THE AMSTAFF EXPLAINED
PART 4
So you want to be a Show Dog Owner of an Amstaff?
So you want to own a show quality animal. Firstly you need to consider whether you just want a good looking pet, if you want to breed or, whether you actually want to get your dog in the show ring. Whichever of these you choose the most important will be self satisfaction. You want an animal that YOU are happy with. Look around and view some websites in advance and see which breeders have the colour and style of dog you are after. If it is a show dog you want, you need to consider the parents. There are two things that matter here. Firstly, what is the quality of the parents - do they come from good quality stock and are they winning stock. Winners beget winners and losers beget losers. Secondly, if they are winning stock, where did they do the winning. I recall someone from Queensland boasting that his Amstaff was a Best in Show winner. This sounds impressive until you discover that a good roll up for the entire show in that area is 250 dogs. Often there may be 200 terriers in the group alone and 1200-1400 dogs in a show in Sydney. So you can see that being a country champion in that instance equates to the same as being a group winner in Sydney. The same goes for group winning country dogs. Many are flat out winning their class in Sydney. That is not to say there isn't quality in country areas, there are, but make sure you keep the right perspective on what you are being told and remember that the quality that a dog has to beat in the country is diminished over all. You also have to consider those who ride on the back of a big win. One win - ANY WIN- at a dog show is one person's opinion. Many wins in good company is the opinion of many that a dog is of high quality. A show quality pup will cost between $1,000 and $2,000. You should also consider whether you want to breed your own pups at a later date. If you intend starting your own kennel then you will need to consider where your stud dog will come from if you have a bitch or where your bitch will come from if you are buying a dog. It is worth making this decision at this early stage and buying your first pup from a breeder who can assist you later with a suitable bitch or stud. Don't just take their word for it though. It is you paying the money so make sure you will be happy with the choices you have available before you make your final decision. Every breeder should always be striving to breed better than they have and have a breeding plan in place. If they have not - move on.
Now we come to understanding the way the breeding of purebred animals works. There are only two forms of breeding. Linebreeding and Outcrossing. Linebreeding is the practice of breeding related animals whereas outcrossing is the practice of breeding unrelated animals.