Stud Service Opinions PLEASE!

[Maureen]

RUFUS GENE!! I LOVE THAT NAME!!

I was trying to remember what the "darkening" gene was called but it slipped my mind

[Lucky Me]

I'm Baaaaaack! My monitor went out....thank god it wasn't the computer! Used moniters are cheap right now!!!

Maureen asked-
Judi, how's Tuesday holding up?

Thanks Maureen....Tuesday is almost back to normal....once she perked up she got stronger by the hour!!! She has benn carrying around Marley's bunny though.. don't know when that will stop..

On the red color....
This is the color I really, really want...but have only seen this color in toys and miniatures...


These boys are all related to Marley....on the first 2(littermates), Marley's dad is their grandfather.... if I could get a shiney fleece coated Dark Red Labradoodle I think I would just die and go to heaven... I KNOW that dark "rufus" gene is involved in there!!!

[Jac]

They are beautiful, Judi, I love the deep red too...but, gosh, I also love apricot!

I am so glad that Tuesday is feeling better!

You know, my girls go through those stages of caryying around stuffed toys...during pregnancy but also afterwards...I think that even though Tuesday lost her pups, she is still going through her pregnancy...poor girl...but she is fine! And she will recover!!!

[cocoandjane]

by the way, I'm in the process of co-ownership of a Miniature Poodle here in CO from wonderful lines if anyone is ever looking for a red Miniature male for stud service! He's not born yet, but I am so thankful to have found this Miniature Poodle breeder! Email me if you are curious.

Maureen, when I read what you said above....
my first thought was how scared I would be to begin a breeding program...
downsizing the standard, to a medium and then to a mini....
I don't know the first thing about that whole process!!
I have read about it and might get the general idea, but
I would be terrified to have those puppies with standard heads and torsos
with legs too small for the rest of their bodies....
I am sure you and many others understand it all and
obviously have both experience and knowledge under their belts...........
I'd love to know more about it all.
Are you already breeding mini's, or mediums??
I am sorry, I have forgotten.

This thread began to go off to the discussion of color....which is fascinating to me, too.
Not as scarry as breeding for size....I so love all the colors
that it doesn't matter to me what I end up focusing on....
(which I will have to do since we are still intending to breed on a very small scale
compared to most I've met through this forum and in my general area of the world~~
~ BUT, I still find the "study" of all these facets of breeding so interesting,
even if I never get to go into a fraction, of a fraction of them experientially.
A deep red doodle is such a gorgeous thing!!

Jac,
Thanks for all the info about studding dogs....and current practices and trends.
Maybe you said this....but, don't most breeders have some sort of contract, or agreement
with the dam's owner in writing....spelling out all the particulars?...Just as many breeder's have sales agreements that get in writing those stipulations that are of importance to the breeder and really, the new owner, too?

[Jac]

Yes, Jane, they do have such contracts. Some, I believe, are way too intrusive. While we have to be cautious...if we don't trust the breeder we are working with to do what is right by the puppies, we probably should not be allowing our male to stud...rahter than trying to control everything through contracts.

[cocoandjane]

Very good point....though a written, basic agreement would be in order, yes?
I am foolishly trusting, I think, maybe not as gullible as I was when I was young....but,
I am amazed at the times I have been fooled by someone that I thought had exemplary character.
I think I am a fairly good judge of character for the most part....
but, I have missed the cues a time, or two.

[Jac]

Yes, Jane, I think it is very wise to have a contract...one that spells out all of the conditions that you agree upon. But I would not agree to a contract that restricted my ability to make breeding or business decisions. I think that the person working with me should be confident that I am a responsible breeder and will act accordingly.
You could ask to see the contract before you agree to anything and then negotiate the terms...and never sign a contract when someone says, "oh, I agree, we can change that...just sign it and I'll make the changes..."
Never sign anything that isn't the way you want it to be! )

[cocoandjane]

I agree with you....I am very careful what I sign my name to.

[Maureen]

Originally Posted by cocoandjane

Maureen, when I read what you said above....
my first thought was how scared I would be to begin a breeding program...
downsizing the standard, to a medium and then to a mini....
I don't know the first thing about that whole process!!
I have read about it and might get the general idea, but
I would be terrified to have those puppies with standard heads and torsos
with legs too small for the rest of their bodies....
I am sure you and many others understand it all and
obviously have both experience and knowledge under their belts...........
I'd love to know more about it all.
Are you already breeding mini's, or mediums??
I am sorry, I have forgotten.

Jane, when I first heard of mini's I thought the same thing!! I still believe gradual is better than severe reductions.
In other words, I don't personally breed Toy Poodles to Labradors or Labradoodles. I like the square confirmation. Which is also why I'm really excited about the Poodle breeder I just found. She is very proud of the fact that her 15" tall Miniatures weigh 15lbs as well, they aren't just "big" toy poodles! By contrast, a "big toy" might be a Poodle that is 11" tall but only 8lbs? That is a height that says "Miniature" but a weight that says "Toy".

I am already breeding Miniatures, with a 14" stud and an 18" F1 dam, and sure enough! Puppies are in the 15-17" height range. Did I get lucky? I don't know! But it's just how I would plan it if I was in control.

I am also planning to breed my 16" miniature boy Sunny to my 21" girl, Truffle for a "true" medium, in the 17-18" range, hopefully. "MEDIUM" is such a vague term, so I will try to define it carefully when I use it. To me, a Springer Spaniel or smallish Lab is a medium size, but if you think a Cocker is medium, then you might think my Mediums are Standards! You get the idea.....