BREEDING PHILOSOPHY

During past two years I have been thinking a lot of morals of breeding dogs. For the majority of people breeding and showing dogs is a hobby which is funny and relaxing. Unfortunately I have noticed that it is not always that way. It´s very honourable to make efforts on breeding quality dogs, but when it gets too serious, hiding and depreciating diseases and doing anything to reach the desired goal, we are way too far. This lovely hobby easily gets bad and affects the whole scene. I have seen that attempts to interfere in these faults easily turn against you and you find yourself to be the one who is difficult and mean. That´s a pity. The dog world is quite an interesting psychological roulette loaded with plenty of emotions.So far my newfies haven´t had any litters. There has always been something that has made me decide not to breed our bitches, or I just have had bad luck. Anyway, I know what I´m aiming at. I´m going to tell about my aims in connection with every Planned litter -part. I know that people who are planning on acquiring a Newf might be also interested in knowing why a certain male is chosen and bred to my bitch. I would be happy if only I could have at least one of these qualities I will list.

I know getting these desired qualities is not going to be easy and compromises are needed, but I give a try. I am not doing this to earn money. So, it means that I don´t have to breed every bitch I have at home or co-own if there is some reason (health, temperament, looks) that makes a bitch unsuitable for breeding. But also them who are not used for breeding, live with us as family members until the end of their lives.
All the Newfies that will be bred at Private Cast are hip, elbow, cystinuria and heart tested. I don´t feel like x-raying my Newfies as early as one year of age, because Newfoundland is a large breed which develops slowly and needs time to finish the musculoskeletal growth. For example, elbow status 1/1 scored at the age of one year is not probably any more 1/1 at 2 or 3 years, thus I don´t find elbow status, given as such early age, very reliable. I don´t think it is good for the breed if large breed dogs are x-rayed too young and therefore the statistics look better than they actually are.

Every puppy leaving kennel Private Cast is microchipped, dewormed several times, registered and checked by two vets.Every breeder has their own vision of the breed and issues they want to attach great importance to. I think this should be respected. But if breeding is based on dishonest and arrogant means, I give no respect.The most important thing is to stay humble, because this puzzle with pieces of genes is so unexpected and certainly surprises us all time after time, although we would try to plan the breeding as carefully as possible.

October 2009