I try to plan a litter once a year. Breeding is a hobby for me and I have a fulltime job as a Service Delivery Manager. (ICT-management) Fortunately I can work also from home, so this is a great combination for me. Almost all my days off are spent on the dogs, litters and dog shows. I demand a lot from the parents dogs. These days you can do a lot of different tests to your dog's ranges from hip score tests to hart tests.

My breeding policy is more strict then the breed club; I check all my dogs for hip and eye diseases. (PRA and Cataract) But I don't think it's useful to check healthy dogs for heart diseases, when they are healthy and play in the forest for a few hours a day. I watch my dogs; they live in the house with me, not in a kennel.

They are very strong and healthy, that is enough for me to use them in a breeding program. I only use dogs with excellent hip scores. In the FCI standard this means only dogs with an A or B score will be used for my breeding program. Exception to this rule is Youandi Lots of Fun, she was examined when she was 7 years old. The artrose in her hips -what is very normal for a dog her age- was the reason for a C score. Her offspring confirm with their great hip scores that we were right: My dear Lotte had (genetically) excellent hips.

Only dogs with a pure character will be used in the breeding program. Pure, as complete free of aggressiveness. A dog may protect his home and family, but has to know what's wrong and right. And has to know where to stop. A cute and sweet OES, a friend. That's what I want to breed! The beauty of the OES is not the most important issue for me in the breeding program. Of course everybody likes to have a beautiful dog. But I like a healthy & sweet dog more than a beautiful one. When a dog doesn't grow up the way I expected, or doesn't get the coat we like to see, I won't love the dog less. All dogs stay her at home with me untill they are old and go to the rainbowbridge.

All puppies are born and raised in my living room. This is important for their socialization. Before the puppies leave my home, they have a chip (in stead of a tattoo) of the Dutch Kennel Club for identification. They have had their first vaccination, and have had (a minimum of) 3 worm treatments. All owners receive a "puppy-back-pack". Nobody leaves the house without a demo "how to groom an OES ".