Breeding a dog is serious business, and not to be taken lightly. Our Weldon Spring vets list some of the ins and outs of breeding a dog in this post.
Dog Breeding
Breeding dogs is an industry that can be beneficial or detrimental. Some breeders strive to produce healthy puppies that are a credit to their breed, whereas others establish puppy mills in which the animals are kept in deplorable conditions.
We do not condone puppy mills. If you want to breed your dog, be a breeder that goes for quality over quantity and always keeps the health and happiness of the animal at the forefront of your mind.
In this article, we will go over some things to consider before breeding your dog.
Things to Consider
The first step can depend on if you already have a dog.
If you don’t have a dog but want to get into the dog breeding industry, let us be clear it can be expensive if you intend to do it right. There is the initial purchase of your breeding dog to consider which can be expensive in its own right. It is especially costly if you have one with all their paperwork and the rights to breed them.
Some breeders will require you to sign a contract stating that you will not breed your new puppy. Noncompliance with the contract may result in legal action. If you intend to breed your dog to sell the puppies and they are purebred, we recommend that you spend some time researching the legal and contract aspects of the practice and hiring a lawyer.
Reason People Consider Breeding Their Dog
If you have a dog and they are not under a no-breeding agreement the next question is why do you want to breed your dog?
Do you think they're incredible and want a piece of them to live on after they're gone? Be aware that just because your dog is amazing does not mean their puppies will be. Your puppy's personality may be nothing like that of their parents, and the qualities you value in your dog may not be reflected in your puppies, especially if the parents are not purebred.
Did you want to sell the puppies because people have said they like your dog and would love to have their puppies? Be warned that this could just be a compliment. By the time the puppies are born the offer to buy them might have been withdrawn, leaving you with a lot of dogs to take care of.
Are you hoping to stud your dog? Be warned there are contracts and legal issues involved in this process.
Breeding Your Dog
At this point let us assume that you have decided that you still want to breed your dog and you have sorted out which bitch and stud will be used to give you your puppies.
A breeding consultation will be the next step. These tests and consultations are critical to ensuring the health of the dogs being mated and ensuring the puppies are born healthy; therefore, we strongly advise you to bring your dogs in for a consultation before beginning the breeding process.
- Breeding consultations include the following reproductive services:
- Ovulation timing
- Semen collection, evaluation
- Estrus induction and suppression in females
- Pregnancy diagnosis and management
- C-sections
In Summary
Breeding your dog is a big decision there are some positives such as puppies and a chance at making a profit.
There are several potential drawbacks, including the cost of breeding fees, the time and expense of extra vet visits, the extra work of caring for a pregnant dog and puppies, and the difficulty of finding good homes for the puppies.
In the end, it is your choice. Please choose responsibly and ensure that your dogs are well taken care of with regular vet visits.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding people or pets. If you are concerned about your pet's health, contact your veterinarian right away for diagnosis and treatment.