Welcome to the NEW Savvy Community of Breeders!

For about two years now we've slowly been growing our community of Savvy Breeders! Our Facebook groups have grown to membership totaling more than 4,600 doodle and poodle breeders! That's kind of hard to believe!

I've also been offering color genetics courses (my first love) via the Thinkific website platform. Many of you have taken advantage of these courses and applied them to your programs, enabling you to make better decisions for you and your customer base. Thank you all!

Now it's time to take the next step for this community we've created!

Everything moving forward will be available directly from the Savvy Breeder website!

The goal is to make an all inclusive hub where breeders can just be breeders. No regulations or stipulations, just freedom to discuss our passions, advertise freely, and support one another.

So what exactly is new and why should you join us?

1. The color genetics courses are now on the Savvy Breeder site for members. For now, there are the original three (The Basics, Making Predictions, and the Brindle Mini Course) BUT I'm working to add Coat Genetics, Intensity Mini Course, and All About CDDY. So those will be added in the next couple of months. (Thinkific will remain up for the next two months to insure any who have purchased from the site will be able to access it for that remaining time.)

2. Unlimited entries into our Public Stud Directory. Advertise your studs to your target market, other poodle and doodle breeders!

3. Breeder Groups.....I'm excited about this one. These work exactly like Facebook. You join the appropriate group, make posts, comment, like, etc. The great thing is though....no restrictions. Include ALL pertinent info including price and availability! Market your pups directly to other programs! Search for your next breeding prospect directly to breeders you know and trust!

4. The App! Ok I'm not going to lie....I'm somewhat still figuring this one out. BUT Wix offers their Spaces App and I've tied it to the website. So those groups I just mentioned will be easily accessible through that app for members. You can set up notifications and everything just like FB so you don't miss a post and won't have to log in to the website each time to see the Groups.

5. The Blog....not so new, but I plan to utilize it A LOT more. I'd love to get the Breeder Spotlight posts back up and running. Perhaps a new program every Friday or something to that effect. I'd love your ideas on what you'd like to hear more of!

You might have noticed I used the word "member" a few times there. That's one of the biggest changes to the site and how it will operate moving forward. The site will have different membership plans to allow you access to different aspects of it.

There will be a full access membership (which you can pay all at once for a discount or pay out monthly) and there will be a partial access membership that is monthly and can be cancelled at anytime. Either subscription you choose you will have UNLIMITED stud listings to the public stud directory (this will always be available to the public and does not require a membership to view)(those that used the old method, your stud listings will still be live for your subscribed year). You will have access to the breeder groups, breeder directory, and blog. *The full access membership is required for access to the genetics courses.

I know this is a big change and will ultimately make some people upset. But I'm just going to be honest, it was this or I close the Savvy Breeder (and that includes my FB groups). I'm paying a TON in website fees for the course website and this website. I'm in the hole most months. So I just don't want you to think this is a scheme to milk you for more money or something. I really just want this to be successful and help breeders support breeders. By everyone paying a little we can keep the site, educational material, and community going and really start utilizing everything this site has to offer.

*Please remember that any membership fees are completely tax deductible for your business!

There will inevitably be some hiccups the first week or so, so please be patient. I'm sure you'll find things that aren't working correctly....please let me know! If there's more material you want on the site....let me know that too! This site is FOR YOU! Let's make it the best we can!

The more of us that are involved and engage, the better this gets! So please share with all your breeder friends!

Shirts Are Here! Grab Yours Today!

Are you a Savvy Breeder?!?! Show you support of our growing community of breeders and get you a Savvy Breeder shirt today!

We've partnered with Bonfire to bring you guys this opportunity and here's why I love them.... You can order our Savvy Breeder design on all kinds of different styles! From the comfy premium short sleeves to the soft hoodies, there's something for everyone and in a variety of colors too!!! The shirt ships directly to you after printing so you get it quickly with no fuss.

Here's the order link: www.bonfire.com/thesavvybreeder

We plan to keep this order link open for a couple weeks, but don't miss your opportunity to snag one!!!

Which Testing Company Should I Use?!?!

One of the first things we want to do as breeders is complete DNA testing. It’s one of the cheapest health tests to mark off our list and it can give us a good idea of what the dog brings into our program at a young age. With soooo many different laboratories out there though, this choice can quickly become overwhelming! So I’m going to do a quick run down of some of the differences between companies so that you can narrow down your options to what suits you best. Keep in mind...there's not a one all be all lab. Every lab brings something different to the table and it will depend on what you're testing and what you're testing for which company is best suited to you.

The first thing you need to know is not all labs are created equal. There's two types you can choose from: diagnostic or screening.

A diagnostic lab usually offers individual tests and will sometimes group those into breed specific panels (usually includes some type of discount). They will test the specific gene and in some cases like Paw Print, will test in at least two independent methods to ensure results are accurate. That’s why they cost more! These test are more in depth and more accurate.

A screening lab on the other hand screens the DNA looking for anything concerning. This kind of testing usually involves a full (not breed specific) health and trait panel. They normally use linkage testing to point out there could be an issue. That's why they’re so cheap! They aren't testing each gene independently or in great depth. While some genes they test for are exact, the ones they use linkage testing for are not.

Well why would you want to use a screening company then? These tests come in handy especially with mixed breeds. Ordering diagnostics on two (or more) breed panels plus coat traits could easily set you back quite a bit. You can use a screening company to look for anything concerning first. If by chance you receive a result that says your dog is a carrier of something, you can then test that specific gene with a diagnostic company to verify the result. So basically you're seeing if the DNA is "clean” or if there is something that needs to be tested further. It helps you narrow down what diagnostics are needed.

These tests are also more affordable to use on dogs that you know are clear by parentage but you want DNA ran on them specifically.

There will be inaccuracies and mistakes with any lab, but you are taking a bigger gamble on that happening with a screening test. Especially if that company uses linkage testing more than anything.

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So let's take a look at four of the more known labs and what they bring to the table:

Diagnostic Labs-

Paw Print Genetics: This is one of the most accurate labs out there! Plus they give merle insertion length reports (for those of you breeding merle).

Highlights:

1. They test with at least TWO independent methods for each test. Each test much confirm the other, so you are assured your results are as accurate as can be.

2. They have GREAT customer service and keep you updated as your sample moves through the lab. It's easy to order, test, and review results.

Draw backs:

1. It can take around 2 weeks once they receive your sample. If you're in a hurry it might not be the route to go.

2. They are also one of the most expensive labs out there...but they usually always run sales. Try: SAVVY2021 for a discount!

www.pawprintgenetics.com

Animal Genetics: Animal Genetics is also a great diagnostic lab to use.

Highlights:

1. Very quick and accurate. Though they do not test to the level of Paw Print they do get you your results back in as little as 48 hours from when they receive them.

2. GREAT customer service. They are very easy to communicate with.

3. They are not as pricey as Paw Print but they rarely if ever have sales. They do offer bulk discounts though.

Draw backs:

1. It's not as easy as just ordering a kit like other labs. Their order process and overall website are not nearly as user friendly.

www.animalgenetics.us

Screening Labs-

Canine Health Check: This company is owned by Paw Print but many think that this panel is the same quality as a test from Paw Print and that's just not the case. This is still a screening. They do not run diagnostics and they do not run an independent verification test. This is the same quality as other screening companies. If you read the fine print at the bottom...it explains this.

Highlights:

1. This is the only screening panel (to my knowledge) to provide merle insertion lengths.

2. If you receive a carrier status you can easily transfer the DNA to Paw Print for further diagnostic to confirm without re-swabbing (provided there was enough DNA in the original sample).

3. Results are back within a couple weeks.

www.caninehealthcheck.com

Embark: Embark is becoming one of the most popular companies being used. Honestly, it's not because they're the best, that's for sure. It's still a good screening test but I'm afraid many breeders get wrapped up in the "breed testing" not knowing that test is nothing more than an educated guess. There's a reason diagnostic companies do not offer this....it cannot be confirmed. But that could be a whole different blog post in and of itself!

Highlights:

1. Easy to order, swab, review, and share the results.

2. The breeder kit includes COI which can come in handy when making breeding decisions.

3. They often run sales and offer a breeder referral program.

Draw backs:

1. Customer service leaves something to be desired.

2. At times it can take 6+ weeks to get results.

Embark's LABOR DAY SALE ends today! Click HERE!

embarkvet.com

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I'm often asked which lab I use personally and I can honestly say I use most all of them. It all depends on what breed I'm testing, if their parents had been tested, if I only need to know something specific, or if I'm in a hurry or not.

Do your research and do what's best for you and your program!