Hi everyone.....I am new to this and have a question hopefully you can answer. I am wondering when to plan a trip around my dogs heat schedule. She had her last litter August 6 and had her heat begin May 31. She tends to go every 6 months. I am trying to plan a trip to Kaui this winter/spring but don't want to miss her heat. Will she go 6 months from delivery or 6 months from last heat. She is a yellow labrador retriever. I think this will be her last litter as it will be her fourth and she turned 5 last month. We have another black and will keep a yellow female from this litter. Thank you.

do u know if dogs ave to turn wen they tie to get the bitch pregnant and stay on longer than 5mins

[reeskujo]

She just had a litter in August and your going to breed her again already?I only bred my bitches once every other year and none older then three...That sounds like alot for her body to handle and she should be retired at her age...JMO!

Originally Posted by northside lab

Hi everyone.....I am new to this and have a question hopefully you can answer. I am wondering when to plan a trip around my dogs heat schedule. She had her last litter August 6 and had her heat begin May 31. She tends to go every 6 months. I am trying to plan a trip to Kaui this winter/spring but don't want to miss her heat. Will she go 6 months from delivery or 6 months from last heat. She is a yellow labrador retriever. I think this will be her last litter as it will be her fourth and she turned 5 last month. We have another black and will keep a yellow female from this litter. Thank you.

The kindest thing you can do for your bitch is to have her spayed.

I concern when new attempting so called breeders come on public forums and ask these sorts of qustions. You are no more than a backyard breeder, producing second rate examples of the breed, you are not providing pups from sound, proven quality animals to better the breed and its future. Best to leave the breeding to those that have long established kennels and breeding programs, that have dogs that hold titles and proven physical soundness.

If you want to really begin breeding do so by research with good breeders, and through the proper kennel and breed associations. Get a dog or two in the show ring to establish a good name for yourself, and then consider if you want to really breed.

Every day, animals are destroyed because back yard breeders and puppy mills want a quick buck at the expense of a dog, our societey is not equiped to house the unwanted dogs we have now, and you want to add more with little knowledge of what you are doing?

Some of these forums are such a joke. I am an experienced breeder and have been mentored by a breeder of high quality labs. My dogs and studs we use all have eye/hip/elbow clearances and quality health we can track for 10 generations. My vet and the breeders who I have worked with said the new research shows it is fine to do two breedings every other year if they put their weight back on and the coat comes back nice........you will have larger litters. It is not a similar to a woman and their have been many who have had babies each year. It would be harder on their body if they are older but it actually prevents cancer for female dogs which is the number one area they get it. My point is my dogs are high quality and we are not backyard we have a kennel and the dogs have American/canadian championship winnings. So don't judge, just had a question since haven't breed twice.

The AkC will paper them until age 8. I personally don't breed mine after 6. If you breed until 3 then you have only bred once since they can't be papered until 20 months. The new research shows you can do a double breeding every other year.

[reeskujo]

I used more then one female so I was able to do that...I also had heart and thyroid clearences and we produced an average litter size of 7...IMO 6 years old being just one year shy of a senior and having produced 2 litters a year for that many years is not fair to the dog..That makes her nothing more then a breeding machine....IMO a B**** doesn't have much time to enjoy her life if she's constantly pregnant and having puppies...This forum is not a joke either...Many of us were or are breeders but we also have alot of love for these animals and understand that there are so many homeless animals that need love and a forever home that it doesn't make sense to keep producing more..Do you microchip your pups and keep them chipped in your name so that you'll be contacted if their ever dumped in a shelter....I know I did...I also had a clause in my contract that if the owner couldn't keep the dog regardless of age or reason it was to only be returned to me...I also required updates every 6 months and was to be notified if the pup were ever to move out of state and required a new address anytime the owner moved...Do you do home studies before placing the pups or require and verify references?Do you require the pups to be put through obedience training and to be seen by the new owners vet within 72 hours?These are only some of the things I required.

Gee ree, if you were still breeding I would so get my next dog from you, Katos breeder is quite similar in her expectations as well, and I appreciate these expectations.

I still remember the shock I had on first enquiry to her, the spanish inquisition that we got........wow, but those questions certainly affirmed for us that we were choosing the right breed for our family and life style. Because of her expectations and her love of continual contact I know that she is somone I can go to if I have concerns and ask for her help and support, and get no hesitation in return of my qestions.

northside lab, why are these forums are joke? Is it because you ask a question giving very little detail except for im new to this, she has had already 3 litters, etc then get answers that you dont like?

[reeskujo]

Thanks nattie....My questions were very in depth to....I turned down many prospective owners simply on the basis that they didn't know enough about the breed...As you're well aware of Akitas are not an easy breed to deal with and knowledge of them is a must....I think that should be something that all breeders require!...All of the reputable breeders I know or have worked with implement the same type of contracts and conditions I did as well as they same types of health testing,the microchiping etc....I Also only bred each female as little as I did because I wanted there to be more to their lives then just being breeding machines.....I don't think that's at all fair to them....Yes they were my breeders but they were also members of my family...I also had them spayed when I was no longer using them for breeding purposes....

I think these forums are a jok

Originally Posted by nattiej1976

Gee ree, if you were still breeding I would so get my next dog from you, Katos breeder is quite similar in her expectations as well, and I appreciate these expectations.

I still remember the shock I had on first enquiry to her, the spanish inquisition that we got........wow, but those questions certainly affirmed for us that we were choosing the right breed for our family and life style. Because of her expectations and her love of continual contact I know that she is somone I can go to if I have concerns and ask for her help and support, and get no hesitation in return of my qestions.

northside lab, why are these forums are joke? Is it because you ask a question giving very little detail except for im new to this, she has had already 3 litters, etc then get answers that you dont like?

I think there are a certain personality of person's that become involved in these forums to meet a need and I saw that here. I was told I was unethical and not asked if I was doing any of the above which we do. We microchip, heavily screen, do genetic/health checks and have show champion parents. Our main bitch is our family dog and trust me she has had plenty of time to have a wonderful life. She probably has a much nicer than many of yours since we have a fenced 10 acres surrounded by 40 in which she can run so not kenneled. I just get frustrated since I had one question but I get these judgements by people who seem like know it alls or have assumed with not enought information. Please for those who think twice in one year two times is bad then check with your vet as this is the latest information and was endorsed at the last Canadian/American Grand Champion Shows. Dog breeders are known as "being a little odd" I don't think that is true however we need not be closed minded or judgemental. For all of you who breed and say it is not for money that is a lie. I too put a lot of money into our dog/studs/puppies knowing we will have a wonderful sound puppy produced with a long strong health history. I do not put money, time and effort into it because I have nothing else to do. I enjoy it but it is also supplemental income. I think it is compleat lies to hear "true" breeders do not do it for the money. If that is true then all "true" breeders should donate the puppies like mine whom are very smart working dogs to the police, blind, etc. Enough said .....I only had one question but guess it isn't going to be answered. For any of you who can stand up against the pressure of the "true" breeders will my bitch go into heat from date of last heat or litter delivery? Thank you and don't mean to sound crass just tired of everyone thinking they know the best and do the better.

[reeskujo]

No one said you didn't do those things you were asked if you did do those things...Responsible breeders including myself don't do it for the money we do it to better the breed and to breed to the standard...If you are so in the know about breeding and work with respectable and knowledgeable breeders then why don't you know the answer to you question and have to come to this forum you call a joke to get it?

We have been going though a difficult family time and the breeder is gone out of state at show. I wasn't asked however if I provided checks and so on but compared to a puppy mill. Yes, I too want the breed to keep it's excellence but it is also a business, you do get paid for these excellent puppies don't you? This perception was brought on generations ago when puppy mills became so previlant. People involved with puppy mills probably do not take the time to come to these forums or care enough to ask questions.

You are RUDE and need to look at this post and realize you are not the expert in an area in which you can call me a backyard breeder when you have no information. FYI my puppies have VERY sound health checks/clearances with owners clearanced. I also don't leave my dog's side while she is whelping. I think you are either a know it all or in a bad mood but regardless I just had a simple question. Thanks for nothing. Also I am now fairly experienced having done this for four years and having been told from judges that we produce Beautiful lab puppies. One is being used as a guide dog in fact for a young girl.

I wasn't saying you are rude but the tone and comments from/nattiej1976.html were rude.

[reeskujo]

I'm curious as to weather or not the female your asking the question about is the one you've been breeding...If it is and you've bred her 4 times already I would think you would know how her cycle runs.....I'm sure you love your dogs and are trying to produce good quality puppies....My issue is this. ..If you've bred her 4 times in 2 years that's pretty much back to back litters....I do not mean this to insinuate your a BYB or puppy mill breeder but that is what they do....They produce litters back to back each time the female goes into heat....All the research in the world can say it's safe but that doesn't make it right....Almost all responsible breeders will tell you they only occasionally have litters available...IMO I also feel that 5 years old is to old to still be using her to breed.....Producing 4 litters in 2 years is a lot and now your wanting to push her to 5.....I didn't breed any of my females that many times but that's just me.

This is a new lab, our lab just turned five and had her third litter, she had the last two back to back and honestly physically she has never looked better. She just won two shows. I think like everthing in the world everyone has their own opionion and some feel strongly for different reasons but remember dogs are not like women their six month difference would be like women having babies every what 2-5 years. What has been done is what we know but I can tell you my dog births well has magnificent lines/heath and loves being a mother and seems to look stronger since have the last two births. She is a dog, and yes we love her and yes we are ethical and YES am I the only one who has the honesty to say we could use the extra money, this is some peoples income it is very different then a puppy mill. We screen owners because we love the puppies. If any of you do this and you say only for the breed it is a bunch of BS please lets be honest and realize those code of ethics from the AKC are regarding mill's not private ethical breeders. Quite frankly I think everyone who would breed only for the love of the breed and to not benifit financially would worry me . It is okay to make money when creating a quality product and being ethical it is assinine for everyone to act like it is just fun.

Have you noticed that while you accuse everyone else of making assumptions about you, you make assumptions about them? You keep saying that every other breeder is also using breeding as a source of income even though you have been corrected several times. Why should everyone believe that you are not a backyard breeder when you won't believe that there are actually people who love their breed more than they love money? Frankly I am a little concerned that you refer to your puppies as "products."

[Yogi]

ditto here with the last remark. Granted 47 years as a breeder I have seen far more than probably most of you and granted breeding has changed in regards to certain issues that through testing has proven acceptable but I can assure you that just because you heard your vet say it was ok and is accepted to breed and produce back to back litters you probably failed to hear (if the vet is a seasoned one) him/or her tell you that they though would not recommend it.
Experienced and reputable breeders will not let their bitches go through this for any reason and this includes monetary. Fact is you should never expect or count on making money from breeding. If you do, this unfortunately puts you in the classification that you are taking offense at, BYB or puppymill. These are the groups that primarily do this for the buck. Now whether you intend to come across this way I do not believe. But the way you are going about it implies just that. Also, asking for information as you have concerning something that you if are a responsible breeder should already know also brings some questions to light as to your qualifications. Just because some people say it is ok does not make it so. Common sense is a key with breeding. Failing to do so has created serious issues over the years where in dogs and pups have failed to survive. So before you take it upon yourself to assume people here are being rude, ask yourself with regards to your breeding technique, are you being rude to those dogs left in your care?
I do not start breeding mine til 2 years. I quit at between 5 and 6. Never more than 3 litters less to say 2 times where they had 5. Early in my time and quickly stopped this procedure. I have bred large and small breeds and the one common denominator has been common sense. I have heard other breeders tell me to breed more since my dogs are so good. Fortunately I never let my ego get they best of the talk and held to just producing pups to better the line a few at a time. Money was never an issue, if it had been I would have stopped years ago since it has cost me a small fortune in these past 47 years. I have bred only a few dogs based on the time I have been involved with breeding. Mine were pre purchased primarily for working ranches and farms. My Miniature Pinschers can be traced back to some of the best MP's in Canada and the US but that last thing I did was start looking to mass produce and keep the dams pregnant all the time. Anyone who does this for money will always be labeled a BYB whether they are or not or whether they think they are or not no matter how good a quality of dog they produce. There are even a few reputable breeders who fall into this category. Big kennels, high over head and in addition to pumping out mass number of their breed just to get that one that they can finish so they can charge more for their offspring to keep them in the money to cover thei costs of transportation, food, lodging, entry fees etc all for a $.75 ribbon.