17/08/2023
Borrowing from one “Badass Breeder” who definitely speaks words of wisdom through experience and research… do you due diligence to be informed and know that it’s ok to take a step back to reevaluate and not just flow with the fad- those of us that are hear for the right reasons understand the needs of “a breeder” and his/her dogs. We realize tht a pound or humane society is the VERY last place we want our dogs to be, and for pup parents, at a vet incurring thousands of dollars as well as insurmountable heartbreak ❤️🩹 is DEFINITELY not where we want them to be- so to do our very best to make sure these things are not happening to the best of our abilities, requires careful planning, time, patience, love, and it all comes with a monetary price tag that no one other than ethical breeders seems to comprehend or they choose to ignore.
Move forward with deliberate intent- do things with a plan and passion ;)
Due to the unpredictable market, many ethical breeders are taking "a pause" for a cause.
We are not encouraging or supporting "backyard"/ill -intentioned breeders. We are not throwing away our hard work and dedication either. But we might be moving forward a little bit differently.
Ethical breeders do have to keep a pulse on the market. That is just the reality. And when things change, we have to adapt.
However, adaptation is not lowering standards. It is not slashing our prices so much so that we cannot keep our high standards of care and health in our lines.
There is a big difference in having to adjust pricing to match the economy (keep in mind we are paying the higher prices for all of our care, supplies and dog food too) and be part of the reason why the market is tanking to begin with.
I will not lower my standards nor will I overproduce and drop pricing to a point that my dogs are not afforded the care and standards they have now.
What I will do, is reduce the amount of puppy availability we have.
I am a big believer that in every situation, we can choose to see only the negative or we can choose to see the good.
I choose to see the good. This reduction/short term pause gives me to time to spend with my teen children. It gives me time to really evaluate my mission and my goals and ensure every dog in the program is meeting the highest of standards. It gives me time to reflect and work on personal growth. It gives me time to remember who I am too...
Raising puppies is a 24/7 hour commitment and so many breeders feel isolated, lose themself, do not have enough of themself to go around and ultimately suffer from burn out.
By taking a pause and or reducing our program a little bit to match the market, that is an ethical thing to do. It will also give time for veterinarians, groomers and trainers a chance to get caught up as well. Covid's puppy panic buying really did a number on our dogs. Shelters and rescues are feeling the effects of the puppy surge as well.
Our dogs deserve to be brought into the world with the highest of standards, committed families that have the time, money and dedication to give to them and have breeders that are valued and respected.
I am so proud of your commitment to continue doing what is best for our dogs in whatever that means for you right now.
Maybe you don't have to change a thing. Maybe you take or have taken a year off. Maybe you just reduce your program a little...or a lot. Maybe you haven't decided yet because these decisions are just damn DIFFICULT.
And that is ok too.