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Breeding with Dogs

Interesting to read if you consider breeding with dogs

Breeding a bitch is a serious commitment which can be very expensive and even heart-breaking. Unless you have a real reason for doing so, you might not want to take on such a challenge. Every mating should be carefully planned and done for the sole reason of improving the breed. The reasons I’ve heard for breeding a bitch is astounding…

They are such as:

–  I want to see what I get…

–  We probably don’t want to see it.

–  My children need the experience of seeing a birth.

–  They shouldn’t be anywhere near a whelping bitch.

–  My bitch is pure bred.

–  This is not a reason to breed.

–  My friends or family members want a puppy from my bitch.

–  Sure, until the pups are ready to go.

–  I want another one just like my bitch.

–  You can’t duplicate her.

–  I want to sell them to make money.

–  Shame on you.

Before breeding, you should know the pedigrees and the favourable or unfavourable attributes of both the Sir and Dam. Your bitch should be well-bred and of excellent quality before you even consider breeding her. Ditto on the sire (using the dog down the street because it is convenient and cheap is not an option). If you don’t know for sure, ask a reputable, experienced breeder to give you a frank opinion. Expect a reputable, breeder to turn down your bitch if she is not the of best quality and expect to pay a sizeable stud fee to the sire’s owner, plus any shipping charges and quite possibly a service charge for covering the bitch.

It is the advantage of both parties to have a written, signed contract before the mating. Breeding to a sire because he has been winning all over the country is not the way to go either, and is no guarantee that your bitch will produce puppies as good as that champion dog. The owner of such a champion sire will want to breed only to acceptable bitches.

Knowledge of pedigree and conformation is essential. How many times have we heard, ”That stud dog didn’t produce any good puppies for me.” Do you suppose your bitch had anything to do with that? The best stud dog in the world can’t fix everything. He may improve, of course, but he can’t make the best puppies out of a bitch of average or mediocre quality. Another thing to consider is, that although you might be lucky and get one really nice puppy, you cannot ignore the pedigree.

Of great importance is how you will place the puppies.
The pet puppy market is very unreliable, and there is no guarantee you can sell – or even place – the puppies. Be prepared to keep them all until good homes can be assured. Don’t expect to dump you puppies into rescue, and don’t sell them to prospective owners with less than ideal conditions. This is your responsibility alone, and once you breed a bitch you must be committed. Be a responsible owner: Think very carefully before breeding.