01/01/2026
When someone comes across a breeding program they don’t agree with
whether it’s because the person is a breeder at all, or because it’s a breed or mix they personally wouldn’t choose
they often feel entitled to speak harshly.
From the outside, it’s easy to form opinions.
From the inside, it’s a very different story.
What they don’t see is the vision behind the program.
They don’t see the dream that started long before the first puppy was ever born, the quiet calling to build something with purpose, care, and intention.
They don’t see the years of learning.
Not just loving dogs but studying them.
Learning genetics, structure, temperament, nutrition, whelping, neonatal care.
Learning how progesterone testing works. Learning to read lab results, schedule ultrasounds, understand hormone levels, and make decisions that affect lives before they ever enter the world.
They don’t see the stress of carrying that responsibility.
The pressure of getting it right.
The fear of missing something important.
They don’t see the struggle of becoming a dozen things at once -
a breeder, a caretaker, a student, a marketer, a photographer, a content creator, a customer service rep, and sometimes even a grief counselor.
They don’t see the hours spent learning photography just to show the dogs honestly and beautifully.
The time editing photos late at night after everyone else is asleep.
The constant effort to educate instead of react.
They don’t see the financial risk.
The testing, the vet bills, the supplies, the emergency funds set aside “just in case.”
The money spent before a single puppy is ever promised to anyone.
They don’t see the emotional strain of families reserving puppies, the hours spent talking,
celebrating with you, planning names, sharing excitement,
only to back out at the last minute.
The weight of reworking plans.
The disappointment you carry quietly because you still have puppies who need homes and stability.
They don’t see the hard conversations.
The times you say no to a family even when it hurts because protecting the puppy matters more than making the sale.
They don’t see the sleepless nights.
The checking and rechecking.
The prayers whispered over pregnant moms, newborn puppies, and uncertain outcomes.
What they do see is puppies.
And they see profit.
And from that small snapshot, they judge - harshly and confidently.
They judge guardian homes without asking how one person could realistically give twelve dogs the life they deserve alone.
They judge retiring and rehoming without understanding that loving a dog sometimes means choosing their best future, even when it breaks your heart.
If we’re honest, they judge breeding as a whole -
because no amount of intention will ever fit their definition of “acceptable.”
What they don’t see is that behind many ethical breeding programs is not greed or carelessness
but stewardship.
Sacrifice.
And an unwavering commitment to doing right by these dogs.
