A few thoughts on Selling Pups
You know, the funny thing about breeding dogs, the open secret, is you have to sell them. It doesn't matter if you're a commercial puppy mill, a bumbling back-yard breeder, or a careful pro-am breeder; you have to sell what you produce.
I tend to fire off a lot of negative things here, and that's maybe a character flaw. It's just easier for me to express the negative. I can give a million reasons to NOT breed dogs. Today, I want to discuss one reason to do it right.
It's the people.
Breeding dogs builds a network of (hopefully) good folks around you. Many of the folks you meet will be life long friends.
This litter started with me wanting to breed to Luke. That means find something out about Dan Ellenbecker. So I ask the folks who are well traveled in NAVHDA and some folks met him at the Invitational and told me he was a nice guy. I shouldn't be afraid to get in touch with him.
Well, Dan is a nice guy, one of the nicest you'll ever know. I'm glad to count him among my friends. I'm hoping to tap him for a western bird hunt and that he'll come out east to hunt with me.
Vixen, now Sally, went to Jason and his son Caden who will be training her. I've known Jason since before my first litter was even bred and he's been a stand-up owner. Hunts more than anyone I know, and you know I'm passionate about "my" pups getting that opportunity. It's nice to reinforce that relationship with this second pup.
Comet, now Mason, went to Erik. Erik is a long-time friend who was actually living in my 600 foot house in Marshfield when Dove came home. He has always wanted a Dove pup of his own and now he's in a position to raise one. It will be good for Erik to have his own dog at bird camp too. Now he doesn't have to rely on anybody for anything (except a shotgun with the right ammunition)...
Donner, now Remy, went to Mick with his young family in New Hampshire. I'm not real enthusiastic about new GSP owners, but the guy seemed to have real passion. That's proving out already. I'm looking forward to watching both dog and handler grow in the NAVHDA system, and hopefully they'll come to bird camp this fall.
Dancer, now Tango, (Hope they keep the call name) is going to my friend Greg. I met Greg in the salad days of the Sebasticook Chapter. He got called over-seas, but we stayed in touch, irregularly. Anyway, I always really liked him. I wanted him to take a pup out of this litter and he's gotten the green light from his wife (who actually put the finishing touches on the deal).
The best reason for doing a very good job with your breeding program is you build demand for your pups to the point that you don't have to sell them to just anybody. You can choose your owners. Your owners, the good ones, make your life better and richer.
This litter has brought me 2 new friends and closer to 3 old friends.
I tend to fire off a lot of negative things here, and that's maybe a character flaw. It's just easier for me to express the negative. I can give a million reasons to NOT breed dogs. Today, I want to discuss one reason to do it right.
It's the people.
Breeding dogs builds a network of (hopefully) good folks around you. Many of the folks you meet will be life long friends.
This litter started with me wanting to breed to Luke. That means find something out about Dan Ellenbecker. So I ask the folks who are well traveled in NAVHDA and some folks met him at the Invitational and told me he was a nice guy. I shouldn't be afraid to get in touch with him.
Well, Dan is a nice guy, one of the nicest you'll ever know. I'm glad to count him among my friends. I'm hoping to tap him for a western bird hunt and that he'll come out east to hunt with me.
Vixen, now Sally, went to Jason and his son Caden who will be training her. I've known Jason since before my first litter was even bred and he's been a stand-up owner. Hunts more than anyone I know, and you know I'm passionate about "my" pups getting that opportunity. It's nice to reinforce that relationship with this second pup.
Comet, now Mason, went to Erik. Erik is a long-time friend who was actually living in my 600 foot house in Marshfield when Dove came home. He has always wanted a Dove pup of his own and now he's in a position to raise one. It will be good for Erik to have his own dog at bird camp too. Now he doesn't have to rely on anybody for anything (except a shotgun with the right ammunition)...
Donner, now Remy, went to Mick with his young family in New Hampshire. I'm not real enthusiastic about new GSP owners, but the guy seemed to have real passion. That's proving out already. I'm looking forward to watching both dog and handler grow in the NAVHDA system, and hopefully they'll come to bird camp this fall.
Dancer, now Tango, (Hope they keep the call name) is going to my friend Greg. I met Greg in the salad days of the Sebasticook Chapter. He got called over-seas, but we stayed in touch, irregularly. Anyway, I always really liked him. I wanted him to take a pup out of this litter and he's gotten the green light from his wife (who actually put the finishing touches on the deal).
The best reason for doing a very good job with your breeding program is you build demand for your pups to the point that you don't have to sell them to just anybody. You can choose your owners. Your owners, the good ones, make your life better and richer.
This litter has brought me 2 new friends and closer to 3 old friends.
Todd,
Thanks for the kind words. Let me put a few back at you. For the people possibly considering a pup from Todd - You will look long and hard before you find a breeder that cares more about where their pups go. The pedigree's backing his dogs are also some of the best that you will find. Both of my purchases have been as pleasant as it could possibly be. Jenny is the 1st dog I purchased from Todd and I could not ask for a better dog around the house and when she is in the field she turns into a hunting machine that will hunt from sun up to sun down. We started something this past week in the backyard that I think describes her well. My 8 year old son and my 4 year old son are as ate up with baseball as any kid can be, so when not playing a real game on a field they set up in the backyard and take turns pitching a tennis ball and hitting it, I have Jenny sitting by me in a chair and when the ball is hit to their fake outfield I release her and she retrieves the ball back to me as I try and throw one of the boys out And she does this over and over. The new pup that I just received from Todd I have no doubt will bring just as much enjoyment.
Thanks again Todd for sending me two really nice dogs.
Jason