I have slept on the floor beside a litter until the crucial 2 weeks have passed.
I have bottle fed a litter of 12...feeding every 2 hours and it taking 90 minutes to do for weeks at a time.
I have learned to be proficient at micro chipping, vaccinations, sub q fluids, bottle feeding and tube feeding.
my vet knows me by first name
the vet knows my children
the vet now knows my grand children
my vet knows it was I who added on the wing to the vet clinic
I am a breeder
It is to me that 63 days takes on new meaning still excited by every new life
It is I who delivers all my pups, towels and heat lamps on ready - happiness and sadness sometimes intermingled
Even though it increases my work load, I look forward to the 10 day stage when eyes open, and puppies begin to emerge from the helplessness of newborns.
Puppy breath, a first bath, and a heart of exploration.
I am not uneducated, unemployable, illiterate or lazy as some Animal Rights folks would imply of breeders.
I am a conscientious lover of animals and I have found my niche.
I am a breeder.
And although I feel no shame there is a part of me that feels the need to hide from powers that could come to invade my home and take my dogs ...maybe for finding a mild infraction, a leaf in the water dish?
A kennel not yet cleaned for the day?
A rash I am home treating?
I tell my children and grand children to hush, do not tell others we are dog breeders, and I wonder when did breeding puppies go into the same secret place as criminal activity?
I am a breeder and I am not cruel, dumb, uncaring or criminal.
I am not raking in money while sitting on my butt.
Every penny I make I earn through blood, sweat and tears.
My greatest joy is a healthy puppy and a wonderful home.
The cards of thanks and the pictures of my puppy with its new family is the fringe benefits of my efforts.
I am an animal lover, nurse, midwife, heavy laborer, customer service representative, and marketer.