Successful Breeding

Last year I purchased an older book (first published in 1961 by Kaye & Ward Ltd, The Windmill Press, Kingswood, Tadworth, Surey, Great Britian with seven subsequent editions) by Nem and Percy Elliott entitled The Complete German Shepherd Dog. This is an entirely revised edition of The Complete Alsatian.

This title had been on a recommended listing of books about the German Shepherd Dog I had found in another book which I had recently read. In addition, I was particularly interested in this book as I had shown several German Shepherds under the co-author, Percy Elliott, while living in Kingston, Jamaica in the mid-1990s. Both Nem and Percy were international judges and recognized authorities on the German Shepherds.

There is much guidance to be found within this book on every aspect of the German Shepherd’s care to the establishment of a kennel and an accounting of training for character, the show-ring, competitive obedience and working qualifications. The novice and inexperienced breeder will find this book helpful. More experienced breeders will find essential information on important bloodlines listed of British, German and American award winning from the first shows ever held.

The contents of this book are presented in six (6) sections:

1. Breed History and Standard

2. Breeding

3. Modern Bloodlines

4. Care and Management

5. Showing and Training

6. Records of Champions (British, German and American)

In addition, you will find a well-written glossary and excellent index.

I would like to highlight briefly three (3) key ingredients necessary to be a successful breeder gleaned from the pages of Chapter 2: Practical Breeding. These elements that constitute a successful breeder are conclusions that the Elliotts have drawn based upon over forty years of breeding. Breeders normally strive to better their breed through the development of a guide or system of breeding which will undoubtedly produce better and lastly results.

The Elliotts postulate that breeders are always looking for a secret to success and that this is, in fact, natural and commendable. Many breeders seek to find  a formula, perhaps even scientific procedure, that they hope will work to aid them in being successful and competitive. The authors state unequivocally that there is no secret formula. Instead they simply outline three (3) ingredients which are necessary to be a successful breeder.

The first is breed knowledge.

“You must know what a good dog or pigeon is like, otherwise how can you hope to produce it (82).”

The second is ‘common sense’.

“If ever there was a misnomer, this is it! When one looks around in many walks of life, this so called ‘common’ commodity is rather rare isn’t it? . . .The ability to see to the core of anything seems to be beyond some rather clever people. I don’t think common sense can be taught, it comes naturally or not at all (82).”

The third essential is luck.

“Without this you get nowhere. You can plan all you want and be correct in all your assumptions but without luck there is nothing. The more knowledge and common sense that you possess the more you can cut down the odds and not rely on luck so much (82).”

Elliott continues to state that “it is my opinion that there is unlikely to be ‘scientific’ breeding in this hobby, and I suppose, to be honest, I hope not too. To breed scientifically one would need to keep many animals to carry through a programme. This would be too many for the good of the breed. Who would ever be able to keep the necessary number and give the correct environment a Shepherd deserves? I believe it is better to proceed in the old fashioned way but with one proviso. That is that breeders and ruling bodies exercise concern for the breed that we all profess to have, be less secretive about breeding results, make known anything of importance, good or bad. If we pool our knowledge and exercise such common sense as we have we ought to improve the ration of good ones. This is what breeding is about not the occasional good one and lots of faulty or insignificant specimens (82).”

Know the breed! Possess common sense! Be lucky! I hope that you have noted that the order of the key ingredients seems to be our importance. If you possess common sense, in general; but lack knowledge of the breed—you will probably fail! If you are lucky; but lack knowledge of the breed—you may obtain or breed a good one, but you will probably not be able to sustain your success in the future! Knowledge of the breed; first and foremost! Knowledge of the breed is at the heart of successful breeding. Knowledge of the breed is the bedrock of successful breeding! Knowledge of the breed must be at the center of your system; coupled with a good dose of common sense; with a bit of good luck and fortune sprinkled about!

This book will be well worth the very meager amount spent. You will be able to find it through Amaxon.com or other online book sellers. Here’s to a good, successful breeding program!!