I have never bred and at the moment do not intend to breed in the future but having said that why DOES someone choose to breed ?
Given that it is expensive and that there are lots of health issues involved plus all the vetting of new owners .
This thread is NOT intended for arguments - I genuinely do want to know what makes someone decide to breed
Lel

I suppose one reason is wanting a "better" dog than the one you've got....and then an even better one after that.

Knowing that if you've done the health checks, you're not relying on someone else's word for it....

You can not answer that question easily.
The breed you have choosen takes over most of your life.
You eat and breath them gaining as much info as poss.
You know the standards and there health probllems and have a
burning desire to breed the perfect one with the best quality pets
along the way.

yep!!!!! :D

I can understand both reasons- its just that breeding must be so much hard work - physically and emotionally -i wanted to know from an "ethical" breeder what makes them decide to go ahead .
I dont mean the idiots who just want to make a few bob and give their poor pups to just anybody.Regardless of what beahavioural or health issues they may have
Lel

Your turn Dizzy

I think the wonderful feeling of having produced a pet dog that is of the best quality in temperament,health and looks and is going to give some person years and years of love and affection is a part of the equasion (sp).

When I breed as has been said previously it is improve on what I have here,for me to keep one to put in the showring and hopefully do well and to provide well reared, healthy pups for other people. I have made up to champion two homebred BT's, but their siblings are in wonderful pet homes, so I have provided a number of people with wonder ful companions and had the joys of success in the ring from the same litters. The impetus to breed comes from those two things.

There is no finer feeling in the world than those phone calls, letters and Christmas cards and recommendations that tell you what a difference those pups have made to someones life. For example I had someone tell me the other day, that they were visiting their mother in another part of the country and were pounced upon by a chap who said "Oh a Border Terrier I am desperately trying to find one" He was told to be sure to find a reputable breeder to which he replied, "I have been told that there is a very good and caring breeder in Norfolk" and then proceeded to mention me. So I must be doing something right. LOL

Jayne

You have put it so well. I also love for someone else to do well showing those I have bred, as obviously we can't keep all the ones we might wish.

I haven't the room to keep one from each litter, but to see what my bitches are capable of producing I like to have more than one litter from each to different husbands, to help determine the direction I want to go in the next generation.

I always hope to get the best of the non keepers into a home that might have a go at showing, though a loving home is the first priority.

Putting it another way - having your own children is hard work physically and emotionally, and very expensive, but we do that too!

Not quite.
When i meet my partner i did not study his family tree or have him
eye tested etc.
Wish i had HA HA

Likewise Kay...we must be rubbish breeders!!:D (Actually I knew his eyes were okay...not sure about his hipscore though!)

Well mine is no Tom Jones.

Be thankful for small mercies then! Who'd want Tom Jones, not me for sure! Now, there's a nice TV vet in Stoke-on Trent......(rambles on)............ ;)

Ohh forgot to tell you said nice vet is doing a talk on Sat 8th Feb at Audlem nr Crewe hall as part of a charity event, think it starts at 7:30pm and tickets were in the £11 region. Opppppps sorry should have remembered it was you and put it up sooner oh well .

Schip,

Breathe your last few breaths of air..whilst I strangle you for not telling me, I'm on a weeks hols to, could've gone!!!!! AAAAArrrrgggghhhhh

Honest I've breathed my last ok lol ----------------- I couldn't remember who and where until you posted then the light went on and I thought oooohhhh yeah that was in the paper a couple of weeks ago lol.

hi lel,
as the other posters have said, to breed better than you already have,can you imagine what we would have today if it was not for dedicated people trying and studying there chosen breeds, take some of the larger breeds, danes, st bernards, if human beings were not involved with mating these giant breeds, i am sure they would not be the dogs they are today, they may not even exsist, lots of breeds have health problems and true lovers of there chosen breed do every thing to try and eliminate these health problems. regards tina

its a thrill to breed really good looking examples of your chosen breed!!!! that are good enough to win in the ring, or make eyecatching pets, -but they have to have great temperaments too, ,i started off with 2 likely brood bitches, the one that did the most winning was the one i decided not to breed on from, for all of her winning and her fantastic genetic makeup, she could be a touch spooky, -lovley with family and friends but silly things would worry her to death, she also developed thyroid problems, eventually turning into an immune defect, and sadly was pts a day short of her 4th birthday with cancer, i at the time owned her only daughter, she was gorgeous, not as spooky and no health issues "BUT".- i made the choice not to continue, i had the daughter pet homed and speyed, -the bitch im breeding from now is fabulous, didnt win quite as much as the other, but enough, !! her temperaments fabulous, shes sound as a bell, and has produced some lovley pups for me, i can live with my concience, i did what i thought was for the best, --it worked out and paid me back bigtime, :D

Thanks everyone
All I can say is THANKGOD for dedicated and ethical breeders - otherwise I wouldnt have my gorgeous Gus now !!! :)
Lel