Hiya just been reading the threads on breeding, puppies & everything that goes with it. I've been thinking of breeding from Lacey, my 2yo shepherd & thought I would wait until the school hols. to go & get her hip-scored, (I work in a high school so I've got a few weeks off), I couldn't remember when her last season was so thought I would play it by ear, & blow me, she's just come in, so I'll have to be patient now & wait for the next 3 weeks to be over, get her scored, do some more reserch & make sure I find a good breeder & wait till january, sigh!!! I was looking forward to being a "mum", but I guess jan.03 will be better as she will be 3 at the end of feb.

Hi Nicky
It makes such a nice change to read a post like yours about breeding! :D
I wish you luck with your plans & hope her hip score comes out well.
Nicky

Hi Nicky

It is best to do the hip scoring midway between seasons rather than just after her season, or, at least after she would have given birth. I understand this is because during the phantom season time the joints can get a bit lax.

Will you have time to devote to pups if you are working full time? For instance around the time of birth spend (probably) all night up keeping an eye on her. Staying close by for the next few days and nights in case she squashes a pup. After about 6 days this risk diminishes as they are strong enough to struggle out from under. Next comes a couple of weeks of relative calm when the bitch does all the work. Next comes a few weeks of constant poo, pee and feeding which gets worse the older the pups get and to keep them clean is almost a full time job in itself, certainly not one that can be left for more than four hours as they need regular feeding with cleaning out both before and after feeding so they don't paddle poo though their dinner and 'cos of the amount they produce afterwards :-)

I would strongly suggest, if you have never done so, that you find someone with a six or seven week old litter of pups and spend the day with them - from first thing in the morning (when they get up) to the time they go to bed to see whether you can fit this in with working as well.

No doubt I will be shot down in flames by everyone who works full time and has pups now :)

Christine

Thanks for your in-put it is much appreciated, I have been around people whose bictches have had pups & it's harder than people realise so I have an idea of what to expect. My persian cat has had a few litters & cats are just as hard work, they usually find a quiet place at the back of the tv, & "here we go again with the disinfectant", phawwww!!!! Because I work in a school I do get a lot of hols. during the year, & when I am working, my best mate, who Lacey knows well & likes, will call round several times a day to check everything is ok & phone me if I'm needed, I'm lucky that my boss is understanding, & to be honest I would rather be at home than feeding 300+ kids, oops, forgot to mention I'm a ....... wait for it .......dinner lady!!! Well my full title is Assistant Cook, lets face it, someone has to do it!!!!

I've just had my first litter, or rather my bitch has, and I work 20 hrs a week. We timed it so that the puppies were born just before the summer holidays so my 15 year old son would be at home for six weeks with them and with luck they will have gone to their new homes before the boys go back to school. We knew we were lucky with the timing and if she hadn't got pregnant with this attempt we would never manage it again, luck was wtih us and with a great deal of forward planning and lots of doggy friends it is possible to work and have puppies! I'm sure there are plenty would disagree though ;)

Jane

Hi Nicki. Nice to read such a thoughful post! I wonder if you realise just how much time is needed to look after a growing litter if they are to be well reared and socialised before they go to their new homes. And can you ring up the head and say "I'm not coming in today because I think that Lacey may be having her pups. But on the other hand they may come in a couple of days, so I'd better have the whole week off. Ooh, and next week too just to make sure that they're OK!" :D :D :D
Have a look at http://www.bluegrace.com/index.html and click on virtual breeding. It gives a little insight as to some of the decisions that might be involved.
Do stick around and join in with the posts on here. It's good to have a thinking person around!!

i agree with the poo thing, six little monkeys, 4 meals a day at six weeks old is great fun !!!!!! especially when they have trampled it every where !!
Good luck though, I have had great fun !!!!