Complaint Review: Debcha Kennels - Debra Alabaugh

I'll be brief and to the point.

By purchasing from Debcha Kennels, you are supporting and keeping them in business at the EXPENSE of the poor dogs (which to Debcha is nothing more than a commodity).  The dogs did not ask to come into the world this way.  Also, I suggest you read the comment on Insider Information.

We purchased (I mean rescued) our Shih Tzu in 2004. 

Any serious reputable breeders will allow you to see the parents of your new family member.  Not these guys!!  They gave a dumb excuse that the parents could not be seen, cause the mother was still nursing.  What the ****!  BIG RED FLAG!!  An employee was also real careful not to expose the room behind the door, where it was dark with small cages and barking dogs.

Four days after bringing our Shih Tzu home, we almost lost her.  She declined rapidly and became lifeless.  We rushed her to Med Vets emergency, where she was diagnosed with having the Coccidia parasite.  How do you catch the parasite you ask?  You guessed it, from Feces.

Are you getting the picture yet?

Furthermore, she developed badly crooked teeth, and a gammit of genetic health issues, an indication of inbreeding.

Long story short.  BEWARE!  DO NOT SUPPORT THESE SHISTERS.  THEY NEED TO BE PUT OUT OF BUSINESS!

I don't know how they can sleep at nights.

I know for a fact that they are indeed a puppy mill. I am a family member. And I use to go out to the kennel in Upper Sandusky to help out my Uncle from time to time. The things I seen I will never forget. I wanted to let all the dogs out and let them run free. They would've had it better that way then live the way they do. I haven't been out there in awhile. And I don't plan on going back out there. I do not agree with what they do. They do an amazing job at the groomings.

And they do have some beautiful puppies when they're all cleaned up and not all knotted up from s**t being all over them. When I was feeding the dogs. They would either run in the corner and shake. Or all come up to try and get a little attention. It was so sad to see. 4-5 dogs in each kennel. Kennels stacked on top of each other. Breeding sister with brother mother with son father with daughter. They don't care. All it is is money to them.

Those poor helpless dogs never see the light of day or know what it's like to run outside. All they know is the kennel. The adult dogs could never have a home. It's very sad to see and very heart breaking. I remember going to Columbus to help move their dogs from there to the kennels in Upper Sandusky. A breeder does not have as many dogs as they do. They have well over 300 dogs just in Upper Sandusky. Plus some in the basement of their house.

I'm not sure about Grove City because I haven't been there since I was a kid. So I don't remember much. And don't know if they have dogs there anymore. Or if they just take the puppies up there. I will never recommend anyone to get a puppy from them. Yes they have some gorgeous puppies. But I don't support what they are doing. So I will never tell anyone they should purchase a dog from them. The employees and the vets don't get to see what goes on in the inside. I did.

Because they would never let anyone who wasn't family in the back of the basement at their house or the back of the kennel in Upper. However I got to see it and I wish I never did. It's a mess. And like I said it's very upsetting to see. Think before you go and purchase a dog from them. Yes some do have major health problems others are as healthy as can be. But either way you buy a dog from them you're supporting what they do and keeping them in business. Please warn everyone about this puppy mill. 

Whlie I haven't been to Debcha Kennels since around 1990, I remember a quite difference experience.  I had gotten a Cairn Terrier from them as a first communion present and was able to go several times and see the puppies before they were able to come home.  I was able to see the father, the mother, the siblings...all seemed to be healthy and well taken care of.  The dogs seemed to love interaction from the people, but weren't striving for it.

As for the health of my dog through the years....I had my Cairn Terrier for 16 years and she brought myself and my family lots of happiness and I will always hold a fondess for her in my heart. 

There is one thing I would like to address which I believe all but the original poster has left out, and that is the patella's. Let's also make sure to state that alot of medicine is also a matter of opinion and experience, and that our veterinarians are also only human. It is not possible to be an expert on ALL things, and they are similar to our human general practitioners in alot of cases, and are not all knowing, especially on things like breeds and nutrition unless they have chosen to make these things a specialty. A vet whom deals with alot of breeders and pet shops and such for instance, is far more likely to be aware of what is common in puppies in general and NOT alarm the customer or slam the breeder for something that is quite common, and easily treatable. A vet whom deals more with a specific breed, is more likely to be aware of what is common in that breed. So, if you take a dog to 6 different vets for the specific purpose of grading or finding luxating patella's, while being mindful to give them little to no information, you are VERY likely to end up with very different opinions. I have even seen several dogs graded at 5 and 6, even though technically, it only goes to 4. Therefore, treatment is also varied. A great deal of vets whom see patella's often, Do NOT always reccomend surgery. Especially as it can lead to further surgeries. It depends on the severity, and adult size of the animal. Also, a FIRM diagnosis probably should not be made on a very young puppy, as their bodies and conditions change. Adult weight should also be a major consideration in whether or not a dog with luxating patella's requires surgery. So, there is no way of knowing whether this animal actually REQUIRED surgery in the first place. Lets also take into account that if a vet is not quite familiar with a breed, they may not be aware of what is considered NORMAL or AVERAGE for that breed, and hence, alarm the customer and slam the breeder for something that is more likely than not to occur with that breed (bulldogs are an excellent example here), but could be considered a big problem in another. I have also seen cases where, for example, a yorkie puppy was purchased, this yorkie puppy was found to have an overbite by the original examining vet of the seller, and her own vet had her fuming mad because he said the animal needed corrective surgery and referred her to a doggy dentist whom also reccommended surgery on the pet, and by the time she came to the clinic I worked at (also used by the seller), she was furious, and swearing ill on the seller, and how horrible they were, up and down to anyone and everyone, and she was going to have to spend thousands now on this surgery, and they wouldn't do anything for her and on and on. The truth? The yorkie had what is known as a SCIZZOR BITE. Not even an overbite at all, and certainly not requiring surgery. It is even allowed in show for a yorkie, and is considered a fault or deduction in some other breeds if they DO NOT have their teeth set that way. A scizzor bite is very commonly called an overbite by vets whom are unfamiliar with the term, or the breed, or breeds period, when it in fact, probably shouldn't be noted as a possible health issue at all. I spent about 45 minutes showing her the documentation, and reasuring her that there was nothing wrong with her yorkie puppy. It also turned out that the doggy dentist was the father of the referring veterinarian. That is just ONE example of many that I have seen. They are not infallible. They are not gods. So often statements proceeded by 'My vet says' are laughable. They are humans prone to offering their opinions, just like the rest of us (while still deserving of our respect). So, we do not know that the dog in the OP's post actually required surgery. Stones the breeders fault? Give me a break! Diet can be a major factor here. And like stated above, even the water! A little trick I learned when breeding cats (prone to stones, crystals, ect.), A little tomato juice seems to help reduce the incidence in prone animals (ph levels?). And also a QUALITY diet, and in cats, I ALWAYS check the ash content. Too high seems to equal more urinary tract issues. An animal passing during surgery after tests to ensure a serious issue that would complicate things were run and PASSED? This is alot of times an anesthetic issue. I myself have several breeds prone to sensitivity to anesthesia. This requires I need a vet familiar with that fact pertaining to my breeds specifically, even if they are not aware of other things pertaining to my breeds. How many persians die every day because neither the owner or the clinic is aware of the fact that persians and ISO are not generally a good mix? This to, can go on and on. It is not the fault of the vet that what is considered proper procedure is not quite proper on THAT SPECIFIC BREED, or that specific animal, and it is CERTAINLY not the fault of the breeder. And yes, lets not forget that sometimes mistakes are made, but unless you are VERY close to them on a personal level, and even then, a vet is not likely to admit an animal passed to a mistake with anesthesia. Okay, blood in the stool? Lets not count out the fact that STRESS (like a change in enviroment) can cause diarreah and stools that look much like coccidia or giardia, while neither of those parasites are the cause. Coccidia was never actually comfirmed, was it? And even had it been, it should not be considered a reflection on a breeder or their husbandry. Since it is not always a factor of ENVIROMENT, and NATURALLY exists. And giardia (not mentioned) can ALSO be gotten from anywhere, even your own back yard. These parasites do not require another animal to infect. Most parasites are not even covered under most state lemon laws, there has to be some good reasons for this, don't you think. Did someone actually liken coccidia to parvo? Yes they do absolutely require treatment or they will become very serious, but coccidia and parvo are two VERY different things. It doesn't take much research to find out about these things. Just type them into a search engine. Roundworms too. So again, it was not confirmed that the animal mentioned even HAD coccidia. A change in food can contribute here too. It is very stressful to leave everything you've ever known behind, even if they are happy and content with their new situation. ANYTHING that is outside their normal routine tends to stress them out, even if they are not particularly unhappy with the new situation. My golden retriever is very sensitive, any change in routine results in bloody stools/diarreah. My IG, the very same (of course), except his turn a little slimy and greenish. My other IG, RED. They are not sick in that sense of the word, it is stress. It doesn't have to change colors, but you get the point. I am not defending this breeder, as I have absolutely no knowledge of them, but lets take a look here: Those bashing them, made it sound like they were not telling the whole truth, were not particularly well informed, and in general, did not seem to make much sense.They made some absolutely rediculious statements, and some that were completely text book, let's not forget to throw that mill word around some more. While they are not expected to know alot of these things, they should at least have made some effort before they made a silly statement that would affect someone else. If they had, alot of the statements would not have been made. Those in defense, appear educated, well informed, and seem to have actual long term working experience with animals, resulting in their responses seeming far more reasonable (I believe that at least one was a veterinarian whom has even worked with the breeder). Wonder which I should believe ........... Just felt like throwing my opinions in the mix.

First of all, to the people that wrote this, I suggest to you to ALWAYS go to the dog breeder's home before buying, or putting a deposit down on a pup. I have raised Chihuahuas for some years now, and I always encourage anyone that wants one of my pups, to come to my home. See the parents, and the condition of all my dogs. That is the #1 thing, if they don't let you in and show you around, they are hiding something. Plus, they should give you a written health garuntee on that pup, signed and dated by both of you. I also encourage anyone to take the pup to the vet soon after purchasing. If any genetic defects, parvo, or coccidia are found, and the breeder does not make it right, then take them to small claims.
And a comment to the one who got a pup with coccidia, you got scamed. I don't care if she gave you free meds or not. And did you take her back and re-tested? And your other dogs? I ended up with a pup from someone who had it. Not only did I have to medicate all my dogs, we also had to move. Although coccidia comes out in the ground in warm weather, it will always be there. You have to leave the ground dormant for a couple of years with no animals. I also took him to small claims, and won my case. Coccidia and parvo, things like that, are way more serious health problems then just worms. So I assume this breeder, is spreading this around to everyone she sells a dog or pup too. That's really nice! Animals die of this condition if untreated. So if you do go back and get another pup from her, then look forward to it having coccidia as well. I don't know if they are a puppy mill, but that right there in itself would be a red flag alert to me. And as far as these comments from so called vets: Any professional would not give out information on anyone or their dog's vet history on the internet. In fact, it can only be told over the phone, that that person has been in with dogs.
And, anyone who allows dogs to suffer with any condition like coccidia, to me, is animal cruelty in itself! Plus, anyone with more than 2 or 3 diffrent breeds, and crossing them in to a so called designer breed, is considered a puppy mill.

I would like to say that I also bought a puppy from Debcha Kennels (zoo farri) in Grove City. I was so excited to have gotten my westie and since she was 5 months old they gave me a dicount on her.I was told that she was caught up to date on her shot and was given all her worming meds.Well to my surprise after I got home with her about 2 days later I noticed blood in her poo which was runny.So I called them imediatly and they told me she must have cocidious, so they sent me antibotics free of charge.I was grateful that they did because it seemed to be working. Well about a week later I was having second thoughts about keeping her because I then realized that she was infected with round worm. So I took her to my vet and they confirmed that it was the problem, so I had to get meds. for her and my 3 other dogs. The next day I called Orville and told him that Bella had round worm so he might want to check the rest of his dogs,and he told me that he suspected one of his employees of not giving the dogs their meds like they needed.He then told me he was gonna fire her so if this is true that an employee is not giving the dogs the right meds when neede he should do it his self.Well anyways the worming meds seemed to do the trick and none of my other dogs ended up with worms.Now I am glad I decided to keep her.She is the best dog in the world.So when you go to pick up a dog from anyone take it to the vet right away just to make sure its in good health, and maybe insist on having something in writing saying you will get a full refund on the dog purchased if your vet says its not in good health,and insist on seeing the parents if you wish to or just dont buy the dog if they fefuse. Anyways thank you Debha Kennels for helping me find my wonderful Bella and for the meds you gave me at no charge. Bella is a very loving, caring, playful happy puppy.Thinking of going back to get another westie

deborah is a ripoff and is only in this buisness for the money. she doesnt care for the wellfare of the animals,they are not taken care of and are neglected. I have seen with my own two eyes the conditions in which these poor dogs live in I have seen how they live and the small cages they are forced to reside in for their entire life.

They have no socialization skills they leave these poor dogs in their cages in a big barn and deborah only checks on these dogs a couple of times a week and they don't leave their cages. They have little to no human contact the only contact they have with people is when their cages are being cleaned and when they are being fed.

They are overbred, inbred and have serious problems, example: I have had a doberman where her bones were deformed because of spending her whole life on concrete kennels and had to be put to sleep. Wittnesses seen a puppy having it's leg chewed off by it's mother, I also had a shitzu that had been born with a hole in it's head and died shortly after.

I do not recommend anyone to buy any type of dog from this person because this is most definatly a puppy mill and it would be wise to seek out breeders with one set of parents and is breeding a certain type of dog for the love of the breed not for the money. Not only is deborah a con artist she is also inhumane and should be shut down by the humane society.

Anyone who loves or even cares for dogs in any way should tell their friends and family about this buisness and should not do buisness with this kennel.

As a veterinarian in a group practice who has examined countless Debcha Kennels puppies, I feel I must defend and rebutt claims made by writers on this site who obviously are intent on a smear campaign.

How is it that anybody, no matter how ignorant or illiterate, can post whatever unfounded and unproved comments they want about anybody or anything. Freedom of speech, but out and out libel?

I know for a fact that one of the local activist groups successfully got two team members jobs at Debcha Kennels in an effort to "expose" them. What they discovered while going through file cabinets and other records and receipts was that most of the females had only had one litter by age THREE; a lot of money is being spend on vaccinations, worming meds, dietary supplements and vitamins, premium dog and puppy foods, etc.
They witnessed these accused "money grubbers" of slashing puppy prices for widows and actually giving away puppies to military personnel. They actually were irritated with the owner's strict vaccination routines, rules regarding cleaning procedures, etc. They couldn't come up with a single bit of "dirt" they could use against Debcha Kennels.

A writer claims the mothers "snarl and lunge at cages" and are kept in cages too small to turn around in. If you check reports made by surprise humane society inspections and surprise registry inspections you will find that that statement is totally and absolutely a lie. This "consumer" is exposed for what you are -- a liar.


Let's evaulate the claims made of this site:

1. Writer's dog died during surgery -- exactly how is that the breeder's fault? The dog died on the operating table in all likelihood due to veterinarian error. As vets w usually don't admit that, but it does happen and we carry expensive insurance because of that.

2. Writer claims she is an animal professional but makes a ludicrous statement "anuses where their tails should be." Turn your dog around. There is an anus under the tail!

3. Writer claims puppies are born with no eyes. First of all, if Debcha is so money grubbing, why would they breed that b***h and sire when they have so many others, as accused? Secondly, if that really did happen (and I am sure it did NOT), why would anyone actually spend money to buy that puppy? And why would a kennel even allow a puppy born like that --and again, I am sure it did not -- to be sold and seen by the general public? It doesn't make sense. The writer is exposed for her own lies.

4. Writer claims an i.d. band came off a puppy which was bathed. She still had first choice, so where is the problem? And she smears Debcha for puppies huddling together. You bet -bathe a litter of puppies and guaranteed they will huddle together afterward for warmth and to "shake off" the bathing experience.

5. Writer claims the kennel is dirty and stinks. If so, why was she willing to buy a puppy in the first place! There is a lot of competition in the breeding industry -- you have to be good to survive and Debcha has been in business for more than 25 years. That tells you something.

6. Writer admits she has never been to Debcha Kennels, never bought a puppy there, has absolutely no personal knowledge of them but agrees with previous writer that it must be a puppy mill. That sounds like real proof, doesn't it!

I have been to Debcha Kennels. I have examined their puppies in my veterinarian clinic. I know them to have a solid written health guarantee.

When you purchase a puppy there they give the new owner a contract with the guarantee which also indicates the shots and wormings. That is to be shown to a vet of the owner's choice to set up a permanent record. The guarantee protects the consumer.

Puppy buyers don't want to buy from a pet store -- which Debcha Kennels is not; they don't want to buy from a backyard breeder (no written guarantee/no recourse) -- which Debcha is not. So where are these family puppies supposed to come from? Debcha Kennels found the niche.
Keep up the harassment of them and just where do you get your puppies if they decide enough is enough?

I truly believe that these nasty comments just fuel the fire. The Debcha owners are full of principles -- and there is no way that they would tuck tail and quietly go away.

As a vet, I endorse Debcha Kennels. They do a good job. As a citizen and human being, I am appalled that they are constantly having to defend themselves against unethical competitors who would do anything to smear them.

As a veterinarian formerly associated with Debcha Kennels, I must refute statements made on this page by people who say they purchased a puppy from Debcha Kennels. First and foremost, there is NO possible way that any "pet professional" has seen a puppy "born with no eyes" from Debcha Kennels. That HAS NOT happened, and if it had, do you honestly believe that it would be sold to someone? Furthermore, her claim of seeing pups "with anuses where their tails should be" is an equally unbelieveable statement. For her information, the anus, or rectum, is beneath the tail. She, herself, has an anus.

As for another woman trashing Debcha Kennels because her dog died on the operating table whlie being spayed/neutered -- how was that Debcha Kennels' fault. I'd be asking the vet just how much anesthesia the dog was given.

Another equally ludicrous statement is that kidney stones are a hereditary defect -- our writer is making discoveries that those in the medical field don't know about! Kidney stones are the result of 5 different causes - not a congenital defect. Even the minerals in water can cause them and 10 per cent of the human population has them. I suppose Debcha Kennels is responsible for that as well, according to our complainant.

I do not know why these people are on a campaign against Debcha Kennels. The fact is that I have examined many, many of the puppies produced there over the past 20 years and find them to be the best possible examples of the breed. The breeding stock are all the best of the best and the puppies are the result of years of genetic study, excellent breeding practices, fine quality food and medicines, and I personally like to think, excellent veterinary care and consultation.

Debcha Kennels is not a puppy mill, not a pet store and not a backyard breeder. They are fine breeders with a written health guarantee to protect both the consumer and themselves. I highly recommend the puppies to my clients.

Six years ago I purchased a wirefox terrier from this kennel...she was 5 months old and died while being spayed. Her vet had done all pre-spaying bloodwork and everything was fine. We will never know why Zoey died. However, this in my opinion IS a puppymill. No reputable breeders will have ALL SORTS of breeds on hand. They specialize. Zoey was beautiful in my eyes, even though her ears stood up and she didn't have good markings like wirefox's should. After this experience. We went with a reputable breeder, paid a lot more, but got a much better feeling from them.

As a pet professional in the Columbus area for about 15 yrs, I have seen MANY dogs produced by Debcha Kennels that have had severe health and/or temperament problems. I have seen dogs with cleft palates, anuses where their tails should be, and dogs who were born without eyes. That doesnt begin to touch the dogs with the "usual" issues like luxating patellas, skin problems and various other genetic maladies.

They do indeed breed designer dogs, like schnoodles etc. As for the claim that Deb deveoloped the white shitzu, thats baloney. Shih tzus have always come in all colors, you just didnt see a lot of some colors. If she was important to the breed, she would be mentioned by the breed club, but she isnt. Her involvement in any breed is only one of a money grubbing type.

I worked at Debcha Kennels for more than three years, at the local humane society, and at other kennels. I can tell you that Debcha Kennels is by far the best of the best. The owners, Orville and Debbie, dearly love the dogs they breed and also provided the best veterinary care available. They purchased premium grade foods and made sure all the adult dogs were groomed on a regular basis.

The rip-off report and the rebuttal are full of half-truths and lies. Debcha Kennels does not breed "48 breeds" or "designer dogs." Check the ads in the paper for yourself and you'll see that. They do a number of breeds, yes, but they do them well. Being a large breeder does not make them bad breeders. People are against back-yard breeders, with good reason; against pet stores, with good reason -- and now they attack the professional breeders, the people who dedicate their lives to producing good puppies and pets for the "regular Joe" and his family. Debcha Kennels breeds quality puppies and guarantees the health of the puppy for one year. If you get a puppy that ends up in poor health from most of the so-called breeders who advertise in the paper, you are flat out of luck. Not with Debcha. They have a written health guarantee and I have seen them honor it.

The dogs have spacious areas -- up to 10 feet by 10 feet! They certainly are not crammed into little cages! The mothers have whelping cages designed for that very purpose, and their room is light, specially ventilated, and temperature controlled. These mothers do not "lunge at the cages, snarling"! What a lie! I have never seen a mother dog at Debcha Kennels that I would not have wanted to take home and have around my young children. These mother dogs usually jumped up, wagging their tails, happy to see Debbie, Orville, or the staff. They all got plenty of love, attention, and care!

I take great offense to the writer's claim of a smell. Obviously what she writes is not true or the neighboring grocery store and the city would have something to say about it. We have to remember that anyone can say anything about any business or anyone and get away with it on the internet. I suspect that these nasty "reports" cannot be validated. In fact they are probably from jealous breeders who hate Debcha because they can't compete with their quality for the price. Perhaps they were written by their former partners who might have an ax to grind.

"Andy" is carrying out a revenge toward Debcha Kennels because his dog got cancer and died when it was more than 10 years old! That's not the breeders' fault anymore than it's your fault if your child gets cancer when he or she is a mature adult! I have seen copies of reply letters he got back from the Dept of Agriculture explaining to him that the breeder wasn't at fault. I also know that his vet happens to be a vet that Debcha Kennels discovered was ripping clients off and confronted, so there's bad blood there.

Debcha doesn't inbreed -- they don't have to. Obviously they have more than one stud for each of their breeds. I do know that Debbie worked for years, studied genetics, and ended up developing an all white Shih Tzu. I know that her extensive work with that breed got rid of two problems that lots of Shih Tzus have -- ectropia and entropia and also the constricted nose problem.

As for being a liar -- I don't think so. Some people hear what they want to hear and don't listen to anything else. That's why they have a written contract which everyone reads before signing. In all the time I worked for them, I never heard them tell anyone anything but the truth. If a puppy wasn't perfect, they would disclose the problem to the buyer and reduce the price. Can't get much fairer than that!

They really care about the breed and keeping it to the best standards possible. That's why they sell all of their puppies with a non-breeding agreement. Buyers have to agree to a spay/neuter in writing.

Having worked there and having been around the owners, groomers, other kennel workers for an extended period of time, I got to know the inside track. I know that the owners demand and expect excellent care for the puppies and mothers. I know they work tirelessly, putting in a lot more than full-time hours, taking care of the dogs personally.

Do things go wrong sometimes -- sure, because you're dealing with living things. But I know that Debbie and Orville value their reputation and value the lives of the puppies, as well as value the people who become their customers. They are good, honest, reasonable people who bend over backwards to make customers happy.

As I said before, Debcha Puppies are the best of the best. Maybe the best advice would be for you to visit Debcha Kennels and see for yourself what a great place it is and what great puppies they have!

I have no personal experience with the Debcha kennels, however I am a resident of Columbus Ohio...same city that Debcha operates in, and I am a breeder and I also work for a large show/breeding kennel. I have always considered Debcha too be a puppymill simply because of their advertising...they are the only breeding kennel listed in the phone book, and they are the only kennel that advertises in the Columbus Dispatch year 'round, every single weekend...the only other puppy seller that also does this is Petland...which is a pet store (that alledgedly only buys from puppymills and sells for ridiculous prices, more than most ethical breeders sell for) I have counted at least 48 different breeds or "designer breeds" that have been advertised by Debcha, and I do plan to visit Debcha sometime in the future too see for myself all of these dogs. I would like to state for fact that unless a kennel hires an experienced person who specializes in one or 2 breeds for every 2 breeds they sell, plus at least one kennel hand for every 15 dogs. there is no way a kennel with more than 2 breeds of dogs can ethically and expertly breed dogs of the highest quality (including not only health and temperament, but also conformation and being able to do what the breed was created to do)
I once read an article on Debcha kennels, written by one of their alledged puppy buyers that although the kennel did have a lot of breeds and a lot of dogs, the dogs were extremely well cared for in a temperature controlled and well lighted kennel, the dogs were happy and healthy and the kennels were very clean...etc. etc. etc.
this article is obviously contradictory to what Janelle writes (and personally...I would believe Janelle more readily without having seen the kennels)
As too luxating patellas...almost every single small breed out has the problem of loose kneecaps, it is by far not a problem restricted to one breed...most common in small breeds but any size/breed of dog can get it.
I will state that even the best of breeders out there WILL have puppies that have health problems of one kind or another somewhere down the line (practically all health problems are recessive...making it very hard to get rid of them), what seperates a good breeder from a bad is that a good breeder will take care of the problem, either refunding the costs of the surgeries, or the cost of the dog.