Who is the best?

So often we tend to focus on the negative aspects of breeders.

I would like to talk about the POSITIVE aspects of breeders.

Let's share examples of breeders who breed GREAT dogs, and have breeding practices that are good for their breed. These are the people that we look to as mentors and examples of how to conduct oneself and a breeding program.

Here is one that I will always admire.

Really nice people, really beautiful dogs, very conscientious about breeding practices and placing puppies, who are breeding dogs who also have WORKING ability.

Esmond Rottweilers

These people and the dogs they are producing will resonate in a very beneficial manner through our breed for many years.

Who carries the torch of the future in your breed?

[Dekka]

One I would nominate is on this Board-AdoJRTs

She has been very involved in breed rescue, has a great puppy buyer contract, guarantees pups for health and temperament for LIFE, works and shows her dogs, health tests......

[corgipower]

For corgis, a woman I knew when I lived in St Louis. She's done a lot of research and is as knowledgeable as it gets when it comes to corgi bloodlines.

She herds with them and she shows in breed ring. She is highly selective about what dogs she's willing to breed and always has a reason for the pairing - something specific she's trying to improve.

Very selective with placements when she sells puppies, active in various clubs, happy to help a newbie.

I hope to get my next corgi from her, but even if I get it somewhere else, when I have a corgi to breed, I hope she'll help mentor me as a newbie breeder.

[Laurelin]

Denzel- I would love to get a papillon from them one day.

http://www.denzelpaps.net/

Beauty, brains, versatility, works in rescue. Just an all around good breeder.

[PWCorgi]

I haven't met one in Pemmies yet.

Hey CP, would you mind telling me who the person is that you are talking about? PM if you don't want to do it here? I know of one breeder in St. Louis but I don't know a lot about her breeding practices.

[Zoom]

Ad Astra is a newish breeder, only whelped 2 litters but they do EVERYTHING I look for in a breeder and I'm harsh in my views. All his dogs have gone on to be outstanding in everything they do, from working to showing to SAR, etc. Also involved in rescue. I'm hopefully getting a pup from them next year.

[Bahamutt99]

http://matrixkennels.com/

I'm a little biased, though.

[bubbatd]

There are too many for me to even mention in my years with Goldens. I had so many proven lines in all I bred to . Today , I wouldn't know where to start .

[Lizmo]

There are quite a few very reputable breeders I wouldn't hesitate to buy a pup from, and would like to one day. I'll just list a couple.

First would be my breeder, Fieldstone Border Collies. I can't even believe they let me purchase a pup from them, considering my age. They were extremely nice to me, and have very, very good dogs. Definitely producing good, solid, working dogs.

Then StilHope, my trainer, and Shoofly Farm.

[youhavenoidea]

Slade's breeder is Colray Reg'd Weimaraners. I couldn't be happier with their practices, and will return to them for all of my Weims for as long as they're still breeding.

Although relatively new to breeding (Slade was part of their second litter) they are everything I could have asked for from a breeder, and then some. The breeder is a vet tech, who works for a private vet practice owned by a former Weim owner. She (as some of you may remember) goes so far in including her puppy buyers in every step of her process, that I was even provided with ultrasounds and x-rays of the puppies before they were born. She goes beyond the breed`s typical testing of hips, and gets elbow, cardiac and thyroid clearance on her breeding stock as well. Parents are show-proven CHs as well, though that`s not nearly as important as genetic soundness. Puppies are incredibly socialized (and 100% home raised) by the time they come home, and she offers 100% support on absolutely every aspect after the puppies are long out of the whelping box. We speak over email at least once a week.

Her contracts include spay and neuter clauses, stipulations about socialization and puppy classes, and a confirmation that any and ALL puppies rehomed for ANY reason, go back to her. Period.

She breeds for health, temperament, versatility, correctness, and beauty - in that order. She has ONE breeding female at a time, and only ONE litter per year - which is already spoken for 100% before the breeding will occur.

They (both she and her husband) and heavily involved in the Weimaraner Association of Canada as well as breed rescue.

They, as a breeding practice, are for me, a prime example of what a RESPONSIBLE BREEDER is.