Thanks, and I agree, there are people out there that only care about a dog finishing and others that care about the dogs. I have taken breed handling classes, lucky me there is a VERY nice training center near me and they are wonderful to work with. I have a friend who is a groomer and has taught me how to care for a coat as well as the internet providing me with vast information on nutrition. I had to start on this venture with this forum as a complainer, and know that it can sometimes leave a bad impression in ones mouth, but knowing that there are people out there that do care and are willing to provide GOOD information is comforting. The "mentor" I found was not only unethical in her breeding practices, but she was also quit ill. She has late stage lymes disease and has a VERY difficult time remembering things and being able to maintain a conversation with someone on one topic for more then a couple min. before getting side tracked with something totally unrelated.
At first I thought nothing of it, but the more we talked and spent time together I came to realize (to late) that she was not really working with a full deck....and it was not really her fault. She was just horrible as a mentor and as a breeder. I got 2 pups from her on the same day one for showing a breeding purposes and one for breeding purposes. She told me all genetic testing had been done on the sire and dam, being so nieve myself and not asking for documentation, I found out to late that the only testing that had been done on them was optigen testing for PRA, that is good but not by itself. SHe did not OFA at all nor did she test for thyroid,patella luxation, or any other problems that are such a problem in toys. She mislead me by telling me she was breeding for 25+ years but failed to tell me until months after I purchased pups that she had only just begun breeding toy poodles, before she was breeding a totally diff. breed. I have learned to be leery as well as becoming more knowledgable before making any future purchases.
