.. on how we can help new, interested and eager breeders and dog owners in our breed? The idea was awakened by a post I saw on FB associated with my blog about how the exhibitions have become.

I think the idea is good - a lot of old knowledge held by those who have had the breed for a long time is lost if there is no younger person that takes over their breeding. I that happens it's natural to share their knowledge with that person. But all the others? All people who have  so much knowledge and experience that has never taken advantage of? It is sometimes said that the young, new breeders are not interested in the old knowledge. Well, I think it has been said so about the young people at all times. The young ones don't understand anything    So I do not know if I agree with that. Certainly there are some who do not have the right interest in dog breeding, but it usually prove quite so fast. I think most people who begin to breed actually want to learn about breeding and the breed, or I hope so at least. We have all gone through different stages as a breeder, I myself was much more sure of things in the beginning as a breeder - but I have become wiser with the years.

I was lucky to buy my first dog from a breeder who was willing to teach me about the breed. When it comes to breeding in general I have learned from birth... So instead of us "old" scoffing at the new breeders with words like they're still not interested, maybe we should put some effort in helping them?

I do not know quite how to handle this with mentors, but my thought is that the breed club would be responsible for presenting various mentors. I think there should be some criteria in order to get to be a mentor and that it should be in certain areas where they have proven to have knowledge and experience. As an example, you could have a group of mentors where it's all about the breed's history and a requirement then perhaps should be that they have bred and owned the breed for at least 30 years? Another group of mentors might be breeding, and then the requirement would be that the mentor must have bred at least 15 litters.You understand the principle. Then there are lots of topics you could be a mentor in such as exhibition, hunting, obedience - anything where the mentor has its special interest and where the new breeders then could more easily get in touch with a mentor who signed up to be one who wants to help others.

I think the best would be if the breed club sets up the criteria for mentors and then put up an advert about this in which the ones who are willing to be mentors sign up. After that it can be on the club's website a list where new breeders (or old ones too, we also need help sometimes ...) can get in touch in a natural manner to someone who they know are willing to help. You can have multiple mentors, I think, but then it may not be called a mentor .... But the point is that the knowledge held by those who have been active in a specific area and done well there will be able to help those who are ambitious and want to learn more.

Perhaps this is nothing that would work, if you have any other suggestions on how to do to maintain the knowledge from those who have had the breed for many years, I'm all ears!

 

Claudia Berchtold

18 oktober 2016 08:43

I've been thinking about this as well for years. The problem with the mentors could probably be the same as with every other position in the breed clubs: Those who are willing to serve in a volunteer position very often are not the most qualified ones. And those who are qualified often very soon get tired of all the "other stuff around" that's just not about breeding but "oh so important" as there for example are some personal issues of some people with other people and so on ... So I am sorry not to have a solution but I love your blog and red it regularly. Thank you, Helene.

http://www.flatcoat.at

Från
    Kom ihåg mig
URL

Säkerhetskod
     

Kommentar

Idag har Heavens valpar fyllt tre veckor, alla har öppnat ögonen nu och de är rejält aktiva nu    De har också börjat äta lite smått från eget fat, men helst vill de bli matade i handen. De har också få flytta till en lite större hage nu, lite skepti...

Missförstå mig rätt nu – jag tycker om sociala medier, tycker det är roligt att följa vad andra göra och hålla mig ajour om vad som händer med vänner och bekanta. Framförallt inom hundvärlden, sociala medier gör att vi kan hålla kontakt med s...

Idag har Stellas valpar fyllt tre veckor, alla har öppnat ögonen nu - även om det inte är helt öppet hos allihopa ännu  Dom har börjat prova äta lite själva nu också, det går väl "sådär" än så länge. Men nångång måste man börja lite smått och det bru...

I fredags fick vi välkomna Heavens & Gibsons valpar - alla valpar är otroligt efterlängtade, lite extra spännande var det nu om vi skulle få några svart/vita valpar eller inte! Mamma Heaven är brun/vit och pappa Gibson svart/vit, så rent teoretiskt s...

Stella har verkligen varit rund om magen sista veckan, hon har pustat och stönat vilket har varit helt förståeligt med tanke på magens storlek. Hon hade tid på söndag att valpa, men ingen trodde nog att hon skulle gå tiden ut med tanke på hur tjock h...