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

(but never without coffee!) 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.

They disregard birth fluids and put mouth to mouth to save a gasping new-born,

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 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,

but are strong enough to enable the breeder to

show the next choice pup to a Championship.

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,

or 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 sick puppy.

A Breeder's eyes

are blurred from pedigree research,

and sometimes blind to their own dog's faults;

but are ever so keen to the competition’s faults

and are always searching for the perfect specimen.

A Breeder's brain

is foggy on faces,

but 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's, 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 beats strongly with hope everlasting...

and it's always in the right place!

Oh, yes, there are breeders, and then, there are BREEDERS!!

"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole."

-Roger Caras

FREEDOM FARMS

Rhodesian Ridgebacks

~ Author Unknown ~

"Until one has loved an animal, part of their soul remains unawakened."

-Author Unkown

One More Dog

One Dog Is No Trouble And Two Are So Funny

The Third One Is Easy, The Fourth One's A Honey

The Fifth Is Delightful, The Sixth One's A Breeze

You Find You Can Live With A Housefull With Ease

So How 'Bout Another?  Would You Really Dare?

They're Really Quite Easy, But Oh Lord, The Hair!

With Dogs On The Sofa And Dogs On The Bed

And Crates In The Kitchen, Its No Bother You Said

They're Really No Trouble, Their Manners Are Great

What's Just One More Dog And One More Little Crate?

The Sofa Is Hairy, The Windows Are Crusty

The Floor Is All Foootprints, The Furniture's Dusty

The Housekeeping Suffers But What Do You Care?

Who Minds A Few Noseprints And A Little More Hair?

So Let's Keep A Puppy, You Can Always Find Room

And A Little More Time For The Dust Cloth And Broom

There's Hardly A Limit To The Dogs You Can Add

The Thought Of A Cutback Sure Makes You Feel Sad

Each One Is Special, So Useful, So Funny

The Food Bill Grows Larger, You Owe The Vet Money

Your Folks Never Visit, Few Friends Come To Stay

Except Other Dog Folks Who Live The Same Way

Your Lawn Has Now Died And Our Shrubs Are Dead Too

Your Weekends Are Busy, Your Off With Your Crew

There's Dog Food And Vitamins, Training And Shots

And Entries And Travel And Motels Which Cost Lots

Is It Worth It You Wonder? Are You Caught In A Trap?

Then That Favorite Comes Up And Climbs In Your Lap

His Look Says You're Special And You Know That You Will

Keep All The Critters In Spite Of The Bill

Some Just For Showing And Some Just To Breed

And Some Just For Loving, They All Fill A Need

Winter Is A Hassle But The Dogs Love It True

And They Must Have Their Walks Tho' You Are Numb And Blue

Late Evening Is Awful, You Scream And You Shout

At The Dogs On The Sofa Who Refuse To Go Out

The Dogs And The Dog Shows, The Travel, The Thrills

The Work And The Worry, The Pressure, The Bills

The Whole Thing Seems Worth It, The Dogs Are Your Life

They're Charming And Funny And Offset The Strife

Your Lifestyle Has Changed, Things Just Won't Be The Same

Yes Those Dogs Are Addictive And So's The Dog Game!

~ Author Unknown ~

A man and his dog were walking along a road.

The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead.

He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years.

He wondered where the road was leading them.

After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road.

It looked like fine marble..

At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight.

         When he was standing before it, he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother-of-pearl,

and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold.

He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side.

When he was close enough, he called out, 'Excuse me, where are we?'

'This is Heaven, sir,' the man answered.

'Wow! Would you happen to have some water?' the man asked.

'Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up.'

The man gestured, and the gate began to open. 'Can my friend,' gesturing toward his dog, 'come in, too?' the traveller asked.

'I'm sorry, sir, but we don't accept pets.'

The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog.

After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road leading through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed.

There was no fence.

As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book....

'Excuse me!' he called to the man. 'Do you have any water?'

'Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there, come on in.'

'How about my friend here?' the traveller gestured to the dog.

'There should be a bowl by the pump,' said the man.

They went through the gate,

and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it.

The traveller filled the water bowl and took a long drink himself, then he gave some to the dog.

When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree.

'What do you call this place?' the traveller asked.

'This is Heaven,' he answered.

'Well, that's confusing,' the traveller said.

'The man down the road said that was Heaven, too.'

'Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That's hell.'

'Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?'

'No, we're just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind.'