What kind of foundation bitch(s) did you start with and looking back what would you think of them now?

I started off with a bitch of good type adn exceleltn breeding, ehr litter brother was made up to a champion.  she was typical with a lvoely classic head, though she was a bit long caste.  She did enough in the showring to get her Stud book number.

I now think her mother was a better bitch than she was but went to a pet home after her litter.  If she had been available and in hindsight I think I would have liked to have started with her.

The bitch pup I kept from her was a step backwards other than the blood of her sire.  Now I would have kept a different pup from the litter.

I kept the right pup from her first litter, and was lucky in having the best pup in her first litter back and make up my first champion.  In her second litter the male shown in UK has 2CC's and a RCC, and a bitch sent to Australia has her title.

My first Spanish Water Dog was excellent for those who would want a good show/pet type.  When I say "pet" I mean in the context of the average pet owner being able to cope with the temperament.  She had a perfect head, bodyshape correct, movement was true and when she stood she stood to perfection!  Even at 11 years of age she was winning import register classes and getting BOB.

Though, as a working dog she was not good!!  She would hunt, point and ummmm point!!!  She occasionally retrieved but thought that her job was only to show you where the item that needed to be retrieved was and that it was for you to go and get it once she found it :d 

Temperament wise I don't think there's ever been one quite like her although I have to say that going to Jennyb59's over the weekend her Graci seemed to have the same sort of style regarding the temperament stakes.  I'm really looking forward to see how she comes on and whether she does prove me right and that maybe she's the closest to Dilita that I've seen so far in the breed.

Aww thanks, she is a sweetie...she does retrieve tho..hee hee and runs around with a rubber chicken like a mad thing....

Fingers crossed my foundation bitch is due in 2 weeks! She is a pretty good example of the breed I think, 3 BOB at open shows and 1 Ch show placing, not bad in our breed where good bitches to buy are like gold dust! She's also very intelligent for the breed, and we do obedience too. She is quite big and stocky for a bitch, but the only major thing I would love to get rid of are the freckles on her nose and legs!

Fingers & toes & paws crossed here for you Lucy

Sooooo exciting Lucy,
my bitch is due in 8 days too. Good luck to you and your little girlie!

My foundation bitch is a wonderful looking dog, although maybe I would have gotten one that was a little less dominant. She is always making me laugh, but I have to always be on my toes.  But I dont think I would have changed breeds. I was debating between two breeds, and although my first bitch of the one breed I did get, I am probably going to get a bitch out of the other breed I was looking at (if you are curious, look at my name on forum, and I combine the two breeds together - not in a breeding though lol - just the name)

My aunt got a foundation bitch (bout 30 years ago) and she couldnt get a live litter out of her.  She did wonderful at shows and guard work, but no puppies did she produce.  Her second foundation bitch was also a wondeful dog, just not as good at guard work. (She was too small - weight wise, hence her name being Peanut.) My aunt keeps telling me that story, and she says that you should never be too mad if your bitches never produce a litter, even though you keep trying, because they are first and foremost a friend. 
~~~~~sitting right here

My foundation bitch is now 10 yrs old and was brought as a pet. At 16 months her breeder asked me to show her at an open show and she won BOB and BIG. At the next 3 shows she did the same. Next were the champ shows and she was always in the top 3 and Crufts qualified. Her first litter produced me 2 championship show winning kids and her next litter 1 championship show winning kid. Total pups was 11 puppies!!!
The line from her has gone on to produce championship show winning dogs, obedience competition dogs and working test dogs and most importantly therapy dogs. I have dogs in quite a few other kennels around the country and they are winning at shows and producing nice lines for other breeders. We are now on our 4th generation.
My foundation bitch  is well built and has an excellent front and rear end. The angulation of her rear is hard to find nowadays and her front is what alot of breeders have said they would love. She is very doggy looking but that is the type I like and with the exception of her feet and the fact she is a little close behind when moving I wouldn't change a thing about her. I often look at her and feel privileged to have brought a pet who has done so much for me and of course she introduced me to the wonderful world of showing and breeding.