My Philosophy on Breeding...as if there aren't enough already

I believe that the first months of a puppies life are a crucial time for that puppy to develop traits and behaviors that will set them up to be amazing dogs, whether as family pets, support companions, or therapy dogs. The methods I use are an eclectic approach from the best sources I have found; Puppy Culture, Avidog through GoodDog, and the AKC.

Quality breeding starts well before puppies are even conceived. Parents should be selected with care based on temperament, genetics, and appearance. A key in healthy puppies is also the health of the mother. I feed Purina ProPlan Sport and also use Origins and Breeders Choice supplements. I've found that these have a drastic impact on the overall health and resilience. Pregnancy, whelping, and nursing puppies is hard work! The health of the mom, mentally and physically is directly tied to the health of the puppies.

Breeding and raising puppies the 'right' way is a ridiculous amount of work. More work than a human baby, in my opinion. What is the right way in my opinion? Puppies should be handled daily, raised in our home (I sacrificed our dining room), exposed to various situations as they develop, fed with quality food, started with basic training (i.e. kennel, house training, etc.) before they even go home, and more that I'm sure I'll get to in another post. With the work that is required, I would not recommend just anyone breed. It takes commitment. Time, tears, worry, heartbreak, sleepless nights,

and a staggering amount of money. I believe that breeding should only be done to better the breed. I breed Moyen poodles, which are the

in between size that lies in the happy place between miniature and standard. A miniature poodle is too small for me, but a standard is larger than I want running around the house. The Moyens are the perfect size for me, typically between 22-36 lbs and 16-19" at the shoulder. Small enough to share the couch with the family, but hardy enough to run miles with us on our country property (I don't run just for clarification, I ride in our side by side). If only I were as healthy as our dogs! That being said, I don't think that designer dogs and mixed breeds are for the interest of the breed. I'll probably write multiple posts on that topic, but this is just an overview if I can keep from being too long-winded.

Another topic that I will definitely be posting more about in the future is the 'Adopt don't Shop' movement. Although the intention was good with the campaign and it has drastically lowered populations in shelters, it has also turned some people into fanatics on both sides and has created yet another polarity in our society. Because all of the other things we fight about don't seem to be enough. YES, I believe in adopting. I've adopted dogs myself. Do I think that adoption is a good option for everyone? NO. You don't have to take one side or another when both are great options depending on

the person and family looking for a fur baby. What we really should be preaching is responsibility and accountability for breeders, owners, shelters, rescues, and those who create puppies but are scum that don't even deserve to be called breeders. So much more will be said about this paragraph later.

Wrapping up. Was that really a 'philosophy' of breeding? Probably not, but this post will be the first of many that will allow people to get to know me.

I will also write a lot about different topics with cited sources to help with things like decision making in bringing a fur baby into your home and from where, training (both what I do, what should be done at home, and troubleshooting), preparing for a puppy's homecoming, and so on and so forth. I might randomly throw in a about home remodeling, who knows. For once I have a place that I can write so many of the things that I spend unless hours telling individuals. Maybe this will actually save time in the long run....or maybe not.

If you made it this far, thank you for reading and have a wonderful day! (Even those of you that scrolled past all the paragraphs after the first sentence, you have a wonderful day too!)

-Heather