# Consistency



## will fernandez (May 17, 2006)

How many working dog breeders in the US have a breeding program that trains,trials and breeds their own dogs? Do many breeders have an ideal type of dog that they want to produce on a consistent basis (if possible)? Do the majority just breed to the best male available?


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## Harry Keely (Aug 26, 2009)

will fernandez said:


> How many working dog breeders in the US have a breeding program that trains,trials and breeds their own dogs? Do many breeders have an ideal type of dog that they want to produce on a consistent basis (if possible)? Do the majority just breed to the best male available?


We have have been training our pups and imprinting them ( looks like we might have a 80% positive turnout percentage, but you know how pups are changing day to day. ) We do training for police / tactical with some explosive or narc training. We do and have up to now have bred our own dogs trained and handle by us ( this time we used a outside stud that is close friends to us but have their shit together and have been breeding/training/ raising pups since 1981 ). We don't title dogs since we live in SC now and only have one club which is a schutzhund club about 1.5 hours away. We do have a ideal type of dog that we try our best to produce which is a solid nerve, extreme drive, but level headed and social ( sometimes its hard with dutchies but with proper time and right imprinting it makes all the difference in what we strive for ). Yes most people will drive half way across the world ( figure of speech ) to breed what they think and hear is the best male or do a AI even though they have never tested or worked the dog or seen the dog work, which I am totally confused by. Our breeding is very,very selective and done very rarely. This most recent breeding was done for us to keep a pup or two back for ourselfs out of our female. The sales will go towards the dogs for food and vet. Our dogs are not our primary source of income and is a passion / hobby to produce and train a few dogs and pups to be brought up for fun and trained for a purpose ( once again that money gos towards our dogs). My source of income is based on dogs but in equipment form and of course my wifes job. To breed and breed and breed to me is just crazy, but don't have issues for those of you that choose to do so.


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## James Downey (Oct 27, 2008)

will fernandez said:


> How many working dog breeders in the US have a breeding program that trains,trials and breeds their own dogs? Do many breeders have an ideal type of dog that they want to produce on a consistent basis (if possible)? Do the majority just breed to the best male available?


I am part of a breeding program with a kennel that has a goals similar to what I am looking to do. That is, Another person with an established program runs the show for the most part and does the majority of the breeding. I own one dog which is part of it. We have a collective idea on what we want to do. So, I help with that. I own a female that we select studs for based on thier ability, and thier pedigree. The dog itself must have the necassary traits we desire and the dogs in the pedigree that we believe will match well with female...or even a future breeding from the progeny that breeding will produce. So, no we just do not use a dog because he is the flavor of the month. We try to use dogs that will be useful in the long term. Not just with the breeding at hand. I think that is essential for a breeding program to have a long term plan. Not to just make good pups in a single breeding, but to make better and better puppies as the breedings continue.


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