(I found this poem on the internet and since the author is unknown
I thought it would be alright to share it with you. If the author has
the opportunity to read it, I wish to thank them, as they have expressed
what several of us wish we had the talents to say).
WHAT IS A BREEDER?
A Breeder (with a Capital B) is one who thirsts for knowledge &
never really knows it all, one who wrestles with decisions of conscience,
convince, and commitment.
A Breeder is one who sacrifices personal interests, finances, time,
fancy furniture, and deep pile carpeting! She gives up the dream of
long luxurious cruises in favour of turning that all important show
into this years vacation.
The Breeder goes without sleep (but never without coffee/cola!) 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. She 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 Breeder's lap is a marvelous place where generations of proud and
noble champions once snoozed.
A Breeder's hands are strong and firm and often soiled, but never so
gentle and sensitive to the thrusts of a puppy's wet nose.
A Breeder's back and knees are usually arthritic from stooping, bending,
and sitting in the whelping box, but are strong enough to enable the
breeder to show the next choice pup to a champion.
A Breeder's 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 Breeder's arms are always able to wield a mop, support an armful
of puppies, lend a helping hand to a newcomer.
A Breeder's 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 puppy.
A Breeder's eyes are blurred from pedigree research and sometimes blind
to her own dog's faults, but they are ever so keen to competition's
faults and are always searching for the perfect specimen.
A Breeder's 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 it in the soul, the failures and the ones that
didn't turn out.
The Breeder's 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 THERE ARE
BREEDERS!!! Author Unknown