Nash Labradors

Amazing 👏🏿

She asked me to play Pirates of the Caribbean but couldn't expect who would join me! 🎻😍 #piratesofthecaribbean #pirates #ChildProdigy #violin #piano #airport

I just shared this to my own page, but thought it was worth sharing within this group as well.
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I didnt write this, but it well written and well thought out.

This topic comes up quite often, between breeders, but also comes up constantly when talking to prospective buyers, so I felt it was worth sharing/re-posting.

VALUE

I have been helping a friend find a puppy. She wants a specific breed, for a specific purpose, with a specific temperament. I have found her several responsible breeders who I think would have puppies that would fit all of her criteria. Then she says to me, "I just want you to know that I am not spending $1,800 on a dog. Not when so many need homes." And you know, if that was the end of what she said, and she wanted help finding a rescue dog, I would have been all about helping her. But she is still not opposed to buying a puppy... just not one for $1800. So, at first, it didn't really register what she said, but as I thought about it, I became more and more offended. Because basically what she said to me was that as a responsible breeder, my dogs are not worth any more than Joe-shmoe's down the block... that all the time, effort, and money that I have put into health testing, temperament testing, training, proving, and selecting my dogs for breeding has no value. I have to say, this really got under my skin. Maybe it's because I have driven my girls as far as CA to breed to the most perfect stud dog that I could find... or that I just spent over $2000 on progesterone tests, and I still don't have a litter to show for it... or maybe it's because I have proven my dog's over and over again, and it just plain pi**ed me off that someone doesn't see the value in that.

So, what do you get for a $1800 puppy? Proven temperament and trainability... mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, and great grand parents for many generations are trained and temperament tested- and they have been to a million dog shows, earning titles to prove it all. Proven health... mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, and great grand parents for many generations have had their hips, elbows, knees, eyes, heart, & thyroid tested, they are clear of all genetic disease that I can possibly know of. They are to breed standard... which may not mean a lot to you, but it should. It's what keeps a Rottweiler from looking like a Black and Tan Coonhound, or a Bernese Mountain dog. It's what maintains structure and soundness, and what makes a breed a breed. You also get me. You get a knowledgeable breeder and expert in your breed. You can call me day or night, and even on holidays. I am there for you through all your joys and frustrations, sickness and health. I will do anything I need to do to make sure that owning one of my puppies is the most wonderful experience of your life. You have the peace of mind knowing that no matter what ever happens to you, your dog, your best friend, has a safe place to live out the rest of his life.

So what about that $400 puppy out of the paper? You get a puppy with unknown temperament, health, and type. You get nothing else. You can potentially get a dog genetically predisposed to fears and aggression, a dog with debilitating health issues, a dog who will never be able to fulfill the goals that you have set out for him. And if you ever needed to return that dog (life can sometimes throw you a curve ball), that person will not take your 5 or 8 or 10 year old dog back... you will be stuck putting your dog up for adoption, or euthanizing him.

So, who's making money? I have never actually figured it out, but I would guess that I lose about $1,800/puppy. I don't breed dogs to make money. I breed dogs because I love my breed and I believe that there are wonderful people out there who should have the opportunity to own wonderful dogs. The person selling the $400 puppy is making a profit of about $350/puppy. That person breeds purely for profit. Oh, I am sure they love their dogs, and their breed, but not enough to be any benefit to anyone other than themselves.

I guess people don't really understand value. It is not about the price you pay, but what you are getting for that price. And in the end, if what you are getting for $1800 is not worth anything to you, then by all means, the $400 puppy is a much better value.

MY OWN message is that "you get what you pay for". Please consider the VALUE of what you are getting when making comparisons between individual puppies/dogs and between individual breeders, don't concentrate solely on the price.

**Feel free to share.

Just saw this and wanted to share. I have never seen this before and it is so beautiful

A Letter from the Rainbow Bridge:

Hi, Mom, Dad,
Now that I’ve been across The Rainbow Bridge for a couple weeks, they said I should write a letter home. Sorry, Mom but I’m so busy ‘across the bridge’ that I haven’t thought of home much. They said it’s okay and that you would understand. I hope you do. (I think you will.)
Remember that night when I wasn’t feeling very well and we were all crying? I don’t remember much, but I do remember seeing and hearing all of you and feeling your touches and hugs…I remember hearing “we love you” and that one last command of “Go through”. I didn’t know what you meant, so I turned around and walked through the fog that was in front of me. I saw the biggest bridge I’ve ever seen! And so many friends on the other side of it! They were all playing with toys and balls! You were right to tell me to go there!
My feet kept moving forward, but my heart kept pulling me back. Your touches became lighter and lighter and I wanted to come back and nudge your hands for more love, but I was overcome by this feeling of curiosity for the happy place over the bridge! My feet started moving on their own, like a gentle breeze was moving them forward for me! I can’t explain it, but I had no doubt that it was the right thing to do!
So, I walked across that big, huge bridge by myself! I looked for you, because you’re always by my side, walking with me, but this was different. I didn’t have a collar around my neck or a leash connecting me to you ~ I was ‘free’! Even though you weren’t there with me, I never felt alone! I actually felt like I had a huge cape of love wrapped around my body and the more I walked, the easier it was to breathe! So, I kept walking! And I would feel more warmth in the big hug, so I kept on walking! I eventually made it over the big bridge – I did it by myself, mom. When I got here, all of my new friends greeted me and helped me walk off the bridge ~ it was so cool! They gave me a pair of wings and said that I was now a Guardian Angel!
What I’ve learned over these past few weeks has been amazing and nothing like I’ve seen before! We’re all the same up here ~ we all have wings and we all have Forever People to watch over ~ that’s YOU, mom !You’re my Forever Person and I’m your Forever Dog! We had such a great life together and I do miss you a LOT, but please know that I am so happy in my new home across The Bridge!
I’ll send you another Earth Angel so you won’t be alone. Give them your whole heart, like you gave it to me. I’ll check in every so often to make sure they treasure your love ~ I always did! When you miss me, think of a rainbow and know I’m on the other side of it, waiting to walk with you again. I’ll always be in your heart. I love you, mom! Time for me to go play

- your furbaby forever