Foundation Bitch-For the show breeders

[JVZ Boxers]

This message is for all of the Breeders on this site. I have been involved in showing for about three years now. I started working for a Handler and now i show for a few of my own clients. I am now looking for a foundation bitch to start my program with. I do have some good contacts in my area and accually have a breeder who I have met who has some nice dogs. She has bred a ABC Top Twenty winner and the bitch I would get from her would have that dog as her Grandfather. This breeder does meet all of my criteria as a responsible, ethical breeder who does all the health testing that should be preformed prior to breeding. My question is not to ask questions about this breeder but, to get feedback from those that have been in my situation before. I just want to know what all of your your criteria was when you began looking for a foundation bitch. Maybe you will give some more things to think about.

Thanks,

 

[JulieM]

The most oft-repeated advice is to get the best bitch you possibly can. Aside from that, since you've mentioned that the breeder fits your criteria (from which I'm assuming you'll be able to use her as a mentor and work with her on the breeding of the bitch, whether there are conditions to be met or not, etc.), I'd say really look at the bitch and as many of her relatives as possible. Make sure they mostly fit what you want in a Boxer, and what you think you're going to want 5-10-20 years from now. (Chances are your direction will change somewhat along the way, but you don't want to get into a bloodline that is nowhere near where you're heading.) If you've got some other lines you really like, see if they're compatible with this bitch's, so that in the future you can bring them into your program.

(I'll also say that most new breeders probably don't get quite this in-depth about it, and do just fine. So long as you like the breeder, her policies, her dogs, and her contract, you should be fine, too. )

 

[JVZ Boxers]

Julie,

I agree that finding the best bitch possible is sound advise. It does however leave much to be desired as far as giving a newbe advise on how to find that "perfect" bitch. Your following advise however is very usefull. The breeder I have been talking to does have some nice dogs. The dogs that would be in my puppy's pedigree, if I was to get a puppy from her, are very nice and I would be proud to have any of them as my own. I just want to make sure that there is nothing else I should be looking at before I make my descision. Thank you for your advise.

 

[PawPrintBoxers]

When I was looking for a true foundation bitch, I was given 2 points of good advice. Bear in mind I show my Boxers before they are bred and prefer to titled them before bred if possible.

1. Buy the very best bitch you can possibly get
2. Hire the very best handler you can

This is how Penny came into my life and is a testiment to both of those factors working. I will add if you are a newbie to the Boxer ring, buying from a success show breeder that has bred Champions will give you a wonderful coach in your corner

I was looking for a new girl after I spayed Crystal. Penny was exactly what I wanted. At 4 months old I could see she was an outstanding young lady. Her pedigree tied in nicely with my own previous breedings. It was solid on both sides with both parents being AKC Champions and their own parents all being AKC Champions. I had the dynamic duo of Jimmy & Wendy Bettis to handle her. Penny finished at 18 months old and with 3 Major wins either at or during Specialties. She also placed 2nd in a class of 21 at the ABC Futurity. She went Reserve Winners Bitch during the ABC Regional week. I bred her to Booker T and finished two incredible males who both took Best of Breed wins from the puppy classes. And it was with those boys finishing that Booker T became a Sire of Merit.

And I know that Penny's breeder is thrilled with how well this young lady has done both in the ring and in the whelping box :D