The reasons that the term is often used negatively are as follows:

1.  These breeders actually produce 65-70% of the purebred dogs registered with AKC each year.  Their dogs are also represented in shelters and rescue situations at about that same level.

2.  While many of these breeders may be well-intentioned, they rarely have researched the health issues associated with their breeds and almost never do the expensive genetic testing done by more reputable breeders.
Because they are so uninformed, they can almost never provide you with help if your dog develops a health problem.

3.  These breeders rarely know the health, temperament and conformation of the dogs in the pedigrees of their breeding stock.  Therefore, they can rarely predict what sort of problems you could be facing.

4.  These breeders almost never screen their buyers effectively.  Because they seldom have real expertise in their breed, they are rarely good at weeding out unsuitable homes.  Like pet stores, if you have the money, they will sell you a puppy, even if your home is really unsuitable for a Scottie.

5.  These breeders are almost never willing to take back a problem puppy and refund the money.

6.  These breeders rarely have an interest in maintaining correct Scottie breed type.  While we all love our long-legged, over- or under-sized dogs with floppy ears, bad bites, long tails, etc., it is dangerous to a breed when 65% of the dogs are NOT breed typical and the breeders aren't working toward that goal.

I'm not a snob about people who breed without showing.  One of the best breeders I've known was Tom Reeser, who never went to a dog show.  Tom had a well-bred bitch and he and his wife followed our guidelines in breeding her and her daughter over a period of several years.  Among the dogs they produced or their offspring produced were Ch.  Anstamm Black Mariah (Montgomery WB), Ch.  Anstamm Can't Say No (Rotating WB), Ch.  Anstamm Back to the Future (Rotating BW & Lloyd Trophy winner), and Ch.  Great Scot's Hot Stuff (Montgomery County BOS & BIS winner).  Tom and Carol sold all their pet quality puppies on spay/neuter contracts and screened the buyers as we taught them.  They socialized their puppies beautifully.  Frankly, since so few people are interested in showing these days, we do need to find some people who are willing to breed the right way, even if they won't show.

Hope this clarifies the matter for you.

Cindy Cooke 
Anstamm Scottish Terriers

Posted on CyberScots March 7, 2001