15/07/2025
Another Guide Dog success story in Quarry 😊
Breeding is a BIG deal, the choices we make influence the lives of the dogs we create and the people who live with them.
I often get asked what our thought process are when we choose matings that produce successful trained, dogs in the various fields that ours do, and how do we prep them for life beyond us.
The answer has several elements to it, and they all work together in the holistic and dynamic puzzle that dog breeding is.
We evaluate health & temperament, experiences & prior learning, environment and placement of puppies and we do that with what I call a 30,000 foot view that is not “kennel blind”.
We analyse health scores, and critique the data, seeking to improve upon it for the good of the breed. Do the dogs move well? Are they structurally well built and proportioned? Does the family line have longevity?
We profile temperament, honestly and authentically, because no dog is perfect, no matter how much you love them, there will always be something to improve here.
Prior learning and the environment of the parents and grandparents is also a factor. How that affects the dogs themselves and their offspring. What do they do, are they trained in a discipline? Is there a history of proven trainability? “Working line” and “Working dog” are two different things.
Where do they live? Are their needs being met fully? Epigenetics will play a part in the puppies you produce… a dog living in a stressful environment, even if that is subtle and mild, will have a tendency to produce anxious and reactive puppies.
Nutritional health and it’s effect on the dogs micro biome and brain development. This is a totally underestimated area in terms of importance and understanding in my opinion. “You are what you eat”… same applies to dogs.
We work with other professionals, breeders who tick all the boxes in terms of care and diligence within their breeding program. In this instance mochuto_labradors and Tarnya Stephens who is an excellent breeder in her own right.
The hours spent watching, learning and seeing them as individuals. Seeing their strengths and weaknesses and pin pointing areas to focus on when they are young to give them the opportunity to develop into their best self.
And lastly homing them to the right family or professional, the right people for that individual puppy, who can bring them out in bloom, supported, nurtured and cherished they will shine. Without this element the dogs will never be the dog that they could be.
Breeding quality is not simple. It’s scientific, complex and often requires difficult decisions that are tough.
But receiving updates like the one we received about Quarry makes it SO worthwhile. ❤️
