Hi

I have a bitch - dalmatian

Due to the fact that it may not be possible to supervise puppies for a whole 8 - 12 weeks full time due to work commitments we felt that it wouold be best not to give our bitch a litter.

A friend says "its cruel" not to - why can this be? is this true, please help.

Thanks

It is just an old wives tale to say it is cruel, not to let your bitch have a litter. She will be fine.

liberty :)

It's nice to see you've got your bitch's best intentions in mind and your not doing her any harm not letting her have a litter.  Maybe your situation will change in time, but please do look into breeding very carefully before embarking on such a huge venture.  It's not only the 8 - 12 weeks whilst you have the puppies, but you need to be available if a new owner decides they want to return a puppy. 

Emma

Hi- your friend is very, very wrong. You are absolutely right. There is no need for a bitch to have a litter at all - it is not remotely cruel to prevent it - quite the opposite in very many cases. Having a litter of puppies is a huge commitment of both time and money to you, and takes a lot out of a bitch. Only have a litter if you want one.