Breeding

puppiluv · 10-01-2007

How safe is it to breed your female dog and how many times is too many times for a female to bear puppies? Is there a such thing as a limit or is it for the vet to make a judgement call?

ChillisMom · 10-03-2007

I would talk to the breeder who sold you your dog. You did purchase from a responsible breeder right? Is your dog registered? What titles does it have?
Honestly if people need to ask questions on a forum about breeding a dog, they shouldn't be doing it....

LdLegacies · 11-13-2007

If she shouldnt come to a forum to ask about breeding, where do you recommend she go? To the Breed Club, where they to will snob youfor asking the same question. or how about the reputable, show breeder who also doesnt have the time to asnwer these 'silly' questions? I realize I am new on here but have to comment on this topic. I am a breeder myself. I raise Shelties and have for almost 13 years. What makes me see red more than the backyard breeders is those breeders that are so quick to critizise people wanting to become a breeder instead of offering suggestions and help. If time is taken to do this with a polite manner, You may get through to more people then you would by being negative and psuhing them and there honest questions aside.
I am not trying to step on anyones toes here but, Come on. Havent you ever heard that it takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile. Well, It also gets you alot further with people when you are nice & helpful instead of offering your negativity.

No, we don't need anymore unwanted puppies in shelters or euthanizations, But, belittling the ones with questions alos won;t help.

Do I health test, Yes. Do I place puppies with Spay/Neuter contracts, yes. Do I offer health guarantees and screen my buyers, Yes. I choose not to go the Show route but prefer the working aspects of my breeds. (Herding) But, I also am willing to take the time to help others who think they may have an interest in breeding. If they are not supposed to ask the questions on a breeders forum...where do they go? they don't, they take chances and try to do it themselves without any type of guidance.

In another post, Someone mentioned leaving the breeding to the kennels who have been around for years...They arent always going to be there! Someone esle has to start somewhere and lets hope that there is more willing guidance along the way.

Breeding is not for everyone. It can be a wonderful thing but can also be very heart breaking. Its hard work, Expensive but very rewarding, as is any other 'hobby'.

Patti
LD Legacies Shelties

LdLegacies · 11-13-2007

As a Breeder myself, I wait til my girls are at least 18 mths, if not 2 yrs old already. If my girl seems to carry well without issues, delivers well, is a good mother, recovers well between heat cycles. I will breed twice in a row. In saying that though, My girls only come into heat every 9-12 mths. If I breed twice in a row (2 litters in 18-24 mths) then I skip the next litter. This is all based on how well they did last litter and recuperationg between.

At around 5-6 yrs old, They are retired. Spayed and living as couch potatos in our home.

Unspayed females are open to Pyometra, so its a controversial dilemma on whether to wait between cycles. Some vets will say breed evry cycle but I feel that is unfair to the mom, so we watch closely to make sure things go smoothly when a breeding is skipped.

I hope this helped some....

nyasmom · 06-06-2008

Im very impressed with your response and I agree completely! I am a brand new breeder, and though I've had a mentor, when you'r breeding your first bitch by yourself you have questions, no matter what. Its great that some people are willing to help out those of us who have the best interest of the breed in mind, but need a little help getting there. So thank you very much, and hopefully you'll be around for a while too!

Nya's mom

Lanaandlouis · 06-13-2008

i agree with LdLegacies and nyasmom, ChillisMom your a fool.you just proved what stuck up snobs proffessional breeders can be.what would you rather new breeders do?just do what they think is right?i guess that wouldnt affect you sitting up there on your high horse would it?

i am wanting to breed my bitch as well with my male, but am unsure on the right/wrong way to go about it.what should i do, just have a go and hope that all goes well that my beautiful bitch doesnt die from complications due to being to young to mate.....

its people like you that cause problems, all you have to do is either state that you also havent got a clue or state the knowledge that you have and wish them luck before you go on your merry ignorant way.....

stop and think you once had no idea how to go the "right way about breeding" so have a heart or buzz off and dont bother leaving ur stupid remarks...

puppiluv:- i dont have advice for you as i am in the same position as you but goodluck with finding advice and if i happen to get any advice that will help you out, be sure that i will pass it on to you.also dont be put off by idiots that think they know it all and want to make you feel stupid

take care and good luck
JO

lil mutt · 06-13-2008

that's really a great answer... i am also thinking of breeding my dogs since i have a lot of friends who asks me for a litter... told them to check out the shelters first before they ask me for any litter coz i am still thinking whether or not breed my dogs...

Shih Tzu Lover · 06-19-2008

Hi,My female shih Tzu is in heat since June 13.Was told 12 13 or 14 day is when she can become pregnant??I have male shih tzu as well.Hoping for puppies.Any advice,anyone here from Barrie Ont
Thanx

vetgroomer · 2 Weeks Ago

Stepping on to soap box:

There is no hard and fast rule about how often you can breed, or how many litters are advisable. One has to play it by ear, so to speak. But there are many, many things to consider before taking that step.

First of all, is your dog in good general health? If not, stop now. If yes, take it a step further. Have you had any health testing done? OFA certification (joint issues like hip dysplasia), CERF testing (eyes), BAER (hearing) testing if appropriate for your breed? If the breed is prone to heart or kidney disease, have you had those checked? Do you know what other genetic disorders might exist in your breed, like liver shunts or blood clotting disorders, epilepsy, Cushing's disease, Addison's disease? Have you had both dogs tested for brucellosis (doggie STD)?

Are you prepared for the things that can go wrong? Are you able to pay for a C-section if it's necessary? Females do die occasionally. So do puppies. Females can develop mastitis, making it necessary for you to bottle feed the puppies until they're old enough to wean. Females can develop eclampsia, too. You need to know how to recognize the symptoms, and act quickly if you want to save her life. And there's more.

Even when everything goes right, raising a litter of puppies is a tremendous amount of work. And it's costly. All the extra food, vet visits, vaccinations, worming. It adds up fast. Sometimes it's difficult to place the puppies, and while you're waiting to place them, they're eating. And eating a lot.

I'm not saying don't breed. I'm saying learn as much as you can, and make an educated decision. Know what you're getting into before you find yourself overwhelmed with the expense and responsibility.

LoveMyLabs · 2 Days Ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by puppiluv

How safe is it to breed your female dog and how many times is too many times for a female to bear puppies? Is there a such thing as a limit or is it for the vet to make a judgement call?

It can be very dangerous for the female depending on her health, her breed and if you were stupid and let her mate with a larger breed (not her own).
A female should only have pups once a year starting at 2 or 2 1/2 years old and shouldn't go past age 6. So 3 litters would be your max.

Is your female registered? Purebred? CERF, OFA, BAER, etc certified? Healthy enough to breed? Titled? Do you have a waiting list for the pups? A health guarantee?