The Weight of Responsibility

The life of a breeder is often seen through a lens of puppy breath and playtime, but there is a much heavier side that stays hidden. It is a weight that sits on your shoulders every single day. Every decision, from the smallest habit to the biggest medical choice, carries a consequence for a life I am responsible for bringing into this world.

Most of the time, this work is done in silence and often in total solitude. People see the results, but they forget the sacrifice. To do this right, I have lost time, I have lost friends, and I have even lost touch with family members. I dedicate my entire life to these puppies, often standing alone in the hard moments because they are my priority. Today was one of those days where the weight felt especially heavy while making decisions that will shape a life forever.

I want to be completely upfront, honest, and raw with you. This journey has not been easy. I have been through the absolute ringer, facing challenges that would have made most people walk away. There is a lot of crap that happens behind the scenes. It is the weight of worrying about how you are going to better your line when you are financially strapped. It is the long nights at school, pushing through an education just so I can bring more knowledge back to my kennel.

Every bit of my energy and every dollar I can find goes right back into these dogs. It means wearing old clothes from the thrift store instead of buying something new for myself. It is the messy hair and the heavy circles under my eyes from a total lack of sleep. Even while I am in school, I am still running the kennel every single day. The responsibility never pauses. These are the real sacrifices we make for the love of what we do.

I am constantly balancing the business side and the heavy ethical aspects of breeding. Sometimes, I struggle with my own internal core values. For example, the business aspect might say that cropping ears looks great and that more people would love it, but I would feel like I was betraying my dog. I want my dogs to be happy. If I put them through that just for a look, I would feel like a hypocrite. I say I am here for the love of my dogs, and going against their comfort for a cosmetic standard would go against everything I stand for. I have to choose what is right for the dog over what the industry expects.

So when people don’t understand this—when they complain about pricing or insult breeders with cruel words—it takes a massive toll on us. Rescuers or critics often assume every breeder is just out for money or throwing puppies out there, but before they judge, they should look deeper. Some people get stuck on outdated standards, but there is a reason behind every choice I make. Yes, confirmation and health are important, but so are temperament and intelligence. You cannot call someone a bad breeder because they choose a dog that might not have “perfect” confirmation but has a temperament and intelligence that is spot on.

I struggle with severe social anxiety, and I am often very afraid to reach out to people myself. But through these dogs, I have had to speak more and talk more. They are helping me learn and grow every day. I found my guidance in Jeanette Forrey’s book, “The Badass Breeder.” I felt every step of her pain because I have gone through it myself. Seeing that she got through it gave me the inspiration and the hope that I can do this too. I want to be that for others now, and I hope others read her book so they can see themselves and find hope too.

If we could just learn from our dogs and be more like them, the world would be a better place. These dogs are our teachers. If they could speak like us, they would tell us so much, but even without words, they speak heavy volumes about how we should be in life. If we can just break that barrier and understand our dogs, we can understand how to be better people.

If we could just be decent and kind to one another and stop all this petty bullshit, think of what we could do for the breed and for the people we help. I am willing to help anybody—all you have to do is ask me. Do not just throw the towel in the dirt. I am living proof that it can be done.

What it says about us—the true breeders—is that we are driven by a deep love and a fierce passion. My mission is to bring peace to people’s lives. I want to help others get through their hardest days and change their lives for the better, exactly the way these Great Danes changed mine.

Knowledge is your best wealth, and that knowledge can never be taken away. When we come together and learn from one another, sharing what we know—that is the power. That is where we become one and we can truly better our breed. The love your dogs offer and the simple little things in life are where the real value stays. That is why the weight is worth carrying.