breederscorner

The Havanese is one of the fastest growing breed listed with the AKC. Astonishingly many of us get phone calls from people just wanting a "pair to breed because " I like puppies and why shouldn't that be enough?" We elected to begin our maiden issue with this set of questions one should ask oneself about breeding. It began as part of a personal letter from a mentor to her mentoree and it's been added to along the way. We hope you find it enlightening.

And a final note . . . Becoming a "breeder" means selecting to become the guardian of the breed! It means to preserve it in its essence, but not to change it!

2. Do I just wish to have a pet litter or do I wish to become a serious exhibitor and competitor?

a. If the answer is a pet litter then are you willing to pay the price of emergency c-sections that can mount up to $1000. Do you plan to be responsible for your 'pet litter' when the new owners no longer want them? Are you prepared to make the hard decision of putting down a deformed pup? If it is for your children to watch do you really want them there when a dead pup or a critical pup comes out? Do you know what to do in the event of a pup emergency?

So, if I want a long term and serious commitment to the breed and if I have decided to breed a litter:

3. What do I want out of this breeding? What kind of look do I have in mind for my pups? How can I produce it? Can the bitch I own give it to me? If she can't, am I prepared to purchase or lease a bitch?

4. Do I understand what a pedigree is all about? Am I aware that it is not just a collection of fancy dog names, or respected kennel names, but that it is the genetic blueprint for my future brood. Great stud dogs became great only because the right bitches were brought to them. None can work miracles.

5. Do I know the strong points and the weak points of at least three generations behind the parent dogs?

6. Will I double up on any faults? If I do I will set them and may never get rid of them!

7. Am I aware that I can produce nothing more than what genetically is in the pedigrees? (for instance, if all ancestors have poor shoulders it is impossible to produce a good one.) As a fluke at times a good shoulder crops up -- then that is a "flyer" and can't reproduce itself. Mother Nature always pulls back to square one.

8. Am I aware that breeding the best to the best is a shortcut to fame and winning?

THE HARD AND CRUEL FACTS OF BREEDING

1. Do I wish to dabble or is this a long term commitment? If the answer is dabble, breed anyone to anyone that appeals to you in order to make pups. If the answer is long term commitment, be extremely selective! Only breed the very best to the very best.

9. When looking at a potential stud, am I swayed by a single feature (movement, perhaps) or do I look at all parts of him. Do I compare his parts against the ones of my bitch. Do I compare their pedigrees? Do I evaluate my bitch honestly? Am I aware of her faults? Does she have more than 2 or 3? Am I aware that an honest evaluation only hurts a person's ego, it does not hurt the dog or bitch? Am I aware that an acknowledgment of the flaws does not cause me to love my dogs any less.

10. Am I aware that the features of a bitch seem to make up over 50% in each pup, thus, I must beware of serious flaws, recessive or up front!

11. Am I aware that I am not working with the look of the parents but with the genes of the grand parents? Do I know them? Have I seen them? What do they have to offer?

12. Am I aware that when eventually breeding my pups, I will be working with their parent's genes and that I will have to deal with their up front flaws in consequent generations? Nothing every goes away. Thus, the best to the best!

13. Am I aware that if a bitch has more than two major flaws, I should use only a pre potent stud dog? A pre potent stud is one who produces himself and overcomes the bitch.

14. Do I know that if a bitch is even slightly aggressive in temperament, I should not incorporate her? She is the one that raises the pups and teaches them her behavior. Pups are hard to sell at the best of times, leave alone the ones with a temperament flaw.