Dogs going over seas

[Jan]

I thought i would post regarding selling dogs overseas.
Yes, very good homes and very good people have to exist and do exist in other countries, and i myself sold a pup to people I knew for several years that were living in another country. It was and is a good fit and a very happy relationship. They are all happy, with her being 6 now and their joy. I wish there was a way to safegard pups that would make oversea worries not an issue, but I can think of none. I knew my pups owners in person for 2 years before, so I felt comfortable.

But it is still a very hard decision, I sold my pup to the people I knew (in person)because there was absolutely no problem in the return of her for any reason. This kind of relationship is not the norm when dealing with out of continent people. There is only so much one can know of anyone over the internet and worse yet what becomes of anything the pups at adulthood would produce. Where do they go, what are their lives like. And yes, this worry makes it very hard on good people in other contries trying to aquire good dogs. I don't know of a resolution to this.
Basically, if anything should not be right, it is imposible to retrive your dog, and that is a scary thing for a lot of breeders who deeply care about all they produce.

I also had many conversations with a wonderful gentilman in a country where high end foods were not available. This makes it a problem in considering a dog going to that country.

I guess what I want to say is nothing is personal, nothing is about how the person is that is inquiring about a pup, it's more about the ability to follow up on the pups life and be able to be there for that pup for any need throughout his or her life.

Jan

[Elaine]

Like most of you, we get contacted by Doberman enthusiasts from outside the US. Some have become good friends. Often they reference the fact that American breeders will not even respond to owners from certain foreign countries. Many American breeders will not send dogs to India, China and/or Malaysia. It is not personal, and it is not because of some cultural bias against foreigners. Personally, I think it's because American breeders are afraid.

This is a difficult subject to discuss without offending people, which is not our intention. But to be honest, I think American breeders are concerned about what will happen to a dog we send abroad when we are too far away to be there for the dog should things go wrong. If the dog is closer to home, the breeder is able to step in on behalf of the dog. IF the dog is half a world away, it is extraordinarily difficult, if not impossible.

America hobby breeders do not see dogs as commodities... rather, we see them as reflections of our commitment to a breed we love. We see each puppy as an individual and want the very best for each and every puppy we produce. The one word that comes to mind is “responsibility.” We readily accept responsibility for what we breed. American breeders are afraid that by selling abroad we lose all control over the dog's quality of life. We are too far removed to be of any assistance should things go wrong. And things do go wrong in life. Anyone - anywhere - can have an unforeseen down-turn in life circumstances, which most often impacts the dog first and foremost.

Also, half a world away, we have to take you word for how your dogs live. We’re afraid that the dog will live a solitary life, in a tiny concrete dog run, with no grass or exercise area… and that if you get tired of it, or it doesn’t live up to expectations in competition, the dog will be left neglected, too far away for us to step in and help.

Many countries around the world do not have any type of Humane Society, Animal Shelters or Breed Rescue. So, if a person abandons a dog because of disinterest or an unavoidable change in life circumstances which necessitates re-homing the dog, there is no organization to step in to take the unwanted dog and care for it until it is re-homed.

For those outside the USA, one positive step towards easing the fears American breeders have about selling abroad would be to establish a network of Breed Rescues. Also, we’d like to see a demonstrated a track record (for generations) of caring for the emotional and physical needs of all of the dogs you own, breed and compete (not just the show quality dogs).

American breeders work hard to assure a good quality of life for every puppy they breed. If you wish to allay the fears of American breeders, demonstrate that you too can be responsible dog owners, and that means providing a good life for every puppy in every litter.

At a minimum, American breeders want to know about the conditions your dogs are raised in; about what you feed and what sort of environment you provide for your dogs; we want to know about health care, vaccinations, health screening, and about who docks your tails and crops your ears (and your ability to provide for after care). We want to know what generations of your breeding look like and how they are cared for... over the course of a life time. In short... we simply want to see that your passion is about the dogs, and not simply about “winning.”

We wish all Doberman fanciers world wide the very best. We have a great deal in common; we are all connected by our passion for our breed. We should be building bridges based on what unites us. Our intention is that years in the future we can point to anyone we've sold a puppy to and say, "This person is a Doberman owner / breeder / exhibitor whom we are proud to call a friend… and proud to recommend to others."