The love of a good dog breeder

I've written a hundred different columns and posts on how to find, or identify, a good dog breeder. I suspect most of my fellow bloggers here have, too.



Gina pegged one of the characteristics of that breed, the provision of a lifetime safety net for every dog that breeder produces. And that's long been my "ten second acid test" as well.



Now I have another.



When Rawley's breeder put him on the plane in Detroit to send him across the country to me, she phoned me. She was crying.



Her name is Paula Pascoe, and lest you think she's some neophyte who has had so few litters that she can still indulge in loving them, you should know that she's one of, if not the, top conformation breeders in Scottish Deerhounds today, with multiple Best in Show and Best in Specialty Show winning hounds bearing her kennel name, Lehigh. I don't know what year she produced her first litter, but she is in at least her third decade of breeding now.



When she was crying on the phone, she apologized, not wanting to harsh my new puppy squee. "I'm so sorry," she started to say. "But..."



"Don't," I said, cutting her off. "I'm sorry you're unhappy, but I have to tell you, I wouldn't want to get my puppy from someone who didn't cry when she saw him go."



Sadly, I can't tell you how to look into a breeder's heart and see if she or he loves their puppies. Like art and pornography, I guess "love" is something we just know when we see it, but can't really explain.



But if I could, I'd tell you: Never get a dog from a breeder whose heart doesn't break with every puppy she places.



Photo: Rawley, stealing my chair along with my heart.

Comments

[Gina Spadafori]

I sobbed all the way home from SFO to Sacramento after putting the last of the ZinKuties on a plane to New Jersey. Zippy the Pinhead, Mr. Yellow, now Jack the Zipper -- he was the first to arrive and last to leave.



They'll all be a year old Monday. I freakin' can't believe it. I've never worked so hard at ANYTHING as I did raising those six little black sausages.



I can't wait to meet Rawley on Saturday! He's so lucky: He gets to meet his very first flatcoat, Miss FayBee, who is getting to go to the Big City for her No. 1 B-Day.

[Liz McInnis]

I agree and disagree with you, all at the same time! I treasure the great, caring breeders who have trusted me with their puppies. But I've also taken puppies from breeders who obviously didn't care about them...and in my heart, considered those puppies rescues, even though I had to pay for them. The puppies weren't responsible for their breeders, after all, and all puppies should have loving homes!

[David S. Greene]

This is just stars in perfect alignment. Christie gets Rawley from the EXACT right breeder, Rawley is lucky enough to land a superduper mom who will love and protect him from puppyhood through advanced old age, and both Rawley and (gasp!) a 1 year old FayBee get to become friends.



I still can't believe FayBee is a year old already, but that's neither here nor there.

[Liz Palika]

I understand perfectly, Christie! Bashir, Archer, and Riker's co-breeder is the same way. And she appreciates me sending photos and updates of her babies - even when the baby is going to be 11 years old in April.



When she got Archer back from his first home because he didn't turn out to be show quality, she knew the little guy had been traumatized. She called my husband and I and told us that she knew we could mend his broken heart - and no, I'm NOT quoting from the country song!



Archer, as a five month old puppy, needed some TLC. I appreciate that she felt we were right for him because he was certainly right for us!

[Paula Pascoe]

(Blush)

Thank you for the tremendous testimonial, Christie.

I bred my first litter in 1976, BTW. This is litter #25 for me.

And each puppy still has a little piece of my heart.

[Susan]

My Allie's breeder had tears in his eyes when he gave her (as an eight-week-old puppy) to my daughter and me for the drive to our home.

[Animal Lover]

Tears don't always tell the story. One can love a pup - yet be glad to see it go to a new owner! Believe me - we check you out as much or more than you check us. Anyone who gets a pup should consider themselves related to the rest of that dog's family for the life of that dog - and maybe, beyond!!! Tears are easy to get - and love doesn't have to hurt!



A GOOD breeder is one that knows their breed, breeds to enhance the good points, tries to avoid known problems, AND sells ONLY to people who will appreciate that pup!!!!!!

[Myriam Parent]

Wow, you remind myself when I was waiting for Chivas, my Greyhound pup! I had a wonderful experience with my breeder and we're still in touch.

We might consider to adopt a deerhound someday, it is nice to have already a good breeder name on our list! =)

[Martha M]

Yes, I joke that when I got a re-homed sweetie from her breeder, that I also got a new set of "in-laws".

[Kathy Johnson]

Yep...the breeder of both of my greyhound boys cried when I took them from her arms to begin our trips home.

[Sharon Allert]

Christie, what a touching article. Paula breeds great dogs and I'm sure a part of that is because so much of her heart is invested in it. My last three greyhounds have come from a Breeder in South Carolina. When I got the first two it was hard to get her to commit. I figured out later was because it was hard for her to let go. I have gotten another from her since, and it was a little easier getting Fiona. I think in your case it is the same as in mine. There is a lot of heart and committment on both sides. Oh, and I think I finally have the bitch for Sky.

[FrogDogz]

I hate hate hate sending the kids to new homes. I know that they're going someplace where they'll be loved, but I end up disconsolate for weeks afterwards, and I fret and worry about their well being.



In the fall, I held on to two puppies for longer than normal, to accommodate their new families' schedules. BIG mistake. I had a horrible time letting Pammy and Peanut Butter go, and was actually a little bit nuts the week they had to leave.



Luckily, since these are Frenchies we're talking about, they don't even give me a backwards glace before they trade up for a new home, but I miss them, even if it's not mutual :)

[Kim Thornton]

When we took 3-year-old Bella home after a supervised shopping trip to get everything she needed, her breeder just walked away, didn't even say goodbye. That's because she was crying. I don't think she realized that we and Bella would still be in her life 11 years later...

[Chloe]

"A GOOD breeder is one that knows their breed, breeds to enhance the good points, tries to avoid known problems, AND sells ONLY to people who will appreciate that pup!!!!!!"



I totally agree with Animal Lover here...Sadly, there are a lot of breeders out there who doesn't do this :(

[Animals Away]

I can understand how a breeder would be so emotional after giving away one of her babies, it's very much like a mother and child! If there was no emotion involved, I would question the breeders integrity! Are they just out for a quick buck,or do they really love what they are doing and love the babies they raise!

[Angela McCalla]

I love all my puppies and take a big deep breath as they go off to their new homes. I always worry, fret and fume when I don't hear back right away, but I never cry. I'm just not a crier. Doesn't mean I don't love each one, and offer a full take back policy in each contract. I only breed every 2 or so years. Some people are more 'out-there' with their emotions than others, and I am just not one of them. Please don't articulate that to be a good breeder I have to cry. Please.

[Joe Dyer]

My favourite dog quote. The more I work with dogs

The more I believe it.



"A dog is the only thing

on earth that loves you

more than he loves

himself."

Josh Billings



Joe Dyer

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