I AM A BREEDER!
Hello, My name is Amber I'm in my twenties and I'm the owner/breeder here at LaShomb's Pomeranians. I have loved the Pomeranian breed as long as I can remember. I got my first Pom when I was about 9 years old, his name was Dew and he was black with a white chest. The moment I laid eyes on him I was in love. It didn't come as a surprise when I decided to start breeding Pomeranians because I've always been a huge animal lover!!! I officially started my breeding program along side my older sister Brooke, Redmond's Poms in 2011 after doing 2 years of research and learning everything we could about breeding and the Pomeranian breed. My first breeding female was Foxy (spayed) who I still have. On January 2, 2013 my sister Brooke and I had our first litter of AKC Pomeranian puppies sired by her male Scooby Doo. Since then I have continued breeding and have been able to work with many amazing breeders like Kathie Inman of Windsong Poms in Michigan and Macee Whitton of Glitzy Poms in California to better my program and lines. I have learned so much from these ladies and can only hope to have a reputation like them one day. I strive to produce happy, healthy, even tempered, quality puppies families can enjoy for many years to come. I am not a kennel, all my dogs live indoors with me as a part of the family - free to roam around the house. I breed for quality NOT quantity, so I have long waiting lists of potential homes for my puppies. I have usually have two litters a year!
I breed to produce quality breeding and showing stock. Not all pups in a litter are breeding/show worthy, those pups will be placed in pet homes. However, they are still high quality pups. I have taken great care in choosing the dogs that I have for breeding and I hope that I will have a reputation as a good and repeatable breeder in the future. A good breeder cares about the health and temperament of all of the dogs in their breeding program. My objective is to breed quality dogs to get quality pups. Quality to me is healthy, happy, even tempered, breeding/show standard Pomeranian's. I've done my research into pedigrees to avoid health problems that plague this breed and have chosen females from free whelping lines. I personally will always strive to breed to the AKC breed standard which is a 3 to 7 pound dog. Good responsible breeding comes at a price. I have put thousands and thousands of dollars into my breeding stock and program to produce quality puppies that will better the breed.
My puppies start at $1,400 and go up from there but on occasion I do have puppies listed at a lower price. Any and all money made from the sales of my puppies goes back into my dogs, puppies and program. I don't pocket any of the sales money because I don't need or want it. My first priority is my dogs and their needs!!!
I breed to produce quality breeding and showing stock. Not all pups in a litter are breeding/show worthy, those pups will be placed in pet homes. However, they are still high quality pups. I have taken great care in choosing the dogs that I have for breeding and I hope that I will have a reputation as a good and repeatable breeder in the future. A good breeder cares about the health and temperament of all of the dogs in their breeding program. My objective is to breed quality dogs to get quality pups. Quality to me is healthy, happy, even tempered, breeding/show standard Pomeranian's. I've done my research into pedigrees to avoid health problems that plague this breed and have chosen females from free whelping lines. I personally will always strive to breed to the AKC breed standard which is a 3 to 7 pound dog. Good responsible breeding comes at a price. I have put thousands and thousands of dollars into my breeding stock and program to produce quality puppies that will better the breed.
My puppies start at $1,400 and go up from there but on occasion I do have puppies listed at a lower price. Any and all money made from the sales of my puppies goes back into my dogs, puppies and program. I don't pocket any of the sales money because I don't need or want it. My first priority is my dogs and their needs!!!
What is a Responsible and Ethical Breeder?
What is a responsible and ethical dog breeder? How can I become this? Well, breeding isn't something that should be taken lightly but, here are a few things I find to be true and helpful if you are looking to become a breeder or just looking to understand the world of breeding.
Responsible breeders seek to improve their breeds with every litter. To reach this goal, they must devote hours to continually learning as much as they can about their breeds, including health and genetic concerns, temperament, appearance and type. They also need to know about general dog behavior, training and health care. In short, they become canine experts.
A Responsible Breeder is Objective - Virtually every dog is the best in the world in the eyes of its owner. Responsible breeders have the ability to separate their love for their dog from an honest evaluation of its good and bad points. Why is a detached point of view necessary? Breeding is hard work. Every breeding is a carefully planned endeavor to produce a better dog. A good breeder recognizes a dog's flaws and finds a mate with characteristics that will help reduce or eliminate those flaws. So how can you honestly evaluate your dog as potential breeding stock?
Seek assistance from some of the best informational resources available - longtime breeders and the breeder of your dog. This person should have extensive knowledge of your dog's line and, like you, should want to see it continually improved.
An excellent way to develop an impartial eye is to test your dog against others. To see how well your dog conforms to the breed standard, get an assessment from an experienced breeder and dog fancier, and enter dog shows. Entering obedience and field tests and trials will allow you to measure your dog's intelligence and abilities. If your dog is a success in these events, you'll be more confident that breeding your dog will contribute to the betterment of its breed.
A Responsible Breeder Conditions the Sire and Dam - Good puppies start long before their parents are bred. Both the sire and dam need constant care, or conditioning, to produce the best offspring. This means regular veterinary care, screening for genetic problems, pre-breeding health tests, regular exercise and good nutrition. It means consulting with a veterinarian or experienced breeder to ensure that you know how to meet the dam's (mother's) special nutritional needs while she is in whelp (pregnant).
It also means maintaining your dog's mental health. Stressed animals can experience fertility problems. Many breeders swear by the belief that the dam's temperament affects the puppies - good puppies come from good mothers. Consequently, they avoid breeding shy or unstable dogs.
A Responsible Breeder Nurtures the Puppies - Preparing for puppies means building a proper nursery. A whelping box must be dry, very warm and draft-free. It should be big enough for the dam to be able to move about freely with sides that will safely contain the puppies.
The dam normally takes care of the puppies' needs the first few weeks of their lives. Of course, you should be prepared for unusual but serious situations, such as a dam with no milk or an orphaned litter. You will also need to provide additional food and water for the dam while she is nursing the puppies.
Once the puppies are weaned, they become much more active and require lots more work. You will need to oversee feeding to ensure each puppy gets adequate food. You will need to keep the towels or disposable/washable pee pads lining the whelping box clean. The puppies will need their first round of shots, they may need grooming and they will definitely need plenty of playtime and opportunities for getting used to being around people. You may even want to start working with them on basic obedience commands to ease their transition to their new homes.
A Responsible Breeder Places Puppies Wisely - As you can probably imagine, once it's time for the puppies to go to new homes, you've invested a lot of yourself in them. A difficult and important aspect of breeding is making sure your puppies go to owners who will provide loving and permanent homes.
The complete picture is important to responsible breeders. They make sure new puppy owners know what to expect, both the pros and the cons, from the furry little bundles they're taking home. If their particular breed requires extensive grooming, drools profusely, or can be difficult to train, responsible breeders will point that out. They will also provide all the necessary paperwork for new owners to register their dogs with the AKC or other registration, which will allow them to participate in the sport of purebred dogs.
Responsible breeders also know the right questions to ask prospective owners in order to get a feel for the type of home they'll provide. Some of these questions include:
•Why does the person or family want a dog?
•Who will be primarily responsible for the dog's care?
•Are there any children? If so, how old are they?
•Does anyone in the household have allergies?
•What is the potential owner's attitude toward training and obedience?
•How often is someone at home?
•Will they have time to walk and play with the dog?
If feasible, it's not unreasonable for a breeder to make a house call after the puppy has had time to settle in with its new family. Some breeders require dog buyers to sign contracts indicating the specific conditions of care.
Important qualities to look for in potential puppy owners are interest and inquisitiveness about you and the dogs you breed. A person or family truly committed to responsible dog ownership will want to learn about the breed and how to care for it.
A Responsible Breeder is Responsible for Life - Now comes the best part of being a breeder. (No, it's not putting away the wee wee pads and puppy food.) It's having those great families you selected call you with news of puppy's first tooth, first veterinarian visit, first dog event, first win! It's getting letters. It's getting holiday cards. It's getting family portraits with your puppy (yes, it'll always be yours) smack in the middle. What's not to love about being a breeder at these times?
But now can come the worst part, too. It's the nice young couple who is divorcing and neither person can keep the dog. It's the distraught owner calling from the veterinarian with news of an unforeseen illness.
Responsible breeders are there for all situations - both good and bad. They know they were responsible for this puppy being born, so they are responsible for it until the day it dies. They are willing to provide guidance and answer as many questions as they are asked. They are always concerned about their puppies.
One breeder once said the most satisfying phone call she received came 14 years after she bred her first litter. The caller said one of "her" (the breeder's) dogs had died of old age. At that moment the breeder knew she was responsible for bringing years of the same kind of love and joy she experienced from her dogs into someone else's home. Ultimately, isn't that exactly why you want to breed your dog?
Amber LaShomb
LaShomb's Pomeranians
Copyright May 4th, 2015
This article may be re-published with the consent of Amber LaShomb
Responsible breeders seek to improve their breeds with every litter. To reach this goal, they must devote hours to continually learning as much as they can about their breeds, including health and genetic concerns, temperament, appearance and type. They also need to know about general dog behavior, training and health care. In short, they become canine experts.
A Responsible Breeder is Objective - Virtually every dog is the best in the world in the eyes of its owner. Responsible breeders have the ability to separate their love for their dog from an honest evaluation of its good and bad points. Why is a detached point of view necessary? Breeding is hard work. Every breeding is a carefully planned endeavor to produce a better dog. A good breeder recognizes a dog's flaws and finds a mate with characteristics that will help reduce or eliminate those flaws. So how can you honestly evaluate your dog as potential breeding stock?
Seek assistance from some of the best informational resources available - longtime breeders and the breeder of your dog. This person should have extensive knowledge of your dog's line and, like you, should want to see it continually improved.
An excellent way to develop an impartial eye is to test your dog against others. To see how well your dog conforms to the breed standard, get an assessment from an experienced breeder and dog fancier, and enter dog shows. Entering obedience and field tests and trials will allow you to measure your dog's intelligence and abilities. If your dog is a success in these events, you'll be more confident that breeding your dog will contribute to the betterment of its breed.
A Responsible Breeder Conditions the Sire and Dam - Good puppies start long before their parents are bred. Both the sire and dam need constant care, or conditioning, to produce the best offspring. This means regular veterinary care, screening for genetic problems, pre-breeding health tests, regular exercise and good nutrition. It means consulting with a veterinarian or experienced breeder to ensure that you know how to meet the dam's (mother's) special nutritional needs while she is in whelp (pregnant).
It also means maintaining your dog's mental health. Stressed animals can experience fertility problems. Many breeders swear by the belief that the dam's temperament affects the puppies - good puppies come from good mothers. Consequently, they avoid breeding shy or unstable dogs.
A Responsible Breeder Nurtures the Puppies - Preparing for puppies means building a proper nursery. A whelping box must be dry, very warm and draft-free. It should be big enough for the dam to be able to move about freely with sides that will safely contain the puppies.
The dam normally takes care of the puppies' needs the first few weeks of their lives. Of course, you should be prepared for unusual but serious situations, such as a dam with no milk or an orphaned litter. You will also need to provide additional food and water for the dam while she is nursing the puppies.
Once the puppies are weaned, they become much more active and require lots more work. You will need to oversee feeding to ensure each puppy gets adequate food. You will need to keep the towels or disposable/washable pee pads lining the whelping box clean. The puppies will need their first round of shots, they may need grooming and they will definitely need plenty of playtime and opportunities for getting used to being around people. You may even want to start working with them on basic obedience commands to ease their transition to their new homes.
A Responsible Breeder Places Puppies Wisely - As you can probably imagine, once it's time for the puppies to go to new homes, you've invested a lot of yourself in them. A difficult and important aspect of breeding is making sure your puppies go to owners who will provide loving and permanent homes.
The complete picture is important to responsible breeders. They make sure new puppy owners know what to expect, both the pros and the cons, from the furry little bundles they're taking home. If their particular breed requires extensive grooming, drools profusely, or can be difficult to train, responsible breeders will point that out. They will also provide all the necessary paperwork for new owners to register their dogs with the AKC or other registration, which will allow them to participate in the sport of purebred dogs.
Responsible breeders also know the right questions to ask prospective owners in order to get a feel for the type of home they'll provide. Some of these questions include:
•Why does the person or family want a dog?
•Who will be primarily responsible for the dog's care?
•Are there any children? If so, how old are they?
•Does anyone in the household have allergies?
•What is the potential owner's attitude toward training and obedience?
•How often is someone at home?
•Will they have time to walk and play with the dog?
If feasible, it's not unreasonable for a breeder to make a house call after the puppy has had time to settle in with its new family. Some breeders require dog buyers to sign contracts indicating the specific conditions of care.
Important qualities to look for in potential puppy owners are interest and inquisitiveness about you and the dogs you breed. A person or family truly committed to responsible dog ownership will want to learn about the breed and how to care for it.
A Responsible Breeder is Responsible for Life - Now comes the best part of being a breeder. (No, it's not putting away the wee wee pads and puppy food.) It's having those great families you selected call you with news of puppy's first tooth, first veterinarian visit, first dog event, first win! It's getting letters. It's getting holiday cards. It's getting family portraits with your puppy (yes, it'll always be yours) smack in the middle. What's not to love about being a breeder at these times?
But now can come the worst part, too. It's the nice young couple who is divorcing and neither person can keep the dog. It's the distraught owner calling from the veterinarian with news of an unforeseen illness.
Responsible breeders are there for all situations - both good and bad. They know they were responsible for this puppy being born, so they are responsible for it until the day it dies. They are willing to provide guidance and answer as many questions as they are asked. They are always concerned about their puppies.
One breeder once said the most satisfying phone call she received came 14 years after she bred her first litter. The caller said one of "her" (the breeder's) dogs had died of old age. At that moment the breeder knew she was responsible for bringing years of the same kind of love and joy she experienced from her dogs into someone else's home. Ultimately, isn't that exactly why you want to breed your dog?
Amber LaShomb
LaShomb's Pomeranians
Copyright May 4th, 2015
This article may be re-published with the consent of Amber LaShomb
