This November will mark 20 years since our first litter was born. By numbers alone, we haven’t had an excessive number of litters, in fact only nine. I say ‘only’ with a bit of humble and a bit of incredulity. It’s both so many and not so much at the same time.

What do those nine litters represent? A grand total of 69 puppies who have made it to the eight-week-old mark. The number of families is less, because several families had multiple Good Life pups. But that’s still a whole lot of people to support. Because frequently it’s not just one person. It’s a couple. It’s kids, young and grown. It’s friends and relatives that count these dogs as part of their families.

So what is the breeder’s obligation to their puppy people? This is a question I’ve asked myself countless times over these last two decades.  Mostly in moments where a puppy is struggling, or their family is. How much can we do, many times when we aren’t even in the same state, even country?

Much emphasis is placed on the breeder’s obligation when the momma is pregnant, when she whelps, and when the pups are in the breeder’s direct care for those first crucial weeks, and that can’t be understated. But, in many ways, that feels like the first sprint of a very, very long race.

It’s common practice among ethical and caring breeders to have a stipulation in the contract that they will take their puppies back at any age. And we do that. But contracts are cold things, and the relationship between a puppy and their family should be anything but cold. Contracts are a black and white situation. A line was drawn, the puppy is no longer reasonably able to be cared for due to circumstance or perhaps just no longer wanted for any number of reasons.

But, if life has taught me anything, it’s that the world is mostly shades of gray. So, if a puppy is struggling with health, training, or behavior issues with a family who is committed, which is much more often the case than the contractual situation, how can a breeder be of service? I’ll set aside the question of if a breeder should be of service, because there are different kinds of breeders with different kinds of expectations, but we are firmly in the camp of ‘be of service.’

When the torch is passed to the new families in that next leg of this life race, theirs is the marathon. The breeder may not be running with them, but they sure should be cheering from the sidelines, reminding them of the preparation and training that went into the race, giving encouragement and advice for the duration of that long, beautiful run.

In fact, some of the most emotionally challenging times for us as breeders have been supporting from the sidelines. Getting the call of a heart-wrenching turn of events, an unexpected diagnosis, an injury or devastating loss. Being witness to the impact these puppies have had on these families, sitting with them in their grief, is an entirely different skill set from raising puppies, but no less worthy of effort.

Of course, it’s not all sad. It couldn’t be as sad as it is in those moments without the profound sense of pride we get to share in the accomplishments, big and small. Getting a title. An article shared from a local paper of the impact of a Leo we bred doing therapy work. Watching a puppy learn to perform water rescue with the Coast Guard. The small moments of video of a puppy doing something sweet, silly, endearing. It’s all special. It’s life in all her simultaneous simplicity and complexity.

An ethical breeder signs up for all of that, whether they know it or not. I certainly wasn’t anticipating the depth or duration of the emotional commitment that this journey would require. But I have received more than I have ever given.