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McEmn Great Danes | ||
| Nikki Riggsbee | John Buddie Breeding Rules | ||
| 813/654-3412 nriggsbee@aol.com |
John Buddie, of Tartanside Collies, has been breeding for fifty year. Here are a selection of his rules.
| Leave the sport no worse than you found it. | |
| The number of champions finished or ribbons earned is not the true measure of being a successful breeder. | |
| Some of the breed's most important and influential dogs do not have the prefix Ch. before their names. | |
| Look to the grandparents! | |
You don't need to be a "big" kennel to be a great breeder or have a far-reaching impact on the breed. |
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| You can never outrun a problem - it will always catch up with you. Stand and face it before it overtakes you. | |
| Learn to see and appreciate quality in all families. | |
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Selection is what separates great breeders from good ones. |
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Study a pedigree for its lessons about consistency, dominance, key/benign individuals. |
| Know as many of the individuals in the pedigree as you possibly can through personal contact with them. | |
| Pictures lie! | |
| Don't fault judge at the expense of virtues. | |
Never give up virtues when doing a breeding. The breed's future depends on the preservation of virtues. |
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Breeding and culling for health and temperament are the responsibilities of every serious breeder. |
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Line breed, but know when it is time for a judicious outcross. |
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A breeder is part artist, part scientist. |
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Know what you can and can't live with when it comes to virtues and faults. |
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In order to establish a line, have a picture of your perfect collie firmly etched in your mind and follow it to your goals. Pictures - males and females. |
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Look to breed type to type when outcrossing. |
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Puppy development differs from family to family. Study your family to understand its specific maturation process and pattern. |
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Cultivate patience; individual dogs often don't reach their full potential until they are three years of age. |
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| In brood bitches, a good doer is just as important as a good dog. | |
Most of all, practice courtesy and respect. |
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