We Need To Talk
It's time for a confession. I am a breeder. Yes, one of those horrible, politically incorrect breeders of purebred dogs. I've owned and bred Pembroke Welsh Corgis since 1980. Thirty years. I've finished 25 AKC champions, many of them group placing dogs and 3 breeder/owner/handler group winners and almost all of them with more than one performance (obedience, tracking, herding or agility) title. I'm not bragging, I'm just saying.
In this day and age, it's extremely unpopular to be a "breeder" of purebred dogs. Yep, I know all about those dogs in shelters. I am as sad for them as you are. I hate to see any dog suffer. I don't care if it's a purebred dog or a mutt. I don't even care if it is a new designer dog which, let's face it folks, are sweet, lovable mutts. But those dogs in shelters are not my dogs!
I follow up with all my puppies. My dogs all live in my house. I clean up my yard constantly. I buy the very best dog food available. Each of my dogs are individually trained and worked with daily. In contrast, my neighbor breeds "quality pets" in her unheated quanstet hut. What is a "quality pet"? It's any little furry, fluffy dog which can be bred to another little furry, fluffy dog. Health cleareances? None. Temperament testing? Nope.Early puppy training? You've got to be kidding.
My neighbor once asked me how I kept my puppies alive in the winter. Excuse me? I honestly did not understand what she was asking me. Me, I have heating pads and heat lamps, my puppies are kept in my bedroom until old enough to move into the dinning room/kitchen area. My neighbor, on the other hand, hangs a 40 watt light bulb over her winter litters out in the unheated quanstet hut. And yes, she has muliple winter litters. So sad. Again, I'm just saying.
This is what my "breeder of quality pets" neighbor dumped along my driveway last week. I didn't take a very good picture of it so I'll tell you, it is a winter's worth of pee and poop soaked sawdust scooped out from under the wire cages her dogs have for living quarters in the unheated quanstet hut.
Why am I blogging about this? Because I want you to think about the difference in "breeders" and think before you purchase your next dog, purebred, designer dog or shelter rescue. Because you could very well be "rescuing" a dog from my neighbor, which will only keep her breeding more (cough, cough) quality pets.
So let's move on to more enjoyable topics.
Dogs
We've had some nice success in agility trials lately. Dot finished up her Excellent Preferred titles and the next day picked up her first double Q. Yeah Dot. Dak also completed his Excellent titles and the very next day his first double Q, go Dak! Whisper and Dusty have also been doing nicely. Whisper has gained so much confidence and speed lately it's difficult to remember she's the same dog who spent 5 days in the ICU at the U of MN Vet Clinic where we twice talked about letting her go.
Tinkerbelle, my 16 pound wonder, my little "corgette", made her novice agility appearance for one day and aced both her Standard and Jumpers With Weaves (JWW) runs. Belle is so much fun to train and run. You should be able to view her JWW run here.
And my JJ? Well, after taking forever to get his Open Jumpers title, he whizzed through his Excellent Jumpers title but now is taking a little longer than forever to get through his Excellent Standard title.
It's a good thing I love you JJ!
Food
I've been so in love with quinoa lately. Here's my rendition of quinoa with sauteed peppers and onions along with some grated lemon peel, lemon juice and parmigiano reggiano cheese. Yum!
Birds
I love my cardinals. Love how they always show up in pairs either very early in the morning or far into dusk in the evening.
In this day and age, it's extremely unpopular to be a "breeder" of purebred dogs. Yep, I know all about those dogs in shelters. I am as sad for them as you are. I hate to see any dog suffer. I don't care if it's a purebred dog or a mutt. I don't even care if it is a new designer dog which, let's face it folks, are sweet, lovable mutts. But those dogs in shelters are not my dogs!
I follow up with all my puppies. My dogs all live in my house. I clean up my yard constantly. I buy the very best dog food available. Each of my dogs are individually trained and worked with daily. In contrast, my neighbor breeds "quality pets" in her unheated quanstet hut. What is a "quality pet"? It's any little furry, fluffy dog which can be bred to another little furry, fluffy dog. Health cleareances? None. Temperament testing? Nope.Early puppy training? You've got to be kidding.
My neighbor once asked me how I kept my puppies alive in the winter. Excuse me? I honestly did not understand what she was asking me. Me, I have heating pads and heat lamps, my puppies are kept in my bedroom until old enough to move into the dinning room/kitchen area. My neighbor, on the other hand, hangs a 40 watt light bulb over her winter litters out in the unheated quanstet hut. And yes, she has muliple winter litters. So sad. Again, I'm just saying.
Why am I blogging about this? Because I want you to think about the difference in "breeders" and think before you purchase your next dog, purebred, designer dog or shelter rescue. Because you could very well be "rescuing" a dog from my neighbor, which will only keep her breeding more (cough, cough) quality pets.
So let's move on to more enjoyable topics.
Dogs
We've had some nice success in agility trials lately. Dot finished up her Excellent Preferred titles and the next day picked up her first double Q. Yeah Dot. Dak also completed his Excellent titles and the very next day his first double Q, go Dak! Whisper and Dusty have also been doing nicely. Whisper has gained so much confidence and speed lately it's difficult to remember she's the same dog who spent 5 days in the ICU at the U of MN Vet Clinic where we twice talked about letting her go.
Tinkerbelle, my 16 pound wonder, my little "corgette", made her novice agility appearance for one day and aced both her Standard and Jumpers With Weaves (JWW) runs. Belle is so much fun to train and run. You should be able to view her JWW run here.
And my JJ? Well, after taking forever to get his Open Jumpers title, he whizzed through his Excellent Jumpers title but now is taking a little longer than forever to get through his Excellent Standard title.
Food
Birds
I love my cardinals. Love how they always show up in pairs either very early in the morning or far into dusk in the evening.
posted by mary at 9:43 PM
4 Comments:
Everybody has their own timelines right, JJ?
Speaking of irresponsible, you should meet my SIL and her BF. They bought a purebred male Yorkie and a Yorkie/Pom mix as puppies. Decided it would be a good idea to breed them, so they did. Twice. Way before the female was old enough to safely carry litters. I tried to tell her it wasn't healthy for the little female, but she wouldn't believe me until her vet told her. She kept one female from the first litter but listened to her vet and had the two females spayed. However, her BF has anthropomorphized these dogs and doesn't want to take away the male Yorkie's fun! They routinely breed him with a friend's toy poodle. My SIL at least is an educated woman who will not listen to ANYONE! (They also feed these dogs on rotisserie chickens from the grocery store - bones and all.)
I can't get my password to work, so I'm posting as anon. - Guinifer
Mary,
Way to go Tinkerbelle!! What an agility Rockstar. I can't wait to see her at a trial. I feel like I have not seen you forever. I hope we can meet up at some agility trials this summer.
Bailey has been doing great in agility. She earned both her Open Jumpers Title and Open Standard Title. I am so proud of her.
Look forward to seeing you soon.
Andrea
You know, I live in a state that is notorious for puppy mills, and where the lovely and talented Michael Vick is currently making his home.
Just reading your blog, it is CLEAR that yes, you are a breeder, but that they are also your dogs. They get care, attention, love, shelter, a cat to play with (I'm sure he thinks of it differently) and that is how it should be. Too many people are guided by a way to do it easy and make money, and the animals become inventory to move along.
I would give anything to be able to have one of your sweethearts, as I know they have been well cared for, loved, and taught some manners.
Maybe technically you are a breeder, Mary, but really you are a responsible person who loves animals and wants to make the world the best possible for them.
That's why even the cardinals like you ... ;-)
Hey Mary,
There aren't enough rings in Hades for people like your neighbor. Maybe you can at least report their abuse? Or the dumping of crap alongside YOUR property?
In the meantime congratulations!! on all your recent success! See you in the ring soon, as my AKC season is about to start up again.
Chris
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