05/18/2026
Wins and titles are worth celebrating, but the goal was never to produce ribbon winners. I am most proud that these puppies are deeply loved companions.
Eons ago, showing for the first time in AKC, I had a puppy that was charted for going oversize (sheltie), but I thought I would bring him out to play before he went over. He was gangly, an obvious pet, and couldn’t keep 4 feet on the ground, but his breeder pointed him out to everyone ringside, “isn’t he just darling?” That moment will always stick with me.
As a breeder, are you proud of your “pet” puppies? As a “pet” puppy owner, do you feel like your dog is valued just as much as their show/performance counterparts by your breeder? (“Pet” is in quotations because aren’t all these dogs supposed to be pets first?)
It always saddens me to see that some breeders seem to think ribbons, wins, and titles are the tickets to a brag. Heck, sometimes different achievements are even ranked differently and the accolades have to be “good enough” to be noticed.
Most puppies are meant to become someone’s adventure buddy, couch cuddler, devoted shadow, their heart, and their best friend. And that matters just as much.
The goal should never be just to produce dogs that can win. It should be to produce dogs that people adore living life with. I am so proud of my puppies for being exactly that and it fills my heart whenever I get an update or an anecdote from their families ❤️.
