|
Attention All Novice
Breeders
|
|
Attention all Novice Potential Breeders
For People Who Want to Breed Dogs
Breeding from your Bitch
Think before you do....It May Be Your Last Chance
Are You a Responsible Breeder
To Breed or Not to Breed
ATTENTION ALL NOVICE POTENTIAL BREEDERS!!!!!
SO YOU WANT TO BE A BREEDER?
Breeding the female
So you want to breed your female. You know what to expect if everything
goes right. Your little girl will present you with tiny bundles of joy.
She will lovingly nurse them and care for them until they are old enough
to be weaned.
You and your family will find great joy in watching and playing
with these little dolls, and then when the time is right they will all
(or maybe you keep just one) go off to special homes to live out their
lives as cherished companions. But have you given consideration to what
if something goes wrong? I have listed here a few of the problems that
I myself have personal knowledge of. Everything listed has happened either
to me, or someone I know. These are not isolated incidents. I'm sure other
breeders could add miles to my list. Learn by others mistakes!. Let the
breeding up to those who know what they are doing, have the experience,
know what to expect.
What If During The Breeding
The stud dog you have chosen is carrying a venereal disease and
gives it to your female. She not only doesn't conceive but you have to
pay the vet bills to get her infection cleared up and she is now sterile.
The stud dog you decided to breed your darling to is not experienced.
Once the two dogs are joined tightly in a tie, he decides to chase the
neighbour’s cat out of his yard. He bolts for the cat ripping his penis
loose and causing your bitch to haemorrhage from within.
Your modest girl decides she doesn't want the attentions of this
gigolo mutt chosen for her without her consent. She snaps at him catching
her tooth on his loose cheek and rips it open sending blood flying everywhere.
He retaliates by sinking his teeth into her left eye.
You leave your dog with the stud owner because the breeding is not
going very swiftly. In fact , it's been three hours and nothing is happening.
The stud owners leave the two dogs alone in the back yard. The dogs get
out through a tiny hole in the fence and a truck hits your female.
You pay the $250-$1000 stud fee up front figuring you will make
that and more back when the pups sell. The breeder guarantees the stud
service to work or you can come back again. After 2 months you discover
it didn't work and now must wait another 4 months to try again. Of course
it doesn't work again, so in another 4 months you take your dog to another
male and risk loosing another stud fee.
You get her bred. Bring her home. She bothers you so you let her
out she is still in heat and still receptive to males. You hear a commotion
outside there is your girl tied up with the neighbourhood mutt. when she
whelps there will need to be DNA tests done on the pups.
You get her bred. Bring her home and let her out. (She is still
in heat and receptive to other males) but you do not see the neighbourhood
mutt breed her. The pups are born but look odd. You call the stud owner
he suggests DNA testing (At your expense). You have a litter of mutts! What
do you do about the ones you have already sold?
Or knowing she tied with the neighbourhood mutt you decide to terminate
the pregnancy and try again being more careful next time. But a few weeks
later your female is very sick because you had her given a miss-mate
shot creating a hormonal imbalance causing a uterine infection and now
she has Pyometra and needs a complete hysterectomy. All plans of getting
a litter is gone and your female's life is now in danger if she does not
have the operation.
What If During The Birth
The puppies are too large for the female. She never goes into labour,
the puppies die and she becomes infected by the decaying bodies.
The puppies are coming breech and they drown in their own sacks
before they can be born.
The first puppy is large and breech. When it starts coming your
female starts screaming, and before you can stop her she reaches around,
grabs the puppy in her teeth and yanks it out killing it instantly.
A puppy gets stuck. Neither your female nor you can get it out.
You have to race her to the vet. The vet can't get it out either. She
has to have an emergency caesarean section of course it is 3:00 am Christmas
day.
A puppy is coming out breech and dry (the water sack that protects
them has burst). It gets stuck. Mom tries to help it out by clamping her
teeth over one of the back legs. The head and shoulders are firmly caught.
Mom pulls on the leg, hard, peeling the flesh from the leg and leaving a
wiggling stump of bone.
A dead puppy gets stuck in the birth canal, but your female is well
into hard labor. She contracts so hard trying to give birth that her
uterus ruptures and she bleeds to death on the way to the vet.
What If Directly After Birth
The mother has no idea what to do with a puppy and she drops them
out and walks away, leaving them in the sack to drown.
The mother takes one look at the puppies, decides they are disgusting
droppings and tries to smother them in anything she can find to bury
them in.
The mother gets too enthusiastic in her removal of the placenta
and umbilical cord, and rips the cord out leaving a gushing hole pulsing
blood all over you as you try in vain to stop the bleeding.
Or, she pulls on the cords so hard she disembowels the puppies as
they are born and you have a box full of tiny, kicking babies with a
tangle of guts the size of a walnut hanging from their stomachs. Of course
all the babies must be put to sleep.
What if because of some Hormone deficiency she turns vicious allowing
no one near her or the babies, who she refuses to nurse, or you have
to interfere with.
You notice something protruding from her vagina when you let her
out to pee. You take her to the vet to discover a prolapsed uterus, which
needs to be removed.
What If When You Think You Are In The Clear
One or more of the puppies inhaled fluid during birth, pneumonia
develops and death occurs within 36 hours.
What if the mother's milk goes bad. You lose three of your four
puppies before you discover what is wrong. You end up bottle feeding
the remaining pup every two hours, day and night. After three days the
puppy fades from infection and dies.
The puppies develop fading puppy syndrome you lose two. You bottle-feeding
or tube feeding the last remaining baby. It begins to choke and despite
your efforts to clear the airway, the pup stiffens and dies in your hands.
Your Female Develops
Mastitis And Her Breast Ruptures.
Your female develops a uterine
infection from a retained placenta. Her temperature soars to 105. You
race her to the vet, he determines she must be spayed. He does the spay
in an attempt to save her life, you pay the hundreds of dollars bill. The
infection has gone into her blood stream. The infected milk kills all the
puppies and the bitch succumbs a day later.
All the puppies are fine
but following the birth the female develops a hormone imbalance. She
becomes a fear biter and anytime anyone tries to touch her she viciously
attacks them.
Mom and pups seem fine, the puppies are four weeks old and are at
their cutest. However, one day one of the puppies disappears. You search
everywhere but you can't find it. A few days later another puppy is gone.
And another. You can't figure how on earth the puppies are getting out
of their safe 4' x 4' puppy pen. Finally there is only one puppy left.
The next morning you find the mother chomping contentedly on what is left
of the last murdered puppy.
What If The New Homes Arn't So Happy
You give a puppy to a friend. Their fence blows down so they tie
the puppy outside while they go to work. A roving dog comes along and
kills the puppy. Your friend calls you up to tell you about the poor little
puppy and asks when you are having more puppies.
You sell a puppy to an acquaintance. The next time you see them
you ask how the puppy is doing. They tell you that it soiled their new
carpet so they took it to the pound
You sell a puppy to a friend (you give them a good price and payments).
They make a couple of tiny payments. Six months later they move to an
apartment. They ask you to take it back. You take it back and of course
the payments stop. The dog they returned is so shy, and ill mannered from
lack of socialization and training it takes you a year of work providing
socializing and training to be able to give it away.
You sell a puppy to a wonderful home. They love her like one of
the family. At a vet check done by their vet it is determined that the
puppy has a heart murmur. (Your vet found nothing when he checked the
puppy before it was sold.) They love their puppy and want the best for
her. They have an expensive surgery done. The puppy is fine. They sue you
for the medical costs. They win, because you did not have a contract stipulating
conditions of guarantee and so as breeder you are responsible for the puppy's
genetic health.
You give a puppy to your mother. She is thrilled. Two years later
the puppy starts developing problems. It begins to develop odd symptoms
and is suffering. Hundreds and hundreds of dollars worth of tests later
it is finally discovered that the dog is suffering from a terminal condition
that was inherited, possibly from your female since you know nothing about
her family lines.
One loving home decides your puppy is untrainable, destructive and
wants to return the pup and get a full refund, which you have spent on
your vet bills.
One loving couple calls you and is very upset because their pup
has crippling hip dysplasia and want to know what you are going to do
about it. You have spayed your female so a replacement is out of the
question, looks like another refund.
THE SALE
You put your ad in the local paper for your pups at the usual price
and get only 2 responses and no sales. You cut the pup's price in half
and broaden your advertising to 3 other newspapers in which the advertising
totals $120.00 a week.
You get a few more puppy inquiries from people who ask all about
health testing you did before breeding and if the pups are registered.
You tell them your dogs are healthy and it was enough and that you could
get the papers. The callers politely thank you and hang up.
The pups are now 4 months old and getting bigger , eating a lot
and their barking is really beginning to annoy the neighbours who call
the police who inform you of the $150.00 noise by-law.
Your neighbours also call the humane society who comes out to inspect
the care of your dogs. You pass inspection but end up feeling stressed
and harassed.
You finally decide to give the rest of the litter away but still
have to pay the $1200.00 advertising bill and the $600.00 vet bill.
So you gotta ask yourself: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, "breeder?"
Author:
Laura Turner
**********************
back
to top
For People who Want to Breed Dogs
Factors to Consider
Will your dog contribute excellent health, temperament, working ability
or conformity to the breed standard?
Do you understand that spaying and neutering will prevent some health
problems that you risk by keeping your dog intact?
Are you aware of any and all health and temperament problems in your
dog's pedigree?
Are you willing to search for the best dog to breed your dog to, even
if you have to travel out of state?
Do you have carefully screened buyers and deposits for all the puppies
you may produce?
Do you have money set aside in case the dam or puppies need emergency
care?
Can you or another responsible adult be present 24 hours a day for
the first 3 weeks in case hand feeding is needed?
Have you read about what to prepare and expect for canine pregnancy,
whelping and puppy rearing? (rec source: Canine Reproduction: A Breeder's
Guide 2nd Edition, Phyllis Holst)
Are you willing to keep and properly socialize all the puppies until
good homes are found?
Are you willing to take back any or all puppies any time in their
lives that they may no longer be wanted?
Are you willing to serve as a lifetime resource for the buyers of
your puppies?
Pre-Breeding Procedures
Annual CERF eye certification.
Wait until 2 years of age before breeding, then have OFA hip and elbow
certification performed.
Have all breed-specific health clearances performed - check with veterinarian
and national breed club (may include heart, thyroid, genetic testing, many
others).
Have Brucella canis test performed 1 month in advance.
Have a complete physical examination performed on your dog prior to
breeding.
- This should include a digital vaginal exam
to check for vaginal band/stricture.
by Joni
L. Freshman DVM, MS, DACVIM Permission to copy with original attribution
Copyright
2003 - 2007 by the Veterinary Information Network, Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright
1991 - 2007, Veterinary Information Network, Inc.
This work was originally published by Veterinary Information
Network, Inc. (VIN) and is republished with VIN's permission.
*********************
Breeding from your Bitch
BREEDING
A LITTER - AN OVERVIEW
Before you consider mating your bitch you should seriously consider
the likely futures for the resulting litter, the consequences to your
bitch, your family and yourselves and the overall wide ranging outcomes
that will ensue. Consider the number of unwanted dogs in rescue and welfare
kennels, so ensure that you will be able to find caring, responsible and
permanent homes for the resulting litter.
Also it is of paramount importance to the development of the breed,
that only good quality bitches are mated to progress and advance the
status and quality of the breed. Any dog with abnormalities or hereditary
disorders should not be bred from under any circumstances.
Ask yourself the following questions and answer them HONESTLY !!!
Is it really
the correct thing to do ?
Do I have time to allocate
to my bitch, especially during the weeks before and after the due date?
Do I have time to allocate to growing puppies that become more demanding
and more time consuming with every day?
Can I find suitable homes for my puppies ?
If you do decide to mate your bitch, then great care needs to be
taken to ensure that you make the best possible choice of stud dog and
not just the one that just looks nice or that lives nearest for your convenience
!!! Always go to a recognised breeder with good stud dogs and if he/she
is an honest and responsible breeder, then he/she should be able to guide
you as to the best course of action.
You should also ensure if possible, that your bitch does not carry
congenital or breeding defects and is fit and well BEFORE mating
her to maximise the chances of her having a trouble free pregnancy and
whelping. Similarly the owner of the stud dog should be equally forthcoming
as to the quality and 'track record' of his stud dogs and their progeny.
Assuming you have decided to mate your bitch, unless you are experienced
in mating dogs, be guided by the stud dog owner and/or an experienced
responsible breeder who will be able to assist you in optimising the chances
of success.
Please Note: The textbooks will tell you that a bitch is
likely to ovulate during approximately the middle of her oestrus cycle
(season or heat) which is approximately 21 days in length. Usually this
will therefore be around day 11 or 12, which is when you serve the bitch.
However, many bitches ovulate at different times, some at day 7, 9, 16,
21, 26 and sometimes even later !!!
After you have mated your bitch and assuming you have a positive
outcome, do not overfeed her !!! A fat dog by its very nature will be
unfit and less likely to be able to whelp normally. She needs to be fit
and active during her pregnancy, being fed high quality food and being
provided regular sensible exercise, without excess exertion. In an overweight
or muscular bitch, determining whether your bitch is pregnant may be difficult
to detect. At 3 weeks after mating, it is possible for your vet to detect
pregnancy by feeling puppies within the abdomen but if you are unsure of
the mating date and the puppies are 4 weeks old, they will have become
surrounded by a protective fluid and be far more difficult to detect. Pregnancy
can be more accurately detected by using
an ultrasound scan.
At 6 to 7 weeks the enlargement of the abdomen becomes apparent
(this size increase can sometimes be very quick, almost as though your
bitch has sneaked out in the night, gone down to the local petrol station,
plugged herself into the airline and blown herself up). This rapid increase
in size occurs up to the 9th week. Also from 6 to 7 weeks the mammary (or
milk glands) begin to swell and there may often be milk present or even
overflowing during the last week.
Do not increase her actual food intake to any great extent until
the sixth week of pregnancy and then gradually increase it to approximately
DOUBLE the food intake by the time the puppies are born and TRIPLE the
food intake by the time the puppies are three or four weeks old as milk
production is much more demanding for your bitch than pregnancy itself.
Later in pregnancy as the puppies and uterus increase in size, the
bitch will need more frequent small meals, rather than once daily (adopting
the maxim of little and often).
As the puppies grow, the 'room' within the bitch becomes smaller
thus making eating more difficult. Obviously fresh clean drinking water
MUST always be available.
Do not over supplement with calcium (especially in early pregnancy),
as you will stop her normal mechanisms to release her stored calcium and
actually increase the likelihood of eclampsia. Nowadays most modern foodstuffs
have sufficient calcium within the formulation and thus supplementation
is not required. (Your vet can advise on whether supplementation is required
or not, from about the seventh week of pregnancy).
In the first 3 weeks of pregnancy, the growth of the pups is comparatively
slow, so maintain her normal diet. From 4 to 9 weeks the bitch will require
a much higher food intake, especially of good high quality protein. Whether
you feed your bitch tinned, processed dry or semi-moist foods or have
adopted the natural feeding regime (this is feeding raw meaty bones, raw
vegetables, fruit, and supplementation) It is important that good quality
meat, fish, eggs, and some offal should be provided together with pulverised
fresh vegetables for both nutritional value and laxative effect. Also fresh
liver can be given from time to time (sparingly) because of its high vitamin
B content.
It is wise to worm your bitch prior to mating to reduce the likelihood
of her passing on worms to the puppies. I myself WILL NOT worm
pregnant bitches, but certain worming preparations are available which
are considered safe for pregnant bitches and once again your vet will advise
you of a suitable wormer.
You need to decide where YOU would LIKE her to whelp, ensuring it
is a quiet, clean, warm and draught-free area where she will not be unnecessarily
disturbed, especially if there are children in the house. You need to
provide her with a whelping box in which I place old clean towels (kept
especially for the job) one on top of the other to soak up the discharge,
liquid, blood etc., and keep it in clean and dry for each successive birth.
I also use vet bedding or you could use fleece backed with towels.
Get your bitch used to the box as its bed & nest well before
the puppies are due and preferably get her to sleep in it at night as
well, so that she is happy to whelp in it. Finally it is wise to inform
your vet in advance of the impending delivery and advise of the expected
date of whelping, in case you have to call for aid or assistance at some
unsuitable hour. A vet is more likely to be responsive to you call for
help if he or she is forewarned.
********************
Think
Before You Do... It may be your last chance
Blue Knight Labradors
D. Welle
I almost lost one of my dogs
this week. She almost died because of choices I made for her. People console
me, telling me it isn’t my fault, and that I did all the right things.
I know I did... but they were still my choices, and I AM responsible. Were
I to ignore this fact, I would never have the knowledge needed to make
the right choices. When we elect to breed a bitch, we MUST go through the
thought processes that bring to mind all of the risks involved. We must
understand, that to permit her to carry a litter, may result in the end
of her life. One person wrote to me this week, that breeding is a “Leap
of Faith”. I couldn’t have said it better.
Abbie is a very special dog. She is gentle, beautiful, and trusting.
She had the job as a puppy, of being a friend to my son. She belonged
to Jason. They spent hours sitting together just touching. She has never
had a naughty day in her life. She lives to sit next to us, to touch us,
to adore us. She trusts us in whatever we do. I can not recall ever saying
the word “No” to Abbie. She is also a lovely girl - A good representation
of the breed. Abbie has some good qualities to offer the breed. So, naturally,
when she cleared Hips/Elbows and eyes, we bred her.
She had a C-section with her first litter due to the malpresentation
of two puppies. With her second litter, she simply wore out, and we sectioned
her for the remaining few puppies. Then came the day when I elected to breed
her “just one more time”. I knew it was to be her last. I hoped (beyond
hope) that she would deliver her litter normally. I kept her weight perfect,
and permitted her good exercise. I just knew in my heart that THIS TIME,
she would deliver normally. I also knew in my brain that she wouldn’t. That
is were I have difficulty... making the choice between wisdom and desire.
I knew I was in trouble... I knew it all day. But , I kept hoping that
as her labor progressed, that she’d do fine. Then she began to become
fatigued. She didn’t push when I knew she should. I retrieved a puppy
myself by pulling him into the world. Panic set in, and I made that frantic
call. My Vet and her friend (also a Vet. ) met me at the office. Basically,
surgery was done just in time to prevent my girl from dying. Her uterus
may have well been a display for a Swiss cheese advertisement. This was
a true medical emergency. Seven of nine puppies lived. So did their mother,
due to the knowledge and skill of two people whom I admire more than I
can say. I have worked shoulder to shoulder with some of the best Trauma
Surgeons in the country. I would put these two into that league without
pause. I am so fortunate to have had them available. Words can not relate
my feelings. Abbie was very weak. It took all she had to lift her head,
let alone make milk and care for her puppies. The puppies were not strong.
The uterus had not done a good job at keeping them nourished (it’s a miracle
that it did it at all). They were tiny (6-8 ounces) and weak. One of the
six ounces was very tiny, and seemed to be premature. It took him four days
to come to the point, where I gave up and knew that tube feeding and holding
him were not going to help him anymore. We finally gave up, and had him
put down. I came home from that event, to find that momma had pulled the
dried umbilicus off of one of the pups, pulling a bit of the inside of the
puppy out. Back we went... exhaustion, worry, and hard work were now taking
their toll.
I called a friend to relay my woe’s. The night before, after a year
of infertility testing, finally breeding the bitch, and having her successfully
carrying the litter to term I was told that her bitch was sectioned the
night before for nine dead puppies. Thank God the bitch was O.K., but the
feeling of emptiness was unbelievable. Beyond tears, we expressed our gratitude
for the life of our bitches. But I could now include depression to my feelings
of fear, fatigue, and frustration. I wrote a very discouraging letter
to an e-mail list to remind the novice, that to elect to breed their bitch,
was to take her very life in your hands, and hope for the best. I cautioned,
that if they were thinking of breeding “for the fun of it”, to think of
my Abbie first. I got a flood of well wishes ( very good for soothing the
soul), and then I got these:
—“I read your post yesterday evening after coming home from the vet.
We had puppies, but after a very difficult c-section, we lost our Lucy.
She was only three yeas old. I know how you feel, and know the guilt that
you're carrying.”
and this one :
—“...I am having a hard time writing this down ,(shaking hands) but
to make a long story less dragged out, within 2 weeks there were 2 finished
(Champion) bitches buried along with seventeen puppies.”
I was upset over what COULD have been, and the people above were living
the reality. People, if you are considering breeding, please remember the
risks. Please be sure that your Vet is the best you can locate. and Please...
remember the two notes above.
You can not take breeding lightly.
copyright 1997 - D. Welle- Blue Knight 9/29/98
Permission to reprint granted if author and http is provided
back
to top.
*******************
A Reputable Breeder
Will ask you a lot of questions.
Will expect you to ask a lot of questions.
Will be honest about both the best and worst parts of their breed.
Will try to determine if their breed is right for you. They may steer
you in another direction if they think their breed is not right for you.
Will provide you with pedigrees, genetic test results.
Will show you the dam and (if possible) the sire.
Are not motivated by profit.
Are motivated by the love of their breed.
Breed to improve the gene pool of their breed.
Are active in showing/obedience/hunting/agility, etc.
Will want to keep tabs on you and your dog for the dog's life.
A Responsible Breeder
Is eager to share detailed breed information.
Believes there are no "stupid" questions.
Takes every opportunity to educate.
Explains total breed care.
Supplies shot records, pedigrees, care information.
Explains genetic defects in the breed.
Is willing to let you see the sire & dam.
Questions the buyers ability to care for the dog.
Offers guarantees.
Talks about training and development.
Cares about each and every pup.
Maintains sanitary, clean quarters for the dogs.
Tests all breeding stock.
A Good Breeder
Tells you about the dogs' siblings.
Is familiar with their line for several generations.
Will tell you about their dogs faults as well as strengths.
Will show you their dogs' x-rays.
Helps you select a puppy that has a temperament that's compatible with
you and your handling skills. May talk you out of a puppy that you like.
Will offer to refund your money or allow you to select another puppy
if yours develops health problems.
Best Breeders
Second or third generation breeders who truly love dogs.
Have owned many different breeds before settling on one or two breeds.
Have worked, shown or competed with their dogs.
Raise their puppies in the house instead of kennels.
Like people and are willing to answer all sorts of questions.
Genuinely care about their puppies and expect to be kept up to date
on their progress and health.
Imported dogs most likely will not come with a guarantee, even from
the best, most responsible breeders.
What Is a
Puppy Mill? From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Puppy mills (known as puppy
farms in the UK and Australia) are dog breeding operations that are considered
to be disreputable and irresponsible. The term originated among critics of
such operations. Small-scale, irresponsible dog breeding operations are usually
called backyard breeding; the terms are akin but not synonymous. The largest
concentrations in the USA are allegedly in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
and rural Missouri.
Reputable breeders raise their animals in humane conditions, provide
good socialization and often formal training, and adhere to the breed standard.
They are knowledgeable about major health problems associated with their
breed, and with the principles of genetics, frequently undertaking specific
matings to produce or refine particular desirable characteristics in their
dogs. They are also sensitive to the requirements of their breeding adults
— who may also be breed or performance champions — and the puppies they produce.
Reputable breeders frequently screen potential customers rigorously, and
usually provide a pedigree and health guarantee with their puppies.
Although many responsible breeding operations tend to be small, size
alone is not an indication that a particular operation is a puppy mill.
Rather, puppy mills are characterized by ignoring duties that are standard
among responsible dog breeders. They may keep their dogs in overcrowded,
unclean or otherwise inappropriate surroundings. The puppies they produce
may be improperly socialized or may suffer from health problems which are
often not disclosed to purchasers. Their breeding animals may also suffer,
with females sometimes forced to undergo repeated pregnancies too quickly
to fully recuperate between them.
Puppy mill operators may misrepresent the breed of dog being sold, and
adult puppy mill dogs may exhibit characteristics uncommon to their advertised
breed. Unlike the puppies produced by reputable breeders, the vast majority
of puppy mill animals are sold to pet stores. Puppy mill operators are frequently
accused of being motivated only by profit rather than a commitment to the
breed or any empathy for the animals in their care.
Purchasing dogs, especially those claimed to be purebred, from a pet
store is strongly discouraged by reputable breeders and animal shelters.
While many pet stores claim to purchase dogs from "local breeders" instead
of puppy mills, this is often untrue or is a difference in name only, as
reputable breeders generally do not sell animals to pet stores. The phrase
"local breeder" may also refer to backyard breeders.
Medium to large operation whose only purpose is to sell dogs at a profit.
Will sell to anyone without checking background.
Will sell to wholesalers, brokers, bunchers.
Do not do health checks on parents (OFA, CERF, etc.)
Do not care about temperament, genetics, conformation, or health.
Operates as cheaply as possible to maximize profits. Often vaccinations
and veterinary care are either very poor or non-existent.
Facilities may be clean, but more often are not.
Dogs show little to no socialization.
Pedigrees of dogs are not available.
Health Guarantees are seldom offered and if so, are usually fraudulent
(they may guarantee an animal for 3 months for all defects, when hip dysplasia
cannot be entirely ruled out until the dog is 24 months old).
Backyard Breeder
Thinks "Purebred" = Quality and health.
Breeds for reasons such as, "I thought she would be more fulfilled if
she had puppies." "I wanted the kids to see the miracle of birth." "She's
purebred, and I thought I could make some money."
Backyard breeders usually hope to make some money, but they are not
purely profit minded. They are just ignorant.
Will sell alongside of road or at Flea Markets.
Provide no titles, no pedigree offered, no knowledge or thought of genetics
or testing for genetic defects in the sire or dam.
The upside is: Some backyard breeders can be educated.
Signs of a Puppy Mill or Backyard Breeder
The breeder asks you no questions.
The breeder is offended by questions you ask.
The breeder cannot offer proof of genetic testing of sire/dam.
The breeder does not want you to see their kennel.
The breeder shows you one or two puppies only, does not allow you to
see either dam or sire.
The sire/dam have no titles (obedience, tracking, agility, etc.)
You can smell the kennels as you get out of your car.
There are many breeds available to choose from.
back to top
To Breed or Not To Breed?
This is the question – my apologies to Mr. Shakespeare…
By: Karen Peak
I am not even going to start
hounding you on the millions of animals euthanized each year in shelters
or that die on the streets. No one ever thinks this could happen to a litter
they breed. I am going to tell you what makes a responsible breeder and the
major effort that goes into ensuring the best, healthiest critters possible.
Breeding is not just putting two cute dogs together and sixty-three days later
you have cuddly pups. Responsible breeding requires work. It is not to be
jumped into headfirst.
What a responsible breeder does:
Knows the breed standard. Each dog has a standard accepted by a
kennel club that states what the ideal specimen of that breed should look
like. It covers fur to teeth, color to structure. A dog not fitting the standard
will not be considered for breeding. Also, they get out and show the dogs.
Just because you think the dog may fit the standard, does not mean it is a
good breed representative. Only by having the dog evaluated many times can
you truly get a feeling your dog is breeding material – this goes for males
and females (what a dog show does as well as other competitions such a Schutzhund
– I highly regard a dog who has achieved a SchIII – field trials, lure coursing,
etc.). Even if a dog is top notch physically, meets the standard well, but
has temperament issues (shy, aggressive), it will not be bred. Many breeders
also want to prove their dogs have brains to match the beauty. There are
various sports that test a dog's working ability. A dog should have both
form and function.
Know the pedigrees. Just because two dogs are great specimens does
not mean they are compatible. Not all hereditary problems are a simple Dominant/Recessive
gene thing. Some require a combination of multiple gene sequences before
being expressed. So, two dogs could have parts of these sequences and if bred,
the problem could be expressed though there is no sign in either dog's background
of the problem. Two great dogs also may not produce great puppies. A responsible
breeder will research pedigrees and talk to other breeders to find the best
possible matches. This can be a big undertaking. And just
because a dog is winning all over the country does not mean he is the
best. It may just mean he (or she) is being shown loads; chances are by
a well-known handler, and everyone wants to breed to him (or get a pup from
her). This dog may not be the best – just the most popular at the time.
Do not be blinded by wins.
You also must know color inheritances. Some colors, like merles
(blue or sable/red) should not be bred together. The merle gene, if doubled,
can cause problems. Merle to merle breeding can be very bad…
Knows the dog. A responsible
breeder will test dogs for things like hips, thyroid, eye problems (eye should
be tested yearly on breeding stock) and whatever problems are common to
your specific breed. If something is suspected, the dog is not bred. They
also require testing for the dog they intend to breed to. There are also
diseases such as brucellosis that can cause fetal abortion (miscarriage)
in pregnant females – it is sexually transmitted – you dog must be clear
of. Brucellosis does not always have outward symptoms, your dog could carry
it and you never know. You dog also must be current on all inoculations.
Accepts the risks. Breeding is not all happy. If you own a female,
you must be willing to wait until she is physically mature to breed (about
two years old). To breed too soon is like a teenage human having a child.
They are not physically ready or emotionally. To breed to old is like a woman
having her first child later in life. Males also must be at least two. You
cannot get hips certified until they are two years old at least. Dogs of
both genders must be fully mature and in top shape before breeding.
You must be willing to be in close contact with your vet from the moment
of mating. There is so much that can happen and that you should know. There
are nutrition concerns – pregnancy and nursing is taxing on the female body.
There are risk factors – some breeds are prone to birth complications and
almost always require medical intervention. I remember hearing an English
Bulldog breeder state 99.9% of all English Bulldogs litters are born by C-section
due to the physiology of the breed. Even in a breed not prone to birth complications,
they can arise and be costly! Many breeders will have their vet x-ray (radiograph)
a pregnant female to get an idea of how many pups, their placement, etc.
A big pup could get stuck in the birth canal. A retained pup (not born for
some reason) can die and cause massive infection as it decays. A female may
die during delivery. Are you
willing to hand rear a litter of pups? This is NOT easy and very tiring.
What if your female has poor mothering instincts? Will you take over? Are
you willing to accept that you could lose your dog and her puppies? What
if one is born deformed or has a problem show up weeks down the road – then
what? Are you willing to have you children see the miracle of death?
I have only scratched the tip of the iceberg… If you own a stud
dog, you will have someone's dog in your care for seven to ten days. You
must ensure her safety, ensure another dog does not breed her, and that any
of her needs are attended to. What if she will not breed naturally? Can you
Artificially Inseminate?
Accepts responsibility for puppies. Puppies need to be with Mom
for 8 weeks – in some areas it is illegal to sell or give away an animal
younger. This means eight weeks of poop, piddle, and then the fun of a litter
of pups playing with food as they grow. They will require vet exams and at
least one set of shots before going to homes. Vet costs, feeding, time to
socialize and clean up after, postnatal care of them and Mom all can be
expensive. What if down the road your dog develops a problem, say starts having
seizures. Are you willing to call everyone who bought a puppy from you and
inform them? What if someone calls you down the road and cannot keep the
puppy – now dog – what will you do? What health guarantee will you offer?
What if someone's puppy proves deaf, dysplastic, epileptic, what will you
do? You brought the pups into the world; therefore, you are responsible.
I have only touched on responsible breeding. There volumes devoted to
responsible breeding. Whether you own a male or female, you must act responsibly.
Do not breed haphazardly. Do not breed to get a dog "just like Scruffy" –
it won't happen. Do not breed to produce crosses (peke-a-poos, schoodles,
etc.). Do not breed if you cannot devote the time and money to do it responsibly.
If you cannot ensure good, loving homes for pups (they do not go to pet stores
or get dumped at shelters or given to just anyone), do not breed.
I hope I have given you a bit of food for thought…
