Truffie: Oh My
Monday, April 2, 2012 at 6:30PM 
Here is an older photo of Truffie. I should just click one and put the latest up but I don't feel like it. ha I have groomed him and the gals enough today and they all look a mess.
Some boys mature slow. Some mature fast. Fiona's boys seem to mature slow but it seems someone shot Truffie with hormones and he is so focused on the gals and their smell that it is irritating the hey out of me.
Usually your boy is fixed before this point but not if he will be used for breeding. He is kissing the gals neck, their ears making all sorts of mats (Kat does this before he mates - a romantic soul) but its not funny when its all day and the gals like it and you are the groomer.
But you can't get mad as that will interfere with his breeding in the future. This is counter-productive to maintaining a show coat.
I love him but....
Reader Comments (3)
Hi Darlah: Such a cute picture of Truffie! What age to you like the boys to be before you start using them for breeding? I recall (I think) you mentioned breeding Truffie to Spicy sometime in the future. Do they need to earn their championship first? What age do you like the Moms to be for their first litter? Sorry for all the questions, but this has all become so very interesting to me!
Boys will be Boys!!! :-)
You don't have to get a championship. We just do it as Nathan enjoys it and we get to train and show them off. The easy route is to send them out at 6 months with a professional handler, pay them big bucks and get a champion for all your money. That sounds cynical but it is true. Then I will see an owner/handler with a truly exquisite dog and they are winning 1 point here and there.
All dogs must be within the standard and your goal is to improve the breed. You can't breed a dog cause you think it is cute. They are all cute. But I have seen oversized and undersized dogs win in the ring with a big name pro. I have also seen dogs that are structurally not right but on a pro and they too will win.
Regarding breeding: It is not simply an age thing. It is maturity. Boys can and usually are bred before gals but it is the gals that do all the work associated with mothering and that's why maturity is very important. If your gal does not enjoy motherhood or is chasing butterflies and has no interest in anyone else's pups then they need to stay pups themselves longer and some, well they are not meant to be moms just like humans. We all have that role that does it for us and motherhood is not 'it' for all of us. That is okay, in my honest opinion. Some are meant to be agility stars or calming dogs or just the apple of your eye dogs.
I think finding what does it for them is important. It also takes leaving your eyes open and accepting that they may have another aspiration in mind than you have for them and its important to accept that.