GREATBASIN NEWFOUNDLANDS !!!
GREATBASIN NEWFOUNDLANDS
PENS VS. NO PENS
I feel compelled to write my feeling on PENS or NO PENS for Breeders with a KENNEL. Every one has their own opinion on this subject and I guess that each side is very committed to their opinion. For us at Greatbasin it's a NO BRAINER!!
Breeders can say, we have NO PENS and try to convince you that they have 5 or more unaltered grown Newfs in their homes at any given time. I find this very hard to believe! If the truth was more clear, it's more likely that they are all running lose in their yard and have no idea how to behave in the house because they are all running together as a BIG PACK out in the yard.
Now, this presents two more very BIG PROBLEMS if you are a breeder. With NO PENS your Newfs become a pack, there will ALWAYS BE CONFLICTS between your unaltered Newfs. Fights ( YES I SAID FIGHTS ) because of your females heat. Females and Males will compete for ALPHA Status. Now the NEXT BIG PROBLEM and this is a BIG ONE!!! Dog's of ANY BREED can smell a female in heat for over 3 miles, there isn't anything more determined than a male or a female looking for a breed able mate ( and remember there can be more than one sire to a LITTER ).
In my opinion, when dogs are just put out side and the breeders say ( we don't have ANY PENS ). We feel it's just a BIG PEN out their front door with no supervision, as far as the attention that they are receiving.
WE FEEL, that it's very important with our Newfs as well as our children to spend individual time with each of our Newfs ( like, grooming time ) one on one. We believe that we should bring in one Newf at a time into our home. This is because we want them to learn how to behave in our home and with visitors. I think this is better achieved with individual attention and them not competing for your attention or affection. Doing everything with all your Newfs, in a PACK, will accomplish very little.
WE FEEL, that pens are VERY IMPORTANT for a good responsible breeding program because, I do not want my unaltered Newfs fighting for ALPHA STATUS and do not forget ... a Newf is a very loving family member but DO NOT LET ANY ONE FOOL YOU... 3 or more unaltered dogs of any KIND is a pack!!! There will be problems around your females heat!
WE FEEL, it's very important for PENS, to know for sure that our Newfs are ONLY breeding with the sire we have chosen for a breeding. Another very important fact ... there can be more than ONE SIRE to a litter! So we take more precautions, to keep stray dogs that may try to get in our yard away from our females in heat. As you can see a 6 to 7 foot PEN can be very helpful!!!
We are going to close this comment with photo's of our PENS, they are NOT just dog runs but are PENS for EACH Newf that are as large as our front yard, with their own dog house and feeders. All of our Newfs have their own individual time as real house and family members, just one on one!!! Not just to run as a BIG PACK in the yard and only coming in the house when it's a accident from them pushing their way through the door, then just to be put back out in their YARD!!!
I hope I have given you a few things to consider about the controversy between breeders over PENS or NO PENS!
So, yes we do have PENS and for us we do feel that we are doing the very best for our Newfs and that it is a part of being a GOOD RESPONSIBLE BREEDER.
If you have any comments on this page, please feel free to contact me. I would love to hear from you.
Thank you,
Greatbasin Newfs
Debbie & Tom
these are pictures of our pens!
they are all 16 feet wide x 32 feet long!!
each pen has a dog house 8 feet long x 4 feet wide!!
also a shade 6 feet x 6 feet!!
our puppy pens has access to the inside of the whelping building, which has a swamp cooler going in the summer!!
