Things to consider before breeding your dog

Just the over-romantic thought of having another little Bella running around is not reason enough to breed your four-legged pal. There are lots of things to consider before breeding your dog.

28 Jan 2019 By Leanne Philpott Comments

Raising a litter will be fun, right? Well, it might but often having puppies isn’t all fun and games. Breeding dogs takes time, hard work, commitment and a big responsibility. Before you team your bitch up with her beau, take the time to consider if breeding your dog is really what you want to do.

A few things to consider before breeding your dog are:

 

The responsibility

Just because you’ve told friends, family and old man Jo at the pub that you want to breed your dog and they’ve all said “oh I’ll have a puppy”, when the time comes you can bet your bottom dollar they will have changed their minds. Even so, selling puppies is easy—finding puppies a loving, caring home and a dependable owner isn’t quite so simple and yet the responsibility to do this lies with you. Being the breeder, you are accountable for each of your pups.

The reasoning

You can’t breed your dog just because you think she’ll produce darn cute puppies, nor should you breed your male to ‘calm him down’. It’s a myth that sex settles down a feisty dog; the best way to control an aggressive or over-zealous dog is through training and exercise.

The cost

Bringing up a litter isn’t cheap and don’t be fooled into thinking you’ll make big bucks by selling them. Any money you do make will barely cover the cost of food, vaccinations, medical tests and vet bills, supplies like heat pads, beds and playpens—plus there’s the initial cost of the stud dog to factor in.

The time and commitment

The birthing (whelping) process takes time. Advanced prep is required to get everything ready for the birth. When your dog finally shows signs that delivery is imminent you’ll need to be by her side to monitor her temperature, clip her hair (around the tummy and rear area) and calm her.

The actual labour can take between 12-24 hours and once the puppies are born the commitment doesn’t end there. Pups need constant attention and monitoring. They will need daily checks, feeding, weighing, socialising and, as they grow older, grooming and training.

There will be lots of time spent cleaning up mess and many sleepless nights settling whining puppies.  Sick puppies will need even more attention and what if Mum has a problem feeding? Hand nurturing pups can means hours of work.

Breeding dogs can take years of knowledge and experience so unless it’s something you’re truly serious about you may decide to leave it to the professional breeders.

28 Jan 2019 By Leanne Philpott Comments

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