I am doing research into dog breeding can and would be grateful for any opinions/ info on the following-

1. What do you consider a practical staff to dog ratio in a breeding kennel?

2. Do those with several breeding bitches find that the bitches seasons become synchronised?

3. How many hours a day do you consider it takes to care for a litter and mum? and how does this increase from birth?

Many thanks ! Maisie

Can I ask why you are asking these questions ?

I am hoping to write an article on dog breeding and am interested in other views  .

I can't help with question one as I don't know of any breeding kennels and I don't think there are any on this forum it is more your puppy farm sort of thing and we are not in favour of that at all.

The answer to question 2 is that it is a well known fact that an in season bitch will bring in to season her companions although there are exceptions.

And question 3 well it is a 24/7 job from birth to homing also obvious if you read a few of the posts on this forum.

I think you'll find most people on this forum don't have 'commercial' kennels, mostly it's dogs in a home environment so they don't have 'staff'.... certainly I don't.  I have a few bitches and yes like women in offices seasons tend to be synchronised as that's the natural thing for dogs to do so that when a litter is born there are plenty of 'wet nurses' to look after them.  That's the nature of dogs.

Sorry forgot to respond to your third question and yes it's 24/7 from before birth and then for the first few weeks - after that it eases fractionally but you have to dedicate you life to them 100% until the pups leave home really... certainly depending on the breed the first few weeks are critical.  With a big bitch with proportionately small pups there's a grave danger that they'll crush the babies - my big bitch waits for me to sort them out as if she were to get up to rescue them then others would be in danger.  With the smaller bitches with proportionately bigger pups then the danger is less, but is still there.  There are other factors too you have to be quick to attend to - like chest infections (particularly after a c-section).  After a few weeks you're running around cleaning up, feeding, playing etc... so still a full time job.

Hi Maisie,

It's probably a good idea to give more info on yourself. Are you a journalist or academic? Where is the article likely to be published- have you written about dogs before- if so where and what? What has prompted you to write this article, do you breed dogs yourself? I think people like to know this stuff before they share information.

Sorry - no its just me compiling info so I can attempt an article !   , I try to be involved in ending puppy farming so want to collect ' good' breeding advice so I am well informed - from the replies already posted it is obvious that general views are in line with mine that having a litter is a full time commitment -- but all info/ views welcome - thanks

> so I can attempt an article !

Where is this article likely to be published?

Maisie,

Great. Even if you want to attempt an article you probably have an idea where you would like to get it published, no? It is a good idea to be upfront about yourself otherwise people might think you have an agenda or are researching for a programme like Pedigree Dogs Exposed- that kind of thing.

Anyhow, tell us more about how you have tried to end puppy farming and what your views are? Do you support the breeding of pedigree dogs or do you have reservations about that too?

I try to be involved in ending puppy farming so want to collect ' good' breeding advice so I am well informed

Then scrap the first question. Good breeders don't have staff, we have pets that live with us in the house as part of the family, pets which happen to also be show or working dogs, and once in a blue moon may have a litter. Staff and breeding kennels is either way back in the past (like seen on Young James Herriot on TV recently) or puppy farmers.

Also more time is with the bitch before birth, many of us will spend the nights with them a week before the due date in case the pups come early.  As many of the others have said most people on here do not have kennels and breed the numbers where they would need "staff".

1. A minimum of 2 adults per bitch with litter. This will enable them to relieve one another for toilet breaks/ changes of clothes / a moments shut eye
2. Entire bitches do synchronise their seasons, as a house full of women will often find their periods synchronise! Woe for any resident male.
3. 24 hour care is essential and the one to one time spent with each pup should increase from birth. This means that the bigger the litter the more carers are needed to play and interact with the pups on an individual basis.

I think firstly you need to know what kind of breeding you are referring to.

Here is a useful definition of the kinds of breeders: http://www.nopuppymillscanada.ca/byb.htm

The kind of breeder most of us support (a breed aficionado that joins with other like minded people to gain knowledge to maintain and enjoy a particular breed, and activities with their dogs, where breeding primarily for for this purpose) versus commercially motivated breeding which falls broadly into two categories, someone casually producing puppies with the hopes of monetary gain, often called a 'Back yard Breeder' right through to large scale purely commercial breeding 'Puppy farming'.

Most of us here would support the first, and be against the latter two.

The divisions between the different kinds of breeders can occasionally be a little blurry.

Numbers of dogs (obviously not in the 100's as is not uncommon with some puppy farmers) is not a good guide to the type of breeder but can be an indication.  You can have excellent ethical breeders who breed several litters a year, and unethical poor back yard breeders who only breed the occasional litter.

The primary purpose to breeding largely will tell you which category breeders fit into.