Hi All. Im wanting to breed my bitch. She's had all health checks, up to date jabs etc, for breeding. (She's bleeding now since monday.) She's 4 n the stud dog is 5 and unproven.  What are the chances of her getting pregnant this time. When would be the best time to take her to the stud. Will he know what to do if his unproven.   Thanks :-)

It's often best to use an experanced stud on a maiden bitch. Is the stud owner experanced? Males don't allways know what there Ment to do no. As for timing if you want to know the exact time you can use progesterone testing as some girls will stand ans flag before there ready or may not act different.

When you say health checks do you mean a vet check up or testing for hereditary conditions (st eye testing, DNA testing, hip scoring ect)?

Have you really thought this through?   Done your homework re which male would be best for your bitch?   As suggested, it's usually better to take a maiden bitch to an experienced stud dog, other wise trying to mate two maiden animals could be a hiding to nothing!    Having had to ask when would be the best time does rather suggest you haven't done nearly enough to know whether or not your bitch should be mated at all.   And 4 is getting into the upper end of her breeding career really.   Provided you do mate at the right time (when she's in standing heat - accepts the male) as successful mating in dogs is nowhere near as hit and miss as in humans, I'd suggest there should be a 99.9% chance of a successful outcome in terms of a pregnancy.   IF the dog is up to the job, and fertile of course.

Goes without saying, having a health check is a small part of all this - she needs all the tests needed for her breed - him too!

Hi did you stay in touch with your breeder? Maybe they could help you with finding your experienced  stud dog and/or with the meet of stud dog and your girl.

Hi yes I have kept in contact with my breeder and she's given me loads of advice for breeding. She's excited about me mating my girl. She has cheked on the stud and said his good to use. this is from the stud dog owners they are very picky about potential bitches. Ive had puppies when I was in my teens helped parents with labour so I know a few things or two. Im old enough to have had that experience. Thamks for replying ;-)

When asking the question of when to take her. I only meant how long after the the first day of the bleed
Every dog is different.  My other staffie we worked it out spot on n both times she got caught with NO problems.  So I have experience with pregnant dogs n puppues. My family pet dog which was a border collie had 12 pups n one got stuck so myself n my dad had to Carefully help her out while my mum was on the phone to the vet. So im not going into this blindfolded.  Thanks tho for your advice.

Perhaps someone could post the link to " I want to breed my Staffie".... I can't find it.

Hi, I'm a great believer that everyone who wants to breed has to start somewhere, but, in order to be taken seriously you must have done your homework on your breed, made sure that your girl has had all the recommended tests before mating, as well as the stud dog and preferably you should have at least a small waiting list of people wanting a puppy from you. You need to be breeding for the right reasons, not just as an easy way to make money. Looking at one of your posts I take it that you are talking about a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, there are quite a few health tests needed for this breed.

I have had a successful mating, leading to a litter, from an unproven bitch and dog. We had the bitch stay with us while in season as I knew her owners, this may not be the same for you and your stud dog owner. Depending on how seriously you want your girl to get pregnant and the distance you are travelling, you could go down the route of having her blood tested over a number of days at your vets to find out the best time to mate her, this can work out quite expensive but if you really want a puppy from this mating, it's well worth the cost.

Lots of things to think about and to be honest when any of my pet puppy owners have contacted me with the idea of mating their bitch, once I've pointed out the cost of health testing, stud fees, time off work etc, all have opted to buy a puppy again rather than breed themselves.

If you haven't got a waiting list of interested buyers, please don't do it. Yes everyone has to start somewhere but asking when to breed when she has already started her cycle, and you're claiming to be an experienced breeder, is a massive red flag for me I'm afraid. You're not going about things in the best way for the bitch, the pups and the new owners.

Where did you find this stud dog?

> She's had all health checks

Does this include the DNA tests required for the breed?

Staffies are the most overbred dog in the country at the moment, they are taking up around 60% of general rescue spaces. In my opinion only the very best should be bred from and then only for very good reasons. This rescue situation cannot go on for ever with more and more poorly bred staffies sold for pennies and so worthless to their new owners, passed from pillar to post and eventually dumped in rescue. Does it sound like I'm ranting? Well then maybe I am, I feel so sorry for these dogs, but also the well meaning, often elderly, prospective dog owners who go along to a shelter for a friendly dog, dreaming of meeting new friends while out walking. They come away with a poorly bred staffie and then spend the next several years walking at unsociable hours because the dog does not like other dogs.

Unless you show your girl and she is regularly placed at champ shows the right day to mate her is NEVER.

Help - first time breeding my staffy

Reading further/later, if this is a Staffie bitch, unless she's a really top quality animal, with significant wins to prove her quality, please abandon this idea.    4 is getting up there for a first litter.  And I'm not quite sure why her breeder should be that keen for you to take a litter from her unless she is an excellent bitch with lots to give back to her breed.  I have to say that right now, Shelters up and down the country are full of Staffies and Staffie-type dogs looking for a second chance at a permanent home.   Have you considered that even if none of the puppies you produce end up in a Shelter, each one you sell could be denying one in there from that home.

I too am not dumping on anybody wanting to get into breeding for the right reasons, perhaps as was the case for me, having been successful in the ring with our foundation hounds when the bug bit, and wanting to produce something good that I'd bred myself to take into the ring.  To decide, with an older bitch particularly (again why now?) to get into all this worries me.

"Unless you show your girl and she is regularly placed at champ shows the right day to mate her is NEVER. "

Firstly who said my bitch was a staffie. I had a staffie. Now gone to rainbow bridge due to being 15 n having fits.  FYI all pups went to family n freinds twice we breed her. Not that I need to justify my actions to any of you, but I thought you would give me the nessesary info needed.  Silly me for thinking this was the right place. Its up to me if I want to breed my girl.  I want to keep a pup to show like her mum has been shown at local shows. So thank you all very much for All your kind words... lol
So very helpful I'll definitely come back again as I got so much useful information.

Crossed wires I think tooolz recommended the 'staffie' thread because it had some good (general) advice within it. The link to that thread is in my previous post.

My other staffie

????? If this bitch isn't a Staffie why use this phrase ?

My other staffie we worked it out spot on n both times she got caught with NO problems

This is where it was picked up that you were talking about a Staffordshire Bull terrier.

Looking at your original question and the comments made, unless we've all got crystal balls, there is no way that we can tell you exact information. After reading back on your posts it would appear that the stud dog owners are experienced breeders  this is from the stud dog owners they are very picky about potential bitches so would think that they are ideally placed to help you with all your questions.

I'm sorry if nobody was able to provide the replies you wanted.

I only used the staffie as an example.  I apologise if this was read wrong or even written wrong.  Thanks for advice. I'll contact my breeder again for advice.  Just thought this would be a good start.  But never mind.

Forums like this can never replace an actual mentor. I consider myself very fortunate to have an excellent one and if you have a good relationship with your girl's breeder and the stud dog owner they will be invaluable to you.

Your attitude says it all, really.

Yes I have got good relationship with my breeder. Thanks. The phrase as such. My phones on predicted tect it should have said my first staffie but put other.  Didn't  know how to edit it afterwsrds. lol I'm thankful for all the advice. I can understand there is so many dogs in resues too. Tjsnks agsin.

Hmmm, either all the experienced breeders in this thread are wrong, and you're right.  Or you're wrong and the experienced breeders are right.

I know where my money is! 

Also, as a first-time breeder to-be, I've found this my go-to forum for help and advice on everything breeding-related.

Interesting I can't see how 'first' and 'other' can be mixed up on predictive text, f and o are different buttons as are i and t, h and r, s and e, and same with t and r.

So your 'not' staffie may well be too old to breed a first litter from depending on breed.

I hate predictive text! Mind you without my reading glasses on to check my small phone screen I could be typing any mixture of letters! If you have predictive text on to it can be interesting I bet.
Everyone who has bred will have different ways,tried and tested about breeding and their dogs A new member who decides to pop to the forum looks for advice and discussion  often these turn into very heated sometimes hostile debates, why?  Without new members or new subjects discussed in a friendly way how can a forum develop?grow? learn new ideas/techniques? Adapt?
I'm sure if we had a poll about the last ten years of breeding a lot of practises would have changed from year 1 to year 10! Progress is inevitable I mean we even advised we would never put a man on the moon..

> I'm sure if we had a poll about the last ten years of breeding a lot of practises would have changed from year 1 to year 10! Progress is inevitable I mean we even advised we would never put a man on the moon..

   Did we (put a man on the moon...........)?    And much as change is to be welcomed, I think this is only relevant if change means improvement?   FWIW.

As for hostile debates - when I first ventured in here I was getting it in the neck big time.   Not quite so much now

Often new people join this forum, think they can gloss over the true facts, get found out, don't like what they're being advised and then wonder why other long term forum members are very hostile to them. Lets face it we have lost quite a few long time members because they've become disillusioned with the posts written on here.

Over the years I've found the people on here to be very fair, informative and helpful. In my opinion there is a need for a forum where people aren't just given flowery replies that keeps everyone happy.

Everyone who has bred will have different ways,tried and tested about breeding and their dogs A new member who decides to pop to the forum looks for advice and discussion  often these turn into very heated sometimes hostile debates, why? 

Because the majority of us here are responsible, long standing breeders, who were involved in dogs (as in showing and/or working/competing, not just keeping pets) for many years before taking the huge step to decide to breed. We have seen first hand the problems with our breeds ending up in rescue as obviously we try to do our bit to help, and we do everything our way, yes, which is always doing the very best you possibly can. Which does not involve breeding just because you feel like it. Now you should know that yourself, considering how you came onto the forum.

True Goldmali I do recall quite well my baptism here into the forum

Hi,

I'm a newbie to this forum too. Also to dog breeding. I don't know what breed of dog you have/your experience/your knowledge. What I do know is that when posting on these forums unfortunately a lot can be left to the imagination/assumed by fellow posters meaning that often you get replies which aren't relevant or can come across as critical. You need to understand that most (I say most because some comments are unnecessary) commenters are doing so to try and make sure that you're making informed decisions that are the best thing for your girl and the breed.

I wish that I had written a similar post on here before deciding to breed from my four year old bitch. Instead, I went off looking online, speaking to the vets, friends etc, and off we went! Whilst we have had ALL of the health testing done for our bitch and made sure that we used a proven and health tested stud, it is the worst decision we have ever made.

No one tells you how expensive it is going to be doing it properly... Whilst some of the money is recuperated it is a lot of money to be putting down on the table at the start.

No one tells you how your heart will break looking at your bitch going into labour. No one tells you how stressed you will feel even after they are born. I personally cannot relax. I am constantly on edge, is she going to sit on one? Is that one getting enough milk? That one looks small? Did that one just hiccup? Seriously.

No one tells you how difficult it is to go about every day life while trying to bring up your puppies safely. It is so much work, beyond imagination.

No body is trying to be critical. Please don't ask questions that you don't want the answer too because what others have written on here are very good pieces of advice. I hope that you listen to me as a first time poster and a first time breeder that will never do it again.

I think this is a really honest post Kathryn, and it really spells out how hard it must be. If I was wavering(and I am not going to breed), your post would have just clinched it for me, I wouldn't breed. You also don't mention that all these worries exist even when things go well, I would hate to lose my girl if the worst happened. Although I concede it's a good job someone has the bottle to breed or there would be no puppies for those of us that are a little faint hearted!!

And all that you have posted is nothing to the worry of finding the best homes for your puppies, that are going to be loving and lifelong.

The heartbreak when your precious pups leave, and then the sleepless nights worrying if they are indeed OK.

Every time you get a phonecall,  you love it, but worry in case there's a problem, and the pup might need a new home.

Dealing with short notice request to return/help re-home a past pup often several years down the line.

Trying to fit in and rehabilitate a dog you breed in order to re-home it, often at the least convenient times.

>Whilst we have had ALL of the health testing done for our bitch and made sure that we used a proven and health tested stud, it is the worst decision we have ever made.

>No one tells you how expensive it is going to be doing it properly... Whilst some of the money is recuperated it is a lot of money to be putting down on the table at the start.

>No one tells you how your heart will break looking at your bitch going into labour. No one tells you how stressed you will feel even after they are born. I personally cannot relax. I am constantly on edge, is she going to sit on one? Is that one getting enough milk? That one looks small? Did that one just hiccup? Seriously.

>No one tells you how difficult it is to go about every day life while trying to bring up your puppies safely. It is so much work, beyond imagination.

Excellent post Kathryno! I wonder if you might like to write an article for Champdogs Blog about your experience?

Definitely. It has given me so much food for thought for the future. If I could turn back the clock I would but I now have seven live animals that I am responsibile for for the rest of their lives. I will happily write something for your blog but I would rather do it as the puppies are leaving for their new homes as the work is not over yet!

Over the years I've found the people on here to be very fair, informative and helpful. In my opinion there is a need for a forum where people aren't just given flowery replies that keeps everyone happy.

That is exactly why this forum is the best.

I have never bred and have no intention if breeding in the future, but so many here are established breeders and very knowledgeable about most subjects, however their main concerns are for the welfare of the dogs, or in this case the pups and not the sensitivity of the poster ( newby or otherwise) If they feel that something is not going to help the breed of dog going forward, then they will say it in no uncertain terms. If you want everyone to say 'Aah puppies how lovely' then this is not the right place to be. However if you want the absolute truth warts and all then this is the best place to ask a question.

I too have taken some stick from time to time, but I learn more here than anywhere else so it is worth it.

( BTW Re selective text - We had a newsletter from my granddaughters Brownies group about the success of a recent fete. It seems that the 'armpit fudge' was a very popular and made a lot of money. I assume this was Almond Fudge - at least I hope it was !!!)