescue that little girl from KY but I am not able to take in another rattie right now but one day I will. 

Well said Tracey! I often find it difficult to read the 'breeders' post   simply because I think that if you are asking here about breeding, then you shouldn't be breeding. I got Savanna by the Grace of God, she was meant to be with me. There are too  many people out there just letting their dogs breed, 'because'. Too many pups in shelters for this to continue..... Sorry if I offend anyone. JMO.

Well, Tracey, it may seem odd to you so here is how it happened so you won't have to wonder.  I never read the breeding forum as I am not a breeder and not looking for a puppy.  I have been interested in Tinkerbelle's pregnancy and saw a post under this forum about it and clicked it to read and in the process ended up back at the main breeders forum page and I saw yout post. Now, if that is odd, then that is odd -- but that is how I happened upon your post.  As I said in my first sentence,  I thought your points on responsible breeding were good points to ponder  .  However, you then turned your post into a rescue post, which I thought should go under the rescue forum.  If we are a well rounded rat terrier website, people interested in puppies and breeding should be able to look at the breeding section and not have to be made to feel guilty that they are choosing to bred or buy from a breeder rather than rescue.  We have a rescue forum for that.  For goodness sakes, I am all for rescue.  I made those necklaces in great pain (and I do not say that lightly, I truly was in pain) to raise money for rescue - I have given my own money to rescue and I worked with a rescue group to save a couple of dogs just hours before being euthanized, so yeah, I'm a big advocate of rescue. I just think there is an appropriate place for everything.  And of course I knew Daisy was a puppy when you got her - it was a rhetorical question. 

I believe Tracey's post was placed in the Breeder's forum because we had several people pop in who wanted to breed their dogs for foolish reasons (so the kids can experience birth, etc.) and they were posting in this forum.  They were uninformed and had no business breeding  - hence Tracey's post.  I, too, noticed that none of the responsible breeders on here took exception to Tracey's post - they supported it.

Rescue and breeding are 2 sides that are opposed to each other.  Good breeders support rescue!  And rescue certainly doesn't have anything against good, responsible, ethical breeders.  We all love rat terriers...if no good breeders bred their dogs how would we get more rat terriers? 

And to say Rt.Com is for rescue and against breeding is pretty silly.  Hello?  Did anyone have anything negative to say against Carol when she posted about her upcoming pups?  Now, when it comes to wannabe breeders who should NOT be breeding...no, I will not condone or support those.  Others may feel the same.