Pedigree

And a VERY special co-breeding with Van Gunn Amstaffs!

"We are very excited to make this announcement for your consideration."

Blue Rising Star and Van Gunn AmStaffs are coming together to join our two AmStaffs, Cruise & Diega for what may be considered a truly "Historical Breeding!" This Cruise and Diega line breeding strongly combines (MULTIPLE times) two great lines, Patton & White Rock, which also includes several well known AmStaffs who were part of the origins of the Patton and White Rock lines. This is not a pedigree that can ever be repeated again except through the careful selection of breedings of the puppies in this upcoming litter!! Anyone who has a (sincere) interest in helping to preserve these great old lines, please contact Sarah van der Spek (Blue Rising Star AmStaffs in Holland) at bluerisingstar@hotmail.com or contact Liz Van Sickle (Van Gunn AmStaffs in the USA) at bluecrew@webtv.net.

	Pedigree
Guardians of Tower V.I.P. Cover Girl OFA Hips, OFA Cardiac, NCL-A Clear, MAG-test/TT		CH Van Gunn's Cruise Control CD, RN, CGC, TDI, ROH, OFA-CHIC, NCL-A Clear, CERF, DNA

>>More Cruise pics and info!<<

Thanks to 2 AmStaff affiliated Sponsors, this breeding is very close to becoming a reality!!!

Deposits will be accepted from now on, on a VERY limited basis!!!

>>> External Breedings <<<

A Breeder's Life

A Breeder (with a capital B) is one who thirsts for knowledge and never really knows it all, one who wrestles with decisions of conscience, convenience and commitment.

A Breeder is one who sacrifices personal interests, finances, time, friendships, fancy furniture and deep pile carpeting! She gives up the dreams of a long, luxurious cruise in favor of turning that all important Show into this year's "vacation".

The Breeder goes without sleep (but never without coffee!) in hours spent planning a breeding or watching anxiously over the birth process and afterwards over every little sneeze, wiggle or cry.

The Breeder skips dinner parties because that litter is due or the babies have to be fed at eight. She disregards birth fluids and puts mouth to mouth to save a gasping new-born, literally blowing life into a tiny, helpless creature that may be the culmination of a lifetime of dreams.

A Breeder's lap is a marvelous place where generations of proud and noble champions once snoozed.

A Breeder's hands are strong and firm and often soiled, but ever so gentle and sensitive to the thrusts of a puppy's wet nose.

A Breeder's back and knees are usually arthritic from stooping, bending, and sitting in the birthing box, but are strong enough to enable the breeder to Show the next choice pup to a Championship.

A Breeder's shoulders are stooped and often heaped with abuse from competitors, but they're wide enough to support the weight of a thousand defeats and frustrations.

A Breeder's arms are always able to wield a mop, support an armful of puppies, or lend a helping hand to a newcomer.

A Breeder's ears are wondrous things, sometimes red (from being talked about) or strangely shaped (from being pressed against a phone receiver), often deaf to criticism, yet always fine-tuned to the whimper of a sick puppy.

A Breeder's eyes are blurred from pedigree research and sometimes blind to her own dog's faults, but they are ever so keen to the competition’s faults and are always searching for the perfect specimen.

A Breeder's brain is foggy on faces, but it can recall pedigrees faster than an IBM computer. It's so full of knowledge that sometimes it blows a fuse; it catalogues thousands of good boning, fine ears and perfect heads and buries in the soul the failures and the ones that didn't turn out.

The Breeder's heart is often broken, but it beats strongly with hope everlasting and it's always in the right place! Oh yes, there are breeders and there are BREEDERS!!!

"Barbara J. Andrews"

I am a breeder

I am a breeder. I spend a lifetime learning pedigrees, going over dogs, talking and learning from those in my breed and those outside it. I raise each litter as if I gave birth to them and spend an equal amount of time finding them loving forever homes. I only put puppies on this planet that I think will be the healthiest (mentally and physically) and nicest examples of their breed. I support each... family who chose one of my puppies and let them know they are now a part of our extended family. I am there if one needs to come back and will aggressively pursue the return of one of my dogs if its in the wrong place. I support my breed in rescue and education. I hold them when they arrive and leave this world, not only my own, but my brethren in the fancy. I share my knowledge and socialize my dogs so that they will be the advertisement for my dedication. I don't keep track of the money and time I put in to my love of dogs, it would not be true measure of how I feel. The price I charge for my puppies is never profit, but investment in the next generation. I am not be ashamed of who I am, I work hard at being a good dog person and encouraging others to be the same. I am a breeder and I am proud of it. If we don't support each other - we are doomed as a fancy.

Authur Unknown

How Do You Earn the Title 'Breeder"

How do you earn the title "breeder"? I don’t mean the term as it is used on a registration certificate or entry form. When I refer to someone as a breeder, I consider that person to be knowledgeable about their breed, but there are other qualities which I feel must also be present in order to qualify for the title.

FIRST OF ALL, you have to have paid your dues. By this I mean you have been around long enough to have experienced the ups and downs of the dog world - you’ve had some winners and some losers ( & survived both!). you’ve raised a litter or two or three (and you’ve already planned the breedings for the next two generations), you’ve experienced the heartache associated with the death of your favorite pet or the pain of losing one of your new puppies.

SECONDLY, you’ve learned the meaning of good sportsmanship. This is a learned art. You no longer pout at ringside, call the judge names, call the handler names, call the winner names. You begin to realize that 9 times out of 10 it is actually the dogs that are judged - not faces, not politics, not favors, just dogs. And you’ve learned how to win and lose gracefully. No gloating, please.

THIRD, you don’t rain on anyone’s parade. Why spoil someone’s excitement over a win or an upcoming breeding or new litter? Everyone has different tastes and opinions and they are entitled to them, just as you are entitled to yours.

FOURTH, you’ve learned to mind your own business and avoid hurtful gossip. I realize that it is human nature to be curious. I like a good story as well as the next person. But often people, in an effort to appear more knowledgeable, pass off second-hand stories and/or opinions as though they were the gospel truth. The next time you hear a story being repeated - consider the source and also consider the reputation of the person repeating it.

Which leads me into the most important aspect of qualifying as a breeder. ETHICS. This is something which cannot be learned by reading a book or attending a class. The definition of ethics is "The moral quality of a course or action", the definition of ethic is "A principle of right or good conduct". Your ethics will determine the one thing that will cause you to succeed or fail in dogs - YOUR REPUTATION.

I am a firm believer in the "full revolution theory" - "What goes around comes around", and nowhere is this more true than in the dog world. If you treat others fairly - your fellow breeders, your puppy purchasers, the judges, your fellow exhibitors - you will very likely benefit from your fair behavior. And just the opposite is true - if you involve yourself in backbiting, gossip and poor sportsmanship, your reputation will suffer accordingly.

A REPUTATION IS EARNED

--which type you choose to earn is up to you!!

"Sharon Simpson"