The Truth About Mentoring: Breeding Better Dogs Still Requires Learning—and Listening

The Truth About Mentoring: Breeding Better Dogs Still Requires Learning—and Listening

I grow tired of hearing about the changes in our sport. We all know it is happening, and we see the difference between today and where we were when we got involved in the sport those many years ago. In many ways, it is sad: the decline in numbers; the change of traditions; and the loss of pillars of our community. We can all lament the changes in our sport, but I prefer to think of ways to reinvent it without losing focus on the core aspect of breeding better dogs.

I see the dog world as simply a smaller microcosm of the world at large, and there are so many outside factors that are contributing to our sport’s decline. Our beloved sport is challenged by the economy, attrition, gas prices, too many shows, too few breeders, too many new judges, and not enough new exhibitors.

There are many in the fancy who are well aware of the differences between “then” and “now.” But as time passes, that list of fanciers grows shorter. It’s simple math. Fewer people are around today who remember the good ole days. There are fewer who realize the differences from what we’re experiencing now and what happened in yesteryear. For those newer to the sport, this is what they know, and for them, THIS will be “the way it was” as they grow older in the sport. So, welcome to their good old days!

This is part of the frustration for those us who are “long-haulers” in the sport. We know the way it was—the how it was and the how it used to be. Seeing where the sport is today, and where it is obviously heading, is our struggle to bear. Those of us who are “lifers” are concerned about the rapid turnover of newcomers to the sport, the growing number of shows, and the declining talent both in the ring and in the whelping box. We are all too aware that those giants and pillars in our sport, those who worked to define our breeds, who worked to define judging styles and worked with breeders to improve the foundation of the breeds they were showing, are considered ancient history by newer fanciers AND are viewed merely as folklore.

I have been very fortunate to have had many good mentors. These great dog men and women coached me, counseled me, and guided the very foundation of my breeding program. They took the time to teach me, and I was a sponge. I was open, and I wanted to learn from them. The sport took me under its wing. Now, nearly four decades later, I am still the positive recipient of those opportunities. I still think about those conversations, with great admiration for those whose experience has benefited me. The advice that I received from people who had been doing for years what I was just beginning to do was invaluable to me.

Yet today, the ability to pay that information forward is more of a challenge. Our audience has changed. For the most part, the influx of individuals seeking to become successful (quickly) includes those who are too self-absorbed to be receptive to the mentorship we once were provided. Today, the opinions of experienced breeders and exhibitors are not often sought after—and many times they are simply dismissed or just ignored. However, this great sport is not lacking for mentors. The sport is lacking individuals who realize, or who can acknowledge, they need a mentor. There is an epidemic of individuals who seek a rapid rise to fame, a quick fix to get a big win. They won’t invest time, but they will pay to advance. They want to bypass the hard work. They are not interested in taking two, three, or more weeks off to sit in the whelping box to breed a litter, and they’re too impatient to watch a puppy grow and develop. They would prefer to bypass the areas that truly engage you as a breeder in the true meaning and value behind the sport. Unfortunately, they aren’t interested in the hard work, the emotional lows, the heartbreak, and the failures that come with breeding dogs.

I want to share the story of two sisters, born in a beautiful litter of puppies bred by a newcomer to one of my own breeds. The young starlet breeder, who was full of self-confidence, completely and totally in control of her decisions and well-versed in superficial schooling, was, to her discredit, unable to be mentored. She was unable to be coached, unable to be trained, and in her mind, she was a mentor and certainly did not need one. She wasn’t interested in learning or listening. She was more interested in being important. She wanted to make the decisions. She wanted to be right. The breeders who are reading know this type well, since she exists in many forms. We have all experienced her before.

The lovely litter was brought up for our evaluation, but soon we realized that the process was only for us to learn what she had decided about the litter. She informed us, the co-breeders, of the placements; where they would be going, which puppy was show quality, which was pet quality, and which bitch puppy she would be keeping. Upon evaluation of the litter, with the eyes of 20 years (at the time) of dedication to the sport—learning the breeds, evaluating many litters, and having an eye for the breed—I informed the young ingénue that she was keeping the wrong bitch. My suggestion fell on deaf ears. She had made her decision and knew what she wanted. She was strong in her opinions and comfortable with her decision. I immediately kept the other bitch, who had been deemed “pet quality” and already had a home lined up.

This is not an unusual story. I am sure many readers have “been there, done that” before. It happens all the time. The novice person picks with their emotions, but the experienced breeder uses their working knowledge of the breed’s key elements to sort and grade the litter to make their final decision.

Returning to the story, the two bitch puppies from that litter obtained their American Kennel Club Championships and passed all of the required genetic testing so that they could be bred and produce future generations. The bitch that was selected by the ingénue breeder produced a very small litter of inconsequential puppies by a stud dog of her choice. The sister, that we’d determined was show quality, went on to win the National Specialty twice. She produced multiple offspring to win Groups and Specialties, a National Specialty winner, and many offspring to win majors at the prestigious American Spaniel Club. She would go on to produce the top winner in the breed’s history.

I have often looked back at this litter as a huge missed opportunity for the starlet breeder, because she was so unwilling to learn and because she was so unwilling to listen. She missed out on generations of higher quality. She has done what so many do—ignore the guide. She decided she didn’t need the advice of experts and went on her own way. Today, I imagine her decision must haunt her. Or does she even know that she missed her opportunity. Her “line” has never advanced from that very decision. She missed the greatest opportunity of her dog breeding career. She stood in her own way, and let her ego prevent her from seeing the opportunities before her. The successful breeders have all seen this before.

Breeding dogs is a challenge, we all know this, but newer breeders have to be open to listening and hearing what someone with experience sees before solidifying a decision that could very well be wrong. It’s important to remember that every journey needs a guide. You don’t start breeding dogs without the understanding that you will need some help along the way. It is important to look for, and take advantage of, the support around you. Part of your job as a breeder is to seek out a guide.

Our story is not uncommon or unique. In fact, we have had this happen many times over the course of 40 years. I have assured both bitch owners and stud dog owners to just hold on and let your mentor guide you to the best decision possible. Newcomers must learn to trust their guides and be open to their years of successful experience; be open to their vision that has produced the nine or twelve generations of dogs behind your choice of a brood bitch or stud dog. Allow their expertise to help you form your own opinion, which will happen over the course of many years to come. Be sure to take advantage of their stature and position, and celebrate it with them. Start your journey with them, and over time you can start your own path with the knowledge of years of investment in that mentorship.

Mentoring is a long-haul process. It starts with an exchange, generally of one dog to a buyer, and it develops across the next five to ten years of a mutual understanding and respect. While you are developing your relationship, as an apprentice who will eventually take the position of a new breeder, you will develop an ability to make educated decisions. You will experience you own highs and lows. You will move forward and create your own identity, and over time you will start to identify your individuality and produce something that truly represents your own unique vision in your breed.

To be fair, your first litter is not your own vision. It is the shared vision with you and your guide. It is literally a combination of two other people’s vision. Generally, this is the point where you start to develop a path that is your own. This is often four to six years in the sport and many steps down that path with an experienced mentor. The hope is that during this time you are consistently and actively collecting information and education from those who have been there before you.

Seek out the most successful people in other breeds around you. Watch and learn from me, too. After all of this time as a breeder and a mentor, I will tell you that, more often than not, the best mentors come from outside of your own breed. Search for breeders who live close to you, maybe at your local shows, who are consistently successful. Top breeders are all over the place, in all areas of our country. Know that the very best among us will continue for multiple decades, dedicated to the sport of purebred dogs and sharing our compassion for animals, the passion for creating animals that are healthy and strong. This is what keeps us motivated… that thrill of producing a dog that reflects your interpretation of the written Breed Standard.

For those who might be challenged in their own breeding program, I suggest you consider reaching out to anyone you respect, and ask them to help you. You will not be disappointed. Ask them to guide you, to be a mentor. You are never alone in this sport. If you want to invest the time, there is a talented mentor willing to share knowledge with you. Of this I am sure!