Copied And Shared from Long Time Persian Breeder Carissa Altschul
Some advice for new breeders:
1) Be Persistent - breeders
often have "real" jobs on top of their breeding. They are often very
busy. Sometimes emails/voicemails get lost or buried. The breeder
isn't likely to have the time to remember to go through old emails, but
you can make the effort to keep in contact. Not every day! Once a week
or two, send an email out to them.
2) Be Polite - the best
breeders will have more inquiries than they have kittens. Potential
buyers who are rude will quickly be ignored/discarded. Breeders do talk
to each other, so expect that if you are very rude to a breeder, they
are going to share the experience with other breeders.
3) Be
Realistic - if you are a new breeder, you simply are not going to be
offered a top show cat as your first breeding cat. Breeders want their
top show cats in the hands of someone who will truly show the cat to its
full potential. A new breeder/exhibitor simply doesn't have the
experience do to so. Top breeders didn't get where they are by getting
top cats - everyone had to start with less-than-top-show to learn the
ropes, including grooming, breeding philosophies, and just plain
experience. Accepting breeder quality cats from top lines will get you
farther in the long run than "show quality" from un-proven/non-showing
lines. Breeder quality cats can often still be shown - you can still
get great experience with them. Some often go on to become Grands!
4) Be Patient - show quality kittens are not born in every litter. The
best breeders will not sell kittens for show purposes until the kittens
are at least 12 weeks old, if not older. Do not be sold on a kitten at
2 weeks! When it comes time for you to show, remember, results are
not instantaneous. Patience can bring you valuable learning experiences
you will carry throughout your time in this hobby.
5) Be
Prepared - both financially, structurally, and mentally. Study books on
cat breeding. Have an area in your house prepared for a stud male,
show cats, and breeding moms. You can't let them all run your house and
expect good results. Show quality cats are not cheap, neither is
showing. This is a hobby that requires a heavy investment in both time
and money. To be a reputable breeder, you must be prepared to invest
ample amounts of both. Additionally, it can place a heavy toll on you
mentally. With the joys of raising animal comes also the grief of
losing them.
6) Be Invested - in the history, present, and
future of your chosen breed. Before you ever purchase your first cat,
ask yourself - why do I want to do this? If it's not for the betterment
of the breed, you might want to consider a different hobby. Are you
going to invest in new breeders down the line when you have established
yourself? If not, then perhaps you aren't as committed as you think.
Being a breeder isn't about making kittens to sell, it's about
preserving the breed for future generations, which includes allowing
good quality kittens to be bought by other breeders when you have
produced some you do not need for your own breeding program.
7)
Be committed - being a breeder means a tremendous commitment of your
time and resources. Every day, you have to be committed to caring for
you cats, even days when you are busy with what seems like endless
others chores, you still have to care for your cats. Even days when you
are sick, you still have to care for your cats. Even when you are
feeling like your breeding program is a failure - you still have to care
for your cats. You will be exhausted and still, there will be a cat
that needs your care, your time, your attention. This isn't a "I'll do
it when I feel like hobby" - it's a "I will do this each and every day"
hobby.
Some advice for experienced breeders:
1) Be
involved - in cat clubs, in your association, in breed clubs. After you
have some experience under your belt, it's time to push your
involvement into other areas beyond your breeding program. Cat shows
don't happen on their own - it takes the involvement of local breeders
to get these shows put together and organized. The rules and
regulations of an association are developed, modified, and changed by
the breeders in the association. If you take an active role, you can
really take ownership of the future of your hobby.
2) Be an
advocate - of your breed and your hobby. There are those outside of
our hobby who seek to end it. Those who believe that all breeders are
"bad." Advocate for the development and preservation of purebred
animals to the public. Talk to spectators about why your breed is
special and deserves protection and a future. Advocate for your breed
within your association. Advocate for new breeders when they are
feeling alone. Remember that you were once new and probably you didn't
get where you were today without others advocating for you.
3) Be
friendly - not as easy as it sounds! If you spend any time in any
hobby, there will of course be personalities that conflict. But that
doesn't have to escalate to outright personal battles. Avoid
confrontation where possible, and be professional in discussions with
opposing viewpoints. Be friendly to those who you do not know.
Spectators are a window to the public - be friendly with them and
hopefully they will pass on to others their good experiences.
4)
Be Generous - with your time, your knowledge, and the lines you have
been entrusted with. Nobody "owns" a breeding line - it is carefully
crafted with the attention of numerous breeders, each passing on to the
next. Knowledge is also passed one from one breeder to the next,
refined, learned from, and created again. Share your time, knowledge,
and lines with other breeders and watch your breed and the fancy thrive
and grow!
5) Be Gracious - in victory, defeat, and in
conversations. Newer exhibitors look to those who are winning to see
what behaviors are accepted and which are not. Set the tone in the show
halls and online by demonstrating gracious behavior and you will find
your hobby will become far more positive and enjoyable.
for giving her those amazing and loving years. C. Callenbach & Family . Know we grieve with you. 
feeling concerned.
