We, the dog/show/fancy have for quite some time now called ourselves 'hobby' breeders. I think this came about as a way to differentiate ourselves - the responsible ones - from the at that point in time newly termed 'puppy mill' breeders. It seemed fairly useful to do so, and certainly harmless.
But it has occurred to me that we may have done ourselves a disservice. We aren't at fault for that, we couldn't have known back then just what PETA was going to become in our world. Because of PETA I have began to get rather sensitive to terminology, and 'hobby' is one of those things I'm getting sensitive about.
'Hobby' breeder does not imply the dedication and effort that we put into this thing we do. We breeders are not hobbyists - not when we're so determined to maintain and preserve and better our purebred dogs - those are traits of a *professional*. Traits of someone who is serious, and serious about their goal.
Our participation in competitive sports with these dogs is not a hobby either - it's a professional effort to display our seriousness as breeders of purebreds. Or at least that was the intent of the original dog shows ;). I choose to think that that intent still remains for most of us.
So. I have made a conscious decision to stop calling myself a 'hobby breeder', and stop thinking of myself as one as well. I am a 'semi-retired' professional purebred breeder. Here's my reasoning : if one person tells me that they are a hobby breeder, and another tells me that they are a professional breeder - which one sounds like they're more serious about what they do?
Words have meaning - and associated power in the public mind. Professional carries weight, hobby carries 'something one does in one's spare time for enjoyment'. We do most assuredly enjoy our doggie doings - but it's not just a spare time thing, and we're most of us quite serious in our intentions.
We really need to stop handing the ARists ammunition, even unintentionally.
But it has occurred to me that we may have done ourselves a disservice. We aren't at fault for that, we couldn't have known back then just what PETA was going to become in our world. Because of PETA I have began to get rather sensitive to terminology, and 'hobby' is one of those things I'm getting sensitive about.
'Hobby' breeder does not imply the dedication and effort that we put into this thing we do. We breeders are not hobbyists - not when we're so determined to maintain and preserve and better our purebred dogs - those are traits of a *professional*. Traits of someone who is serious, and serious about their goal.
Our participation in competitive sports with these dogs is not a hobby either - it's a professional effort to display our seriousness as breeders of purebreds. Or at least that was the intent of the original dog shows ;). I choose to think that that intent still remains for most of us.
So. I have made a conscious decision to stop calling myself a 'hobby breeder', and stop thinking of myself as one as well. I am a 'semi-retired' professional purebred breeder. Here's my reasoning : if one person tells me that they are a hobby breeder, and another tells me that they are a professional breeder - which one sounds like they're more serious about what they do?
Words have meaning - and associated power in the public mind. Professional carries weight, hobby carries 'something one does in one's spare time for enjoyment'. We do most assuredly enjoy our doggie doings - but it's not just a spare time thing, and we're most of us quite serious in our intentions.
We really need to stop handing the ARists ammunition, even unintentionally.
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