I’m sure you’ve heard about the Canine Care Certified program hosted by Purdue University. We have too, and we keep hearing about it. Obviously, like any such thing, there are people that support it, and people that criticize it. Some breeders wonder if it will last, if it’s legit, and more importantly, do their potential customers care about it.
Well, we’ve decided to go “straight to the source” to get these questions answered, and we did a survey on over 200 participants, all pet owners. These are your random, everyday people living somewhere in the US, with all levels of income, with ages ranging from 18 to over 60.
Written By: The Dog Journal
Question Number 1:
Are you familiar with the Canine Care Certified program, a science-based program hosted by Purdue University to raise the bar in dog welfare and breeding practices?
33% Yes
67% No
Pretty cool, right? Only 33% of the people out there even know about this program. And I would also bet that some of the people that chose “yes” in this question are familiar with the name Purdue, but don’t know about this program in particular. Also keep in mind that these participants are people that already own a dog, and aren’t necessarily looking for another one. Do you think that there might be a growing number of prospect puppy buyers that are finding out about this program as they begin their search?
Question Number 2:
Would you support a program like that?
88% Yes
12% No
Isn’t this getting exciting? An overwhelming majority of these respondents said that they would support this program, and remember that only 33% of them even know anything about it at all! I take that to mean two things. Number one, people trust scientific data, and they trust Purdue University. Number two, any program like this that will promote the betterment of breeding standards and practices will largely be met with approval. So even if the CCC program in particular isn’t for you, maybe some other program like it is. Again, anything we can do to show that we are part of something legit is important.
Here’s some reasons why these participants said they would support a program like this:
– We are animal lovers and we would support anything that helps protect them.
– You have a better idea of what you are purchasing.
– I would because I’ve heard of inhumane breeding farms for dogs and cats and it’s terrible.
– I know it’s not coming from a puppy mill.”
– To ensure quality of breed lineage, quality of care, and ensure humane treatment.”
– Purdue University is a trusted land-grant school with an excellent vet program.”
– I believe that it’s better to breed for the good of the breed, less health issues.”
Now, I’m sure you may be wondering “But would someone actually pay more or chose a puppy coming from a program like this over one that does not”. Stay tuned, in the next issue we’re going to ask the big question!
“If you were looking to adopt or purchase a new puppy, would you choose one coming from a rescue or breeder that is part of program like that, even if the cost were higher?”
Question Number 3:
If you were looking to adopt or purchase a new puppy, would you choose one coming from a rescue or breeder that is part of program like that, even if the cost were higher?
79% Yes
21% No
And there it is! 79% of the 200 plus participants that we asked said they would pay more for a puppy coming from a program like the Canine Care Certified program. And remember, only 33% of them even know what it is. That goes to show that being part of something creditable is worthwhile, for multiple reasons, some of which the participants listed as follows:
“I am a big proponent for animal welfare initiatives. If I was to adopt a dog I would likely rescue, however if I was to purchase a dog, I would definitely pay more for it to come from a humane breeder. Puppy mills are often abhorrent and treat dogs like less than living creatures.”
“Better to be ethical even if it has a financial cost.”
“I think it would be important enough to spend the extra money to improve conditions.”
“Hopefully the dog would be healthier and free of genetic issues. However, if it was a lot more $, I would not get a dog from the program.”
“Have had bad experiences getting rescue dogs from shelters. Getting a dog is a long-term commitment. Willing to pay a little extra to get it right.”
“It would be safer to welcome a trained pet into my home that already has other pets.”
“Animal welfare is very important and worth additional cost.”
“So I can ensure there was nothing immoral going in bringing this dog to existence.”
“Seems the end goal of both is to ensure our furry friends receive proper care and live their best lives, and that’s incredibly important to me.”
There are definitely a lot of great programs out that breeders can take part of, and even though we support the Canine Care Certified one as a whole, that doesn’t mean it’s for everyone. At the end of the day, you as a breeder need to decide how far you want to go and how much you want to do.
According to statistics, though, this is a really good one to consider!
“What exactly is Canicross?” you may ask. Well, we have never heard of this canine sport either, until just recently, when Rachel Clark, with CherCar Kennels, reached out and asked if we would be willing to cover it in The Dog Journal.
Today we sit down with Jonathan Lawler, also known as The Punk Rock Farmer, to talk about the documentary he’s producing called “Puppy Mill” This documentary is almost completed, and hopefully by the time this is printed, will be out there and available.
This has been the subject of intense debates for eons. Dogs have been brought to the prairies of Canada and the West beginning in the early years of the last century. Dogs and trainers originally traveled in trains’ freight cars before travel was more accessible by vehicles. Today dogs and trainer/handlers trailer dogs and horses
