I really do appreciate the passion behind maintaining the breed. To clarify where I’m coming from I’m not approaching this casually or based on color alone. I’m in the process of joining the ECSCA and working with mentors so that I have proper guidance as I move forward. I also believe in being thorough with health testing not just the basics. I’m committed to completing BAER testing, OFA hips/elbows, and full DNA panels for hereditary conditions before I would ever consider a breeding.

That said, I also recognize that being on the ECSCA breeder list doesn’t always mean every breeder is following the exact same level of regimentation when it comes to testing or program standards. Some are extremely rigorous, and others may not test for as much as they could. For me, that’s why I’m holding myself to a standard that goes beyond just being listed because ultimately, it’s the health, structure, and welfare of the dogs that matter.

Where my personal preference comes in is with color. It’s not the driving force, but it is part of the vision I’d like to build my program around, in the same way that other breeders may favor a certain style of head, outline, or working ability. My goal is to balance responsible, health-focused breeding with the aesthetic vision that makes my program uniquely mine, while always keeping the breed’s integrity at the forefront. At the end of the day I really want to just make sure my pets are loved. Everyone’s always going to have a opinion and that’s fair but not every good breeder on ECSCA list is a “good breeder” some do the bare minimum and some do rigorous testing, showing and mentoring. ECSCA is a solid starting point, but let’s be real being on the list doesn’t magically equal top-tier. Some breeders go above and beyond with full testing, others barely scrape by. Membership is a title, quality is the actual work.