WHAT IS A BREEDER

Author unknown

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! He gives up the dreams of a long,
luxurious cruise in favor 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. He 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 wondrous 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 his 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 an IBM computer. It's so full of
knowledge that sometimes it blows a fuse: it catalogues
thousands of good boning, 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!!!