It is good of you to offer an apology. It shows a certain level of maturity
and speaks well of your ability to take responsibility for your actions.
Well done!
I'd like to offer you a case in point, of my own experience, in being a
responsible breeder. I currently have a line of gerbils which produce a
wonderful "Honey Cream" variation of the DEH. Of late, I have observed
several gerbils from this line go into seizures. I believe I can also
attribute one death to this phenomenon. I have decided to discontinue all
breeding with affected members of this line and their immediate offspring.
It is a very frustrating thing to do as I have been working to breed this
color for the past year and a half.
However, as I am trying to expand the available color range of gerbils in my
market, I must also be sure I am offering healthy animals as well. Imagin
how a youngster might feel to see their new pet freeze up like it was dead
:(
I think it would be just as bad to see a maimed litter of babies as well.
Health, physical charactoristics, and temperment are all geneticly
predetermined. Temperment can also be learned. If the matriarch, or sire, of
a breeding line has poor nurturing skills and ill temper, she will teach any
surviving offspring the same behaviors. These offspring will then pass these
traits on to the next generation, and the next, and on and on. It is for
this reason that good breeders of all animals are very carful to "cull",
stop breeding affected animals and rehome them as pets only, any
undesirable traits from their breeding program. The breeding of any animal
must be done with specific goals in mind. These goals include improved
health and hardieness, good temper, improvement of phisycal "type" and
conformation. When we under take these goals as tenents by which we make our
breeding decisions, we cannot help but produce the very best animals.
So, with this in mind, I beleive it really is the best thing you can do to
discontinue breeding with these animals, even the males. The fact that you
have under taken breeding indicates that you care for and enjoy your
animals. But, if you are going to be a reputable and responsible breeder,
now is the time to stop your current program, reevaluate your reason for
breeding and decide what your goals in breeding are. Think of the families
who will be owning the offspring you produce. Being a reputable and
responsible breeder does not end when the pups go to their new homes. We
must be very aware of what these new owners are going to contend with. If we
do not, and keep producing poor quality animals, then the likelyhood of
neglet and abuse of these animal is very likely to occure.
On a final note, I'd like to offer some advice about handling oneself when
upset. Often times, when we humans get angry we blurt out our immediat
feeling, either in person or in type, only to be embarased and or ashamed
later. While feelings of anger are valid, as all feeling are, it is much
more constructive to put a lid on it for a moment and then ask questions
like, "I don't under stand.....Can you clarify that for me..." etc. Try
doing this often and it will become second nature. Also, try asking yourself
such questions as "Am I overreacting......Is that realy what they were
trying to say.....Why do I feel so strongly about that?" Taking a moment to
asses yourself will go a long way in avoiding conflicts of all sorts.
So, good luck to you, God Speed, and good night!!
Cinthia A. Dunn-Izquierdo
The Izzy Clan
> I didn't mean to clog the list up this much and i didn;t want to be that
> mean. I hope you all can forgive me and espcially Donna can.
>
> Sorry.
> Lisa
