A Myriad of Mentors
By Cindy Vogels
Defining your current priorities is key to choosing a mentor.
Afriend was keeping me company while I was stewarding at a recent show. When
I expressed interest in learning more about one of the breeds that was being
shown, she immediately suggested I contact a mutual friend who is in charge of
education for that breed's parent club. "Gee," I said, "I haven't seen her for
ages." "Well," my friend said, "she's kind of burned out on dog shows and doesn't
go much anymore." Hmm, I thought to myself. We have so few shows in our area;
this one is in her backyard and she's not here. Should I contact someone who
is so out of touch?
I thought about this question as I looked at the recommendations on selecting
a mentor that are provided by the breeders' education committee. I realized that
qualifications can vary. It occurred to me that different types of mentors might
be useful at different stages of a breeder's development. Some qualities are
absolute requisites. A mentor should enjoy interacting with others, be able and
willing to communicate in an understanding, compassionate manner, and be good
at evaluating breeding stock.
At the most basic level, in other words, a mentor needs to have a good "eye" and
the ability to pass on knowledge. So, you might find very useful mentors outside
your breed or even outside the world of purebred dogs. This kind of mentor is
not going to be able to tell you where to breed your bitch, but sometimes an
outsider's viewpoint can contribute unbiased, useful opinions. You might have
a friend who breeds cats, horses or some other animal but has no specific knowledge
of dogs. This person could nonetheless be a helpful mentor.
Mentors From Other Breeds
On a different level, mentors who are in the sport but not necessarily involved
in your breed might possess extensive experience in many important areas, including
planning breedings, handling both natural and artificial breedings, stud-dog
management, and whelping, rearing, training and placing puppies. Such mentors
know how to locate useful generic resources, and have familiarity with the rules
and regulations of the AKC, particularly registration forms and breeding-record
requirements.
Joining an all-breed club is one way to take advantage of the vast wealth of
knowledge possessed by experienced breeders outside your breed. Such an alliance
allows you to interact with fellow breeders in a noncompetitive forum that can
be mutually beneficial.
Mentors From Within Your Breed
A mentor from within your breed is invaluable. In addition to providing breed-specific
knowledge in the areas mentioned above, such mentors should also have a solid
background in the history and function of the breed, an in-depth knowledge of
important bloodlines, and the ability to discuss the pros and cons of particular
breedings and provide advice on possible stud dogs. They should have extensive
knowledge about breed health, including any genetic problems and the availability
of testing and registries.
Novice breeders need the kind of help that can only come from mentors who actively
breed and exhibit. Most often, the breeder of your first show-quality dog will
be your first mentor. If your breeder does not live near you, you should find
a local mentor with whom you can attend shows and evaluate breeding stock and
litters. When your primary mentor does not live near you, you should plan to
meet at a specialty show so you can watch the entry and talk together in person.
After some time in the sport, a breeder can make use of an experienced
mentor who is no longer active. Such "old-timer" breeders offer a valuable
historical perspective, and they are less likely to be affected by
whims of passing fashion. Longtime breeders generally turn to mentors
outside their breeds and sometimes outside the sport, as described
above.
Judges
Judges who serve as mentors generally fall into one of two categories. Active
breeder-judges are much like other breeders. They possess an intimate knowledge
of a breed, enhanced by the additional insight that is acquired through judging.
Breeder-judges who are no longer active provide a slightly different slant. No
longer influenced by their own breeding programs, they tend to have a broader
outlook, looking for a whole dog that closely fits the standard. Although they
might not feel comfortable advising someone on breedings, these judge-mentors
do get to go over a lot of dogs. Thus, they can often provide information on
dogs in various parts of the country (or world) that might otherwise be unknown
to a breeder.
Getting back to my original query concerning whether a mentor who is inactive
in the sport can be useful, I believe such mentors can be an excellent resource
for experienced breeders. Nevertheless, I think the ability to provide the kind
of extensive, up-to-date information that is necessary to aid a new breeder,
or to chair a national club's education committee, requires participation at
dog shows in the form of exhibiting or judging. Just as we advise potential puppy
owners, whether they are looking for a pet dog or a show dog, to purchase their
dogs from an active breeder-exhibitor, we should also encourage newcomers to
seek the counsel of those who are most actively involved in the sport.
Cindy Vogels is a breeder-judge from Littleton, Colo. She has bred Soft Coated
Wheaten Terriers, Kerry Blue Terriers, Welsh Terriers and other breeds for almost
30 years, and she judges 18 terrier breeds.
