Breeding Correctly is Really, really hard. Especially when you do it the right way.
What they don’t tell you is that it can cause severe stress and anxiety, and drains you mentally to the point of depression in even the most laid back people. Effecting multiple levels of life.
People will talk about you, compare you to others, use you, they will view you as a service and not a person anymore. You are not as carefree and friendly as you used to be. And become a little more callused. Bitter. And just plain withdrawn to avoid hearing what others say about you.
Friends will expect major discounts and people will devalue you and your hard work even more so than a big chain store. You spend less and less time with people you loved to hang out with, you miss out on the vacations, or even the celebrations in life, due to puppy schedules .
You have to worry about if you forget to email/message someone back, are they going to think it was on purpose? Did you disappoint them? Will they hold that against you? When in reality you just can’t get to everyone’s messages and emails in a timely fashion.
You have to plan, pay for and go on long trips just to retrieve a past puppy, bc families move, out grow or tire of the dog- BUT you made a promise and are always going to honor your promise to that baby. It's gonna be long round trips with no stoping for fun....as you have a houseful to get back to.
Sometimes people will evn start up negative rumors, or social media posts about you, and those are unfortunate things you can’t even control. They will do it out of anger, jealousy or just boredom.
Starting up and continuing a successful breeding program puts incredible strain on personal lives and relationships, many of which will break down because there is often just no work - life balance. You got to be the owner, director, the secretary, researcher, the manual laborer, administrator, the marketing team, accountant, the consultant, dietitian, the nurse, custodian..... All whilst trying to being a wife, a mother, a co-worker, family supporter, friend... If you’re not always there because of your business, people may leave you behind, go away, or become comfortable going/doing on their own. Family and friends stop coming around, due to dogs. They stop inviting you bc you only know how to talk about the dogs.
There’s a reason you don’t see many people succeed in breeding, rearing, and training after 5-7 years. If they are successful they are overwhelmed. It takes a toll a big toll. It’s freaking exhausting.
Here’s a small reminder that we are just normal people but with hectic lives. Be kind, be patient, and really try to be supportive ….. and hopefully more of us will stick around!
I copied from another breeder- but personalized it to fit me here at DirtRoadDanes.
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