So you’re thinking of being a dog breeder…talk about a challenge!  In order to become a TOP breeder you will be in this for the long haul… at least fifteen or twenty years.   That’s how long it can take to see how your breeding program and your breeding decisions have resulted in better dogs than you started with.  

Goals of Breeding

Breeder’s goals are to achieve a dog that fits as close as possible the breed’s AKC breed standard. The closer to the breed standard without any disqualifying faults the better!  So far, no one has bred the “Perfect Dog”.  

Is Breeding Right for You?

First you need to think of your motives thoroughly.  Is this something you’ve been considering for a long time or could it be more of a passing interest?  Are you getting involved because you truly enjoy being around animals and really like the responsibility of caring for them?  Or, as many first-time breeders seem to be motivated, do you expect to make money and supplement your income?   If money is your main motive, the odds are that you won’t be in this breeding business a few years from now.  If your primary drive comes from the love of the animal and because you find fulfillment & enjoyment in spending time with your canine friends, there’s a good chance you’ll be doing this for many enjoyable years. 

Breed Selection

Once you are committed be sure that you select a breed that matches best with what you like and what you are able to house long term.  If you live in the city or don’t have a large yard, a small breed would be best for obvious reasons.   If you are living in Florida, you might not select heavy coated breeds such as the Saint Bernard.  If you live on a ranch or have access to acres of private land, sight hounds, retrievers and large breeds may be a good choice.   

Once you have selected the breed you want to be committed to be sure to study all you can about them.  Know the AKC breed standard by heart, and think about every little detail because that is your ultimate goal.  Every breeding decision should be made in the light of answering this question:   “Will breeding this sire and dam produce puppies that will conform even better to the AKC breed standard?” 

Learning about Your Breed

After all of your hard work determining what breed will best suit you it is best to learn all you can about your breed. 

• Go to dog shows and talk to a lot of breeders
• Study pedigrees
• Read the “Dogs For Sale” ads to assess the market in your area. 
• Find some good books on breeding and breed standards
• Spend a lot of time at the dog shows 

You will begin to get a feel for the business of dog breeding and showing.  You will soon identify what people are important in the breed and also discover “what the judges are looking for” in the breed.  This does not mean that you must be a conformist and have to have just one certain line of dogs or certain “look” within that breed.   You decide what is important to you regarding how you think the breed should look, always using the AKC breed standard as your guide.   Write your goals and your own standards down.   Develop a “Kennel Philosophy”; be able to defend your philosophy, and stick with it. 

Please share a comment on your experience or questions with breeding.

Claudia Orlandi – Bassett Hound Breeder

Claudia will be showing two Basset Hounds at this year’s AKC/Eukanuba National Championship show. They are father and son. The red and white, Ch Topsfield-Sanchu Pop Art O’Bridi, his call name is Arty, just won Best of Breed at the Basset Hound Club of America National Specialty. He will be showing throughout the entire show. What a beauty! Arty’s son, Ch Topsfield-Sanchu American Express, is the other Bassets being shown. He was Best in Futurity at the BHCA National Specialty.

Photo of Arty

Claudia has been recognized as the Hound Group Breeder of the Year by the AKC. This prestigious award honors breeders who are dedicated to improving the health, temperament, and quality of purebred dogs. There will be one final award for Breeder of the Year presented at the award ceremony at this year’s show. Way to go, Claudia!!

Symposium Presentation

We are excited to be offering a breeder’s symposium at this year’s AKC/Eukanuba National Championship. Claudia Orlandi is one of our featured experts and her presentation is called “Easy to Apply Genetic Principles for Dog Breeders” and will focus on some of the basic rules of science that are required for any master breeder to have a more successful and predictable breeding program.

Here is a sneak peek at what Claudia will be covering straight from the source……..

“Understanding the role of the pedigree vs. the dog is one of the genetic principles she will highlight. Claudia says that many breeders feel the pedigree is more important than the dog itself when determining what they will get out of their litter, but we know from scientific research that the individual dog that they are planning on mating is going to be the best predictor of what they can produce in that litter.”

If you would like to sign up to attend the Breeder’s Symposium on December 11^th, you can visit www.EukanubaBreederSymposium.com and enter the event code 7FNCVR6LV4H to claim your spot today. Registration is open until December 9^th and space is limited.

Are you interested in becoming a breeder?

If you answered Yes, one thing that Claudia recommends is that people not rush into buying foundation stock without doing their homework. You might be asking yourself “What is Foundation Stock?” The foundation stock are the first animals used to start the breeding program. A first step is to find a “foundation bitch,” who has good health, is well-bred, has a correct temperament, good confirmation, and especially good forequarters.

Interested breeders should become educated about the breed they’re interested in showing before buying any breeding stock. She recommends going to the National Specialty of their chosen breed before purchasing their foundation stock to meet as many different breeders as possible. It is also important for people to take their time and attend as many educational programs on breeding and their breed in particular.

Pictured below is Ch Topsfield-Sanchu American Express, whose call name is Timmy.                                                                                                                              Another good tip for beginning breeders is to try and form a relationship with a good mentor in their chosen breed so they can help guide them and answer questions such as what to expect from the breed, ideal characteristics for temperament, coat, movement, and any health concerns to watch out for. Breeders must understand that dog breeding is a labor of love. And anyone who decides to become a breeder also must accept the responsibility for protecting the future generations of their breed.

AKC/Eukanuba Nationals 2009

This year’s event is an open format to celebrate the 125^th anniversary of the American Kennel Club. Claudia thinks it is absolutely wonderful anytime the dog show community encourages participation at the class level as well as the breed level. The open format gives exhibitors the chance to see more dogs from the breeder’s point of view. The original point of the dog show was to choose breeding stock and the open format supports that idea.

We asked Claudia if she had any early predictions about this year’s winner. She had no predictions and said there are a number of really good dogs that are out there that are going for the No. 1 dog in the country. It should be a great event to see this year!

Claudia will be attending three more shows before arriving at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in December. She is usually putting on a seminar or attending a dog show every weekend out of the year.

It was such a great opportunity to interview Claudia and learn more from her. We are looking forward to seeing her & Arty at this year’s event!

We would love to hear your comments about this interview!