Thinking ahead in your program

I was reading in my AKC magazine and stumbled across a quote from a breeder of champion dogs. Paraphrased, he basically said that the difference between breeders and top breeders is that top breeders aren't thinking just about current matings, but always thinking at least two generations ahead.

I am pleased to say that I do consider future breedings and have, at any given point in time, up to a five generation plan. Most of the time, the plan doesn't work out because the offspring at some point are lacking something I was hoping they'd gain to make the matches work. At that point, I simply change plans!

When you breed, it's important to match faults and have a clear picture of what you want. Why are you breeding that buck and that doe? What do you need to fix? Can that possibly be improved in this match? If it is improved, what's your next step? This will help your program so much! Have a clear picture where you are going. After all, you don't jump in the car and just drive, not knowing where you are going or what you'll do when you get there.

You don't have to have a written out plan. Mine is kept in my head and usually goes "A to B, and then if I get a buck out of that, I'll breed him to C- if I get a doe, I'll breed her to D. Then I can take a buck from that and breed it back to A...or if it's a doe I can use E..."

You don't have to have that specific a plan! A lot of friends tend to say things like "If I could get his ears on her body..."- well there you go! A first generation plan! And if you *do* get those ears with that body, what else do you need? "And then add in a touch more mass..." POOF, second generation breeding, who as a buck or a doe in your barn has mass to spare?! :)

I hope you enjoy planning your breedings as much as I do! Even when things don't go quite as planned, it's so much fun to try to put the pieces together! Of course- I love jigsaw puzzles, maybe that's why it appeals to me so much :)

-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry