Mentoring

Have you ever wondered why some breeders are able to consistently produce outstanding rats? The answers are many; however one of the major factors is that they had an outstanding mentor.

Breeding mediocre animals is easy.

Breeding animals of outstanding quality takes commitment. Breeders MUST be their own worst critic! And they must be brutally honest in their breeding program. Personal feelings must be put aside in the decision to breed only the best. Great breeders, like great mentors, will never criticize an outstanding or top winning rat …they know how hard they are to come by and appreciate the work involved in producing them.

Those consistently producing top winning rats will attest that obtaining a Championship on a rat does not always mean that it is breeding quality. Just because a rat has won ribbons, doesn’t mean you necessarily need to breed it!
Here is where an outstanding mentor is able to help and guide you…provided you have found a good mentor to start with!

So, who makes a good mentor?
The easy answer is a breeder who has been successful in the species!

Don't take advice from people who have always been unsuccessful
breeders. If their opinions were worth having, they would have proved it by their successes.

So, what defines a good mentor? Webster defines a mentor as a wise and faithful counselor. In the world of rats, the most sought after mentors are successful, established breeders with years of experience who realize the importance of passing the torch to younger breeders eager to carry on their valuable gene pool. Whether you desire to be an active breeder or an avid competitor, the mentors who give you your start will have a lasting impact on your future success. In fact, when you
realize that most mentors are often the source of your foundation stock, the choice of a mentor can be as important as understanding your breed standard or learning to apply basic genetic principles to your breeding program.

TYPES OF MENTORS
1. SEEK THE GUIDANCE OF A SUCCESSFUL, ESTABLISHED BREEDER, WHO
YOU RESPECT MORALLY AND INTELLECTUALLY
The best of these are established, long-time breeders and are dedicated individuals that you trust as people. They are clear, objective thinkers who have a plan and consistency in their breeding programs.
ADVANTAGE:
Hooking up with one person such as this can put you on a "fast track" and speed up your success.
DISADVANTAGE:
Since you are putting all of your eggs in one basket, it is important to be certain that this is the right way to go.

2. LEARN FROM AS MANY MASTER BREEDERS AND EDUCATIONAL
RESOURCES AS POSSIBLE
Instead of committing to one mentor, work with several expert breeders and expose yourself to as many educational experiences as possible. Invaluable resources are books, breed publications and websites. Topics to study should include: your club’s official standard and illustrated standard, basic principles of rat genetics, rat anatomy, breeding and rat diseases. Attend seminars when possible and ask for hands-on work with several respected mentor-breeders.
ADVANTAGE:
Gathering knowledge from more than one source can provide a more complete picture relative to your breed and help you make better informed decisions.
DISADVANTAGE:
You expose yourself to scattered and contradictory opinions that can lead to confusion and indecision.

COMBINE APPROACHES ONE AND TWO!
A third possibility is to combine the above two options, working very closely with one established breeder as you continue to expand your knowledge by exposing yourself to as many other educational sources a possible.

LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP!
One of the biggest mistakes new-comers to the species can make is to impulsively hook up with the first breeder with whom they come in contact. Before they realize it, this person has become a self-appointed mentor. It may or may not have been the right choice. Other suggestions include:

• Attending as many shows as possible. These are the best places to meet some of the established breeders and see rats they have bred.
• Reading! Anything having to do with rats and rat structure, breeding and husbandry in general. Such information may help guide you in your choice of a mentor. My mentor preached to me that you HAD to know R-A-T before you would ever learn TYPE!
• For the average rat person, it takes approximately 5 years to really learn type…sadly; some never do. Often times, breeders will stop breeding long before this point.
• Deciding what your goals are. Would-be mentors want to know what they are dealing with. Are you interested in just showing rats to their championships or do you want to breed? Are you truly willing to take advice? Or do you just want to hear what you want to hear?
• Bear in mind that really good mentors have spent many, many years learning about the rat world. It is doubtful that you will know MORE than they do…

As good mentors and great breeders are constantly learning.

ADDITIONAL TIPS
• "Follow your head over your heart."
Really liking someone does not mean that person would be the best
mentor. It is especially important not to choose as a mentor someone who reinforces any already incorrect concepts that you might have. People with charismatic, winning personalities can easily sway others into their way of thinking. Be sure they are competent and knowledgeable.
• "Avoid negative personalities who trash everyone but themselves."
Beware of the individual who never has a good word to say about other
competitors or their rats. Eventually this type of negativity will rub off on
you and ultimately reflect badly on your rats.
• "Seek out learned people who are upbeat and personable." The
mentor/student relationship can be as emotional as a marriage. Avoid
mentors who are overly sensitive and insecure. No matter how
knowledgeable a person may be, the stress of walking on egg shells is not
worth it.
• "Don’t expect something for nothing."
Mentors have devoted years of hard work and endured numerous setbacks to get where they are. Offer them your services whenever possible, whether it is helping care for rats, assisting at shows or raising litters.
No matter how closely you work with a mentor, you are ultimately the one responsible for your decisions and the day will come when you are on your own. Perhaps the shared experiences and advice you receive from your teachers will prepare you to become one of your species' future mentors.

Those who want to be successful in rats reach their goals much more quickly when they have a good mentor to help guide them. Finding a qualified mentor isn’t always easy; however it can be done with a little persistence and some homework.

If you are completely new to rat breeding, you need to begin by finding and meeting rat breeders. Check with the Ratster (www.ratster.com) to find a list of breeders in your area. Most breeders are more than willing to talk “rats”. In this day and age, the internet is a wonderful resource…spend a lot of time looking at rat websites to help you get familiar with the species and some of the well known breeders…that way, when you meet them you will be more familiar with them and their lines. Belonging to a local rat club will get you involved with other rat people, which in turn will help you find more rat people. Once you get to know and meet some rat people, they in turn can introduce you to others…and your “rat network” begins to build.

Do Your Homework
Hopefully, before you purchased your first rats, you spent some time doing your homework. That homework includes getting to know the species, deciding on a line of rats you like, by studying the standard and reading all of the available rat books you can get your hands on. Buy the best rats you can find! Breeding rats is not cheap, nor are good quality babies or adults cheap. Beware of the “breeder” who sells rats much cheaper than the going market.
Most breeders are more likely to sell you a same sex pair of pet-quality rats before selling you breeder-quality rats. This gives the breeder a chance to see if you will actually prove yourself and are not just interested in something to breed. It also gives the breeder a chance to get to know you and to begin to build a mentoring relationship.

It is not very often that a relatively newcomer is offered a “topnotch” rat (you haven’t proven yourself yet) so if you are lucky and one is offered to you…jump at the chance!
Many mentor relationships begin when you purchase your first pet-quality rats from the mentor which is why that purchase turns out to be so important. Successful breeders generally take an interest in the people they sell to.
Cultivate that relationship! Ask if they are willing to mentor with you. If they agree, be prepared to take their advice and suggestions. Be grateful for the time they spend with you and be serious in your desire to learn.
It is often difficult to find a mentor that lives near you. Your mentor can work with you “long distance” via the internet, and still offer a great deal of help via email, pictures and meeting at shows. Be creative!

It is never too late to look for a mentor. If you have been breeding awhile, but aren’t accomplishing what you had hoped for, work on finding a mentor you like and trust and feel comfortable working with.

What to Look For in a Mentor
Your mentor should be willing to give you advice on all aspects of breeding, owning and showing rats. They should help you select and evaluate your breeding stock and help you decide where and when to breed. This person should have considerable time in the species,
and should have accomplished a nice breeding record in that amount of time. Your mentor should encourage YOU to think about the rats you are working with and have and what you hope to gain in your breeding program. They should encourage you to keep educating yourself by reading books, learning genetics and meeting new people. Most of all, a great mentor will know when to let go…and encourage you to make your own decisions.

As you can see, a mentor will invest a lot of time and energy into helping you become successful, therefore, be appreciative of that time, and be supportive and loyal to the mentor who has invested his or her time in you! And, don’t forget to show your appreciation whenever and however you can. When YOU become an accomplished breeder…be willing to mentor with a newcomer!