A question was asked this morning on the “Preservationists of Purebred and Purposefully Bred Dogs” Facebook group:
If you could narrow it down, please explain to us two components that you believe make you a good breeder. And likewise, what makes someone substandard?
The Barrett answer, below.
…
1) Having a master breeding program that strives to improve the breed over many, many generations.
2) Knowing what you have so you can place the right dog with the right owner.
What makes someone substandard is the absence of those two things.
I believe that breeders have a responsibility to preserve their breed(s). You need to have a plan in place that spans DECADES because this isn’t something that’s done in a generation or two.
I’ve also seen breeders sell the wrong dog to the right people. It’s very disappointing because it’s hard to find people who want to DO stuff with their dogs… and when these people come along and get puppies from inexperienced breeders who claim that they “have the perfect dog…!!!!!” these people end up with:
– A dog they wanted to hunt over but it was purchased from a breeder who has never shot a gun
– A dog they wanted to compete in agility trials with but it was purchased from a breeder who has never competed in agility and doesn’t understand what “drive” is
– A dog they wanted to play in the show ring with but it was purchased from a breeder who has never stepped into a show ring and doesn’t understand the difference between conformation and confirmation
– A dog they wanted to field trial but it was purchased from a breeder who has never trained specifically for field trialing or placed a dog (let alone finish it) in the field trial circuit
The list goes on.
Leave a Reply