Nadine Lund

()

Taunton Road
Pietermaritzburg,
South Africa

Phone:
Von Kalenborne

Why breed dogs? This is a question I have asked myself numerous times and in doing so have gone some way to clarifying what I hope to gain from the experience of breeding and selling a litter of puppies.

My intention is to breed a dog that is primarily healthy and has an ability to work. In my opinion an ability to work requires:

* high energy levels
* athleticism
* keenness to learn tasks
* a strong desire to be with the handler
* solid retrieve drive
* ready to work hard when necessary and the abiliy to be calm when necessary
* have the courage to protect the handler if need be

Aesthetics, although always nice, is secondary after health and temperament. I have often chuckled at Breed Shows when people who do not meet the “Brad Pitt” human breed standard openly criticize a dog and it’s breeder. I am often tempted to ask them if they have looked at themselves in the mirror and how close to the human beauty breed standard they come. This is not to say I have anything breeding beautiful dogs, in fact, one of my dogs is a breed line German Shepherd and is utterly pretty! I feel strongly it is the attitude with which breeding is carreid out. When the health and temperament of the dogs is secondary to the “construction breed standard” then I question the validity of what other breeders are doing!

Breeding is not something I foresee as being of financial benefit to me. In fact, when I calculate the time and money and effort inloved in training and caring for my dogs; a litter every once in a while is most certainly not going to cover the costs. I breed for the person who is wanting a sport dog, working dog or high drive companion to dog to suit their personality or lifestyle.