I have a questio i'm hoping can be answered.
I have many discussions with family and friends about me getting my pup from a good source etc.
If i'm correct people always say if when you see the bitch she seems aggressive. Then walk away.
I always thought this meant that pups could have inherited her aggressive tendancies. May I have that completely wrong!
My main question is, Is a dogs parents general demenour/behavoiur passed on genetically? Ithought it was but I seem to be only one who thinks that!
If i'm wrong then does it matter if the bitch isn't particularly friendly?

My other question is.
I was talking to some mates about Mating and how male dog should be mature b4 he is mated 18-2 years ish. The resonse i got was. Sperm is sperm wat difference does age make!! Only answer i could give was about health testing etc etc.
Why should you wait for them to mature?

Sorry if basics questions but would like to be able to understand it better.
Sometimes i feel like i'm talking to a brick wall with people!

Bitches with a very young litter will be defensive of them with strangers (and other resident dogs), but won't mind familiar people around them. However by the time the litter is securely on its feet (by about 4 or 5 weeks) they should be happy to greet strangers and allow them to interact with the pups.

A bitch without a litter should always be of sound, confident, happy temperament if she's to be used for breeding because yes, temperament does have an inherited and/or learned factor, and to be honest the world doesn't need any more unreliable dogs. The sire's temperament should also be sound with no sign of aggression to humans, although entire dogs can often be iffy with other entire males.

What do you mean by aggressive? Do you mean actually biting growling at strangers or just barking when strangers come into the house?

Most bitches will protective of strangers looking at their pups, mine are 2 weeks old mummy dog barks at people she doesn't know and puts herself between them and her whelping area (puppies are not being shown yet but we have builders in and a plumber who has to come into our ensuite bathroom to do work, puupie are in the bedroom). Mummy dog is happy to be stroked once i have told her to settle but until this time she is very barky at new people and follows them around closely. I hope a stranger would not see this as aggressive.

Why should you wait for them to mature?


You've answered the main reason yourself that most health tests/scores etc can not even be done until a dog is old enough, it is true that a pup can sire a litter just as an older dog it has nothing to do with sperm.

What you need to remember is all breeds of dog were made for a purpose, years of careful breeding from experienced breeders have moulded a dogs character, build and temperament carefully matching dams and sires together to get the best of the best to make sound dogs that also look like the breed standard and can do the jobs they were bred to do. A good stud dog is one that is fully grown where it's temperament and build can be seen at first hand, you can't judge that in a pup unless experienced.  A good stud should also have been assessed by those in the show or working world to be so and worthy of breeding from.

If you look at the world of dogs today and all the pet to pet breeding, BYB's and puppy farms we have an array of different sized dogs nothing like the breed standard should be, many breeds are also coming through with unsound temperaments this is all to do with people breeding who know nothing, just as your family and friends.

A good breeder will also make sure that you are welcoming into your home the breed that is right for your set up, exercise routines, living arrangements etc, all dogs have different traits and needs, a good breeder will make sure that their pup is in the right home.

Anyone offering to stud a pup/young adolescent or has a dog or bitch of unsound temperament you need to run..............

Look to the people who know and live dogs, who breed carefully, who offer a lifetime of support from helping you to train your dogs to being there with interest in how your pup is doing, not people who guess or think they know where to buy a pup.

Plenty of good breeders on CD by the way. :-)

Hi Dave,
I have just had a litter of the same breed you are going to have.
My bitch was complety differant while the puppies were around she really was not happy with people even when the puppies were six weeks. One of the puppy owners had been to visit before the pups were born so saw her in her  usual loving bouncing self ,having the pups was a big change in the way she behaved.  I would go and see the bitch and the dog if you can before any puppies are born. Puppies will take a lot of the parents temperaments if the parents were not great i would run a mile your puppy will grow into a big powerful dog. Of course the way you bring your puppy up will also have a big factor in how your dog will behave as a adult i recomend you find a good reward based training club for your puppy.

> Is a dogs parents general demenour/behavoiur passed on genetically?

Very much yes.  It is the old nature versus nurture argument.

Many of my dogs have behaviour traits from their fathers, these are not learnt because they have never lived together or rarely met.

Of course how a pup is brought up will have a huge effect of behaviour and what of it's basic nature is expressed.

For example socialisation is important, but on the other hand if the basic temperament/character is sound the pup can turn out fine without the best of starts. 

For example 3 friends and I imported a 9 week old puppy who spent 6 months in Quarantine, never socialising with any other dogs, and only seeing kennel staff and myself and other owners on visits.  Yet 3 days after coming out of quarantine he coped well at his first show being fine with dogs, people and all the strange sights and sounds.

One with a  less than sound character may not turn out well unless socialisation and upbringing are near perfect. 

Some will never really have a sound enough character and be reliable enough no matter the persons efforts bringing them up.

So best case is to have exemplary character as a base for future rearing.

You can make a wellbred pup nasty but you can't make a badly bred pup nice! :( 

If a pup carries nasty genes then in my experience, there's little that any but the most experienced can do about it. :(  And if a dog or bitch weren't friendly away from their pups, then I would certainly walk away.

That is really really good information from you all! Thank you.
Interesting about a bitch's behaviour changing around her pups, but would make perfect sense for her to be protective over them.

I think nothing I say to some people will change there views.  Least I understand it better.
To me I want to get the healthiest  well tempered pup possible.
Its funny how passionate i have become over the last year about good breeding etc. Even tho this is my 1st dog I feel strongly about doing it the right way and getting my pup from an excellent breeder.

Thanks again for all the input its great.

> Sperm is sperm wat difference does age make!! Only answer i could give was about health testing etc etc.
> Why should you wait for them to mature?
>

Apart from the health testing aspects, using a dog too young is a bad idea.  I have a breed that is sexually mature at 6 months, but wouldn't dream of using them at stud that early.  An older, more experienced stud dog will check a bitch out, and not pester her if she's not ready. 

A youngster, with his hormones raging, will want to hump her every which way!  Even if she's not ready.  A bitch can go for a dog and tell him in no uncertain terms that she's not happy.  A really nasty bitch could frighten your young dog for life, even so far as making him too frightened to "try it on" ever again.

It is usually recommended that you use an experienced stud dog for a maiden bitch.  He'll treat her courteously, and not pester until she's ready.

Likewise, it is always sensible to have an inexperienced dog mate a wiser bitch that has whelped previously.  She'll know what she's doing, and make it an easier first time experience.

Your friends probably think the same as a lot of non doggy people.  You just put them together, and let them get on with it.  Owning a stud boy is a responsibility that should be taken seriously.  You owe a duty of care to the bitch using your boy, and need to ensure she is calm - not everyone has the experience to deal with a maiden.  I've seen them turn somersaults once a tie is achieved, not a happy experience for the male!  Some bitches go into complete panic, and try to run off.   Others scream during the tie, and it sounds as if someone is being murdered.

Of course, your friends won't have experienced any of this, or seen the damage that a bad mating can produce.

That was really interesting what you have just said. There is so much more to breeding than so many realise. Its true a lot of people I know would throw two nice looking dogs together and expect  puppies regardless of anything else.
My sisters Lab they paid 150 for the owner of the bitch says she believes that  every bitch should have a litter as good for them!!! Who knows how.
I find it shocking but always feel i'm onto a losing battle with some people.
This lab was about 3 months old and another lab owner said they would like him to mate with there bitch when old enough as he looks like a good pedigree!!!! Now he about 14 months hoping they gone off idea.

I find it shocking but always feel i'm onto a losing battle with some people.

We would all agree with that Dave! :)

Perhaps they also believe that all women should have a baby cos its good for us !LOL

I have someone who is interested in breeding with my  bitch, she is fine with my answer of no but others still say I should, even being told when i said amongst other reason, I would not breed any dog without health tests "oh you don't have to if they are for pets " ????

Dont worry i shan't change my mind dogs are for life not just the "arrrr isn't it sweet factor"