Breeding Philosophy
At Spottadachs we believe in breeding to better the breed. 50% of all income we receive from raising puppies goes to bettering our program, genetics, and the lives of our adults. The other 50% goes into the puppies. About 25% goes to food, 20% goes into vaccinations and de-worming, and the last 5% goes back to the customers in the form of starter packs, and lifetime support.
Timing
At Spottadachs we don’t just breed dogs because they are old enough to be “active” or have what is required to get the job done. We believe in waiting until our dogs are also mentally prepared. Some dogs are born acting like old men and some are still puppy playful till 2. Before we even consider breeding any one of our dogs they are thoroughly vetted, health tested, and evaluated for temperament and maturity.
Selection
By carefully choosing which dogs become parents through genetic testing and conformation evaluation we improve the quality of puppies we produce with every generation.
There is a delicate balance to protect not only the health of the parents but the health of future generations as well. If a certain female is extra long in the back we choose a male who is slightly on the shorter side to avoid possible back issues with the offspring. If a male throws larger heads (common with the English creams) then we have to be very careful the mother has ample hips for birthing those blockheads.
In our experience breeding, a larger male to a smaller female leads to difficulties. The same goes further by watching the influence of past generations on the offspring. Sometimes larger genetics can crop back out of a tiny mother.
Another example of the trickiness of genetics is coat types and colors. Some genes just don’t mesh well with others causing blindness, faulty coats, and/or other abnormalities. We spend countless hours learning genetics so that each mating can be planned as knowledgeably as possible.
So why breed when so many need rescuing?
Dog breeders have become the preferred target of Animal Rights Activists. For some reason, they hate our devotion to our chosen breeds and have done their best to vilify us so that the general public views breeders as heartless, money-grubbing bandits.
The general public has been tricked into feeling ashamed for buying a puppy from a reputable breeder instead of adopting it from a shelter or pet store. Yet these very same groups have no problem taking donations and selling their puppies and dogs to that same public for sometimes higher prices than breeders.
They claim they ask for donations and charge for their adoptions to cover the costs of food, shelter, and vet bills for their animals. Reputable breeders are doing exactly the same except they are using the money from puppies to better their genetics and improve their chosen breed.
First of all, if done correctly, very few breeders are making money by breeding dogs because it costs so much to produce a healthy litter from testing, feeding, and vaccinations to emergency vet care, and providing for retired dogs not just dumping them.
Now I know that when the average person sees breeders charging $1,000, $1,200, $1,500, and up for a puppy it seems like we are raking in the dough. But the truth is, by the time you add up the costs, not to mention the breeder's time and energy spent training, or sleepless nights with puppies, most breeders barely break even.
Sure we charge for our puppies, but no more than what we have invested in them. The money ethical breeders receive from the sale of their puppies is invested right back into the current and next generation.
Most breeders will spend their last penny on their dogs. We do not begrudge the rescues for asking a fee to adopt because breeders know better than anyone else what costs go into caring for or rehabilitating a dog. We completely understand rescues and especially no-kill shelters are sadly necessary.
So why do we breed? It is our passion and love of dogs that drive us, and in particular, our devotion to our breed that keeps us moving forward. For us, our dogs are more than just a pedigree or a color. We dedicate our lives to preserving and improving that breed. Our buyers are just as important in that we don’t want anyone who does not appreciate the temperament, character, diversity, or heritage, of the Dachshund to ever acquire one.
There is nothing wrong with purchasing a puppy or dog from the local animal shelter if it is what your heart tells you to do. But there is also nothing wrong with purchasing a purebred puppy or dog from a breeder who has, in most cases, invested a lifetime of devotion to their breed. We truly love each and every puppy born to us and truly care that each and every puppy finds a forever home. So much so, that we sell our puppies with a very rare lifetime guarantee, and include micro-chipping at no extra charge so that each and every puppy will come back to us and never become unwanted or end up contributing to the local animal shelter population.
Do all dog rescue groups and animal shelters keep records of the magnitude a devoted breeder does? I hope so. But I often wonder every time I see rescued puppies and dogs up for re-adoption on Craigslist. Clearly, these adoptions did not work. So why are these puppies and dogs not being returned to the shelter from which they came?
The sad truth is; not all rescued dogs live happily ever after and the same can be true for dogs produced by responsible breeders. But we have fewer to track and make the continuing effort to support the people who have purchased animals from us.
But make no mistake, be they mixed breed or pure, breeders love all dogs. We just don’t believe that mixed breeds should be bred unless someone is dedicated to developing a new breed. Designer mixed breeds bred for one purpose; to make money or fill a fad are not breeds. To us, this type of breeding is exploitative and is one of the biggest contributors to unwanted puppies and dogs. Yet the Animal Rights Activists don’t seem to target these individuals.
We don’t need any more legislation restricting purebred dog breeders. If more legislation is needed, it should be to penalize irresponsible dog owners who allow their dogs to produce unwanted litters taking little care as to who buys those puppies. Or those who do not offer to take back any puppy/dog they produced if the new home does not work out.
You see, these puppies and dogs were truly unwanted before life began for them. They were so unwanted that those responsible for bringing them into the world did not feel any responsibility for them beyond the sale. In general, more legislation is needed to penalize irresponsible dog owners who see nothing wrong with throwing two dogs together to make a quick buck or dumping off those puppies and/or the family dog at the animal shelter when they simply tire of taking care of them or they can no longer make money.
I Am a Dog Breeder and offer no apology for it.
I spend many sleepless nights studying pedigrees, genetics, and health issues as well as going over dogs, talking and learning from those in my breed as well as those outside of my breed. I breed for the healthiest and closest-to-breed standard examples of my breed. My puppies and dogs are members of my family and I take a great deal of care finding them loving homes. I support each family who chooses one of my puppies and I am always available for them to answer any questions. I am there if a dog needs to come back and will aggressively pursue the return of any one of my dogs if it is found to be mistreated or neglected.
I support my breed by improving confirmation, intelligence, and longevity. I hold them when they are born as well as when they leave this world. I socialize and provide a rich and stimulating environment for my puppies and dogs in as natural a state as possible for domesticated animals.
I do keep track of the money and time I spend on my love of dogs, and it far outweighs the money I make breeding.
The price I charge for my puppies is never profit, but investment in the next generation.
I will not be ashamed of who I am. I work hard at being a good dog breeder and encouraging others to be the same. I am a dog breeder and proud of it.
A BREEDER'S LIFE
A Breeder 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, fancy furniture, and deep-pile
carpeting! They give up the dreams of a long, luxurious cruise
in favor of turning that all-important Show into this year's "vacation".
The Breeder goes without sleep, instead spending hours planning a breeding or watching anxiously
over the birth process, and afterward, 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. They disregard birth
fluids and put mouth to mouth to save a gasping new-born,
literally blowing life into a tiny, helpless creature that
maybe 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
ever 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 birthing box.
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
an armful of puppies, or lend a helping hand to a newcomer.
A Breeder's ears are wondrous things fine-tuned to be able to tell the difference between a hungry cry and a sick one.
A Breeder's eyes are blurred from pedigree research and
sometimes blind to their own dog's faults, but always searching
for the perfect example of their breed.
A Breeder's brain is foggy on faces, but it can recall
pedigrees faster than a computer. It's so full of
the knowledge that sometimes it blows a fuse: it catalogs
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 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 then, there are BREEDERS!!
Author Unknown