Arvindology – Goals and Achievements

By: Arvind deBraganca

Do you have a goal? Whenever an endeavor is undertaken, it starts with a dream. For me it was, as a child, watching Westminster Kennel Club on television. I would stay up super late watching the beautiful dogs and the glamorous handlers. I would envision myself in the big ring. The next day I would buy the latest copy of Dog World magazine and read it cover to cover. Soon I would discover dog shows and the rest becomes my life. It has been close to three decades, and the journey leads to the present day.

At first the goals were simple. I wanted to learn to show dogs and have a champion. Then I entered the realm of breeding, and a new adventure began. Each stage came with goals and hopes. New mentors and experiences brought forth knowledge. The more knowledge I gained, the more my vision developed and my goals transformed. My eyes opened and my mind expanded. With good fortune I was exposed to some of the greats in the sport, and I soaked in the knowledge.

This evolution, decades in the process, has led me to acknowledge some simple but profound thoughts. Producing a great dog/litter is good fortune. Producing a quality family of dogs takes vision, knowledge, and planning. You must set long- and short-term goals which are flexible throughout the process. You must have a solid understanding of form (structure) and function (why). Most importantly you must have room to grow–both mentally and emotionally.

I have lost years from my life due to lack of sleep. I think most real breeders have. Breeding is not for the faint of heart. Balance and synergy, always on the forefront, are essential to the beauty of form. An unfathomable amount of time goes into research of health, soundness, genetic diversity, and showmanship. You have to understand the strength of your family of dogs, their weaknesses, and what defines your family of dogs above all others. Look through photos for phenotype and production records for genotype. Pour over pedigrees and health records and when there is nothing left to ponder, you must follow the ultimate voice–your own. Intuition. All great breeders will tell you that it is an innate feeling within the soul and heart. That voice within that gives you subconscious dreams of the greatness to come. Breeding is not a science; the mechanics of breeding is science. Breeding is an art.

So, do you have a goal? Producing a great family of dogs is rarer than it has ever been. The true artist with a vision of beauty is slowly fading away. There are a dedicated few who still breed for themselves to the written standard as they understand it. These people will leave the legacy for future fanciers. What stage are you in? Maybe it is time to reevaluate your goals, develop new dreams, and pursue the art of breeding.

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Posted by showresults on Aug 2 2022. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.