So You Want to Breed

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So You Want To Breed

Puppies are cute and fun. They're rolly-polly, get into mischief, and give everyone around them a warm and fuzzy feeling. They are just great to be around! "Well." you say, "I've got a female so I'll just find a male and let nature run its course."

That certainly is one way to do it, but it is not the right way. Breeding dogs, or any animal for that matter, is not a decision a responsible person should make without knowing the consequences. You will be adding to a population that is already strained, and where well over 1 million dogs are put down every year.

Not puppies -- dogs. Puppies always find homes, grown dogs seldom do. And, believe it or not, puppies do grow into dogs.

If you are serious about breeding dogs, and are responsible, you must search your soul for the real reason to breed. You must conclude that your reason is to advance the breed in a positive direction. If you agree to advance the quality of the breed, then do some homework, visit breeders, read -- and then, think about it again.

If you don't care about continuing the quality of the breed, and you are a responsible person, don't breed. Irresponsible breeding causes unnecessary pain and suffering to the dogs, to the eventual owners of the dogs, and to the dog rescue workers that have to pick up the pieces.

If you decide not to breed than have your dog spayed or neutered. The act of mating happens very fast and there is nothing you can do about it once its started. These guys get pretty worked up about twice a year, and really don't respond to "Maddie, get over here," or "Maddie, NO!"; or "Maddie STOP!"

The following is a thought provoking article that was printed in the April 1999 issue of the AKC Gazette. It appeared in the Saint Bernard section and was written by Anna May Fleischli Brown of Springfield, Illinois. We have her permission to reprint this portion of that article:

What Makes a Breeder?

Does owning one bitch and producing one litter make one a breeder? Or is it obtaining foundation stock carefully, with a goal in mind? Or doing research and thinking ahead to what will be produced when mating dog A with dog B?
One requirement for being a real, responsible breeder is having a strong heart. Once you have bred your bitch and helped whelp the puppies, you must begin preparations to part with them. For eight weeks, you've cuddled, stroked and just generally cared for these pups. You've been up at all hours watching over them. You may have lost sleep over a crying puppy that died in spite of all of your valiant efforts. You grieve for every one that doesn't make it.
Just as the little angels reach the age where they are self-reliant and no longer need their mother, you must part with them. You painstakingly screen prospective buyers to be sure that the pups only go to the very best homes. Even so, you worry and cry each time a car leaves the driveway with one of your charges.
To be a real breeder you must also take a good look at what your ideal dog is. Does it conform to the standard? Will it be able to perform the breed's function? Does it possess proper breed type?
After you answer these questions, you must pore over pedigrees and closely evaluate the offspring produced by sires that you are considering. Then you must consider what you think your bitch is capable of producing. By combining honest assessment of your bitch and the prospective sire and in-depth knowledge of their pedigrees, you'll get an idea of what you might get in their offspring.

What is the essence of a real breeder? Maybe it is willingness to sacrifice peaceful sleep for crying puppies. Maybe it is willingness to turn the spare bedroom into a puppy room. Maybe, just maybe, it is being a little nutty and a whole lot loving and trusting in the Almighty. Maybe the best answer is that a breeder is a person who is willing to put heart and soul into something that they believe in while accepting the risks involved.

Written by Ron Lueth, Pet Guardian Angels of America

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