Looking For Mr. Right

Pauli getting a recent Group placing

Husband hunting for Miss Pauli!  She'll be four this year and should have her first litter if she's going to be bred at all.  Just can't find Mr. Right.  I know exactly what I want him to look like, but can't find a dog that matches that image.  In addition to having the correct physical traits, he needs to have the right pedigree, the right temperament, and all his health testing.  That's asking for a lot, but I keep hoping he's out there.There are a few things I'd like change or improve on Pauli, and a lot of good things I don't want to lose. 

Pauli is from an fine litter with an excellent pedigree.  She's a Best In Show & multi-group winner, and her brother "Krash" is a multiple Specialty Best of Breed winner.  Her sire "Argus" is a multi-Best In Show and National Specialty winner and her dam "Aruba" is a Best In Futurity and multiple specialty Best of Breed winner.  Both Argus & Aruba are Register Of Merit winners  (for being top producers of champions).  Additionally, Argus, Aruba and Pauli have their CHIC numbers because they have completed all the appropriate health testing - all the basics, plus a lot of "extras" in Argus's case.

My priorities in doing a litter are 1) temperament, 2) health, 3) show potential.   My feeling is that if the dogs do not have outstanding temperaments it does not matter how beautiful they are.  Temperament and health have to come first.  All litters are full of surprises, no matter how carefully we plan them, but we need to go into a breeding feeling confident about the basics.  Pauli is very bold and outgoing, excellent with people and other dogs, and I don't want to lose that.  On the other hand she is very active, determined, and more than a little stubborn.  I'd like to breed her to a mild mannered dog, a more willing dog.  I don't want to lose her wonderful "show dog attitude" but I don't want to add any more attitude than we are already working with here!

Last year I had the search narrowed down to two handsome, sweet tempered black spotted boys but was not quite convinced either was Mr. Right.  Now I am looking at an additional dog who seems to fit the criteria.  Wish I had the money to fly off and visit a few other dogs - there are probably even more suitable dogs that I have never seen, who I don't even know exist!   Every breeding is a crapshoot.  No matter how carefully you plan, things can happen, but I'd like to find the most suitable dog before I let the genes fall where they may! 

Every breeding can be considered a "link in a chain" and the decisions we make now can affect future generations.  We owe it to the breed we love to make the best possible decisions, based on the information that is available to us.

Stay tuned.