Definition of a Dog Breeder

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Who knows what the future has in store for any newborn? Maybe a great show dog... Maybe a famed Super Dog... For the first part of his life, a puppy is cherished just as a puppy, with his breeder preparing him for his most important role - that of a treasured companion. And that is only part of what being a Breeder is about. There are those who breed and then there are BREEDERS! A Breeder (with a capital 'B') is: One who thirsts for knowledge and never really knows it all. One who wrestles with decisions of conscience, convenience and commitment, making choices that will never compromise the welfare of her breed or the well-being of her dogs. One who sacrifices personal interests, finances, time, friendships, fancy furniture, and deep pile carpeting - giving up the dreams of a long, luxurious cruise in favor of turning that all important show into this year's "vacation". One who goes without sleep (but never without coffee!) in hours spent planning a breeding or watching anxiously over the birth process - and afterwards, over every little sneeze, wiggle or cry. One who disregards birth fluids, putting mouth to mouth to save a gasping new-born and literally blowing life into a tiny, helpless creature that may be the culmination of a lifetime of dreams. One who re-arranges work schedules and holiday time, skips dinner parties, weddings, family functions and even Christmas dinner or New Year's celebrations because that litter is due or the babies have to be fed at eight. A Breeder's lap is a marvelous place where generations of proud, noble champions and beloved pets once snoozed. A Breeder's hands are strong and firm and often soiled, but ever so gentle and sensitive to the thrusts of a puppy's wet nose. A Breeder's back and knees are usually arthritic from stooping, bending, sitting in the birthing box or sleeping in the whelping room, but are strong enough to enable the breeder to Show the next choice pup to a Championship. A Breeder's shoulders are stooped and often heaped with abuse from competitors, but they are wide enough to support the weight of a thousand defeats and frustrations. A Breeder's arms are always able to wield a mop, support an armful of puppies or lend a helping hand to a newcomer. A Breeder's ears are wondrous things, sometimes red (from being talked about)or strangely shaped (from being pressed against a phone receiver), often deaf to criticism yet always fine-tuned to the whimper of a sick puppy. A Breeder's eyes are blurred from pedigree research and sometimes blind to her own dog's faults, but they are always searching for the perfect specimen. A Breeder's brain is foggy on faces, but it can recall pedigrees faster than an IBM computer. It is so full of knowledge that it sometimes blows a fuse. It catalogues thousands of good bonings, fine ears, and perfect heads... A Breeder's heart is always in the right place. Though often broken with the failures of the ones who did not turn out and those to whom she has bid farewell always too soon, it beats strongly with hope everlasting and a spirit renewed by every birth.