Aren’t USDA breeders breeding inferior animals for sale at pet stores?
A. It depends on what you mean by “inferior” If you mean a dog that is not healthy and robust then the answer is most likely NO. If you mean a dog that won’t win a show championship or won’t “hunt”, then probably YES. A USDA breeder is like any breeder of livestock. If they wish to be successful, they have to breed and maintain healthy livestock. So from a health perspective a good USDA breeder may be a better bet than a good Show breeder. The primary issue for a show breeder is conformation (how well the dog fits the breed standard) health issues are secondary. In other words, it is possible for Show breeders to have top show dogs with health problems and still make money (stay in business). On the other hand, the financial costs of having unhealthy livestock (dogs) will quickly drive a USDA breeder out of business.
