Today's Breeder - Issue 107 - 17

" I still have frozen semen from Boss, who was born in
1994, " Mary says. " Two of his offspring from AI (artificial
semination) breedings are competing now. "
During Mercy's pregnancy, Dr. Wayne Whitney of Gulf
Coast Veterinary Specialists in Houston, discovered liver
cancer. " Mercy had three puppies by cesarean section and
at the same time a soft-tissue surgeon removed the lobe
of liver with the cancer, " says Mary. " Mercy enjoyed the
rest of her life with me as a companion and hunting dog,
passing away at 15 ½ years of age. "
Legend was one of the pups from Mercy's last litter. To
have bred a second National Champion was a defining
moment for Watermark.
Back to training for the fall 2022 season. It promises to
be exciting. Shadow and " Fee Fee " (Watermarks Celebration)
will be competing in open stakes. Shadow is from a frozen
semen breeding sired by FC-AFC Hawkeye's Candlewood
Shadow out of 3XNFC-FC-AFC Candlewood's Tanks A Lot
HOF. A powerful female, Fee Fee, is owned by Jimmy and
Mary Eller.
" I have frozen semen from Shadow, " Mary says. " I am
really pushing him because he is proving to be a great
producer. "
Shadow's sons King and Choir Boy are being prepped
for trials by Bill and Mary. King, who is owned by Bill and
Richard Tooke, is out of Watermarks Songbird. King will
compete at the National Derby Championship in October
in Sedalia, Missouri. Mary owns Choir Boy, whose maternal
grandsire is FC HRCH SRS Watermark's Texas Welcome
MH and maternal great-grandsire is 2XNAFC Lean Mac.
Amateur competitor Creg Jones, of Giddings, who trained
Golden Retrievers with Mary 30-plus years ago at soccer
BREEDING TIPS FROM DR. MARY TATUM
* Take time to research a
potential breeding partner's
pedigree to learn whether
its close relatives have
passed health clearances
for hips, elbows, eyes, and
cardiac tests as well as
breed-specific genetic
tests
* Reach out to the owners
of potential stud dogs to
learn about their overall
health and whether they
experienced conditions
that are not part of health
testing, such as skin allergies
and cruciate ligament rupture
Mary Tatum, a veterinarian,
was the 2015 AKC Breeder
of the Year for Retriever
Field Events.
* When studying pedigrees look for common ancestry,
as a linebreeding, even a loose linebreeding, provides
some prediction of traits in contrast to a total outcross,
which is used to improve a trait but is not predictable
* Although more costly and involves artificial insemination
surgery, a frozen semen breeding is generally
85 percent successful, as long as the semen is good
quality and the bitch is healthy. It also provides convenience
and allows you to breed a quality stud dog
that has passed away
* A successful breeding outcome requires quality care
of the bitch during pregnancy and delivery and of
neonatal puppies, which includes providing stimulation
and socialization throughout the first eight weeks
fields and parks around Houston, will compete in trials
with two Labradors he co-owns with her. Watermarks
Primrose Lane is starting in open stakes, and Watermarks
Queen Of Hearts will also compete at the National Derby
Championship.
The versatility of Mary's retrievers includes doing service
work. " I donated 'Duke,' a black male, in 2019 to the Texas
State Troopers, " she says. " He is a trained drug detection
dog. 'Punch,' a yellow female, was a bomb detection dog
who completed three tours of duty in Iraq and Iran. "
Imparting words of wisdom to breeders, Mary cautions,
" It is easy to fall into making breeding decisions through
rose-colored glasses. It is important to keep your standard
high and not breed dogs having marginal health tests or
lacking conformation or performance quality. "
The notion of Mary's dogs being beloved companions
Watermark Retreiver puppies go to their new homes with Purina
Pro Plan Large Breed puppy food, a Purina Pro Plan Puppy Starter
Kit, a lead, puppy blanket, and a bag with the Watermark Retriever
logo. As pictured here, adult retrievers are fed Purina Pro Plan SPORT
Performance 30/20 Salmon & Rice Formula.
foremost stays with her today. It goes back to the beginning
when Strider became a show champion. " He was still just
my dog, " she said.
Watermark Retrievers have made a mark on the sport.
Most of all, they have made a mark on the heart of Mary
Tatum. n
PURINAPROCLUB.COM | 17
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Today's Breeder - Issue 107

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