Hi,We have a springer that is 7 months old,we plan to breed from her when she is older providing her health tests are clear and she is a good example of the breed,we are considering buying in another dog of the same breed with bloodlines similar but not to close to may be use with our bitch,or do we use a stud dog that is well matched with her?

Definitely don't buy a dog!!  You'll have awful problems keeping them apart when she's in season, and you can use the most suitable dog in the country for a stud fee and a tankful of petrol!!!  At this age you have no idea what her virtues and faults will be when she's matured.

Use someone else's dog! That way, when the bitch is old enough to be properly assessed, that you can choose the most suitable dog in the whole country to help you produce a quality litter. Otherwise you're lumbered with a dog who looks good on paper but grows up to be entirely unsuitable for your bitch. Even if your own dog turns out to be a good match for her, you wouldn't have more than two litters with him, and the rest of her seasons you have him going bonkers .... no, don't buy your own dog!

Yep couldn't agre more.  the only reason to buy in a dog inorder to have amate for your bitch is if there is nothing available or duitable and you are importing new bloodlines. 

I own a male with 3 freinds, even though I enjoyed him staying with me for several weeks and love him dearly I couldn't live with a male in the house going md after the girls when in season, it was bad enough when he was her and allowed to mate one :D

JG, just out of interest, why would the OP only be able to use them both together twice?

Don't worry, I am not going to start breeding, just wondering :D

Mainly because if a dog and bitch haven't produced anything better than themselves to keep to breed on from in two litters, there's no point in using them together again.
:)

Oh I see, thank you :D

Not to mention how thin a dog will get when the bitch is in season.  If someone saw Thomas at the moment they would report me to the RSPCA as he looks like a famine victim. 

Why does the dog get thin? I guess they stop eating? :) But is that because they are too interested in the bitch?

Spot on

I really wish I knew but he takes weeks to get back in shape.  I had him booked in for Wales last week and East of England next week and his terible. I would have thought they would have eaten more to ensure they have the strength.  He doesnt get upset or anything he just sits by the door where the girls are looking very sad a bit like a basset with spots and doesnt eat ;)

>a bit like a basset with spots

LOL :D

I had never heard about the condition of the stud dog going down hill, does this still happen even if the stud doesn't live with the bitch? Sorry for all of the questions, as I said I am not going to start breeding, just interested :D

No it's more the boys that live with the girls that suffer this.  I should know because my boy who hasn't been used as yet is exactly the same and he's not the fattest dog in the world as it is!

Oh they say you learn something new every day!! Thanks for answering! :D

They will also lose weight if there is a bitch in season within a close area of where they live My male lost a lot of weight just before Crufts this year due to a neighbours bitch coming into season. ;) I have a young bitch (bought in, hopefully they will be compatible, but who knows) I'm dreading her coming into season :D BUT have made arrangements with her breeder for when she comes in. There is NO WAY that I will keep both in the same house.

Wow, I bet there have been some owners worrying about their dog's loosing weight when all along it is just because there is a bitch in season!

I have this problem with my male whenever one of my girls or any of the bitches near where i live come in to season he loses a fair bit of weight strange thing with him though is that he doesnt stop eating at all ..:-S

Is it more to do with his hormones then?

Hi Natalie,

While a lot of people may seem to have problems managing males around bitches, certainly not everyone has ;)   I have always kept both sexes (entire) and can't say it's ever been a major issue - bearing in mind also that my dogs are all house dogs so no kennels on the premises and I wouldn't dream of putting them out to anyone else either.    As youngsters both boys did go off their food when the bitches were in season but outgrew this to an extent and they have never at any time been affected by local bitches being in season.

My first male was never used but when the second dog matured and was first used at stud by another breeder he immediately cottoned onto the fact that his "resident harem" were of no use to him save for a few days each season.  Hence he pays little heed to their seasons except for wanting to check them out every now and again to see how long he has to wait - bless :P   He was used three times by other breeders and I recently used him myself on one of my own bitches as he was the optimum match for both phenotype and genotype.  He has not pestered her on her subsequent seasons although is OTT during the optimum window. 

Several people in my breed own both sexes and manage perfectly well - perhaps much of this has to do with a particular breed's characteristics as well as an individual's husbandry, although Belgians are not exactly known for being easy :P

Regards, Teri :)

I think, as you say, it must just be down to different breeds/individual dog's, I have heard some horror stories about keeping a bitch and dog together, and then other stories about it is easy if you know how. :D

I can vouch for this, my dog is a manic depressive at the moment because one of the girls is in season, he is off his food and is howling the place down :(

Unfortunatey we could get anyone to have him this time...poor Ron

great!! I've got all this to come. :(

When we got Murf, Ella was still intact, when Murf was about 8 monthsish, Ella had her last season before being spayed and it didn't bother him one iota. In fact, OH took the mickey of him and said "Aw bless, he doesn't know what his tackles for, let alone how to use it" :rolleyes: Thank god he didn't!! I just presumed that A) he was still very young and definitely immature (still is) and B) he is so laid back I don't think 2 tonnes of tripe landing on his head would make him excited :rolleyes:

He's always given the bitches a quick sniff round the rear end from time to time, but he's only ever done it with his own bitches and gets quite insulted if when we're out, another dog, regardless of sex, dares to sniff his nether regions. (he's fussy) :P Good job I didn't consider using him for stud, as was suggested to me earlier this year.

Callie is now just over 6 months and I don't expect her in for another 6 months to a year, her breed and family history should dictate this, although I am on the look out now. But because of his lack of interest in all things *bitch* (except me) I'm hoping for an easy time, because she's going to have at least 2 seasons before I'll consider the operation..........

Hairypooch it is a nightmare!

Rosies first season ROn wasnt that interested either, he didnt really understand what it was all about, this is her second one and he is manic, he sits and cries and cries and cries, all day and all night, he wont eat he wont sleep!

We are going to get him castrated when he is abit older he is only 14mths old at the mo.

anyone do horny dog B&B's ? Please!!

>anyone do horny dog B&B's ?

LOL :D That is funny LOL :D