“I do not want to have a feeling at the end of the day. That something is slipping through my fingers, I do not wish to become yet another fool. Who is waiting for autumn to arrive…”
(Circus Prague)
“The right hobby must ruin a man”

Dear breeders,
Breeding requires expertise and patience.  I like to apply one of these truths in my breeding activities.

Other principles include: “QUALITAS et SUPERBIA et SCIENTIA” (quality, pride and knowledge)… and last but not least it is love for dogs. All this has a consequence in my undertaking a journey, which I have to pave myself.
Staffordshire bullterrier is a breed currently taking the prominent positions of interest. It encompasses its positive, but also negative truth for the breeders. Based on the demand there arise farmers among breeders, who place their overproduction in the market and take away opportunities of greater space for the real breeders. But this aspect is only secondary. Children of the farmer dogs and children of their children create great quantities of genetic waste, which degenerate the stud and also its perspective options to the detriment of the gains for the individual.
Who is a breeder?
My definition is simple. Breeder is a person who by his or her professional focus improves the genetic trace of the individuals of his or her own stud. This trace has to be perspective for more generations and always strong for the direction of the breed reproduction. Firmness of the genetic trace reflects in the line of the stud. The strength of the genetic trace indicates the quality of the breeder.

“Mating by a very successful male dog is almost always a bad way for the breeder”
There are more aspects the breeder needs to be aware of:
1.    Surplus of mating male dogs in the perspective of 5 years, who will have half of the pedigree the same
2.    Hidden faults, which will not be possible to eradicate, when quality individual is used also with offsprings for mating
3.    Looping and the subsequent step, without a feedback of a real judgment for improving quality of the new offsprings
4.    Self-confirmation and of others about quality positives of a very successful dog. This is a negative direction of the breeder.
“The quality of the sword is not determined by the label, scabbard, patronage or hilt, but the metal components, which are found within and are always unique”
If we are truly interested in creating beautiful animals, we must watch them.
We must see their purpose in the symbiosis with the human, their place in the society of the human partners and last but not least their functionality in life.
“Staffordshire bullterrier is neither a mops nor a French bulldog”
•    In the summer they must be able to breathe and run in a forest or on a meadow.
•    During mating they should behave as males.
•    They should not seek out conflicts, but if one arises, they should act as warriors.
•    When I look at the dogs, I must see a spark in their eyes, which is a manifestation of activity and love of movement.
•    When I look at the dogs, I have to see great and strong teeth in formed and functional jaws.
•    When I look at the dogs, I need to see strong and firm legs, which can run for hours on the hills.
•    When I look at the dogs, they deserve my respect for their power and beauty.
Therefore I decided for a different type of STAB from what is found here. Even though someone told me I was not going to have many fans I do not mind. I dedicate myself to breeding for my own sake primarily and for my own feeling of joy from my dogs.
Svetozár Prochotský
Thor Steinar division dogs
Illustration photos by author