Now my bitch  is having the endorsements listed I am wondering if anyone can advice on a good book about breeding. The sort of things that covers all aspects as I would like to think I would then be 'ready' as it were to advance to the next step

Book of the Bitch by J.M. Evans, and Breeding a Litter by the same author.

Most of us consider it the bible, lol!

Yep wouldnt be without it, i've even bought it to work with me today as a friend's bitch was whelping and i was on alert in case she needed any help / reassurance. :)

If you are able to get a copy of "Dog breeding for Professionals" it has really good advice on malpresentations.  It has helped me save a pup more than once.  I bought it when I bred my first litter back in the 70's and haven't found anything to equal it.

I'd get some breed books as well -ones written by people wellknown in the breed, not authors churning out books about every breed under the sun. The breeding chapters in good breed books will have breed specific advice that you won't find elsewhere.

Have you got a good breed specific mentor as they are worth their weight in gold and will pass on much more than any book and are there at the end of the phone if you have any queries,they may be able to assist in finding the right stud dog too.

I got copies of really old books,printed before I was born in the 50's, from Amazon, it was great to read that over the decades the info was very much the same as it is now.

> If you are able to get a copy of "Dog breeding for Professionals"

This has just fallen into my amazon basket :-)

All 3 books seem to have fallen into my basket!!

My 'old' breeder is willing to help and advice as is a friend of mine who also breeds goldens so I think that side is covered. I just like to research things before I get involved, bit of an anorak I'm afraid.

> My 'old' breeder is willing to help and advice as is a friend of mine who also breeds goldens so I think that side is covered. I just like to research things before I get involved, bit of an anorak I'm afraid.

As it should be, :) breeding and risking our bitches is far too serious to be casual about it as sadly so many people are.

I just like to research things before I get involved, bit of an anorak I'm afraid.

Well done you, there is breeding, whelping and the care of whelps, sadly many people will research the last two it is the first that seems to be ignored by many and the researching of the breeding lines, the breed health and the suitability of any one stud is often forgotten in the excitement of planning a litter.