• Irish Jackson
    Where there is no vision... (long read)
    Posted by irish on 12/24/2011, 11:39 pm

    The book of proverbs says in chapter 29, verse 18 "Where there is no vision, the people perish..."

    I would like to apply this to dog breeding. if you have heard someone talk about having a vision, or have one yourself, this post may help you. If you want to be a successful breeder with a line that betters the breed, this post may help you.
    When a breeder doesnt have a vision, they are limiting thier potential.The dictionary definition of "vision" is unusually keen perception, or mental state of something imaginary. So to have a vision means to imagine something so much it becomes your mental state of mind. You believe its true. You believe its possible. Your mental state does steer your direction in life.

    WHY SHOULD I HAVE A VISION?
    (1) A vision helps you not to get sidetracked.
    DONT GET SIDETRACKED!!!
    (a) Know where you're going, & dont go anywhere else.
    (b) Know who you want to be, & dont be anyone else.
    * You are what you think you are. be honest with the man in the mirror. Do you really believe you can breed a quality line of bulldogges, or do you just hope you can? Do you really believ you can help raise the bar of the breed, or do you just hope you can? Hope will have you thinking about it, but not reaching it. Belief will have you seeing your vision come to reality.

    *Whether or not you think you can, you're right!

    (2) A vision gives you clear direction.
    (a) Having a clear direction tells you where to go and what to stay away from. if Im going to California, Im going to look at my map, fill up the car with gas, plan my route, and drive. Im not going to get sidetracked to Michigan. DONT GET SIDETRACKED!!!

    (3) A vision of your end result will create the proper vison for today
    (a) Visualize your ideal dog. How much will he weigh? What are his height to weight ratios? What is his height, length, chest, and head in inches?
    (b) Visualize your ideal program. What activities would you like to be involved in? Visualize your kennels & whelping pens. Visualize your dogs getting great hip scores.

    * Where there is no vision, there is no clear direction.

    A QUESTION TO ASK YOURSELF
    "What are my intentions in dog breeding?"

    Just as a father asks a young man what his intentions are before he takes his daughter out on a date, all breeders must ask themselves "what are my intentions in the dog game?" Why are you breeding dogs? What is it you hope to accomplish? Now ask yourself, "AM I MOVING FORWARD WITH THE RIGHT INTENTIONS?"
    Positive intent brings positive outcome.
    Negative intent brings negative outcome.

    * Breeding for color,head, or muscle as a premier goal is negative intent because of the negative impact it has on the breed.
    *Breeding for health, temperament, ability, drive, & conformtion are all postive intent & they bring positive outcome!

    FINAL OBSERVATIONS
    (1) People with a vison are often misunderstood
    (2) Nobody will ever see your vision as clear as you do
    (3) A right vision does not come to those who are not on a right path
    (a) Breeders who are not currently concerned with health and temperament as a priority will not be able to have a proper vision unless they change the way they think.

    *People who get a vision in life have already been on the path to that vision. They were in the right area and were able to recieve and develop it. No matter where you are in your breeding program, get a clear vision & think about it every day!