Creating
twenty generations of top ranked AKC Winners is only slightly better than
winning the Triple Crown. It's been an exciting hobby but that's not
why we show and certainly not why we breed dogs.
Every breeder thinks their dogs are the best but more than their friends
should agree!
That's why judges were invented. They are the objective experts.
No person can claim to breed good dogs unless they show - and win.
More to the point, only a breeder who has that commitment will have the
knowledge necessary to help you "after the sale" whether you have a show dog
or family pet.
Do before you make decisions that will impact your life for many years,
there are things you need to know. According to AKC,
less than 15% of litters
are bred by people who care about genetic health or whether their
dogs look and act
like that breed. Pedigreed dogs, including Toy Fox Terriers, have
become a profitable
crop, just like chickens or pigs, and are farmed accordingly. Puppy
mills churn them out to be sold online, in pet shops, or by local retailers
posing as an average family who had a litter to "teach the kids."
I know, you're thinking how do I tell a caring breeder from the other kind? Pretty simple really. Just as we're known by the company we keep, we are known for the quality of the dogs we put on public display.
Ch. Hugely Handsome O'BJ was always shown breeder-owner-handled and won with no advertising. Defeated only three times in his whole career, he became the #2 Nationally ranked Toy Fox Terrier. His last two shows were back-to-back Group II wins which Bill said made the trip worthwhile in spite of his illness. His genetically-stacked virtues are generously passed on to his offspring and then reliably into the next generation.
Okay, so Hugely is an exceptional Toy Fox Terrier but we've bred dozens like him and so have other caring breeders! From the first domesticated dogs to the Madison Square Garden shows of today, comparative competition has decided which dogs should produce the next generation. There's a reason this centuries-old tradition is still enjoyed by royalty, super celebrities and ordinary people like me and you. It's not just a "beauty contest" as commercial breeders would have you believe!
We
had learned a lot before discovering Toy Fox Terriers. Our first mentor,
Dorothy Gooch of Skyraider Dobermans, ingrained in me that bringing a
hundred puppies into the world just to get one winner was unconscionable.
So whether you want a show dog or family pet, what you read here can save you time, money, and mistakes. The first yardstick by which to measure the seller is what Dorothy said when she first took me on as her pupil, "Breeding quality dogs requires a commitment few are willing to make."
Most Toy Fox Terrier breeders, anxious to sell you a "show puppy," neglect to mention that a typical show weekend costs at least $150. For an overnight trip or a handler, you can double that amount. Multiplied by the minimum three shows to earn the Champion Title, the cost of a puppy that doesn't win can be staggering. Worse yet, a dog with inherited disease can break your bank account and your heart!
A Google search will bring up hundreds of Toy Fox Terrier "breeders" pumping out litters. A few well-worded questions will reveal they do not test their dogs in the show ring. That alone is proof of a commercial breeder who puts profit and production before quality. I'm not saying that buying from a show breeder is a safe bet but it's a good place to start because facts are facts.
Fact: Shelters and rescue groups are full of commercially bred dogs. Less than 1% of those defective or discarded dogs began life in the hands of a dedicated show breeder.
Fact: In order to win, a breeder must study health and genetics. Show dogs are assessed by a written Breed Standard that defines personality as well as physical features such as weight and height, body shape, coat length and texture, bone density, good teeth and eyes, and most important, expression! The judge checks all of these qualities! Yes, even counts teeth and testicles. If you buy a Toy Fox Terrier puppy, it should not grow up to look like a Rat Terrier the size of an Irish Terrier, with the personality of a Pitbull!
Factt: Showing challenges a dog's immune system and emotional
stability. He's continually exposed to disease. Traveling is
stressful. Having strangers examine his mouth and private parts is
disconcerting to any dog! Children shrieking, crowds cheering,
loudspeakers blaring…. if he copes with all of this because his person asks
him to, if he struts into the ring and shows his stuff because he's a Toy
Fox Terrier (and knows it) he has proven himself fit to reproduce.
Unlike a wild stallion, the domestic dog has no natural way to win the right to sire. In a modern world, only the stars of the ultimate canine "Reality Show" should win the right to produce offspring - for someone like you.
Fact: Expect to have a Toy Fox Terrier for at least fifteen years. You wouldn't buy a car (expected to last three years) from an unknown maker built in a factory with no quality control or inspection... Hadn't thought of it that way? I know. That's what commercial breeders count on.
Fact:
But
there's a Guarantee? An attorney will tell you it's worthless unless
they live in the same county and even then, it is only a small claims
matter. Misrepresentation is not criminal and not worth the expense of
a civil suit. A guarantee is only as good as the person who gives it,
meaning someone who has a reputation worth protecting.
One more fact: No one likes to lose. Show Breeders work hard to build a "line" of wonderful Toy Fox Terriers for YOU. Whether you want pet or show quality, be sure your puppy doesn't come from a puppy-producing machine hidden from public view.
Yep, that's why we show our pets. We call them in from the yard, wash off the North Carolina clay, trim toenails, polish coats and load them in the motor home. Toy Fox Terriers O'BJ are awarded by judges, admired by our competitors, and adored by proud owners. They are carefully planned and presented with pride. And that's a fact!
There's a a lot more on this site designed to help you decide on a dog. Whether for family pet or show dog, you should know more about Health Certifications and what the breed was intended to do, other than be your personal best friend.