you have to show strong interest in showing and in the LONG run gain trust of the breeder to eventually own, show, and breed their line. it's not to be taken lightly and the relationship takes YEARS to build and make a concrete and solid connection. a mentor won't waste time on someone that isn't going to CH. their dogs and that isn't in the long run planning to breed their line with them. it's hand and hand, showing and breeding. and no reputable show breeder with known champions is going to trust their show prospects with anyone. usually for several years the breeder's name goes on as owner or co-owner of the dog...eventually they MIGHT allow it to be owned by the mentee and eventually years and years of helping in whelps and research and learning they MIGHT allow the mentee to have a dog on open reg. and assist that person in their very first breeding and whelping until the mentee can start to do them on their own....a very good mentee might and this is a BIG might...earn the right to continue the lines when the mentor retires or passes on. every line will need a sucessor, but that's a LOT of weight and responsibility to your mentor and their life's work.
breeders if anything i'm saying is wrong or off please correct me, this is my general idea of what i personally would be signing up for if i did decide to become a show breeder. |