Im currently contemplating using my Labrador retriever to stud. He is an athletic and fit dog who is in great condition with no health defects or illnesses. He is well built, the largest Labrador I have ever seen but not fat with a fantastic temperament and I believe that he would make a fanatic stud dog.

However  I have no experience with dog breading (I did breed hamsters when I was young)  and I was hoping for some advice ideally a check list of things that I should do in order to be prepared.

My Labrador is a member of kennel club and has a kennel club name.
i was thinking that the first step would be too go to the vet but im not sure what i should be asking for or what tests checks would be necessary.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Adam

First you need to have his hips and elbows scored, that involves x-rays. Then you need to have his eyes tested by an eye specialist -or there may be a DNA test for the relevant eye conditions, I am not entirely sure about this breed. Next you need to show or work your dog to prove his worth, and if he does well, you may be lucky enough to get bitch owners approaching you for his services. Be prepared for the fact his temperament may change once he's been used at stud. If he's the largest Labrador you've ever seen, chances are he's too big and faults like that you really don't want to pass on when breeding. Bear in mind this is the UK's most popular breed so many thousands of dogs available.

Hi Adam

Just seen your post (?) on another forum and can only repeat my advice not to go down this route.  There are a lot of good working/show labradors around, far too many labradors being bred.  Are you prepared for the expensive health tests required, to show your dog (or why would people take their bitches to you?) and to turn away those dogs belonging to byb and puppy farmers?

Your dog isn't a 'member of the kennel club' but may be on their register - you would need to check if he is endorsed 'not for breeding'.

You could ask the person you bought him from their advice over whether this is a good idea or not.  Do you know all the dogs in his pedigree intimately?  Do you know their faults and good points?  Do you know enough to advise owners of bitches if their bitch will be compatible with your dog?

You would need to have him assessed as a good example of the breed (through the show ring or working trials) you would need to spend £5-600 on health tests which may indicate that he's not suitable - for example he may have a high hip score, or perhaps a high elbow score, he will need eye testing etc.  You should check with the kennel club and breed clubs what health tests are required and advised for labradors.

Why would people want to use him?  There are plenty of good dogs around.

Are you prepared for the possible change in temperament?  Are you prepared to get 'hands on' in the process?  Are you prepared to support the bitch owner if things go wrong, help new owners with training issues?  Perhaps take on a pup or two or more to rehome or keep yourself? 

There's a lot involved in having a stud dog - it's not just an easy business and I would advise you to simply enjoy your dog as the lovely pet he clearly is.

ok apparently this could well be simply a 'wind up' as the 'name' is Irish for 'Kiss my A***' ......

so apologies Adam - folks this isn't a 'windup' just a 'fun' name :-)  More people may comment, but probably in a similar vein.

Your comment regarding it being the biggest Lab you've ever seen wd already make me say do not breed from it.

Adam, your dog will need to be hip-scored and elbow-scored (this involves anaesthetic and x-rays) and also eye-testing; these tests will cost a few hundred pounds.

You say he's "the largest labrador you've ever seen"; that's not a point in his favour - labradors aren't meant to be particularly big!

He may well be kennel club registered, but you'll need to check his registration document for endorsements regarding registration of progeny.

You will also need to either show him or work him, to prove to bitch owners that he's the dog they want to use with their bitches.

It's not for the faint-hearted!

Sorry, but if he is 'the largest labrador you've ever seen' then I certainly wouldn't want to breed my bitch with him! That isn't a good reason for wanting to stud him.
I don't think you can really compare breeding hamsters with breeding dogs either
You need to have his hips and elbows xrayed and eyes tested, none of this is cheap and no guarantee that the results will be good enough to breed from either.

"I don't think you can really compare breeding hamsters with breeding dogs either "

It was the reference to the previous experience of breeding hamsters that made me think this was indeed a wind up! Also, wondered if mentioning that the dog is the largest labrador they have ever seen, might be another indication of it being a wind up.

Nothing to add to what others have already said.... although, I do apologise if this is a genuine query.

It was the reference to the previous experience of breeding hamsters that made me think this was indeed a wind up!

Why? Natural progression. I went from mice to hamsters to guinea pigs to rabbits to cats to dogs -one size up a time (the bigger the animal, the more complicated it is). Once you're used to breeding with looks and health and temperament in mind for showing, it's easier to take the step to something else. Most hamster breeders I know eventually left the fancy and went on to either cats or dogs instead.

Hamsters and dogs are a completely different species, so personally, I wouldn't regard it as a "natural progression". If it was, the vast majority of dog breeders would start with breeding hamsters/mice/whatever and I don't believe that they do - rather they start with dogs, a specific breed at that - as this is where their passion lies.

It's the interest in genetics and breeding for a purpose that's the natural progression; I too started breeding and showing mice, then progressed to guinea pigs, and then to dogs. Brainless started breeding rabbits - it's more common than you think!

Adam, have a read of this post; you'll find it very informative. :-)

Well, I have bred a litter of rabbits and guinea pigs in the past(kept them all), but I do not relate it to my cavaliers at all and I still believe that the vast majority of those in dogs, started out in dogs.
Aside from anything else, the reason I stated that the hamster comment made me wonder if this was a wind up was because it had no relevance to the OP considering using his Labrador at stud! Had the hamster breeding been left out of the post, nothing would change. No one is saying, ah you have bred hamsters so that makes you a more suitable candidate for being a responsible stud dog owner are they?

>No one is saying, ah you have bred hamsters so that makes you a more suitable candidate for being a responsible stud dog owner are they?

No, but it's clear that the OP has some experience in animal husbandry and breeding animals, rather than none at all.

Had the hamster breeding been left out of the post, nothing would change. No one is saying, ah you have bred hamsters so that makes you a more suitable candidate for being a responsible stud dog owner are they?

As both JG and I pointed out, it is the interest in GENETICS etc that is an advantage -and the natural progression. Nobody should breed anything without having some genetic knowledge, and usually people who breed small animals for showing has a lot of such knowledge. In fact I dare say most hamster/mouse/rat/etc breeders know a LOT more about genetics, colour breeding, breeding for looks, inbreeding etc than most dog breeders do. This is a huge advantage.

I could give you a long list of people very successful in dogs and cats that started with small animals. For instance the co-owners (and breeder of his sire) of the Swedish Pharaoh hound that twice won the group at Crufts (amongst many other major wins all over the world) was in the same hamster club as me at home, breeding hamsters!

I think you are exaggerating the issue of the OP having bred hamsters here, purely because you both seem to like to goad me personally.

I remember a childhood friend breeding gerbils, I doubt very much there was any interest whatsover in GENETICS.

I am pretty sure if I had come on here as a newbie and stated that I intended to breed dogs and that I felt I was perfectly prepared for all aspects of this undertaking because I had bred a few litters of mice, I would have got laughed off the boards!!!!!

I am pretty sure if I had come on here as a newbie and stated that I intended to breed dogs and that I felt I was perfectly prepared for all aspects of this undertaking because I had bred a few litters of mice, I would have got laughed off the boards!!!!!

The OP said: "I did breed hamsters when I was young." Not "I bred a few litters". Maybe I am naive, but to me BREEDING doesn't mean producing an occasional non pedigree pet litter, it means being involved in a fancy, showing etc. I started showing animals when I was 12, like many others. But then I have always strived to do things the right way around: start off with a pet, if the interest grows show it, if it isn't good enough get another that is better, then after a few years of showing the thought of breeding occurs. That's been the same for all species I've been involved in. It would never even have occurred to me to breed a litter from something where I wasn't involved in the fancy. It certainly did all help me as I progressed as well. Being able to tell breeders whose kitten or puppy I was interested in  that I had many years experience of showing and breeding other animals, judging, serving on committees etc, it most definitely did give them confidence to sell me decent animals.

" I did breed hamsters when I was young"

Indeed. The OP did say this... they also stated they have the largest labrador they have ever seen....

I do believe you are extremely naive if you interpret "I did breed hamsters when I was young" as being someone who did this because they were heavily interested in genetics at the time LOL.

>hey also stated they have the largest labrador they have ever seen..

I'm sure we all thought our first pedigree dog was the best in the world, and would set the pedigree world on fire. I know I did!

"I did breed hamsters when I was young" shows a person interested in breeding animals - that's a good start. When breeding mice (the species I started with) I found it fascinating learning what colour combinations gave what results - and of course you can have many generations in a very short period of time. So much more practical than starting with a much larger species. Ally that to the thrill of getting awards at the Fur and Feather shows, and you've got a breeder/exhibitor hooked!

Isnt it funny how often op dont sat around for answere for their questions> if op you have been busy I apologise it just seems to be a habit of people

> Indeed. The OP did say this... they also stated they have the largest labrador they have ever seen....
>
> I do believe you are extremely naive if you interpret "I did breed hamsters when I was young" as being someone who did this because they were heavily interested in genetics at the time LOL.

I think I would agree with you in this instance although I don't think that is the point others are making.  They are correct to point out that many people do progress from one species to another but I think when someone regards the outer reaches of normal to be an aspiration it suggests they have not benefitted too much from prior experiences :)

> I think when someone regards the outer reaches of normal to be an aspiration it suggests they have not benefitted too much from prior experiences :-)

Does depend, though. In breeding most small animals, size has to be maintained and in many, bigger the better providing they retain type (and are not overweight). Show hamsters, for certain, are far larger than their mass-bred rodent-farmed pet-shop cousins.... my largest was 254g. Certain breeds of rabbits too are encouraged to be the 'bigger the better'. Excepting rabbits which - like dogs - have Miniatures, Dwarfs and Giants and everything in between, loss of size has to be guarded against as it is one of the first signs of too much inbreeding and/or a decline in type and general health.

However.... with due respect to the original poster if s/he is genuine.... I did raise a wry eyebrow at the username and the wording of the post.

I see.  Even so, you would expect someone with previous serious breeding interests to find out something about the breeding criteria of another species that you were considering moving on to wouldn't you?

> you would expect someone with previous serious breeding interests to find out something about the breeding criteria of another species that you were considering moving on to wouldn't you?

Of course. But if one's sole source of information is looking around the internet at other sites where breeding animals are advertised regularly, one might get a completely skewed idea of what is acceptable in another species, and what isn't... until pointed in the right direction. Or you might just be out for a jolly and see what happens when you rattle the cage. Can't say the username inspires much confidence in purpose, but hey ho - the Pogues [original name shortened for decency] were a 1980's band with a huge and loyal following... and I once worked for a company which owned the record label KMA (short for... well, the English translation of this person's username). It takes all sorts.