Definition of a (good) Breeder
A Breeder is one who thirsts for knowledge and never really knows it all and doesn't pretend she does......
One who wrestles with dicisions of conscience, convenience, and commitment.....
A breeder is one who sacrifices personal interests, finances, time, fancy furniture and deep pile carpeting.... She gives up the dreams of a long luxurious vacation in favor of turning that spare room into a wonderful puppy room..... besides who would watch the dogs while she was gone.....
She goes without sleep (but never without caffeine!) in hours spent planning a breeding or watching anxiously over the birth process and afterwards, over every little sneeze, wiggle, or cry.......
She skips dinner parties because that litter is due or the babies have to be fed at eight....
She disregards birth fluids and does mouth to mouth to save a gasping new-born, literally blowing life into a tiny, helpless creature that she knows will fulfill someone's dreams.....
Her lap is a marvelous place where generations of happy, healthy and much adored furbabies have snoozed.... and still do.....
Her hands are strong and firm, but ever so gentle and sensitive to the thrusts of a puppies wet nose....
Her back and knees are always aching from stooping, bending and sitting in the birthing box but are strong enough to enable her to play on the floor with that rascally bunch at 5 weeks old......
Her shoulders are stooped and often heaped with abuse from unkind words of those who don't understand, but they are wide enough to support the weight of a thousand "Thank You's" from happy new families....
Her arms are always able to wield a mop, support an armful of puppies or lend a helping hand to a new comer..... but can't hold grudges or hold onto unpleasant ridicule......
Her ears are wondrous things, sometimes red (from being talked about) or strangely shaped (from being pressed against a phone receiver,) yet always fine-tuned to the whimper of a sick puppy or the distant rain that urges her to get the furbabies in from the upcoming bad weather......
Her eyes may be blurred from pedigree research, but they are ever so keen to what a healthy, happy puppy looks and acts like.....
Her brain is sometimes foggy on faces but it can recall how many were in a litter four years ago that produced a certain puppy..... It's so full of knowledge that sometimes it blows a fuse: it catalogues thousands of colors, sizes, and perfect temperaments......
Her heart is sometimes broken but it beats strongly with hope everlasting.... and it's always in the right place!
Oh, yes, there are Breeders, and then, there are BREEDERS!
