What makes a great breeder?

Posted by on Dec 16, 2011 in Doggy Blog | Comments Off on What makes a great breeder?

This is a great topic of discussion in any arena, whether it is dog, cat or whatever.  In my years of breeding, I have found a few areas that I believe are an important part of the great breeder.

First, the breeder must really understand the bred they are trying to reproduce.  This for some can take years of research.  For some the understanding of the breed comes easy, for others it never really comes to full tuition. To help the new breeder understand, besides reading the breed standard, it would be to their advantage to see as many fellow breeders stock as possible.  This would mean going to see puppies in the beginning stages to full maturity.  Evaluating the parents to see what attributes each has offer to the offspring, and how the parent parents contributed to the puppies.

This leads to the second, understanding a pedigree, and how each of the parts has contributed to the offspring.  Not only should you understand the dogs/bitches in the pedigree, but as many as possible of the dogs/bitches siblings.  This can take some extra time in research, but is well worth all the efforts.  Common traits will become more evident when you analysis a pedigree.  You will not only find virtues you want to maintain, but also virtues you do not want.  Both are important in the decision making process.

Third and most important is breeding for the future. What do I mean by this? Put yourself in the future, 3 years from today, and bring back to the present the puppy you just produced. Who would you breed that dog or bitch to, today? Always, be looking 3 to 5 years into the future. When I breed x to y, and keep a puppy, who will that dog/bitch be breed to in-order to keep the future of the breed going forward.

The next step is to take the plunge and with all your information in hand, do the breeding that you truly feel will better the breed.  This may not always be what your fellow breeders feel is correct.  As in any arena everyone has an opinion on what would be best.  I have a saying.

A breeder is like a painter, with the right colors, correct pallet, tools and idea they can create their own masterpiece.  Remember that Michelangelo and Picasso were both great masters, each one in their own write.  I do not profess that as a breeder you should be so different, but in some people’s minds your idea of perfection may not be the same as mine.  Also, as a breeder you are playing GOD.  These dogs would not have been mated if it had not been for your intervention.  So whatever you produce is your responsibility, till the bitter end.  Selling them does not release you from this obligation.  But if you have done all of your homework and truly believe what you are doing, and do it with a clear mind and act responsible, then all The Best To You the New Breeder.