As newcomers to the Pembroke Welsh Corgi, we have reached out to a fair share of breeders to discuss their breeding programs and create a short list of folks who have the type we’re working to build into our own program. It was also a way to search for new prospects and start trying to network and build relationships with people whose dogs we admire. However, like many who have come before us, the process is less than ideal. Some breeders left us on read, not bothering to even respond to our introduction, and others took the time to talk to us, only to get defensive when asked questions about their programs and animals.
There is a growing call for newer or younger breeders and enthusiasts to join the Pembroke Welsh Corgi community, but the judgment and defensiveness, combined with the lack of transparency and accountability, alienate the very people they claim they want to join.
Yet, in the midst of the bullshit (yes, we said it, no, we’re not sorry), we found an oasis. We found a breeder who not only had lovely animals, but they were clear on their website that their show prospects were co-owned and needed to follow guidelines that included health testing, litter limits, and overall high standards for breeding. This was our vibe, so we reached out and were met by the most welcoming and positive attitude.
Not only that, but they have cultivated a small group of folks who routinely share challenges, successes, losses, and wins within their programs. Advice and suggestions are shared freely, critiques and criticisms are welcomed and discussed. Honestly, we’re not sure that this isn’t a dream, as we have never encountered such a positive and wonderful community. And that is what it is – a community. Everyone within shares the same belief that if we are to be better breeders, we need to start somewhere and work together in order to preserve and better the breed.
Now, this is not to say that we did not encounter some other very nice breeders; we did. But they are few and far between. Just yesterday, we met another cautious but very welcoming breeder that we hope to work with in the future! There are pockets of great people out there, and my message to those who are in our shoes, feeling frustrated at times, is to continue to search for those collaborative groups. They DO exist, and they are wonderful. Open yourself up to them, soak up the knowledge and advice to build something of your own.
If we are all truly here to benefit the Pembroke Welsh Corgi, then we should not be gatekeeping knowledge and experience. We should be looking at our programs with a critical eye, building each other up, and sharing the resources we have to ensure that this breed stays strong. We found our tribe, and it is what we should be building as the foundation for the Pembroke Welsh Corgi community as a whole.