# top tier breeders...



## suzanne (Nov 23, 2004)

all things being relative, i was wondering how many breeders are included in this top tier? is it 10...20...100? 
if anyone knows, it would help put some perspective in this breeders' category.
thank you.


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## I found nemo (Feb 23, 2006)

I never really ever used that term "Top Tier"  I just know who are good breeders and who are not.
I don't think any one breeder is better than another, I just think I prefer a specific look /
I can most of the time look at a Maltese and know which breeder bred them, sometimes not though :biggrin:


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## ilovemymaltese (Oct 9, 2008)

Here's a start:

Bonnie's Angels
Marcris Maltese
Chrisman Maltese

But I don't care if they are a top breeder or just a normal reputable breeder, if the puppy steals my heart, than she will be mine :wub2:


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

QUOTE (suzanne @ Mar 16 2009, 05:25 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=746435


> all things being relative, i was wondering how many breeders are included in this top tier? is it 10...20...100?
> if anyone knows, it would help put some perspective in this breeders' category.
> thank you.[/B]



That's a pretty subjective question. There is no list dividing breeders into tiers, just like there is no such thing as a "teacup" Maltese.


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## ilovemymaltese (Oct 9, 2008)

Isn't a 'top teir' breeder just the really popular reputable breeders? I guess I'm confused now as to what the definition of a 'top tier' breeder is...


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## Cosy (Feb 9, 2006)

I don't know where that term started. I never heard of it before I came to this board.
There are some breeders who have been breeding and exhibiting maltese for many many
years and there are newer ones who have blended old lines to make new. The most
important thing to know is do your research and go from there.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

Totally subjective in my opinion.


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## CloudClan (Jan 31, 2007)

I think the word gets thrown around far too much. Though I have used it myself in replies on this forum. :embarrassed: 

To me if there is a definition it would be those breeders who have become well known by consistently producing top winning dogs. For example, they have shown enough to get into the top rankings of Maltese year after year. For example, Tammy Simon showed the top winning maltese of all time. I believe she has been in the top ten rankings with at least one dog every year since. 

On the other hand, my breeder has not specialed her dogs. She has shown her dogs and consistently put beautiful dogs in the ring who have gone to earn their Ch titles. But she had not got a BIS winner, yet.  I don't know what "tier" she is on, but I trust her and I value her opinions. I have been to her home to see how she cares for her babies and I have watched her show. 

There are others who have consistently been out there winning with their dogs that many on this forum have never heard of. There are many breeders whose names rarely if ever get mentioned who have also produced quality for years sometimes even decades. In fact, some of the breeders I admire most are not familiar names. But they have been out there consistenly breeding beautiful/healthy/sound dogs.


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## suzanne (Nov 23, 2004)

QUOTE (LadysMom @ Mar 16 2009, 05:36 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=746448


> QUOTE (suzanne @ Mar 16 2009, 05:25 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=746435





> all things being relative, i was wondering how many breeders are included in this top tier? is it 10...20...100?
> if anyone knows, it would help put some perspective in this breeders' category.
> thank you.[/B]



That's a pretty subjective question. There is no list dividing breeders into tiers, just like there is no such thing as a "teacup" Maltese.
[/B][/QUOTE]


oh?.... hum..... i will admit to my confusion as to what a tier is. i thought it was along the lines of 'rank' or 'range' and therefore could be graded as 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc...
that is how i understood it when i read: "Chrisman is a top tier show breeder", top tier forcibly implying that there is a bottom tier, a middle tier, which can be quantified. i therefore thought that there was an official ranking in show breeders. it appears not. 

in conclusion, saying "XYZ is a top tier show breeder" is totally subjective.
:ThankYou: i'm glad i finally understand.


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## Furbaby's Mommie (Jul 10, 2004)

Yep, I would forget the word tier. I've seen in magazines or websites where someone is named Top Maltese Breeder for 200...wherever year. I just supposed that meant they bred more top winners that year. What class of winner, Speciality, BIS, etc. I have no idea. 

I think the word we are looking for is "popular" breeders, and that usually would be ones who show and win consistently. Here on SM we hear certain names a lot because we love our dogs and refer to their breeders. I think just hearing the names repeated so much sometimes adds to the popularity with the group.


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## Tina (Aug 6, 2006)

QUOTE (CloudClan @ Mar 16 2009, 06:11 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=746521


> I think the word gets thrown around far too much. Though I have used it myself in replies on this forum. :embarrassed:
> 
> To me if there is a definition it would be those breeders who have become well known by consistently producing top winning dogs. For example, they have shown enough to get into the top rankings of Maltese year after year. For example, Tammy Simon showed the top winning maltese of all time. I believe she has been in the top ten rankings with at least one dog every year since.
> 
> ...



:goodpost: I agree. A lot of good breeders are put to the side because they haven't produced a BIS or BISS dogs. But they consistenty win in the show ring with nice dogs.

Tina


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## saltymalty (Sep 14, 2004)

QUOTE (suzanne @ Mar 16 2009, 06:45 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=746544


> QUOTE (LadysMom @ Mar 16 2009, 05:36 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=746448





> QUOTE (suzanne @ Mar 16 2009, 05:25 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=746435





> all things being relative, i was wondering how many breeders are included in this top tier? is it 10...20...100?
> if anyone knows, it would help put some perspective in this breeders' category.
> thank you.[/B]



That's a pretty subjective question. There is no list dividing breeders into tiers, just like there is no such thing as a "teacup" Maltese.
[/B][/QUOTE]


oh?.... hum..... i will admit to my confusion as to what a tier is. i thought it was along the lines of 'rank' or 'range' and therefore could be graded as 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc...
that is how i understood it when i read: "Chrisman is a top tier show breeder", top tier forcibly implying that there is a bottom tier, a middle tier, which can be quantified. i therefore thought that there was an official ranking in show breeders. it appears not. 

in conclusion, saying "XYZ is a top tier show breeder" is totally subjective.
:ThankYou: i'm glad i finally understand.



[/B][/QUOTE]

I say it's like pornography...I can't define it, but I know it when I see it! I also think the bottom and middle "tiers" as you say, are more easily defined. Bottom of the bunch would consist of puppy mills, and right above that are ignorant back yard breeders. Since there is no "official" top tier designation, or ranking, from the AMA, doesn't it follow that all descriptions of breeders are subjective?


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## allheart (Oct 3, 2008)

I think, if there are different levels or tiers of breeders

#1 - *Reputable Breeders *- (within this category, there are various levels of experience), but I think all in this category need to be respected and embraced, as they are doing the very best for the breed. While the below two categories are seriously hurting the wonderful breed of Maltese.

#2 - *Backyard Breeders *- who either knowingly or unknowingly do wrong by their "pets" and should not even considered to be breeders and are breeding these precious babies that more then likely started with puppies purchased from petstores that more then likely came from Puppymills:

#3 -* Puppymills* - May they some day be stopped for all the suffering they are causing - and they need to be stopped and should not even be in the category of breeders. Pet stores house the puppies that result from these awful mills while the Mommies and Daddies of these pups remain back in the mills and continue to suffer.

That's how I see it.


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