Why breed dogs?
A dependable breeder has a long laundry list of things to do before ever producing one litter of puppies. Both parents and their ancestors (and many other dogs to narrow it down to just two) are researched for health issues and the cross is carefully considered. Will this cross better the breed? Is the liklihood of genetic defect as little as possible? What about temperament or working ability? Just a few of the questions to ask. All breeding dogs are health checked at great expense by specialized veterinarians for structural faults, ophthalmology and various blood work as needed. Breeding dogs are well maintained with nourishment, vaccinations, worming, exercise, training. Some won't breed dogs unless they have earned a recognition or title in their chosen venue or area of competition. Any competition/activity requires long hours of training, miles and miles of driving and the costly expense of entry fees.
The best breeders carefully screen prospective homes and sell the majority of their puppies on spay/neuter contracts with appropriate health guarantees. They also make provision to help re-home the puppy if needed, or take it back if absolutely necessary. If you wander through any Humane Society you will notice that the vast majority of abandoned dogs are lab x, shepherd x, husky x, etc, etc. In other words, people who do not maintain their dogs, keep them contained, take care of their health with spay/neuter. Breeders are often criticized for over-population, but the majority of the problem comes from the backyard of any given neighborhood.
Dedicated breeders do what they do because they love their breed and strive to improve it. You can't improve the breed without breeding. The amount of time, effort, cost, hope, joy and occasional heartbreak that goes into producing a quality litter of puppies is immeasurable. The real pay-off isn't in dollars and cents - it is in the phone calls, emails and pictures from the families that adore the life you helped create. And, from the satisfaction of knowing that you gave that puppy the best start possible in terms of health, temperament and placement. Dogs help make people happy. Well bred and raised puppies are more likely to have permanent homes, less health issues and be easier to train. Their traits and instincts are known - you know what you are getting when you purchase a purebred dog from a quality, responsible breeder.
Responsible breeders work very hard to make this happen.
We are working very hard to make this happen.
Cheryl
