True motives behind breeding

[andyhilt27]

I am curious as to what your true motives are behind breeding dogs.....or any animal for that matter. I am not suggesting that anyone here on DSNN are in it for the wrong reasons. I would just like to hear about the incentives that keep you in the game. Not a simple question once I think about taking the steps to become a breeder. I often ask myself, "Why?" Many answers come to mind......

[Diane]

This is referene to my main breed -- Miniature Dachshunds.

I breed only to improve what I already have - to breed a better dog than I already have. Since I've never owned a perfect dog (and have never seen one) my goal is to move closer each time to the Breed's Standard.

If I don't get what I am looking for after breeding my bitch twice, that's the end of my efforts with her. She's spayed and lives out her life in luxury. To breed one bitch more than twice to move ahead with the breed means I'm not selecting the right stud dog(s) or my bitch either isn't reproducing herself or isn't producing something better than herself.

If I'm not getting a better pup/dog with a breeding, I either totally re-evaluate my breeding stock and even look at ending that bitch and acquiring a new bitch from another line in order to move forward - - - to breed a 'better dog than I already have.' OR, I have to continue to NOT be kennel blind and get my hands on (go over a stud dog with my hands to really feel the bone structure myself) before making arrangements for the next breeding.

However, this thinking of mine may be totally different if I'm breeding a rare breed with a small gene pool like a German Pinscher, Canaan Dog, Carolina Dog, etc. Canaan Dog breeders would like one stud dog to NOT be bred more than 8 times so as to not over weight the already small gene pool with the genes of one dog.

That said, health testing is important in all breeds. And, of course, each breed has its own set of health issues and each issue should be heavily weighed when breeding. I need to first know my bitch's health issues status and must rely on the stud owners testing and honesty in representing their dog's health issues or test results.

And, one complaint I have about many stud owners, they are not forthcoming about their stud dogs that are proven negative recessive or dominant gene carriers -- retained testicles are one example. This leads a breeder down a blind path and can waste 2 generations of subsequent breeding with this issue continuing to come out.

Diane and the Dachshunds
Still waiting for a Doberman to join our ranks!@!;)

[andyhilt27]

Thanks for the reply Diane.

You gave me more of a purpose behind your breeding. I know what your style is now. But what are your personal motivators behind breeding? What keeps you going back to it? Is it to better the breed? Success in the ring? Providing puppies to families? Probably all of the above huh?

[Diane]

Thanks for the reply Diane.

You gave me more of a purpose behind your breeding. I know what your style is now. But what are your personal motivators behind breeding? What keeps you going back to it? Is it to better the breed? Success in the ring? Providing puppies to families? Probably all of the above huh?

I'm good at it and have the eye and hand of an artist. My Mother was a painter and sculptor. I am painter and graphic designer. I see the construciton of a dog. I don't like a lot of dogs of my breed that I see in the Breed rings. I feel it's my JOB to produce good dogs for the sake of the breed.

In addition, I do feel a responsibility to place a high quality, healthy, beautiful and loving pup in the arms of deserving pet homes. If we breeders don't do that then where are these wonderful homes going to find a great companion? A pet store? The PennySaver newspaper?

But hey, my litter sizes are like 3 to 5 pups and the last litter I had was a year and a half ago. The mother died 2 hours after her c-section, of the 3 pups 1 died (the little girl) and both boy babies were hand raised by me and my volunteer friends 24/7.

I sure don't breed for money! LOL

By the way, I have a litter due September 23rd. This is from my last intact female. Fingers crossed as if nothing in the whelping box is a winner for the ring then I'm poop outta dogs and poop outta luck.
:)

Attached is Diane's Little Wing (Feather) a Miniature Smooth Red bitch weighing 8 pounds wet and Feather as a surrogate mom to my 2 litte Miniature Wire orphaned boys. They to this day think Feather is their MOM.

Diane

[andyhilt27]

I always did like the minature dachshunds. Cute photos.