Hi,
I have absolutely no experience of breeding and feel it is best left to people who do but I heard something a bit strange yesterday.I have been reading the posts and have come to the conclusion that vets don't always give the best advice.My husband told me about someone at work who's vet told them that to calm down their Boxer bitch they should let her have puppies.
Fair enough but as they have no experience she is going to be sent to a special kennels for the whole of her pregnancy,have the pups and then return home when they have all left for their new homes.
I am not in any position to judge or do anything about it but I would like to know if this is common practice?It seems a bit extreem and surely distressing for the bitch to be taken away from home under these circumstances?It just seems to go against all the sensible advice that I have read.
The more I seem to find out about the dog world and the ethics involved in breeding and buying puppies the more I see people who don't follow them.If this is quite normal practice then my mind will be at rest but I am sure if my vet gave me that advice I would question it.
Hazel

Hi Hazel,
Your instincts are right. That is a very unusual situation - in fact I don't think I've ever heard of it before. Poor bitch. :( Boxers are notorious 'late-developers' - she'll settle down in her own good time.

OH GOD :(
I hope that they don't think it will calm the Boxer bitch down having puppies.....
I have a Boxer bitch who is 5 this year, and she's a complete maniac....
Yes she had a litter of pups because I wanted a puppy to show from my lines, after she cleared heart testing etc.
BUT NO it did not change her exhuberant character one I iota, she is no calmer now
than before the pups. The only thing is her maternal instinct is heightened and she's
quite protective of the pup we kept.
Please if it's not too late stop them mating the bitch, if they are insistent on mating
her I hope they've had her heart-tested and cleared at least, and that the sire of the pups is also
heart-tested and clear.
I know some used to say that having puppies calmed the bitch down, all I can say is it didn't
work in my bitches case.
Also I would not be happy about sending my bitch away for 63 days of pregnancy and 8 weeks
of rearing the pups. That poor bitch is going to go through emotional turmoil :(
Kirstine (Boxer person)

Hi Kristine,
tSo nice to speak to another boxer lover.I am also a boxer person,that is how the conversation started.We have just got Boxer number 2 and he's 8 weeks old.I don't have any experience with bitches though but I would have thought that if you wanted a calm dog then a boxer wouldn't be your first choice anyway?If the vet believes having puppies will calm her then would speying her have the same effect?(if any?)They also happen to be friends of my mother in law and she was most put out that we didn't want one of the puppies!!After spending months researching and finding a good breeder,then waiting through the whole pregnancy ,visiting the pups often and building a relationship with the breeder she expected us to drop out and take one of her friends puppies instead,which as far as I know have not been conceived yet!
It just amazes me that people think breeding dogs is something quite everyday and anyone can do it!!I have so much respect for pedigree dog breeders,without them and their dedication to their breed I would not have my lovely new baby.A perfect boxer and I am sure will be a complete looney!!but we wouldn't want him any other way!!
Hazel

Hazel
Sounds if as that vet should be struck off or at least reported - never heard such a load of old rubbish!!!
Is that vet in partnership with that puppy farm & how much money will he make out of the litter.
Please get your husband to try and stop this awful thing before it happens.
Wonder how many other dogs have gone through this for no reason whatsoever - I am stunned
Have had 3 bitches, no litters, no intentions of breeding, did have bitches spayed as have got males as well.
If I had planned on a litter there is no way that I would have sent a bitch off to kennels to have them.
Shocked Steph

Hi Steph,
You know that's the first thing I said !Sounds like puppy farming!!From what I can tell ethical breeders would want to be involved especialy with rehoming the pups!People put such blind faith in to vets.I have so much respect for the profesion-it can't be easy keeping up with all the developments with dogs let alone all the other animals they have to treat but if a vet wanted me to put my dog in any kennels for that amount of time I would be horified.
I will try and get some more details from my mother in law as all the info I have is second hand.I do know though that they are taking this option as there is noone at home all day!
Hazel

The only concievable situation where a bitch would leave home to have pups would be if she had been bought on breeding terms from her breeder. This is not done that often these days as there is a lot of room for misunderstandings and ill feeling.

In this arrangement the bitch is sold to the new ownere for a nominal or reduced amount on the understanding that she will have a litter of puppies. The exact arrangements should be worded in a contract, covering such things as, when where and by which dog the litter will be. Also whether the owner will get a puppy (if the breeder has the bitch to whelp and rear the pups) or if the owner has to rear the litter, the how many pups the original breeder is entitled to have.

If a breeder looses their line, they may contact owners of bitches they have bred and ask for a loan of bitch agreement, whereby they wil own the breeding right to the bitch for a specified time in order to breed a littter and be able to use their affix and be listed as the breeder. In this situation they would normally w3ant to have the bitch to whelp withthem a few weeks before she is due so that she settles in happily before the birth.

But if this is being done on the Vets sugggestion I wopuldn't think it was either of the above situations.

Hi Hazel,

What a STUPID vet, has he no idea at all!!!!! Boxers are naturally mad, it's their nature and thats how they are. I think that is appalling and the poor bitch shouldn't have to go through all the stress of leaving home, going through pregnancy and rearing a litter in a strange place, just to find out that it won't help at all!!

If you can speak to the person with the bitch, please get them to think again and to just give her time to calm down. Did they not research the breed before getting one?? :(

Some breed are renowned for being mad, like Boxers and the beardies that we have, beardies don't mentally mature until they are 7 or 8 years old, which makes them so much fun, but definately not everyones cup of tea!! :D

manda
X

Hi Hazel
that is awfull a bitch should be at home with people that she loves and trusts when she has puppies! this vet should be struck off!

How awful,how can anyone, let alone a vet, think that this could be a good idea? What sort of kennels would do that? Do they specialise in Boxers, or do they do this to any breed? God knows what sort of place this would be, full of different breeds, all with their own different needs,etc. all being kept in God knows what condition. Sounds like stuff of nightmares...What if bitches whelp in the night(as most seem to do) are there the right people on call 24 hours,7 days a week?Scarey....And who provides the stud? Will she be mated with any old dog and then dumped in this kennel, or do the kennels take care of that too?

As I said, I only have the information second hand but I will try and find out.It sounded so far fetched that I thought I would find out if it is common practice.From the replys I have had it would seem not!I know they have 2 boxers so perhaps the other is a male?All sounds a bit strange.Having a bit of knowledge on a subject is not such a good thing sometimes,since reading these boards I have found out so much but that means when I hear of things like this I know it can't be right but what can you do?
Hazel

Don't agree with the vets pronouncement either but regarding the welping of other peoples bitches I don't think its all that unusual, I know of two people who do it myself. The breeder I bought my Dandie always welped and reared litters for her local MP who was also a Lord, he and his wife enjoyed the breeding of Dandies, studying blood lines etc. but did not have the time for the actual rearing. Another friend of mine welps boxers :) for her friends who run a pub and therefore cannot offer the bitch enough peace and quiet. Both these people reared the litters in their homes.

I'd be looking to change the vet straight away :( That is really thoughtless advice.
However, I have heard many stories of bitches having their pups elsewhere. I don't have anything to do with breeding but certainly amongst working dog people, before the passport schemes, wasn't it practice to put a pregnant foreign bitch into quarantine and then remove the puppies without having to wait the six months - then just send the bitch back to wherever she came from. Unless I've dreamt it this was practice
Lara x

Hi Lara,

I know some people would bring a bitch in whelp into the quarantine to have her pups, but not sure if she would normally be sent back. If this is the case, then that is not fair on the bitch, all that stress!!

Some people amaze me when it comes to animals, they only think of themselves and what they want!! :( :(

I think it's fine to have a friend whelp and rear pups, if you cannot give them the time, because boy it does take up some time!! :) Thats much better than getting stressed and upsetting the bitch by rushing around.

This is just my personal opinion anyway, maybe I care too much about the animals wellbeing and stress levels than I should, I don't know.

manda
X

I just can't believe this......is the vet mad?

I'm hoping to have my first litter soon....and could never even contemplete my bitch going away!

It isn't normal...well, it's not something I've heard of.

I hope things work out for this girl :)

Lisa

I think this is getting a bit confused I don't think the vet recommended the bitch be sent away to welp just that she have a litter, but I might be wrong :).

I think the vet suggested they send her away as they have no knowledge of breeding and aren't at home all day.I don't know where he suggested they send her though!some sort of specialist kennel that does it?

Well I have heard everything now. Vets do say stupid things sometimes dont they!!
If a bitch was over the top I would never suggest breeding it as all that could happen is they produce over the top puppies for the next generation to come. The only times a bitch is calm is during her 9 weeks and having the puppies around her, but they usually go back to their normal self again at some point.
I cant even imadgine sending a bitch away for its puppies. How horrid. The poor girl wont know whats happened to herself.
Nutkin

didnt the people realise before they bought a boxer that they are not the calmest breed out. also having a litter can change a bitches temprament, but not usually for the better, surely by the time the poor girl gets back from her victorian pregnancy holiday shell be more unsettled and hyper than ever. isabels right though, by the original post the vet didnt suggest sending her away, but the owners have no experience of whelping. one of my pet hates is people saying "well let her have just one liter, then well get her spayed" WHY? she doesnt know shes missing out on anything, so why put her thruogh that, then 8 weeks of sore nipples and distressed bitch later realise they are stuck with x amount of puppies that they cant find homes for.plus having pups isnt the cheapest thing to do with your dog either.