The bottom line is we all need each other to have this amazing breed.
Well stated Paint - Von if you refer to "elite" breeders being the ones who train and show their dogs then yes I am all for it. However, you know I have great pet families but I choose them wisely as best I can. I want to make sure that I am there to help them understand the breed, get help if they have a problem and as with Paint if they want to experience more then I want to be there to help them. I personally, of all the great breeders I know, do not know one that does not treasure their pet homes. There are a few snobs but every group has their bad apples.
I say all this because it is what I have learned from experience. I have shown my dog and put a couple of titles on him. We tried obedience and even IPO. I am not in a place that I can pursue that right now, but I can speak to the fact that it is game changer. It is a whole new level of bonding and mutual respect with your dog... there are just no words, you have to experience it to understand it. I suggest that you, at the very least, find an IPO trial in your area, go watch a team get a BH title. Not saying you have to do the same thing, just saying it is nothing short of spectacular to watch such a well oiled team work together.
Paint and I often discussed this very fact that unless you have experienced that special bond with a dog who you train and compete with it is impossible to understand the whole new world it opens up and it does take the bond to a whole new level.
It genuinely surprises me that you would even want that title.you no doubt have done a lot for the breed and deserve to be recognized for that and your acomplishments its all commendable but your contempt for pet people is showing more everyday.
Von - I have enough families on this list who started out as pet people for you to know I do not have contempt for pet people. you are so correct that we need good pet people or we would have to stop breeding as there are not enough show homes out there. Pet people are potential future competitors or not. What I dislike about some pet people is those who have never done anything but just sit back and criticize those who are doing something. It is easy to criticize when you don't know what you are talking about. But first hand knowledge is a powerful thing.
Paint - had no interest in showing when she got Drake. We have had many hours and hours of conversations - I hope she has never felt in the beginning I felt she was nothing because she had no interest in showing. NONE But she deserved 100% of my best effort to help her and educated her to the breeders side of the equation and the misconceptions that run rampant out there.
seriously I'd like to know since you are up there in the elitist category and have openly admitted that people like me have no business owning Dobermans
I have never in my life ever said or thought you have no business owning Dobermans. WOW I hope you are just having a bad day. I have defended you anywhere and everywhere anyone ever said anything negative against you. We have a different philosophy on some things but it does not make us enemies and I have always respected your hard work, honesty and dedication to our breed. I do think sometimes you let things get to you and go off and I hope that is all this is. As far as that goes yes there are some NOTE I said SOME pet people who should not have dobermans and there are some breeders (even among those who show and train who should not have dobermans). All breeders are becoming elite as they are becoming extinct.
Pet people who think it is their right to change the standard and that c/d is not important and would just as soon see us loose the right because they have no concept of where that will lead us - don't know enough to know what they don't know and yes they hurt our breed and its future.
Most of them have of course, never worked with an "elite" breeder who actually shows and trains their dogs. Most of them have gotten dogs from less than reputable places who did not screen families and did not stand behind their dogs so they BLAME "elite" breeders because they would not sell them a dog because they were not willing to learn about the breed and support doing things right. Just like in one thread here where someone is wanting to breed their female because she is coming two so the children can have a puppy. OMG.
I honestly don't know any breeders who do not appreciate their wonderful pet homes and from what I have seen the "elite" breeders care far more about making sure their puppies go to great homes.