How many of you reading this blog have experienced sending an email, PM/DM, making a phone call or text and not having it returned? Frustrating isn’t it?
How many of you make a second attempt? A third? Not many Ill bet.
Now imagine if you are looking for a new puppy for yourself, your family and you have done all the research you know to do. You did a Google search, you read about the breed on AKC, you read breeder websites, you may have even attended a trial, show or meet the breed booth…or maybe you have not done any of those things but you saw what you think was a breed you have interest in and just want to learn more about them. Naturally you would try to reach out to breeders or clubs or rescues, right? Think about that for a minute . . .
Every morning while I have my coffee I sit at my desk and catch up on news stories, social media posts, emails and other messages. On Social Media I see breeders spouting off about how can we distinguish ourselves from ‘people making puppies’, ‘back yard breeders’, ‘puppy farmers’ – basically – how can we help the general public who just wants a puppy see the work that goes into breeding for preservation and passion of a breed and give that work value vs those selling puppies to pay their bills? How do we differentiate ourselves? How do we help the public see the difference in breeders who put in all the time, money, energy, work for decades just to produce healthy, sound dogs? How do we show them that we are willing to be there for the life of that dog for any reason? (As I type this, I understand of course the many levels of breeders, both good and bad…but this applies to us and our respected fellow breeder friends with similar goals as us) I will tell you one great place to begin!
COMMUNICATION!
Look at it from the other side for a minute. In order too educate and get through we must respond to emails, calls and yes – sadly – even texts! Now, don’t get me wrong – I detest getting a text which simply says – ‘any puppies for sale’ – its an awful way to begin dialog. I prefer a nice introductory email from someone who has seen this website and understands what we do here…..but that isn’t always how it goes. I answer every single email, call, text, PM that I receive even the ones that are rude…because maybe, just maybe, I can help educate that person and explain to them more about this breed. Maybe I can explain to them why it is important to be polite and use words – not just – ‘how much for a puppy’ type inquiries. Trust me, I get some ridiculous messages – some are rude, some are ignorant, some are clueless and some are just uneducated on how the process should go in order to find the right breed, the right breeder and hopefully the right puppy for them.
Guess what those other ‘puppy makers’ (I refuse to refer to them as breeders) are doing? Yep, you guessed it. They return messages because to them – that’s a sale they can’t afford to miss. If we do not communicate in the same manner we risk losing the opportunity to educate. It won’t always be heard – in fact – most of the time it is not…but we must change our ways and COMMUNICATE the same as those people putting dogs together and $elling puppie$ to anyone who call$.
To me, that’s part of what a responsible breeder does. We educate. We mentor. We support. I almost never have a puppy for sale that I already don’t have many people waiting for – but the opportunity to educate is always available.