Pursuit of Exellence
"Webster's gives us some interesting definitions: "To nourish, cherish...to generate, engender...to cause, to occasion...to bring up, to nurse and foster," and more to the point, "to produce by special selection of parents or progenitors."
Anyone who puts two animals together for the purpose of producing young does "generate, engender, cause, or occasion" the propagation of that species or breed. Most breeders, thankfully, "nourish, cherish, bring up, nurse, and foster."
Ahh, but here's the rub: Only a handful of persons involved in the production of companion animals can be said to "produce by special selection of parents or progenitors." A Breeder (with a capital "B") is one who thirsts for knowledge but never knows it all, one who wrestles with decisions of conscience, convenience, and commitment.
A Breeder is one who sacrifices personal interests, finances, time, friendships, fancy furniture, and deep pile carpeting. A breeder gives up dreams of a long, luxurious cruise in favor of turning that all-important specialty show into this year's vacation."
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- B. J Andrews (the hall of fame breeder of O'BJ Akitas)