I'm wondering when do other people advertise their litters on CDs? 

Am I right that you can't advertise a prospective litter from a bitch unless you also know who the planned stud is?  So, if you have a litter planned and you've chosen the stud, can/do you advertise in advance of the mating?  Once the mating has happened?? 

I try to get the word out as soon as I've chosen a stud and well in advance of a mating, in case anyone wants to join the waiting list but not sure how this works with CDs??

When you fill in the details for the litter you not only have to put in the stud dog's name and KC registration number, you have to put the date the pups are due. The earliest you would then be able to advertise the litter would be once the mating had taken place. I tend to wait until much later, once I'm sure there are pups definitely on the way. If you have your own website there's nothing to stop you putting details of a planned litter on there though.

Specifically with CD I don't know because I actually only once had to advertise a litter, and I did that via the Kennel Club - never again because I found myself listed with known puppy farmers.

However what i would say is I also never advertised a litter BEFORE it had been born.   I always thought it was tempting fate.   I did have an ongoing book of people enquiring between litters but as we only bred for our next generation, by the time I was able to get back to them, they'd gone elsewhere.

Nobody, other than my close neighbour, saw our puppies until they were at least 5 weeks, which is quite soon enough to start advertising unless not breeding for the next generation.   Some say don't breed until you have a full order book which didn't apply to our breeding programme.

> Nobody, other than my close neighbour, saw our puppies until they were at least 5 weeks, which is quite soon enough to start advertising unless not breeding for the next generation

I always have my futurer breeding plans on my website.  Partly so that other breeders are aware as we really need to avoid all breeding in the same direction, with a small gene pool.

With my numerically small breed the 8 weeks from pups birth are not long enough to generate the required number of homes, as suitable enquiries come in dribs and drabs.

On the other hand puppies will go eventually, but I always say it is not unusual to have the odd pup or two waiting for it's home well past 8 weeks if you have not had at least half a litter booked before birth.

On the other hand there are times when people have to wait quite a while before there are any pups to be had, it is always feat or famine.

Since August 2017 the litters born had a preponderance of males, so some had to wait for homes to three months, and there wasn't a bitch pup to be had.

Interestingly if you have bookings for males, often they will happily have a bitch instead, but those who definitely want a bitch will usually not want a male (can't blame them LOL) and will prefer to wait for a bitch.

> Interestingly if you have bookings for males, often they will happily have a bitch instead, but those who definitely want a bitch will usually not want a male (can't blame them LOL) and will prefer to wait for a bitch.

Hah - I had a lovely couple who just lost a second bitch of my breed.   I happened to have ALL MALES !!!   So I said come and look.   They did and went off happily with one of the boys.   I must be a better saleswoman than I thought I was.......

Right, so as far as CDs goes, it's after the mating has happened? 

In terms of other advertising, I try to do it as early as possible because I want word to spread and people who want a dog from my lines to have time to hear about it and decide whether they want to wait or go elsewhere.  I would love to be able to advertise that kind of 'provisional' litter via CDs but it doesn't sound possible.

O23 ... does your Breed Club have an individual who keeps a note of who within the breed has a litter available?   Many do and there's usually no better place to have the word spread.

Breeders add planned litters to Champdogs all the time To do so you need to know the stud dogs KC registered name, reg number etc though. Due dates can be amended as and when they are known. The majority of breeders add litter entries before they are born so that they can have a Waiting List ready. And, don't forget that would-be customers also sign up to our Waiting List. We then email them details of any planned and whelped litters that are added to Champdogs.

Oh excellent, so once I've chosen a stud dog, I can then list the litter provisionally and adjust the due date - perfect, thanks.

Nobody, other than my close neighbour, saw our puppies until they were at least 5 weeks, which is quite soon enough to start advertising unless not breeding for the next generation.   Some say don't breed until you have a full order book which didn't apply to our breeding programme.

Whoa that REALLY is breed specific! Most of my buyers wait between 1 and 2 years as they choose the breeder rather than the pup. Many breeders of my main breed find themselves unable to sell the pups if they are not booked in advance -there was even the case of the bloke who thought he'd make some money, mated two bitches, ended up with two litters that nobody wanted. He resorted to starting to drown the pups until the RSPCA got hold of him and took all the dogs. The breeder then killed himself. I know of many similar stories.

I want to get to know my puppy buyers in plenty of time. 3 weeks would be nowhere near enough time. Most of mine visit long before I even have pups planned. It's not puppies they need to fall in love with, it's the breed.

I let people visit pretty much when they want, but point out they will not see the true characters of the pups until 5-6 weeks of age. Some who don't live too far away like to visit regularly.

> Whoa that REALLY is breed specific! Most of my buyers wait between 1 and 2 years as they choose the breeder rather than the pup. Many breeders of my main breed find themselves unable to sell the pups if they are not booked in advance -

Definitely the case in low number breeds where it is often feast or famine re puppy/potential owner availability.

> want to get to know my puppy buyers in plenty of time. 3 weeks would be nowhere near enough time. Most of mine visit long before I even have pups planned. It's not puppies they need to fall in love with, it's the breed.

This to me is vital, I hate having to make a quick decision on a new owner if I have a pup ready or nearly ready to go.

> I let people visit pretty much when they want, but point out they will not see the true characters of the pups until 5-6 weeks of age. Some who don't live too far away like to visit regularly.

Same here, in fact it is safer to have visits before 6 weeks while pups have the full benefit of maternal antibodies The later they visit, these start to wane, so pups have less protection from disease.

Bear in mind that we didn't very often let our puppies go home before they were 10 weeks, unless we had a big litter and it was obvious that they'd do well with a more on-on-one situation AND I felt the litter was ready for their new homes physically and mentally.   That being the case, they'd go at 8 weeks and by then I'd got to know the new owners.       I'd agree about getting to know the new owners IF POSSIBLE of course, but I was usually able to make up my mind after the initial viewing.  Plus fact is Bassets don't necessarily look 'bassety' at an early age - not until their ears come down so allowing viewing much before at least 5 /6 weeks, could have led to a wrong impression/disappointment, for those who didn't know the breed.

So yes, 'breed specific'.

Just to clarify:  >Breeders add planned litters to Champdogs all the time

We are happy to advertise planned litters and regularly do so. However, Litters can not be added to the Puppy Register 12+ months in advance. It is important that we keep the Puppy Register relevant and the vast majority of customers are looking for puppies available now or in the very near future. They are not going to be happy if we email them litters that are not due for 12+ months.