I Am A Breeder
 

I am a breeder

My food receipts for a family of 7 and my dog food bills match

My water bill has doubled

My electric has tripled

It is I, a breeder, who when my fridge quit, saved the dog meds and

let the food go bad.

My feet find the way to the kennel before I have even grabbed a cup

of coffee in the morning and the kennel is my last stop before bed.

While my friends are on a cruise to the Bahamas and my family meets

for Christmas I am home delivering puppies

I haven't had a real vacation in 7 years, but maybe soon. All plans

are made around heat dates, whelp dates and vet dates.

I shower and 10 minutes later my grand kids say I smell like a dog

My clothes are all stained with fecal matter, urine, afterbirth or

bleach

I have to remember to clean my shoes before church



Most of my friends breed dogs

who else can you call at 3 am for support?

Who else has the experience I sometimes need, the med I sometimes

need, or just an uplifting word I sometimes need ? Who else would

understand how it feels to have invested hours and hours and hours in

a weak puppy to lose it? Or the joy in investing hours in one that

lives?

I have slept on the floor beside a litter until the crucial 2 weeks

have passed. I have bottle fed a litter of 12..feeding every 2 hours

and it taking 90 minutes to do for weeks at a time.

I have learned to be proficient at micro chipping, vaccinations, sub

q fluids, bottle feeding and tube feeding.



my vet knows me by first name

the vet knows my children

the vet now knows my grand children

my vet knows it was I who added on the wing to the vet clinic

I am a breeder



It is to me that 63 days takes on new meaning still excited by every

new life

it is I who delivers all my pups, towels and heat lamps on ready

happiness and sadness sometimes intermingled

Even though it increases my work load, I look forward to the 10 day

stage when eyes open, and puppies begin to emerge from the

helplessness of newborns. Puppy breath, a first bark. and a heart of

exploration.

I am not uneducated, unemployable, illiterate or lazy as some Animal

Rights folks would imply of breeders. I am a conscientious lover of

animals and I have found my niche.

I am a breeder.



And although I feel no shame there is a part of me that feels the

need to hide from powers that could come to invade my home and take

my dogs ...maybe for finding a mild infraction, a leaf in the water

dish? A kennel not yet cleaned for the day?

A rash I am home treating? I tell my children and grand children to

hush, do not tell others we are dog breeders, and I wonder when did

breeding puppies go into the same secret place as criminal activity?

I am a breeder and I am not cruel, dumb, uncaring or criminal. I am

not raking in money while sitting on my butt. Every penny I make I

earn through blood, sweat and tears. My greatest joy is a healthy

puppy and a wonderful home. The cards of thanks and the pictures of

my puppy with its new family is the fringe benefits of my efforts. I

am an animal lover, nurse, midwife, heavy laborer, customer service

representative, and marketer. AND I am a breeder.

Tara Jones
Blossom Creek Saint Bernards

Perfect! Pretty much sums it up nicely.

Wow Tami , that was beautiful and came straight from your heart.

It is beautiful and does express just how I feel but I didn't write it. Tara Jones wrote it and it was on an exhibitor's list that I belong to. I believe that it reflects the heart of a true breeder.

WOW! Beautiful! Thanks for sharing

Thanks, Tami!!!!!!!!!! This is exactly how it is but sadly, few people realize it.

Wonderful. Hats off to ALL of the breeders here. I'm always humbled by what you go through with breeding - it's a huge commitment.

That is so very true, but I personally love doing what I do!

Thank you for sharing.

That was so sweet I teard up, yea I am a cryer, but it seemed to touch my heart.

Great post! :thumbup: Thanks!

Thanks for posting ...:thumbup:

Wonderful, thank you for sharing this piece.. so true. Like everything in life, until you experience anything you never realize what a person goes through. Whether it be breeding to a sickness or death in a famly.
That sure does sum up a breeders life.

anne

:thumbup::thumbup:

Tami, that was nice, thanks for sharing.

Sounds exactally the same as raising a human family.;)
My hat is off to all you breeder's and the love and dedication
you put into your litter's and pup's.

:thumbup::thumbup:Thanks for sharing that all so true story!!:)

All I can say is :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thum bup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

I love that!:love:

I may not be as experianced as some of you, but I plan to get there.

Reading this post has just reinforced even more how I feel about breeding and I of course I would do the same for any & all of my fab four. I love this breed even more than I imagined.....they are a large & important part of my life.
:animal-paI AM A BREEDER :animal-pa

Thank you for that beautiful post!

Rofl...Isn't that the truth!...My family actually thinks we plan that litter on Christmas morning or Easter Sunday!... :D ...My life to a "T"...

Thanks for sharing...gave me a chuckle!

That was great! I think my family also thinks I plan my litters to come on family get togethers as well.

:thumbup::thumbup: Those of us who have perfect little specimens of good breeding, thank you, admire and applaud you and those like you! I don't think a lot of people appreciate what truly good, committed breeders go through to achieve their good lines. We, who do, do not complain about price or the difficult process of being able to adopt these little ones. I, for one, cannot think of anyone I apprecate more than the breeder who allowed Patrick and I to love one of her sweet babies ... it is a priviledge! So, I would like to thank you for your committment, dedication and love for the breed!

Amen Sistah!

...and I wouldn't change a thing!

What a beautiful definition of a breeder. Thank you for sharing.

:bravo::goodpost:Its so true. Wonderully put and constructed deep emotion was in it! wtg:D

That is so true, very nice anyone wanting to breed should read this.:)
Thank You Jo ann Yorkies:)

Bravo! I have the utmost respect for breeders like you - those who love and respect their babies (yes, babies!) and make it possible for all of us who love yorkies to have one of these special babies to enrich our lives.

My life was desolate before I got my first yorkie. It was soon after the death of my husband and I was desperate for something to help fill the void in my life. I had always loved yorkies and thought one of these bright, beautiful dogs would help my heart heal.

I did lots of research and saw a couple of very bad, backyard breeders who didn't care anything about their dogs - just the $$.


Thank you for living your life around them and then having enough faith in us to trust us with one of your angels.

God bless you for having the courage and strength to breed these beautiful creatures.

Same here!

Amen!