03/24/2024
A commentary about a post I read by a breeder…copied from another breeder concerning „lifestyle“ and „hobby breeding“:
„Behind every well bred dog you got the shadow of a devoted breeder who pours their soul into every dog and every litter.
A puppy is not just a "puppy", it's years of dedication, planning, traveling, testing, training, competing, sleepless nights, financial- emotional- and physical losses, disapointment, happiness, friendship, knowledge, experience, learning, researching, networking and so much more.
It's not just a hobby, it's a lifestyle and years of dedication to a breed.“
From Elin Gunnarsson
So I looked up that person that wrote that original post about lifestyle and hobby breeders… Above you can read the original post. Although it may seem wonderful and self-praising it is generalized, self-proclaiming superiority and elitism and simply inaccurate.
There’s a problem with that statement when a “lifestyle” breeder purchases a good foundation dog from another breeder. The ONLY true breeders were our foundation breeders. THEY WERE NOT lifestyle breeders. No breeder should take credit alone for someone else’s work, and claim it was their hard work, or “lifestyle” doing all that work. Lifestyle has nothing to do with results…There is where the fallacy lies…
Where the problem lies is NOT whether someone breeds regularly or excessively or decides to show their dogs or not …..
The issue is the lack of knowledge and education of the dog by some breeders and inexperienced judges on particular breeds, the authentic standard and the need to preserve it on all levels visually and it’s once inherit ability to perform as it was meant to as well it’s acceptable and expected disposition to also be a safe family dog. Any good and responsible breeder makes use of the best dogs structurally and healthiest dogs genetically and behaviorally. It has NOTHING TO DO WITH LIFESTYLE!! Frequency in breeding and participation in events have nothing to do with this either. It’s about knowledge and education solely…and it’s about recognizing a good dog when you see it and really knowing the breed inside out as a judge or an artist with an experienced eye. Not all good dogs are in the ring!! There is a problem with labels such as breeders and hobby breeders. There is a problem with club thinking. There is a problem with judges of dogs that are friends and no longer objective. There are good ethical breeders and bad “greeders”! There are dogs that fit the true standard and whole picture of the breed and there are ones that do not. It has absolutely NOTHING to do with “lifestyle” or “hobby”! It has everything to do with knowledge, education, genetics, health testing and ETHICS. Think about it…
Please stop 🛑 with the “I’m so wonderful” posts and lamentations!! Show humility, recognize ethics and enjoy what you do or stop doing it.
