A Breeder (with a capital B) is one who thirsts for knowledge and never
really knows it all, one who wrestles with decisions of conscience,
convenience, and commitment.
A Breeder is one who sacrifices personal interests, finances, time,
friendships, fancy furniture, and deep pile carpeting! They give up the
dreams of a long, luxurious cruise in favour of turning that all
important Show into this years "vacation".
The Breeder goes without
sleep (but never without coffee!) in hours spent planning a breeding or
watching anxiously over the birth process, and afterwards, over every
little sneeze, wiggle or cry.
The Breeder skips dinner parties because
that litter is due or the babies have to be fed at eight. They disregards
birth fluids and puts mouth to mouth to save a gasping newborn,
literally blowing life into a tiny, helpless creature that may be the
culmination of a lifetime of dreams.
A Breeders lap is a marvelous place where generations of proud and noble
champions once snoozed.
A Breeders hands are strong and firm and often
soiled, but ever so gentle and sensitive to the thrusts of a puppy's wet
nose.
A Breeders back and knees are usually arthritic from stooping,
bending, and sitting in the birthing box, but are strong enough to
enable the breeder to Show the next choice pup to a Championship.
A
Breeders shoulders are stooped and often heaped with abuse from
competitors, but they're wide enough to support the weight of a thousand
defeats and frustrations.
A Breeders arms are always able to wield a
mop, support an armful of puppies, or lend a helping hand to a newcomer.
A Breeders ears are wonderous things, sometimes red (from being talked
about) or strangely shaped (from being pressed against a phone
receiver), often deaf to criticism, yet always fine-tuned to the whimper
of a sick puppy.
A Breeders eyes are blurred from pedigree research and
sometimes blind to her own dog's faults, but they are ever so keen to
the competitions faults and are always searching for the perfect
specimen.
A Breeders brain is foggy on faces, but it can recall pedigrees faster
than a computer. It's so full of knowledge that sometimes it blows
a fuse: it catalogues thousands of good bonings, fine ears, and perfect
heads... and buries in the soul the failures and the ones that didn't
turn out.
The Breeders heart is often broken, but it beats strongly with
hope everlasting... and it's always in the right place !
Oh, yes, there
are breeders, and then, there are BREEDERS!!