Why I breed

I was going to post something similar to this but Cindy McDonald beat me to the punch :)

I think its always important to check your own goals, long term and short term. And why we do it anyway.

While I agree with Cindy that I do not breed to: fill a market, for other people to have show dogs, or pets, it is important to understand that while I do breed for myself, and for the improvement of the breed I cannot keep an entire litter for their entire life. I do need to have homes for these pups that I personally cannot see myself moving forward with in the breed. That doesn't mean someone else wouldn't mind using them in their breeding program, and it doesn't make any of them less lovable. And if I had the same first three litters again now, I may have kept something different based on what else I have in my house currently. So my 'show pick' isn't necessarily someone else's pick, or would it be mine in the future.

I am honored that most of my pet homes that contact me are looking for something quite specific. Usually health wise. I believe in using health tested dogs for all tests possible. Some say I test too much. I feel that no matter what, I want to give these new puppy buyers the most information about the pups' parents and lineage as I can. I've had numerous people want dogs that will never be at risk for DM as they've lost dogs to DM. I've had people inquire about pups that would hopefully be free of hip dysplasia. I cannot guarantee that, but if we continue to breed passing hips together the rate at which HD pups would come out of those passing parents would diminish. Why do people ask about this stuff? Because they've seen it in their own dogs that have died or had to been put down. They don't want to have to deal with it again.

There are things that we cannot control, but we (at least ME), tries to use every test as a tool to better my dogs. And while perhaps in 10 years when more tests are available I will have to prioritize my testing and that is all I can do, my best.

So if puppy buyers and prospective owners contact me in regards to health, or herding instinct, or whatever it may be, I am honored that they find me, and happy to share a pup with them that will not have the same conditions as one of their past loved ones. Its something simple. And something that I can live with.

And so even though I breed for myself, and for the betterment of the breed.....by doing just that, I am able to have pet homes have their dogs around longer because I made it a priority of mine to health test. And in the end we all win. I have my show pup to to love and forward my breeding goals with, and they have their companion dog to love forever, as healthy as I could make them.