Apparently, this 'breeder' is NOT a puppy farmer...

Miniature Schnauzer breeder’s ‘investment offer’ causes uproar

Created: 25/03/2015
A FACEBOOK post by a Miniature Schnauzer breeder caused an uproar over the weekend.

Ludovic Greenhow of the Buffingham Miniature Schnauzers invited six ‘investors’ to provide £500 so he could buy breeding stock from abroad. He guaranteed a return of £1,000 for each person.

His posting read: "I am in a fortunate position with my breeding that demand now outweighs supply. I need to buy some more bitch pups to keep me in good stead for next year! Therefore I am offering six people the chance to invest £500 each for 18 months with a guaranteed return of £1,000 each.

"I have calculated all the worst-case scenarios and it shows a healthy enough profit to guarantee your return. The benefit to me is I can add to my breeding stock without affecting my cash flow. The benefit to any potential investor is a guaranteed 100 per cent profit, far better than any bank. This offer is limited to only six people.”

Once the post was spotted Facebook and Miniature Schnauzer forums came alive, with accusations of Mr Greenhow being a puppy farmer, using his dogs as ‘money-making machines’, and condemning him for using social media to buy dogs. His posting received in the region of 2,500 comments.

Replying to some of them Mr Greenhow called the respondents ‘sad, ignorant trolls who should keep their petty, misinformed opinions to themselves and go back to watching Jeremy Kyle’.

‘So brazen’

Vice-chairman of the Miniature Schnauzer Club, Caroline Wareing, who is responsible for rescue and rehoming, said the matter had been reported to the three breed clubs and the Kennel Club would ‘almost certainly’ be informed.

"It’s frightening to think that someone can put something like that on Facebook,” she said. "It caused an uproar – he seems so brazen. There was no end of comment about it.”

Mr Greenhow told DOG WORLD he was a member of the Northern Schnauzer Club and that he registers all his puppies with the KC. He was once a member of the Assured Breeder Scheme, he said, but was suspended because he does not live at his kennels in Glinton, Cambridgeshire, and he resigned as a result.

He said he regretted the posting.

"It was a stupid idea in hindsight,” he said. "It was ill conceived and I very much regret it, as to be classed as a puppy farmer is as hurtful to me as being called a paedophile.

"After I put the post up the first day was a feeding frenzy. I was being accused of everything by people who know nothing about me – I didn’t really care but it upset some of my family members. Once I replied to the accusations support started to come through.

"I wanted to raise money to bring in three different bitches from abroad to introduce different bloodlines. I didn’t want to buy here because the dogs are all linebred until they are genetically imperfect. I was getting one bitch from Sweden but this has caused so much trouble that the breeder there has begun asking questions.

"It wasn’t because I am short of funds – it was to help some of my friends make some money and to get people interested in what I am doing. But it somewhat backfired.”

Mr Greenhow described himself as a small-time breeder for ’13 or 14 years’, with eight breeding bitches who produce between 40 and 46 puppies a year.

"I’m not churning them out,” he said. "My bitches have three litters and then they are retired and go to pet homes. I have a waiting list of customers who have had puppies from me. I am a perfectly legitimate breeder licensed by the council; all my puppies are KC registered.

Health tests

"I am a responsible, caring breeder who looks after their dogs to the best of my ability and carry out all the necessary health tests. I’ve put a lot of investment into my kennel because I wanted to do it properly. I choose my dogs and bitches carefully.

"I sell to pet homes in the main, mostly with endorsements. I’m not in with the show people because I don’t show – that’s why they don’t like me.

"I am perfectly transparent – anyone can come to my place and check things out for themselves.”

It wasn’t because I am short of funds – it was to help some of my friends make some money and to get people interested in what I am doing

Mr Greenhow described himself as a small-time breeder for ’13 or 14 years’, with eight breeding bitches who produce between 40 and 46 puppies a year.

I’m not churning them out,” he said. "My bitches have three litters and then they are retired and go to pet homes.