A BREEDER'S PRAYER

      I love my little puppy; He makes my house a home.
      He is  my very best friend; now I will never feel alone.

      He makes me smile, laugh,  fills my heart with joy
      He has become my shadow, how I love this little boy

      You've Never been a breeder, never seen life through their eyes;
      they read so much ugly from others, why do people criticize

      Never known their anguish; Never felt their pain,
      the caring of their charges, through snow or wind or rain.

      Never sat the whole night through, waiting for babies to be born,
      Lack of sleep from worry  feeling all stressed out and torn

      Never felt the heartache, holding a  pup in my hands.
      only 60 grams so tiny,  yet still full of suckling demands

      Should you do this instead of that . . . or that instead of this
      You say a prayer for correctness, and give the pup a kiss

      Formula, bottles, heating pads, you've got to get this right,
      two-hour feedings for this tiny guy, throughout the day and night.

      Day one he's in there fighting; you say a silent prayer.
      Day two & three, he's doing well, with lots of love and care.

      Day 5 he's still alive; your hopes soar straight to heaven
      Day six he slips away again, dies in your hands day seven.

      You take this little angel, wrap and bury him all  alone.
      Tears descend from your eyes,  land on your collar bone

      You think why, why continue breeding only to deal with death
      You return to the others, hold one close and smell the puppy
      breath

      Wagging his tail and slathering you with`kisses warm  and wet
      you laugh as you put him down then realize better it does not get

      So, when you think of breeders and label them with "Greed,"
      Think about how very much they endure to fill another's need.

      When you buy a puppy, and with your precious dollars part,
      You only pay with money, The breeder pays thru their heart.

      Author unknown