I have a 2 and a half year old yorkshire terrier bitch. She weighs 11lbs and is lovely. I would like to breed her but am worried incase there are any complications. (Also am prepared to keep all the puppies- so nop worries there). Since I am prepared to keep all of the puppies, I don't know whether to breed her or not, thats the first thing and the second thing, if I do breed her, what to?
I think breeding her to another yorkshire terrier would be good because the puppies might be smaller but I was also considering breeding her to a bichon frise.
Was just wondering what are all of your thoughts on this?
Thanks for any response :)

Breeding to a different breed of dog on purpose is absolutely not an option. Why bother? There are too many mixed breed dogs in this world. That thought should have never crossed your mind. Of course another Yorkie is the dog to choose!

Others will be along shorty to set you straight, but I just had to say that. Intentionally breeding cross-bred puppies is not a good thing to do just for the heck of it. What a shame.

The other thing I wanted to say is, you hesitate to breed your girl in the first place, right? Right. Don't breed her then. If you ever have second thoughts and aren't sure what to do, go with your gut instinct, or, the first thing that pops into your mind when you think of it.

I would not breed her if I were you. Especially not to a different breed of dog.

I hope whatever you choose is the right choice and that you feel right in making whatever choice you make.

-Tara

I thought Yorkies had to be bred at quite an early age first time?  Maybe I'm wrong, I'm sure somebody will be along to put me right soon ;-)

The other question that is asked, has your girl had all the relevant health checks etc.....if so then surely it's best to breed her to another Yorkshire Terrier?  If she is KC registered then the pups won't be if you breed her to a different breed

Good luck with whatever you decide!

If you're going to mate her, then make sure it's to another of her own breed. There are far fewer chances of things going horribly wrong.

If you'e undecided whether or not to breed from her, then don't. Unless you're committed, it's pointless.

before you do make sure she has all the medical tests she needs for a yorkie.she may have the nature but she needs to be a good example as well.i have never bred but i always thought that you had to build her up before she was mated ready for the pregnancy and give her and the pups the best start possible.
i would never breed with any thing other than the same breed,the breed you are talking about bigger than your yorkie and will make the pregnancy difficult for her and could end up with a section due to size.
please dont do it for the sake of your own dog.
why do you want to x breed any way?
if she is kc reg then find a stud with the right lineage to promote your dogs own.
keeping the pups is one thing but would you want to keep pups that have health problems down to some thing that could go wrong along the way.
breeding should be taken serious,there is alot more to it than just putting 2 dogs together.
contact yorkie owners clubs and get the info you need to make a clear picture of it al then choose what to do.

Just dont breed her if you are not sure, its much more involved and costly than you may realise. You say you will keep all of the puppies? Sorry but that is just not practical!! What if you have a large mixed litter? Five or six puppies, that at a later date may try to breed with each other, if they are not seperated. :(  Are you really serious? First you should breed to a 'suitable' dog of the same breed, have all of the relevant health checks, and make sure that all puppies will have a loving home to go to. You may like to keep one or two, to show or breed from in the future. It takes months of preparation and a lot of time and money to do it properly, so be sure you are totally commited before you start! I am sure that if you go along the right lines, you will get a lot of support from the champdoggers, but it will take some proper research on your part. If you go ahead without thought for the concequenses, you could be putting your dog at risk and any future puppies that she has. Sorry to be dramatic, but you did ask :)

By the sounds of her weight she's a big girl and I wd. doubt in the breed standard.  Noticed in my papershop the other day someone was advertising a male Yorkie who is looking for a new girlie, looking at the photo he was a terrible specimen of his breed.  Is there something in Yorkies at the moment ?  I have to admit I've used big Pom's before now but not one's that must be 3 times the size that they should be !!

If I was you I wouldn't breed from her, why not go back to the person that bred her ang get a new one ?  Are you ready for the trauma that you could have whilst your girl is pregnant and giving birth?  Do you think that you could cope with a number of Yorkies running around?  Are you ready for the problems if you keep the whole litter when season times come etc. if you have both males and females.?  Are you ready for the fallout that the siblings may have with each other ? 

If I were you I'd seriously think about things and see if you really would be able to cope, or whether you might be better getting a new puppy.

lots of people on here say if you're in any doubt at all, don't breed from her but of course i'm in doubt i'm not just going to snap my fingers and say "right milyl you're having puppies" i haveto think about it and thinking about it is considering it...

1st make sure all the tests are done so not to pass onto ur puppies, cause then you are not giving them a very bright furture.

2nd why would you want to cross with a bichon? They coat is nothing like a yorkie and they are so much bigger in size. If u were crossing wouldn't a maltese be a better choice alot more similar I think. There are so many puppies/dogs out there because of irisponsible breeding in the first place so why cross?

3rd You say you are gonna keep all the puppies. Do you realize how much work that is to properly house train ect a whole litter would be? Then they will bond with eachother more so then you, not to mention same litter, same age puppies can fight alot and you can end up with alot bigger problems.

If I were you I would really sit down and see if breeding her is a choice you wanna make. If you want a puppy it would be so much easier just to go by one :)

I think you are all very negative about it. Many people say only people that have experience in breeding should breed but what if all the breeders decide to stop? Then there would never be any dogs again! Thankyou for all your  help 

There is an element of risk with all breeding im afraid, as for keeping all the puppies are you sure????. You run the risk of puppies bonding with one another and not you.

You don't have to actually breed to gain experience - you can help out with breeding dogs, and showing your dog, to prove it is a good example of the breed is another good way of getting experience.
You also need to consider carefully the idea of keeping ALL the puppies - this can lead to complications of it's own, if one or more of the puppies decided to compete for top dog position - are you capable of sorting out the hierachy and making the decisions that may need to be made?  Yorkies can have 5 or more puppies - and can live for 15 years..........

I didn't mean that I would be keeping all of the puppies inthe first post - I meant that I would advertise but if there were any left they would always have a good home there to stay in, because before when I ws thinking about breeding, people kept saying  what about the puppies, they might not be rehomed and it didn't seem to matter how amny times I said they could stay people kept saying the sme things. So they would always have omf homes if needed. :)
Also to Lemonad "ther is an element of risk with all breeding i'm afraid" what I wanted to know was how big is the risk?
Everybody seems to saydiffernet things, i have been told that the element of risk is the same as with a human giving birth..is this true?

Hi you asked for peoples thoughts didnt you? :) Unfortunately you will get thoughts you obviously dont want to hear.I dont think anyone is going to say right go ahead and just do it.Having puppies can seem like fun but its alot of hard work worry and expense. Can I just ask why you would like to breed your bitch?.Gill

You could lose bitch and have to hand rear.
Bitch lives puppies die.
Section and still have to hand rear.
Lose both bitch and puppies.
Puppies end up with defect and you have owners knocking on your door 6 months to a year later.

There is a number of things that can go wrong, then again it can all go perfectly fine but that is the chance you take when you breed your bitch. If your only breeding her just to have the expierence of having a litter and not wanting to better the breed then I wouldn't do it. See if you can help a breeder with one of her's and have the experience that way with out putting your bitch thro it. A bitch does not need a litter first to be happy, what they never know won't kill them but may make a better pet in the long run. It cost alot of money just to breed even if they are not registered trust me. I put alot more into my bitch and puppies then I ever got back, but I loved the breed and the puppies were worth it. I got two I kept but my bitch pup I have I never bred because she more then likely would of been a section and I didn't want her to go thro that, Boston's are know for section big head narrow pelvic. I also heard the Yorkies usually end in sections (not sure) but heard it someplace. Just weigh your pro and cons for breeding her. You wanted people's opinions and that is what u got, not that we are negative about it but because we have been there, and some have seen the tragic things that can go wrong from breeding. All we are doing is trying to save you heart ache and pain incase something goes wrong. But in the long run in the end it is all up to you on what you want to do. Instead of us flowering it you are getting the what ifs and what can happen.

Either way good luck in your choice and do alot of reading, get some books and decide if that is what you really want to do. I'm sure people here will still offer advice if you ask and you will get some negative to it, but you have to take the good with the bad...Good Luck :)

I really cannot imagine why you would want to mate your bitch to a Bichon Frise? Breeding pedigree Yorkies is one thing, deliberately breeding mongrels is something else! From the way you talk I really don't think you have the necessary knowledge to breed at this stage. I would enjoy your bitch as a pure pet and learn about your chosen breed and about breeding then maybe you will be ready to breed with your next bitch.

Regards, John

Breeding can be a heartbreaking experience.  My girl was recently pregnant, sadly her litter died at 5 weeks pregnant, we didn't know until she was 7 weeks, now if it wasn't for the fact I know 'a little' - everybody learns with each litter,  about breeding I would never have known and I could have lost my girl too.  If it was my first litter then she would more than likely have died.  So far we have paid out £780 vets fees and with no litter.......are you prepared for this sort of payout with no pups, can you take the time to care for a litter 24/7 for 8-10 weeks??

If you a determined to go ahead with the breeding, please breed her to the same breed, get the breeder of your girl to help research the studs pedigree to make sure they are compatible, get all health checks done on both bitch and stud!

The risk to your girl is I would say, higher than that of a human, a human can tell you if something is wrong.........your girl can't until sometimes it's too late.

I've not had experience with a toy breed, but I have heard they are difficult whelpers and if you breed her to a different breed you'll probably end up having to have a section.

I'm really not trying to put you off, but you have to hear the bad as well as the good.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

The risk is much higher than a human...dogs can't talk unfortunately and tell us that something is wrong. Well, if they are injured that is a different scenario as they let us know they are in pain. But when pregnant a lot of times there can be no signs something is wrong until it's too late.

Do you want to risk her dying under anesthesia if she has to have a c-section? Are you prepared to tube feed the puppies if she can't or WON'T take care of her puppies? This means sticking a tube down their throats every two hours around the clock and praying you get it in their stomach instead of their lungs! Tube feeding and bottle feeding can be risky business as aspiration is a risk and then they get phnemonia and die.

I know you don't want to hear this but as everyone else stated (and you have yet to answer us) why in the world would you want to breed her to a different breed?? What is the purpose in that? Because you think they would be cute puppies? There's already so many puppies/dogs that are the product of irresponsible breeders in sheltors and many more ethanized daily.

Your bitch sounds too large in my opinion and is probably not a good representative of the breed. Ofcourse she's darling to you but unless you know your breed standard in and out and have seen some of the Yorkies at the dog shows, then you really wouldn't know what a good representative is. Also it's more than personality.

Also you didn't answer if you plan on having her hips xrayed, patella's, and any other tests that are required for Yorkies prior to breeding her. Are you planning on doing these things??

Do you have the financial means to afford a stud fee to a wonderful male Yorkie that is a good representative of the breed? A champion would be even better. Do you have the money to afford a c-section? And yes, a lot of times Yorkie's need c-sections (If you breed to a Bichon that is MUCH bigger than your Yorkie, you might as well count on a c-section!). Are you prepared to pay all the Vet bills associated with the puppies from the time they are born until they leave your home?

If you don't do health testing, your really playing Russian rolet. We all know things can crop up and that's just a part of breeding but it's much better to rule out certain inherient ailments/defects prior to breeding. Are you prepared to refund new owners money if a puppy is returned to you? How long of a health guarentee do you plan on giving them? 72 hours? If so, that's really NOT enough. A year health guarentee would be the minimum in my opinion. So if something genetic crops up within that year you will need to be prepared to take the dog back and refund their money.

Think long and hard about this. I know you haven't heard what you want to hear but when you come and ask for advice, you honestly have to expect people to give it. Regardless if it stings a bit.

I say if you really want to breed. Find a mentor in the breed and buy the best bitch you can afford. Learn all you can from your mentor, show your dog at the dog shows and earn a championship. Get all the required health testing done. Then seek out a champion stud that nicely represents the breed. To me, this would be the responsible route to take. Otherwise breeding a substandard bitch who doesn't represent the breed well is NOT doing the breed any favors at all. In fact it's creating a set back for the breed.

Good luck in whatever you decide.

Chair260,

I hope you do not breed your Yorkie.  I doubt you will find a reputable breeder who will agree for their dog to be the sire.  If your bitch is 11 lbs she is way above the standard for the breed (7 lbs tops) ..and that may just be the start.   If you cannot mate your bitch to a reputable breeder the likelyhood is whatever dog you choose as sire will not have the relevant health checks .. and so the chances of puppies who will develop genetic problems will be higher than normal.  If you choose to mate your bitch to a dog of a different breed, you absolutely will not find a reputable breeder.  

If you truly love the Yorkie as a breed, then it means the purpose of any breeding should be to further the breed .. meaning to continue to improve it in temperment, structure and health.  Guess I do not understand why anyone who truly loves their dog would want to put her through the risk of pregnacy for any other reason.   In my opinion, you should think about why you want to breed your bitch. 

Stacey

Didnt you ask these same questions in a previous post? You obviously wont listen to reason until you hear what you want, what a sad waste of time :(

Old Thread, same question

And another!!
http://www.champdogsforum.co.uk/cgi-bin/board/topic_show.pl?pid=320650#pid320650

well thanks for all you help :(
its nice to know that help is here when you need it..
don't think i'll be coming back here again-bye

Would say you have had a lot of people spend time giving you their opinion and the benefit of their experience. Think your post is ungrateful and rude, what is it we could possible do to please you. There are only two ways to answer a question posted by someone asking for help and the opinion of members, one is to ignore the post altogether and the other is to answer to the best of your knowledge, stating the problems and pitfalls be they moral, factual or monetary and as far as I can see that is what people have done. To help us in the future just exactly did you want of us, what could we have done to please you?

You have asked this question at least 3 times and received a lot of replies each time, if you think you know best then don't keep asking the same question, the reply will not change as we have all had or seen the disaster that can occur from doing as you are proposing and there can't be very many members who would consider breeding for any reason other than the well being of the breed as a moral or viable exercise. What we want does not come into it when the care and responsibility of our dogs and their breeds are concerned.

chair260
I think you will do want you want any way
but just think you could
lose your girl
could lose all pups
might not sell any pups
you might have to hand rear all pups
you cant go out and leave the pups for a good 4/5 weeks
you will have to be up for all those weeks looking after mum and pups
she could need a c-section which will cost you over a hundred pounds...
but if you are going to do it
please get all the health tests done first
then ask around some good breeders for a stud
please dont x breed....

Corso girl, I can't believe that someone who has to post this question 3 times is ready to even think of breeding. Do understand that they may have asked several times in the hope of getting the sort of answers they are hoping for but correctly the members reply as they have found. Most people seriously wanting to breed spend a good few year learning about their chosen breed and then go an buy a brood bitch, but there seem to be those who want to breed for no other reason than it will be a life experience, almost like visiting a theme park. Mind you I do sometimes wonder if children turn up that way too. Almost a have womb will breed attitude.

Jackie i do understand!!!!!!!
But i think we know she will breed from this girl no matter what we say (most people that come on here to ask about breeding from there females go away and do it))...
and i just want her to look after the little dog
and if she goes to a nice breeder the little dog might get good care taken of her....:-)

Thing is if she goes to a nice breeder they will say the saem as us that the bitch is of insufficient breed type (well oversize for one thing), so her only likl;ey takers will be the ones who don't care who they allow their male to mate as long as they get a stud fee.

You may well be right? Dont know about you lot but i get fed up with hearing the same thing over and over again
the rescue i help for is so full with Bullmastiffs and Neapolitans and most of the females have had a litter or more
It just makes me sick and yes some times i am very rude to people do i care NO all i want is to get the dog away from them....sorry just ranting...

That is the trouble, I do not think people are deliberately uncaring but they have a bitch, they know that bitches can produce puppies and can see no good reason for not giving it a go, much in the same way you try out line dancing or water colour to see if you like it. Now if the people who feel like this were to work for a while in a rescue centre or as a vets receptionist taking in dogs to be destroyed then may be, just may be, they would realise the it is not that we do not want novices to breed we would just like them to put a little more thought and work into it than they seem to consider necessary.

I'm afraid the whole 'I want it and who are you to tell me I can't have it' culture is to blame :(  When are people going to realise you can't have everything you want - for whatever reason.  My kids are learning that life 'ain't fair', I hope it will make them happier adults, able to appreciate what they can have, and not waste energy hankering after what they can't......

good point,but when you try and make them understand you turn into a evil parent.my kids don't get every thing they want either.life is not like that and they have to save for stuff.makes them take more care of the things they do have,only time we buy is birthday and xmas but is is usually some thing that has a purpose rather than just any thing they want.
this year a stero and a bike is what they are after but need to think of another for the lads birthday.
any ideas what to get a 13 year old boy ????????????????????? he has got so much stuff i can't think of any thing.
  

I agree with everything that has already been posted on this subject.  I have been breeding (and showing) my own breed for 24 years, but I have owned the breed continuously for 38 years, and would not even have DREAMED of breeding until I could acquire a top class bitch and the help and advice of a mentor - i.e. the breeder of the bitch who was (and is) one of the top breeders in the UK.  A mentor, who is a specialist in the breed, is absolutely essential for first time breeders.  They can advise on health checks, suitable stud dogs, pregnancy, whelping, and even puppy sales.  Take advantage of all of their years of experience. Go back to your bitch's breeder and ask:  Is she a good enough example of the breed to breed from? If the breeder's answer is 'No' - then accept it, and treasure your girl for the wonderful pet that she is - and which you bought her for in the first place.  It is a pity she wasn't sold to you under a non-breeding contract,  then you wouldn't have this dilemma now!

Here is an excellent site about the realities of breeding that I think everyone should read before deciding if they should or not.

http://www.learntobreed.com/

Wendy

I personally don't think that you should breed her. Because lets say you breed her, this first thing you would have to do is get her hip scored and if she had good results you would need to pay for a stud dog. You would then need vet checks to see if she was pregnant and to check her health. Then IF she was pregnant you will need to check how many she is having. During the labour you will need to know what you are doing and what would you do if she needed a c-section? That's another fee you would have to pay. And you said that you would keep the puppies. Well then what would be the point of breeding her she is not an example of her breed? And if you were breeding for profit with the expenses of the vet bill and with you keeping the puppies you would lose money. And lets say all was successfully do you really have time to train possibly 4 puppies.
And as for breeding her with another dog. Well someone said before there is enough cross breed with out you choosing to breed a cross. As it would take you hundreds of years to have a large enough gene pool to have consistent puppies that look the same and create a new breed.

My best advice to you is to NOT breed her as you could put her to all that risk and end up no better off than you were before. :(

Sarah xxxx

Copied from http://ibizanhounds.tripod.com/breeding.html - an excellent piece - the costs are in dollars but the principle remains the same.

An excess of 12,000 dogs, many cross breeds, are destroyed each year.  It's madness to boost the numbers of badly bred mongrels looking for homes :-(

Considerations to make
Before breeding your dog

 
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Why do I want to breed?

1.0 To make money.
2.0 To let the kids witness the miracle of birth.
3.0 Because my dog is the BEST, and he/she will produce great puppies.
4.0 Any combination of the above.
Let's examine these reasons in order:

1.0 To make money.

Even professional breeders have a difficult time making a living at breeding no matter what the breed. Besides, they aren't in it for the money - they are breeding because they love the breed and want to improve it through careful and deliberate breeding of champion quality dogs that exhibit great working qualities, temperaments, and conformation (physical adherence to an established breed standard). Maybe you are just going to breed once to pick up some spare change. Here is what you figure you can make:

Average litter size for small/toy breed: 3puppies
Average litter size for large breed: 8 puppies
Average sale price : $400.00
Keep in mind that breeders of AKC registered champion dogs sell their "pet" quality dogs from $400 to $500 (these are averages, some may sell higher or lower). These are dogs with very minor faults (rounded heads, wavy coats, small white spots, or lightly colored eyes) from proven dogs. Can you really expect to sell your puppies for more than they are?
Still, total profit is: $1200.00 - $3200, Not bad for you not having to do any work.
WRONG! Did you notice that expenses haven't been figured in yet? OK, how much can it cost - it can't be that bad. Well, let's see: (NOTE many of the quoted fees can be much higher than expected be prepared!)

1.1 Pre-Breeding tests, including OFA certification (hips and in some breeds elbows as well) ,Brucellosis Test, CERF eyes clear of PRA, cataracts ect. and for some breeds BAER hearing tests as well. The list of pre-breeding tests may be long depending on the breed you have, make sure you KNOW EXACTLY what genetic health problems plague your breed and do ALL the necessary tests. OFA certification is critical to the health of the puppies and the long term health of the breed in general. Are you producing a litter of puppies that is destined to live in pain for their whole life? Are you producing a litter of puppies that will have to be destroyed before they are two years old because of genetic problems passed on from your bitch and stud? How happy will that make the puppy buyers (most likely family and friends)? How would it make you feel to see your puppy paralyzed in the rear legs due to extreme displaysia? OFA certification costs for each dog, not including the x-rays, is $100.00. GET IT DONE!
Pre-Breeding test costs: $200 - $400

1.2 Stud Fee: $500.00 is the minimum you can expect to pay for a stud fee from a proven stud dog. You are planning to get the best stud possible, aren't you? After all, a few titles in the family tree will help sell the puppies. Oh - you have a friend who is willing to accept the pick of the litter since his/her dog is untitled. OK, you just lost $400.00 from one of the pups to sell. Also, don't forget the cost of shipping your bitch to the stud dog, or the associated costs with driving back and forth every day while trying to get a sucessful mating! Shipping costs can run into the $250 range, including a health certificate (required by Airlines).

1.3 Whelping Supplies : Heat lamps, whelping box (keep those puppies warm and close to mom!), miscellaneous supplies : $200.00

1.4 Prenatal care and vet visits for your pregnant bitch can cost from $200 to $400 dollars, more if there is a high risk pregnancy. You do love your bitch enough to insure that the pregnancy is not going to kill her, don't you? Supplemental vitamins and extra food will be required during the pregnancy and while nursing. Average cost: $300.

1.5 Delivery costs can also add up. Do you know how to help the bitch open the birthing sack and cut the umbilical cord? Do you know how to suction the lungs of a newborn puppy that is drowning in its own fluids? Do you know how to extricate a pup that is stuck in the birth canal? How about if the puppy is born breach and your bitch is literally screaming in pain? Hmmm - better have a vet on call for help. Since births invariably come at night, be prepared to wake your vet up. This is going to cost you at least $500.00.

1.6 Puppies are here! They also have an extra toenail up on their leg (called a dewclaw) that looks really easy to tear off accidentally. Well, call your vet again to remove the dewclaws. This will cost you again, at least $10 per puppy - let's say $30-80.00 total. Don't forget the two vacation days from work you will need to insure that the bitch doesn't accidentally smother her helpless puppies.

1.7 AKC litter registration will also cost you. If your litter is not registered, forget about selling them for $300 - you will be lucky to get $150-$200. This is a cost of $18.00.

1.8 The puppies will need to start getting fed before they leave the dam. They will also need gruel consisting of rice cereal, baby meat, and supplemental milk powder (at $25 per can!). The cost of puppy food must be factored in for a few hungry mouths over a few weeks. Total cost about $100.00. Add in $$ to keep the whelping box at a constant 80 - 90 degrees with heat lamps and heater pads - say an additional $50 minimum.

Total costs roughly (based on litter size of 5 pups) (items 1.1 -1.8): $1518.00

Hmm - profit margin is down to (approx, and most likely far less) $482.00!

Is it going to be worth the time, effort, and associated risks? What if someone sues you for selling them a dog with a genetic defect? Sounds like you may want to take out insurance on your "business" of breeding your dog!

Of course, a larger litter has the potential to generate more revenue. There are no guarantees regarding litter size. Indeed the litter may only consist of 1 or 2 dogs. If a large litter is produced, be ready to take vacation days from work to bottle feed puppies for several weeks. Additionally, larger litters mean increased costs, and more difficulty placing puppies with good homes.

Keep in mind that these are generally the minimum costs! What if your bitch contracts mastitus, uterine infections, or viral infections? More $$$! What if the puppies all get sick and require long term vet care? What if an emergency C-section is needed? These costs can be very significant. Many breeders will tell you that they LOSE $$ on litters where problems like these surface. What if the bitch or stud (or both!) attack the human handlers facilitating the mating. You are aware of the need to supervise a "tie" aren't you? I hope so - an improper mating can cause permanent damage to either of the unlucky dogs!

Are you going to be able to sell all the puppies? To good homes I hope - you wouldn't want them getting beaten, abused, or used for dog fights would you? Rule of thumb - have good homes ready for all your potential puppies BEFORE you even make the initial mating. Do you? Have you researched the potential buyers? Written a contract stating what you expect of the buyers and what the buyers can expect from you (midnight calls because the puppy is sick!)?

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2.0 To let the kids witness the miracle of birth.

This is one of the most common reasons given for wanting to breed a dog. Stop and think about this for a few minutes. Here are some considerations:

2.1 Will your bitch allow the children to witness the birth? Most dams are VERY nervous and upset at birthing time, particularly the first whelp. It is always recommended that only the one most trusted companion be present to avoid upsetting her further.

2.2 Ever seen a breech birth? How will your kids react to her screaming and howling in pain during a difficult birth? Probably scared and crying for her - that's how I would be, and I can't imagine children being less upset!

2.3 How about the puppies? Any deformed or DOA? Here is a sampling of what might be seen:

2.3.1 There can be puppies that are born with parts of their internal organs on the outside of their bodies,
2.3.2 Without any or missing some legs,
2.3.3 With 2 eyes on one side of the head,
2.3.4 The body being so bloated that it looks like it has a diving suit on,
2.3.5 A puppy that has no bones in the body,
2.3.6 A puppy that is green.
Sounds pretty disgusting to me - what will your 4 year old think? Are you sure that you are not setting your children up for what will be a traumatizing experience?

2.4 Will you children appreciate you shortening the life of their pet? Typically, spaying a female will extend her life 2-3 years due to fewer health problems, mostly related to cancers and infections. In fact, the family pet may DIE during the process, leaving you with large vet bills, no puppies, and heartbroken children.

2.5 Are the kids ready to pick up after 6-10 unhousebroken and very active puppies? Are you? Hmmm - maybe we should add paper towels to the list of expenses in section #1!

A final suggestion: take your children to the humane society or canine rescue organization in your area. What will they want to know? I'll tell you - they will want to know why all these dogs are alone with nobody to care for them and love them! Children are sometimes wiser than we would believe. Are you willing to accept one of your puppies back at any time for any reason? If not, you are probably going to add to the population at that humane society. Do you really want to???

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3.0 Because my dog is the BEST, and he/she will produce great puppies.

Is he/she truly the best? What titles do you have to prove it? Is he/she a good physical representation of the breed (you have read and understood the breed standard, right?). What about temperament? Is he/she good with people (NOT just your family!)? Can children, strangers, and other animals approach him/her at a park without you worrying in the slightest? Or do you grab a tighter grip on the leash "just to be sure"? Have hips, eyes, elbows, thyroid & heart been checked by a certified vet to be free of genetically inherited defects?

Consider this: Any well-bred, socialized, and trained dog will almost ALWAYS have a wonderful temperament. A gentle, loving nature is in and of itself not enough reason to breed your pet. What else can your dog or bitch offer to your magnificent breed?

3.1. Conformation titles are a reflection that your dog/bitch is a good representative of the breed standard. ALL potential breeders (and even owners) should read and understand the breed standard. See elsewhere in this FAQ for information regarding the breed standards. Is your dog free of all possible disqualifying faults? Not all dogs are good representations of the breed, no matter how "cute" they may seem. Do we really need further dilution of your breed line from breedings between animals who do not measure up to the standard?

A professional breeder will select only the best representatives of the breed standard to breed or provide stud service for, thus maintaining or improving the breed as we know and love it. Can you say the same?

3.2 Has your dog/bitch been awarded any titles in any recognized field (such as but not limited to: obedience, agility, herding, carting, Schutzhund, French Ring, therapy, lure coursing, field work)? How do we measure the value of any dogs contribution to the breed?

If you can't answer yes to either of the above (preferably both!) then ask yourself how you have measured your dog against others that may be bred. Does he/she really stack up? Great pets are not required to achieve any of these awards, but may not be the best choice for breeding.

Look at it this way: If you are hiring someone to do some work for you, what are qualifications you look for? How about a high school diploma? Membership in a professional organization (e.g. Master Plumber)? College degree? Outstanding achievements in a related field? How should you evaluate the requirements of two dogs before you decide to bring more lives into this world?

Aside from these qualifications, have you evaluated your dog for potential genetic traits that can at the least cause disfiguration and at the worst death? How about the partner? Example: some lines of dogs when combined will invariably produce offspring with physical defects and abnormalities. Does your bitch have this risk when mated to your chosen stud?

 

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4.0 Any combination of the above.

Take a few minutes to read all of the above material. Still convinced that you want to breed your dog? I hope not....

If you are still determined to breed your dog/bitch, please do the following two things AT A MINIMUM:

1. Make sure both partners in the breeding have had hip x-rays taken and been certified as "good" or "excellent" by the OFA. Ask your veterinarian to help you get the x-rays to the OFA. CHD, or Canine Hip Displaysia is a crippling degenerative disease that has been proven to be genetically inherited (passed on from Sire or Dam or both). Severe CHD will cripple even a young puppy at its worst and cause severe arthritic pains and discomfort to older dogs in the least. Nothing could be sadder than to watch your loved pet try to rise from its bed someday just to greet you and not be able to. Imagine watching the puppy struggle to get to its feet, scared and confused as to why it cannot move. CHD has caused paralysis of the hind legs. Short of getting a wheelchair for the back legs, this poor puppy will have to be euthanized. GET THE HIPS CHECKED!

2. Make sure to research all potential puppy owners to insure a good home. If you have any doubts, DO NOT sell, give, or barter a puppy away to such an individual. Use a legal contract for the sale and make sure the terms are understood by the purchasing party.

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CONCLUSION

This section has been an attempt to present arguments AGAINST breeding your dog (Stud or Bitch). Every year, thousands of dogs pure & mixed are given up for adoption, euthanized, and abused. There is no need to add to this level of misery. Ask yourself honestly what your motivation is for desiring to breed your dog and read the following information. It will help you see the negative side of breeding - the side that often is not considered when a breeding is planned. Keep in mind that while much of the information is relevant to the bitch, the stud dog owner has just as much responsibility to the breed. It does take two to tango!

If use of this document or the information contained herein dissuades ONE person from breeding their dog, then it has been well worth the efforts of all involved. PLEASE disseminate this document as widely as possible. Feel free to paraphrase as needed, or to use sections where applicable.