Dee Dee,
we try. It's hard not to think of what you invest in these guys and not try to make it back in breeding. But I see what my girls go through in whelping and weaning a litter and it's a tremendous amount of work, love and responsibility. I hope (and I believe) I will never ask them to do it more than twice.

My boy Rowdy, on the other hand, would love to have more opportunities to procreate. Unfortunately, that decision comes from the owner of the girls and Rowdy is not a popular choice despite the fact that he's produced well. Every breeder of show dogs wants to breed the #1 dog in the country. And they think the way to do that is to breed to the #1 dog in the country without any consideration to pedigree, clearances, phenotype or the reality that #1 dogs get there by being shown, advertised and politicized.

Having said that, I'll take what we've gotten over what we could have gotten. No apologies. Annie and Rowdy are superior representatives of the breed and they have produced superior representatives of the breed. There is nothing more I could ever ask or expect.

Jim

Oh yeah don't get me started on breeding. I blame in most part the breeders of my last two kids for all of the health problems we suffered through (and there were a ton...almost kept me from ever having a dog again, Hallie was definitely divine intervention!). Both the breeders I realized later, hid health problems in the lines and bred for the breed ring mainly which just puts me over the edge. All 3 of my dogs have had exceptional temperaments, but interesting that the healthiest of the three I've had is my little pound puppy with unknown origins.