HOW DO WE BREED, OUR PHILOSOPHY

In spite of taking lots of decisions day after day, what we have really clear is what objective we have when we breed a litter. For us the most important thing is with no doubt, the temperament and character of our dogs. Achieving it is going to depend on various facts, like the choice of good parents psychologically well-balanced, but especially with a correct socialization. There are different techniques, but the purpose is always getting that during the critic period (imprinting), the pup has the wider possible number of positive experiences, including its mother´s education, cohabitation with other dogs and animals, safety in the contact with humans and assurance in a changing or urban environment. Beauty of a dog ends up being took for granted, but what we really are going to value with the pass of the years is having a partner that is still and level-headed, who we can trust, knowing it´s not going to react in a negative way (with fear, aggressiveness or nerves) when it faces a situation that could surprise it. That´s why, in spite of that we try to get pups of great morphological quality, we dedicate our time to give them all the love, joy, etc. necessaries for getting a character as attractive as their physical appearance.

Another important point is the responsibility we have assumed choosing this wonderful breed. We think this breeding must be taken seriously; trying to contribute and seeking the way for humbly improve or at least protect the kind and health of our Swiss White Shepherds. A really useful tool we can count on nowadays is the Spanish Club of Swiss White Shepherd CEPBS, that watches for the purity of the breed. We feel proud of being the first non founder members that were admitted in the club and that they entrusted us with responsibilities like the supervision of the Club Commission of Breeding, which we weekly dedicate a lot of working time. Nowadays, we can count on the collaboration and friendly atmosphere of most of Spanish breeders and some of the most important in Europe . Our dogs submit to a series of requirements of beauty, flair and health before being approved as `Flair for reproduction´. Some of these requirements are the evaluation by a specialized referee that qualifies our dogs as Excellent. Another requirement is to have an X-ray taken of their hips and elbows according to AVEPA protocol and to officially diagnose `non-displasic´. In fact, even before the Breed Club requested it, we had preventively already started getting x-rays the elbows of our dogs, in order to rule out hereditary anomalies, becoming this way the first White shepherd breeding place in Spain that did so. Also we respect certain routines of rest for our females and we never breed with half-developed dogs or before evaluating them. That's why each pup we give goes guaranteed by a Birth certificate of CEPBS as a guarantee of these requirements and another ones that comprise the Breeding Agreement and the internal Regulation of the Club.

Also we often attend dog exhibitions and contests in Spain and abroad, as well as another related events. Lots of breeders neglect this part or don't worry about it such as we do, but we are convinced that it's essential for evaluating the progress of our work by specialist judges. Apart from this is the fact that sometimes our dogs can be the winners and in another occasion our partner's win, but the most important thing is the qualification and the Rapport they do over each dog. This is very useful for make decisions in the line of breeding and to see on which matters should we keep on working or which ones could we improve even more. This is the way we try to get out of the easy and commercial cliché of saying our dogs are `descendants of… this or that champion dog´ and that their pups are grandsons of that champions even if their parents have never been evaluated by a judge, so that they really ignore which results is their work producing.

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Of course, doing this suppose lots of extra work, so only exemplars in perfect health state can be presented, also need to be highly socialized and educated dogs, used to something else than just running over the fields. They must be obedient, not to get nervous or upset in stress or nervousness conditions, be able to relate correctly with another dogs, be used to walk among crowds and, in short, being owners of a great balance, something we appreciate when they transmit it to their pups. Not forgetting we must show our dogs in a perfect physic fit and aspect. All of this is a daily work that supposes being prepared to spend an extra amount of money in their health, beauty, registration, long-distance travelling or sleeping in hotels. But all of this is worth the special relationship we forge with our dogs when we pass so much time with each one of them. We are open to all the knowledge we can learn from another judges, breeders, specialists, etc and that's we value and take part in this kind of events.

But our job is not just limited to technical or clinical stuff. We dedicate lot of time to our dogs, giving them our love, all the necessary cares, play and games, a first class diet rich in first quality, natural meat and fish. They dispose of plenty of space to run and play, but also they enjoy accompanying us in our everyday and extraordinary tasks out of the estate that give them a plus of motivation and varied education. So they are perfectly used to travelling by car, walk in the city and among the crowd, even in markets, fairs and spectacles. Attend dog exhibitions. Waiting patiently at the door of a shop, playing on a beach, go trekking… in the end, they are adapted to all kind and variety of environments we have nowadays.

Our final joy is enjoying our White Shepherds and seeing that every family that choose one of our shepherds becomes not just a client but friends of us that keep in contact with us to show us the progress of their pup, who with so much care we had breed.

We have many other objectives, but we think the spirit to drive them should always be the search of the quality and loyalty to our four paw friends.