There are several things that I think about before I breed a litter of pups.

These are the characteristics I look for in both parents. I look for temperament, both on the sheep and off. I prefer a friendly, calm dog, perhaps with a bit of a sense of humor. I want a dog that can move stock — that is one of the most important factors! The dog must show me in a work situation that it can get a job done.

I like a dog that is a good thinker, one that works with me and quickly figures out what I want and does it on its own. I like a dog with good stamina. Remember what these dog were originally bred for — to work hard, for hours on end, in the hills.

I like a good listener. I think some dogs have shown they themselves are good listeners and produce that quality in their offspring. I feel that this trait is important because it reflects that the dog is willing to work with me as a partner.

If I were going to breed to an outside stud, I would probably breed to an older male; one who has already shown that he produces nice pups. I also look for a stud that has proven himself on several different sorts of bitches. By looking at the pups that he has produced in the past, I can better decide if he would cross well with the bitch that I am going to breed.

I also try not to double up on a dog's weakness. I try to look objectively at my dogs and their faults and not breed to another that has the same characteristics.

We have also done some line breeding with some very good results. Of course I make sure that the dogs we breed are physically sound without any major structural problems.

Any dogs that we breed have had their hips checked and a current eye exam. The puppies have an eye exam at seven weeks of age to check for inherited eye disease such as CEA. Bitches are wormed and given their vaccinations prior to breeding.

I take pride in the puppies that we produce. They do well on the ranch or the trial field.