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 puts 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 they are ever 

 so keen to the competitions 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 bonings, 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.......