Today one of my pups, now 10 years old will be given sleep. She has cancer and is failing fast. To all of you who breed remember the hard times. Lollies Mum and her 3 children have become good friends as so many puppy purchasers do. Today I will share with them the heart-breaking moments at the end of Lolas life, as I shared with them the joy and excitement of her birth. So many times over the 40 years I have been breeding dogs I have put my heart on the line to suffer the loss of a beautiful dog, maybe not my dog but, if you, like me keep in touch and become friends with owners, how can you not suffer the pain they do when a wonderful dog is given sleep.
This is the sad side to breeding, we share with our puppy owners the highs and lows. The sign of a good breeder who cries genuine tears at the loss of a pup even though it has been 10 years since you first handed over that bundle of fluff with such joy.
Breeding is never just about the birth but about sharing with owners the great happy fun times and being there to hold hands and weep over the loss of that pup.
I will forever be grateful to those owners who take my precious pups and give them such great lives, some of whom become real friends, some who just keep in loose contact. They take a life I have made with care and love and continue to lavish that love and care. They walk away with a bundle of silly puppyness and cannot foresee the sad day when we will hold that dog one last time in our arms.
Rest easy Lola when your time comes. You have given so much joy in your short 10 years, you have seen 3 children grow into young adults and sheltered your Mum through some hard times. You will be missed so  much. I know Bella will miss your morning coffee moments sitting on the doorstep in the first light of day. I will miss your singing to me when I call in for coffee, Peggy will miss your Berner cuddles, Sophie will miss your ecstatic greetings when she comes home for a visit and Doug will miss the games you played together. All three now grown up but no doubt feeling like they need their Mums cuddles on this awful day.

Remember as you pass your puppies over to new owners, if you are the breeder you should be then in time you to will have to share the broken heart.
Aileen

Such very true words Aileen and I do know the feeling. It's a very difficult time because you both feel sad for yourself AND the owners -when it is your own dog you only have yourself and your family to worry about.

Just Beautiful Merlot

Such a sad day for all . It's Breeders like you who teach and inspire owners to do the best they possibly can for a cherished pup. 

Tish x

I so feel for you Aileen. 

Yesterday I received 2 text messages from people who had pups out of the same litter.  Rejoicing their 8th birthday and wondering how fast those years went. 

Bitter sweet for me though.  I kept the 3rd pup for myself.  My darling Sunshine Girl who I lost in January.  I shed tears even though I was pleased to hear from the 2 owners.

Beautiful Merlot and so true too.

Oh merlot, how heart wrenching for you and the owners. I shall be keeping you all my thoughts.

Amen 'Merlot'.   Is all I can say.

And this coming away from reading about the crippled puppy who came from a 'breeder' who clearly isn't interested in anything but INCOME.

Sadly have been having a few of these, as my first litter was born in 1995.

So true Merlot.

So true, yesterday we had to give sleep to our darling Inca who also had cancer :'(  :'(

Very true Aileen. My first ever litter was born in 2001 and we have lost 3 pups from that litter in the last year. Even though I haven't seen them in the past 12 years I have had contact with the owners and they have become friends so I grieve with them. Just recently a couple who emigrated back in 2005 and of course took their pup with them came on holiday to France and visited for the day and could also see their pups litter sister here who is still alive, a lovely day and lovely memories as I have also seen their children grow up to become adults. I have enlarged my friends group through my dogs.