Experience 

  I want to address something. I had a verbal exchange and conversation with another breeder this morning about breeding a larger male to a smaller female. 

  I want every single breeder to understand this when conversing with other breeders. Your age does not qualify you as smarter than another breeder. This woman said “I’m 66 years old” A former dog and horse breeder. 

  Age DOES NOT qualify you as smart, or make your opinions more true. Yes experience is valuble in breeding. 

  But I want you to consider this when you talk to another breeder and discuss different opinions and anything. 

  A 66 year old breeder who has bred for, say; 35 years. That means absolutely nothing. Heres why.  Lets say breeder A bred yorkies for 35 years and had an average of 3 dogs throughout her breeding career. Lets say breeder B has been breeding for 10 years and has had an average of 20 breeding dogs during her/his career. Which breeder has more experience ? You guessed it – Breeder B is going to have had way more litters and more valuble experience. 

  So while old age is definitely something we want to live to in this life, if a breeder wants to throw years at you as some kind of qualifier, just laugh. 

  I have learned alot from the older generation of breeders, BUT… older breeders can become set in their ways, may resist learning new information, or doing things a new way. 

  I sure its difficult being older. But I will never shut myself off to learning. I could learn somehting new from an old person, but it is a huge problem in breeding when breeders think they’re age makes them more experienced or smarter. 

  I know a lot of older breeders who think that a bitches eggs can get fertilized on different days.  Thats not true and if we shut ourselves off from taking in possibilities of learning, we begin to live in ignorance. 

  In a way, we are a victim of our experiences, the experiences we have form our opinions of what causes what to happen in dog breeding. 

  Veterinarians are the same way, and guess what!!! Veterinarians don’t always agree, and neither do breeders. Just because one breeder or veterinarian said it does not make it to. I apply that my breeding program every single day. 

  We should never stop from considering the possibility that something we considered fact to be wrong. Don’t ever stop questioning what you know and reach for more knowledge and listen to the experiences of other breeders/veterinarians and you will be better off that 99% of the other breeders out there who think what they know is gospel. 

  The learning never stops, even at 66. 

Sincerely Yours,    Janet