i have just purchased a shih tzu (male 8 d.o.b. 3/1/04). i am considering offering himm for breding/mating, what do i do next?

learn to spell and then learn about the breed and breeding

Get him out to shows win a lot of prizes at Championship level and then maybe in a few years when he is well know and rated to be an outstanding example of the breed with all the health checks done on him to show that he has no hereditory faults and breed faults, and an outstanding temprement some people will take you seriousely about your dog been used at stud. Not being funny with you about this, it is just the way good breeders do things in a way that will improve any breed.

If you are serious then wait till he is about a year old and the get him assed by people who really know about the breed, the easiest way to do this is to show him, it has the added advantage that lots of bitch owners will see him. It you do not wish to show the next best would be to arrange with several breeders, to take him to them, for them to see, if they think he is of good quality and of a good background then they may use him of tell others about him. It would be best if these breeders show the breed themselves. He will of course need any health checks required for his breed.

Join the breed club and take part in their activities. Learn all you can about the breed. Find out how to work out if a bitch will be suitable and buy a dog with the best and most desirable bloodlines, but as you have just done that I guess you will have told the breeder that you wanted the pup for breeding and have already looked into his background to assess if his lines throw good examples of the breed and that there is no know health problems back as far as you are able to go.

You will also need somewhere away from where the dog is kept to house visiting bitches and somewhere for the bitches owner/handler to sleep. You will, to start with, need to employ someone to help you with the mating until you have learned the knack and how to tell if the dogs are being difficult or if the bitch is not ready, your dogs breeder may be able to help with this or put you in touch with someone who will, they will need a fee for this service.