posted 08-26-2003 12:44 PM         

Why did you let your dogs breed?

There are thousands of pit mixes and purebred APBTs that die every day in shelters across America--there are more unwanted pits than homes to take them in and care for them. How did they end up there? Many were from people who just let their dogs breed. In my opinion (and yes, I know you didn't ask for it, but here it is anyway), what you allowed your dogs to do was not very responsible.

This is a public message board, and you will receive a variety of responses that you may not have expected.

And Goo is right--there is no way to tell for sure that she's pregnant without a vet visit, although it's highly likely that your irresponsible decision to allow your dogs to breed was a success. If you saw them tied on numerous occaisions, it's pretty likely that at least one (if not more than one) of those breedings took. I hope you have responsible homes lined up for those pups (there could be 10-12 new lives for which you will now be responsible).

I'm sorry if this offends you, but I truly care about the breed and its future. There are far too many unwanted APBTs and pit mixes out there for people to be adding more by breeding their dogs unscrupulously.

I just felt that needed to be said.

Ignore it if you want--that's your choice.

posted 08-26-2003 12:51 PM         

Here are some links that give more info on exactly what you're gettign yourself and your dogs into...

Breeding and Whelping http://www.k9web.com/dog-faqs/breeding.html

Breeding http://www.geocities.com/learntobreed/

Stories of dogs/owners http://www.geocities.com/learntobreed/truestories.html

"Virtual breeding" http://www.geocities.com/virtualbreeding/virtualbreeding.html

Specific info on breeding pit bulls: http://www.pbrc.net/breeding.html

Homeless pit bulls and pit mixes in your state: http://www.pbrc.net/dogpages/north/wisconsin5827.html

More: http://www.pbrc.net/dogpages/north/centralwisconsin4764.html

More: http://www.pbrc.net/dogpages/north/portage6968.html

Still more: http://www.petfinder.com/pet.cgi

posted 08-26-2003 04:36 PM            

SO YOU WANT TO BE A BREEDER? - breeding the female.

So you want to breed your female. You know what to expect if everything
goes right.

Your little girl will present you with tiny bundles of joy. She will
lovingly nurse
them and care for them until they are old enough to be weaned.

You and your family will find great joy in watching and playing with these
little
dolls, and then when the time is right they will all (or maybe you keep just
one) go off to special homes to live out their lives as cherished companions.
But have you given consideration to what if something goes wrong?

I have listed here a few of the problems of which I myself have personal
knowledge. Everything listed has happened either to me or someone I know.
These are not isolated incidents. I'm sure other breeders could add miles to
my list. Learn by others mistakes! Leave the breeding up to those who know
what they are doing, have the experience, know what to expect.

What if during the breeding............

1) The stud dog you have chosen is carrying a venereal disease and gives it
to your female. She not only doesn't conceive but you have to pay the vet
bills to get her infection cleared up and she is now sterile.

2) The stud dog you decided to breed your darling to is not experienced.
Once the two dogs are joined tightly in a tie, he decides to chase the
neighbors cat out of his yard. He bolts for the cat ripping his penis loose
and
causing your bitch to hemorrhage from within.

3) Your modest girl decides she doesn't want the attentions of this gigolo
mutt chosen for her without her consent. She snaps at him catching her tooth
on his loose cheek and rips it open sending blood flying everywhere. He
retaliates by sinking his teeth into her left eye.

4) You leave your dog with the stud owner because the breeding is not going
very swiftly. In fact , it's been three hours and nothing is happening. The
stud
owners leave the two dogs alone in the back yard. The dogs get out through a
tiny hole in the fence and a truck hits your female.

5) You pay the $250-$1,000 stud fee up front figuring you will make that and
more back when the pups sell. The breeder guarantees the stud service to
work or you can come back again. After 2 months you discover it didn't work
and now must wait another 4 months to try again. Of course it doesn't work
again, so in another 4 months you take your dog to another male and risk
loosing another stud fee.

6) You get her bred. Bring her home. She bothers you so you let her out she
is still in heat and still receptive to males). You here a commotion outside
there is your girl tied up with the neighborhood mutt. when she whelps there
will need to be DNA tests done on the pups.

7) You get her bred. bring her home . let her out. ( She is still in heat and
receptive to other males) but you do not see the neighborhood mutt breed
her. The pups are born but look odd. You call the stud owner he suggests
DNA testing. (At your expense) You have a litter of mutts! What do you do
about the ones you have already sold?.

8) Or knowing she tied with the neighborhood mutt you decide to terminate
the pregnancy and try again being more careful next time. But a few weeks
later your female is very sick because you had her given a miss-mate shot
creating a hormonal imbalance causing a uterine infection and now she has
Pyometria and needs a complete hysterectomy. All plans of getting a litter is
gone and your females life is now in danger if she does not have the
operation.

>What if during the birth..............

1) The puppies are too large for the female. She never goes into labor, the
puppies die and she becomes infected by the decaying bodies.

2) The puppies are coming breech and they drown in their own sacks before
they can be born.

3) The first puppy is large and breech. When it starts coming your female
starts screaming, and before you can stop her she reaches around, grabs the
puppy in her teeth and yanks it out killing it instantly.

4) A puppy gets stuck. Neither your female nor you can get it out. You have
to race her to the vet. The vet can't get it out either. She has to have an
emergency caesarian section of course it is 3:00 am Christmas day.

5) A puppy is coming out breech and dry (the water sack that protects them
has burst). It gets stuck. Mom tries to help it out by clamping her teeth
over
one of the back legs. The head and shoulders are firmly caught. Mom pulls
on the leg, hard, peeling the flesh from the leg and leaving a wiggling
stump of
bone.

6) A dead puppy gets stuck in the birth canal, but your female is well into
hard labor. She contracts so hard trying to give birth that her uterus
ruptures
and she bleeds to death on the way to the vet.

>what if directly after birth..........

1) The mother has no idea what to do with a puppy and she drops them out
and walks away, leaving them in the sack to drown.

2) The mother takes one look at the puppies, decides they are disgusting
droppings and tries to smother them in anything she can find to bury them in.

3) The mother gets too enthusiastic in her removal of the placenta and
umbilical cord, and rips the cord out leaving a gushing hole pulsing blood
all
over you as you try in vain to stop the bleeding.

4) Or, she pulls on the cords so hard she disembowels the puppies as they
are born and you have a box full of tiny, kicking babies with a tangle of
guts
the size of a walnut hanging from their stomachs. Of course all the babies
must be put to sleep.

5) What if because of some Hormone deficiency she turns vicious allowing no
one near her or the babies, who she refuses to nurse, or you have to
interfere
with.

6) You notice something protruding from her vagina when you let her out to
pee. You take her to the vet to discover a prolapsed uterus, which needs to
be removed.

>What if when you think you are in the clear...........

1) One or more of the puppies inhaled fluid during birth, pneumonia develops
and death occurs within 36 hours.

2) what if the mothers milk goes bad. You lose three of your four puppies
before you discover what is wrong. You end up bottle feeding the remaining
pup every two hours, day and night. After three days the puppy fades from
infection and dies.

3) The puppies develop fading puppy syndrome you lose two. You

bottle-feeding or tube feeding the last remaining baby. It begins to choke
and
despite your efforts to clear the airway, the pup stiffens and dies in your
hands.

4) Your female develops mastitis and her breast ruptures.

5) Your female develops a uterine infection from a retained placenta. Her
temperature soars to 105. You race her to the vet, he determines she must
be spayed. He does the spay in an attempt to save her life, you pay the
hundreds of dollars bill. The infection has gone into her blood stream. The
infected milk kills all the puppies and the bitch succumbs a day later.

6) All the puppies are fine but following the birth the female develops a
hormone imbalance. She becomes a fear biter and anytime anyone tries to
touch her she viciously attacks them.

7) Mom and pups seem fine, the puppies are four weeks old and are at their
cutest. However, one day one of the puppies disappears. You search
everywhere but you can't find it. A few days later another puppy is gone. And
another. You can't figure how on earth the puppies are getting out of their
safe
4' x 4' puppy pen. Finally there is only one puppy left. The next morning you
find the mother chewing contentedly on what is left of the last murdered
puppy.

8) Your bitch just whelped a litter of 12 puppies, ALL BOYS.

>What if the new homes are not so happy?............

1) You give a puppy to a friend. Their fence blows down so they tie the puppy
outside while they go to work. A roving dog comes along and kills the puppy.
Your friend calls you up to tell you about the poor little puppy and asks
when
you are having more puppies.

2) You sell a puppy to an acquaintance. The next time you see them you ask
how the puppy is doing. They tell you that it soiled their new carpet so they
took it to the pound

3) You sell a puppy to a friend (you give them a good price and payments).
They make a couple of tiny payments. Six months later they move to an
apartment. They ask you to take it back. You take it back and of course the
payments stop. The dog they returned is so shy, and ill mannered from lack
of socialization and training it takes you a year of work providing
socializing
and training to be able to give it away.

4) You sell a puppy to a wonderful home. They love her like one of the
family.
At a vet check done by their vet it is determined that the puppy has a heart
murmur. (Your vet found nothing when he checked the puppy before it was
sold.) They love their puppy and want the best for her. They have an
expensive surgery done. The puppy is fine. They sue you for the medical
costs. They win, because you did not have a contract stipulating conditions
of guarantee and so as breeder you are responsible for the puppy's genetic
health.

5) You give a puppy to your mother. she is thrilled. Two years later the
puppy
starts developing problems. It begins to develop odd symptoms and is
suffering. Hundreds and hundreds of dollars worth of tests later it is
finally
discovered that the dog is suffering from a terminal condition that was
inherited. possibly from your female since you know nothing about her family
lines.

6) One loving home decides your puppy is untrainable, destructive and wants
to return the pup and get a full refund, which you have spent on your vet
bills.

7) One loving couple calls you and is very upset because their pup has
crippling hip dysplasia and want to know what you are going to do about it.
You have spayed your female so a replacement is out of the question, looks
like another refund.

>The Sale.............

1) You put your ad in the local paper for your pups at the usual price and
get
only 2 responses and no sales. You cut the pup's price in half and broaden
your advertising to 3 other newspapers in which the advertising totals
$120.00
a week.

2) You get a few more puppy inquiries from people who ask all about health
testing you did before breeding and if the pups are registered. You tell them
your dogs are healthy and it was enough and that you could get the papers.
The callers politely thank you and hang up.

3) The pups are now 4 months old and getting bigger , eating a lot and their
barking is really beginning to annoy the neighbors who call the police who
inform you of the $150.00 noise by-law.

4) Your neighbors also call the humane society who comes out to inspect the
care of your dogs. You pass inspection but end up feeling stressed and
harassed.

5) You finally decide to give the rest of the litter away but still have to
pay the
$1200.00 advertising bill and the $600.00 vet bill.

So you have to ask yourself: Do I feel lucky?

Well, do you, "breeder?".

++++++++

Here are some more web-sites that will help to explain what a good breeder
is:
http://www.bluegrace.com/vb1.html http://my.erinet.com/~ghost/whocares.htm http://www.dog-play.com/breeding.html http://members.aol.com/RottnMary/Breeding.html http://www.dog-play.com/breeding.html

BE AWARE AND INFORMED BEFORE YOU BREED A LITTER
Over-population of dogs is a national problem today. Every day across the country pounds and other government agencies are destroying thousands of animals, both purebreds and mongrels.

DPCA, as guardians of the Doberman Pinscher (our Constitution says we must "preserve and protect" our breed), is very concerned about this over-breeding. In 1977 the Doberman was #2 in popularity! DPCA viewed this status with concern and as a result COPE (Committee on Population Explosion) was born. This pamphlet is intended to alert potential buyers and potential breeders of their responsibilities to the Doberman Pinscher.

In 1978, 1979 and 1980, approximately 80,000 Dobermans were registered with the American Kennel Club EACH YEAR while the total number of dogs registered in all the rest of the 31 working breeds had been less than 220,000 in these same years. Although the registration of Dobermans is down, we must work harder to insure that the number of homeless, abused and neglected Dobermans, which result from this overbreeding decreases as well.

THERE ARE NOT GOOD HOMES FOR ALL OF THESE DOGS - In the past few years many dedicated Doberman fanciers have started rescue operations, taking Dobes from pounds, shelters, other agencies and private individuals into foster homes for later adoption into good homes. There is a steady and growing number of Dobermans rescued each month by clubs with rescue committees. Most Dobes rescued are in poor condition and some have to be euthanized. Starvation, physical abuse and neglect are the major causes of death. Anyone who has seen pictures of these rescued dogs will not soon forget them. Anyone who has taken into their home a starving, lovable and grateful Dobe will never forget. Even allowing for Dobes that are bred commercially and purchased from pet stores, there are still too many Dobermans purchased from breeders that get into the wrong hands. Making the public aware of the conditions within the "puppy mills" and discouraging the purchase of dogs from pet shops is also our responsibility. It would be a salutary experience for anyone planning to breed their Doberman to visit an animal control agency in their area. A walk through the local pound or Humane Society shelter might make them think twice about the wisdom of breeding. ***Ethically, you are responsible for all of the dogs you produce for their entire lifetime.***

THINK OF THE COST - In order to raise a litter of six puppies to the age of three months, giving the dam and puppies the best of care, the minimum cost is approximately:

ESTIMATED COSTS OF BREEDING A LITTER Examination of female before breeding,
including x-rays for hip dysplasia, worm check,
brucellosis test, booster immunizations, VWD test,
thyroid test, health certificate, etc. $300
Stud average fee $700
Shipping (average 500-mile radius) $500
Extra food and vitamins for female when 6 weeks in whelp $150
Postpartum check for female $50
Office visit - Examination of litter $50
Tail docking and removal of dewclaws at $20 per puppy $120
Puppy immunizations at $60 per puppy (4 series each) $480
Ear cropping at $150 per puppy $900
Food and vitamins for puppies before and after weaning $800
Worming at least twice at $40 per puppy $240
Total $4,290
Possible Caesarian section $325
Grand total $4,615

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The average cost would be about $750 per puppy, not including the Caesarian section, and not including many of the problems which can occur in the dam and puppies. Some cost can be deducted for puppies sold before three months of age, but some must be added for those kept longer. Additional costs are not represented here, such as long distance telephone calls and advertising.

BEFORE YOU PLAN TO BREED - Animals used for breeding should be free of hereditary defects, brucellosis, heartworms and other parasites. An x-ray should be performed to determine if there is hip dysplasia, and certification furnished by a competent veterinarian radiologist, or preferable, by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA). Heartworm, brucellosis, VWD and thyroid levels are easily checked with a blood sample, and other internal parasites can be seen in a stool sample. The animal should appear to be in good health, with healthy eyes, ears, coat. In many parts of the country, dogs are kept on a daily heartworm preventative and are checked three or four times a year for internal parasites. (FOR INFORMATION ABOUT OFA OR ANY OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED PROBLEMS, CONTACT YOUR VETERINARIAN, LOCAL CLUB OR DPCA.)

Animals used for breeding should have a stable temperament, neither overly shy nor overly aggressive. A Doberman may be "sharp" (which means alert and protective) without being dangerous. Any Doberman used for breeding should be a good representative of the breed as well and should have the proper number of teeth. You should be aware of the genetic defects which can occur in the Doberman and ask for information about the dog you are using. Ask about cardiomyopathy, cervical vertebral instability [CVI] (wobbler's syndrome) , Von Willebrands disease [VWD], and hip dysplasia in the dog's background as well as any defects that may be present in the dog itself. Ask about the colors in the dog's background, and be sure that no white dogs are in the pedigree. White is a disqualification. A COPY OF THE DOBERMAN PINSCHER ILLUSTRATED MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DPCA. (The Doberman Pinscher Illustrated is a 40-page illustrated discussion of the Breed Standard.)

THE STUD DOG - Stud dog owners should refuse to breed to any female which is markedly inferior, physically or mentally, or one which shows evidence of the defects listed above or has evidence of any of the defects in her pedigree. She must be in very good physical condition as well.

The owner of the stud dog should determine before breeding whether the knowledge and facilities of the owner of the female are adequate to raise a litter. Will there be room to keep the litter until the puppies can be sold to good homes? What are the intentions of the breeder? Will he/she keep one or two puppies or is the breeder planning to sell to pet shops, dealers, or the first person who comes along wanting a Dobe puppy? Will the breeder be able to socialize the puppies at the crucial times in their lives? Can he/she afford to raise the litter?

THE FEMALE - As the owner of a female, analyze your reasons for wanting to breed... when there is a population explosion. If you want a puppy from your beloved pet, it would be cheaper to buy one that is like her; she will not necessarily reproduce herself. If you want a puppy that is better than the female, it is generally better to buy one so you pretty much know what you are getting. Are you objective enough to decide whether your female is of such high quality that she could contribute to the improvement of the breed if properly bred? Is she healthy and of good temperament? Consider the cost in time, money and energy you will have to expend on a litter. Will you be around to care for this litter properly or do you work full time?

If you are determined to breed your female, wait until her third or fourth season (she should be at least two years of age or older), then find a stud dog which is of high quality, with the best of physical and mental attributes. Be sure he is free of hereditary defects; check his teeth and his general health. Study his pedigree and, if possible, see the dog in person and go over him. Learn something about linebreeding, inbreeding and outcrossing. ABOVE ALL, KEEP THE BREED STANDARD FIRMLY IN MIND.

SOME ALTERNATIVES TO BREEDING - In light of the excessive population, spaying of females and neutering of males should be seriously considered. A mature female will be a better and happier pet after she is spayed. She will not come into season and chances are that she will live longer. Dogs are subject to many ěfemale troubles" and often an older female is a high risk for an operation which she may have taken in stride a few years earlier.

There are two alternatives for males. They can have a vasectomy as young puppies or at any age, which will prevent them from siring puppies but not exclude the desire to mate. Or they can be castrated as mature dogs and live a long and happy life without wanting to leave home whenever a nearby female is in season. (TALK TO YOUR VETERINARIAN ABOUT THESE PROCEDURES.)

IF YOU HAVE A LITTER NOW - We urge you to be careful about the buyers of all your puppies. Find out about their experience in dogs and particularly their knowledge about the Doberman Pinscher. Have they ever had a Dobe before? If so, what happened to it? Why do they want one now? Where will they keep their puppy and how will they train and feed it? Have some literature on hand about Dobermans and about dogs in general (such as the AKC pamphlet "Are You a Responsible Dog Owner?" or "The Beginner's Doberman Pinscher" available from the DPCA) which you can give to them. Encourage them to come to you for advice and help. If they buy a puppy, call them in a week or two and find out how the puppy is getting along. If they aren't satisfied with the puppy, find out why. Perhaps you will have another they will like better. Take the first one back and find another owner. Above all, don't lose concern for the puppies once they have left your home. It is far better to rescue your own puppies at an early age then to allow them to go through the difficult and bewildering experience of one home after another or possible neglect and abandonment.

A prospective first-time Dobe owner should read and talk with many owners, handlers, and breeders in order to gain a clear understanding of the breed. The Doberman's beauty and intelligence may appeal to many people, but its size and temperament may deter some. Reputable breeders and owners must fully discuss all aspects of the breed with any prospective purchaser.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Editor: Mrs. Judith Fellton, COPE/Rescue Committee Chairman
Updated 1989, 1993

Breeding Your Dog

This is a very important topic. There are some valid reasons why you might want to breed your dog, but there are about a hundred why you should not.

Some of the common reasons people give for breeding their dogs are:

She's so sweet we just want to get a puppy out of her.
It would be a good experience for the children.
We paid a lot of money for her and this is how we can get some back.
To these notions we respond:

1) A large part of what makes your dog so sweet is due to the breeders efforts before you got her. It takes a long time to decide on the proper stud dog to use to complement a bitch (that is, a female dog) so that the puppies will be pretty, smart and sociable. After they are whelped (born) it takes weeks of work to make sure that the pups are healthy, happy and well socialized so that they will be happy in their new homes. And while you only want one puppy out of the litter, some breeds routinely have litters of twelve to fourteen pups. After you take yours, that still leaves a lot of puppies to find homes for and to take care of until you do.

2) While there is no denying that watching a dog whelp is an educational experience, it could easily turn into more of an education than you bargained for.

If all goes well and the bitch is very maternal, whelping a litter is easy and you may need to do nothing more than sit back, watch and occasionally change the soiled papers. However, not every bitch is an easy whelper, and may require your assistance to deliver each and every pup. The fear, and pain of whelping a litter has been known to cause even the most placid and even tempered of dogs to panic and growl, snap or even bite their owners when they attempt to assist a delivery. This tends to be more common with pampered pets that have been allowed to gain some degree of dominance within the family "pack". Our experiences have run from the sit back and watch deliveries to bitches that scream and try to run for the hills with every pup. Emergency caesarean sections may occasionally be necessary ( we've had two over the years ) to save the life of not only the pups but of your beloved pet as well. On top of all this, even with experienced breeders, a thirty percent mortality rate is considered reasonable. Along with healthy, squirming pups your children may also see still born pups, deformed pups, partially decomposed pups and pups which die before they are a week old. Some bitches have even been known to eat their young out of fear and panic, any bitch that resorts to this behavior should never be bred again ( even if it is a top prize winner ) as this tendency can be passed on to the young. Whelping a litter also can put the bitch's life in peril from a dozen whelping related diseases. Most of these diseases require that the Bitch be removed from the puppies. This requires that you take care of ALL the puppies needs. This is a job which usually keeps the Bitch occupied twenty four hours a day! If you cannot afford to give the whelps this care, they will die! In short, it can be as much a lesson in death as it is in life.

This is the image most people have of what it's like to have a litter of puppies. the pups all nestled up next to Mom nursing happily.

But what they don't see or don't think about it what happens after those cute little puppies grow up a bit. Mom takes care of most of the care (feeding/cleaning) for the first couple of weeks. After that it's up to the breeder to feed them and clean up after them. A normal sized litter of active healthy puppies can produce a prodigious amount of waste. Even under the best of circumstances there is noise and odors to contend with. If you aren't prepared to handle them they can easily get overwhelming.
And even though Mom does most of the work in the early stages a good breeder will be working on socializing the puppies right from the start. Here is a link to a site that discusses early socialization and it's impact on a dogs temperament. Raising Pups With Great Temperament

3) If we even suspect that a persons interest in our dogs is monetary, we will not sell it to them in the first place. However, while a good sized litter can occasionally result in some profit, it is a hard way to earn some extra money, and is not something you should rely on. The profit that you do make doesn't begin to offset the many hours of work that went into producing a physically and mentally sound litter. And if something goes wrong, as it often does, it can be a financial disaster.

For a rough idea of the costs involved in responsibly breeding a litter of puppies please follow this link. For another site that goes into the costs of breeding please refer to this site.

NOTE - Due to the large numbers of dogs and cats that need to be euthanized yearly many types of legislation ( both nationally and locally ) are being enacted that may have long term effects on you as a breeder. One common component is requiring the breeder to be responsible for every dog they breed for its full life time, and take it back if the people they sell it too can no longer keep it, for any reason. Over the years we have on our own taken some back, due to financial setbacks, divorce, allergies, or other family tragedies. We are set up to handle all of the possible problems, including fights, associated with bringing mature adult dogs together, are you?

If after reading through this article you are still considering breeding your dog. We'd like to offer some links to articles on what to expect in terms of whelping and care needed in raising a litter.

Rec.Pet.Dogs - Breeding, Whelping and Rearing Puppies FAQ
K9 Web - Breeding Whelping and Rearing Puppies

Becoming knowledgeable in genetics is also beneficial for both you and the dogs you produce so we'd like to provide links to some articles on genetics and related issues for you to read and consider.

This link is for an article that was originally written as part of a series of e-mails to a breed specific e-mail list.

Genetics and Health
The remainder of these articles are ones that can be found on the internet. This list is fairly extensive and some of the articles quite long. But there is a lot of information here well worth the time to read through. In providing these links we are not saying that we agree with the Posted bys opinions in all cases, but they do offer considerable food for thought.

Genetic Drift
Genetics Lecture Notes - UBC

Achieving Genetic Health For Our Dogs

Population Genetics

In-breeding In Dalmatians
(You'll need Adobe Acrobat to read this file)

Canine Diversity Project

Animal Color Genetics

Veterinary Genetics Lab - UC Davis

Canine Radiation Hybrid Mapping Project

Conservation Genetics

Principles Of Genetics

Breeding Dogs For The Next Millenium

Bearded Collie Health Web Site - Genetics

Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Canine Genetics - MSU

Genetics Resources

USA Today Article - Aggression Gene Found

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Recommend Message 2 of 3 in Discussion

From: MsRottie1 Sent: 4/16/2003 12:41 PM
Breeding Your Dog
Posted by
Cindy Tittle Moore, cindy@k9web.com
Copyright 1995.
Table of Contents
Should I Breed My Dog?
I want to make some money!
My kids should see the wonders of birth and life!
I want another dog just like mine!
Every bitch should have a litter!
But my dog is registered!
So I should breed when...?
Potential Hereditary Problems
Eyes
Hip and joints
Other things to check for
Medical Checks before Breeding
Temperament
Pedigree Research
Frequency of Breeding
Care of the Pregnant or Nursing Bitch
Caring for the Puppies
Prewhelping preparations
Postwhelping
Placing the puppies
Considerations for Stud Dogs
Genetics
References

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Should I Breed My Dog?
You may be wondering whether or not you should breed your dog. Here is some information. The summary is that if you want to do it right, and get healthy and happy puppies, it is very expensive and a lot of work. Many people have written several treatises on this subject including Ms Swedlow; this article compiles many similar points.
Remember that you are going to need a vet that is familiar with whelping dogs. This will be your best resource, as well as any long-time breeders that you know. Not all vets are knowlegeable about whelping so be sure to ask around and especially look for recommendations from local breeders that you may know.

I want to make some money!
Breeding, and doing it right, is an expensive undertaking. By the time you've picked out a good bitch, waited for her to grow old enough (minimum age: two years before breeding), picked out the best dog to mate her with, gone through all the health checks she needs, ensured that the dog you want to use also passes the same health checks, you've invested a lot of time and effort. You still have to pay a stud fee (or give a puppy back), you have potential extra expenses during pregnancy, you have the time and expense of whelping (either you take time off from work or something goes wrong and you have to take her in to the vets). You need to keep the puppies for a minimum of 8 weeks before sending them to their homes; you need to advertise and find good homes for the puppies, you need to make sure they have had their shots before going. You may have possible vet bills if the puppies require extra attention. If some of the puppies die, or you have a smaller than usual litter, you may not get as much money from the sale of the puppies as you had though. There are even potential problems later on with dissatified customers! You are better off consulting with a financial wizard about investing the money you would otherwise spend and lose on breeding!
Breeders frequently count themselves lucky if they break even.

My kids should see the wonders of birth and life!
What if the whelping goes wrong and dead puppies are born? What if the bitch dies? These are all very real risks that you are undertaking. Much better alternatives include videotapes that are available. If there are local 4-H clubs, those provide alternatives for children.
Or, you could contact your local shelter and see if there is a pregnant bitch about to whelp or a litter of puppies that need to be raised and socialized before being adopted out. This would allow you to find out just what this could entail, while helping the shelters rather than potentially contributing to the problem.

I want another dog just like mine!
If you want to breed your dog so as to get another dog like yours, think about this for a moment. No matter how special your dog is to you, a puppy out of it is not guaranteed to be just like or even similar to your dog -- half its genes will be from another dog! You will have to find another dog that also has the characteristics you want in your puppy; that dog will have to be unneutered; and the owner of that dog will have to be willing to breed her/his dog to yours. It is much easier, often less expensive, and certainly less time consuming to pick out an existing dog that you like from the shelter or another breeder. Best yet, go back to the same breeder of your dog, if possible, and pick another puppy out of similar lines.
Every bitch should have a litter!
This is flat out wrong. Bitches are not improved by having puppies. They may undergo temporary temperament changes, but once the puppies are gone, she'll be back to her old self. Nor is it somehow good for her physically. In fact, you will put her at risk of mammary cancer and pyometra. There is absolutely nothing wrong with spaying a bitch without her having a litter.
But my dog is registered!
Well, yes, but that doesn't mean a whole lot. A registered dog, be it AKC, UKC, CKC, etc., simply means that it's parents (and their parents) are also registered with the same registry. This confers no merit in of itself, it simply means that the dog's parentage is known.
Most registries do not make any assertions of quality in the dogs they register (except for some limited breed-only registrations, but these are uncommon). They do not restrict the breeding of their dogs and hence there is no guarantee that a registered dog is a good specimen of its breed.

The AKC has just started a "limited registration" program whereby puppies out of such dogs are ineligible for registration. It remains to be seen what the overall impact on AKC dog breeds will be. Other registries have used similar programs with good results.

So I should breed when...?
The only reason you should be breeding is that you honestly feel that you are improving your breed by doing so. There are far too many dogs in the country to breed without good reason. A dog in a breeding program must be one whose genetic history you or its breeder is intimately familiar with. Such a dog must represent the best efforts of its breeder at that point. Such a dog must have good points to contribute, whether that is in good conformation, good performance or whatever. Such a dog must have some evidence of external evaluation. That is, others besides the breeder or the owner must also think that the dog is a good representive of its breed. That usually translates into titles, whether for conformation, obedience, field, herding, or whatever is appropriate for that breed. Such a dog must be tested as it matures for any problems that tend to appear in its breed, whether that is hip dysplasia, patellar luxation, von Willebrand's, cataracts, PRA, fanconi syndrome, subaortic stenosis, etc.
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Potential Hereditary Problems
Every breed has a different set of potential problems for it. I have listed common ones below, but this is not to say that all dogs must be checked for everything listed. You need to do research in your breed to find out what the common problems are. You will also need to research the particular bloodlines you are using to see if they are prone to any additional problems you want to know about and screen for as well.
Eyes
Most breeds require eye checks of some sort, for a variety of problems. These include, but are not limited to problems such as
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA). This disease eventually causes total blindness. In some breeds the onset is quick, before the dog is two or three. In others, the onset is much later, when the dog is four to eight years old (and may have already been bred). Irish Setters have a test available that can detect carriers and affected dogs; other breeds do not have this recourse. It appears to be a simple autosonomal recessive, but the late onset complicates breeding programs. If a dog is affected, then both parents are either carriers or also affected.
Retinal Dysplasia. Causes eventual blindness. This is believed to be hereditary. Some dogs can be detected with this condition in puppy hood, but carriers cannot be identified until they produce such puppies.
Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA). This affects the collie breeds (bearded, border, rough, smooth) as well as some closely related ones. This condition has varying degrees of severity from hardly affected to blind; the problem is that this disease is inherited and two hardly affected dogs may easliy produce a severely affected dog.
Cataracts. There are many forms and causes for cataracts, but some forms, such as juvenile cataracts, are inherited and such dogs should not be bred.
Entropion, Ectropion: These are conditions in which the eyelids turn in or out, causing various problems and often pain for the dog.
The Canine Eye Registry Foundation (CERF) in the USA registers dogs that are found to be clear of eye problems by a board certified (AVCO) veterinarian. Dogs need to be cleared yearly as there are some types of eye problems that show up later in life.
Hip and joints
There are a variety of joint problems found in most breeds. Toy breeds can have joint problems too; just because your breed is smaller doesn't mean you can figure you are free of hip dysplasia and be done with it. There are several problems that specifically affect smaller dogs!
Hip dysplasia is probably the best known problem. This is a malformation or deterioration of the hip joint, so that the socket it sits in is too shallow to secure the head of the femur. As the condition progresses, arthritic changes begin to destroy the protective cartilage and the dog may experience severe pain if the condition is bad enough. Some dogs are asymptomatic, but still should not be bred. This condition primarily affects the medium-to-large breeds, but smaller breeds have been known to be affected, for example Cocker Spaniels and Shetland Sheepdogs can have this problem. To make sure your dog is free of hip dysplasia, you need to have the hips radiographed and then obtain an expert analysis of the xrays. Your vet isn't necessarily the one to do this! In the US, you would mail the xrays to the Orthopedic Foundation of Animals and wait several weeks for their evaluation. In Canada, Europe and Britain, there are equivalent programs, but all differ in the type of certification and age at which they will certify; some organizations certify after one year of age, others certify after two years of age.
Osteochondrosis Dessicans (OCD) is an elbow joint problem. A bone spur or a flake wears away at the joint which becomes stiff and painful. Xray evaluations of these joints are also needed. Many breeds that are prone to hip dysplasia may also have OCD.
Patellar Luxation is a problem affecting the kneecaps. Smaller dogs are more prone to this problem than larger ones are. The kneecap will slide out of place and lock the leg straight. Diagnosis is fairly straightforward and surgery can correct the problem, but no dog with patellar luxation should be bred as this is also an hereditary condition.
There are a few other types of problems, affecting other joints like the hocks, or affecting the spine, that you should be aware of in some breeds. This is only an overview to give you an idea of what kinds of problems are out there. Remember that joint problems, even if not hereditary, may make it problematic for a bitch to be bred. Pregnancy is hard on the joints and on the body in general and if she isn't in the best of physical health, it is much kinder not to breed her.
Other things to check for
In some breeds, deafness is a potential problem. Puppies at risk should be BAER tested and any that fail should be neutered.
Heart conditions in many breeds must be checked for. Subaortic stenosis (SAS), other malformations of the heart or valves.
Hemophilia type of problems, e.g., von Willebrand's disease and others.
Malabsorptive syndromes, digestive problems.
Epilepsy.
Allergies.
Incorrect temperament for breed.
Finally, remember that not only the potential dam but also the sire must be checked for all the things appropriate for their breed and particular bloodlines.
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Medical Checks before Breeding
You must make sure the bitch and the stud both are free from brucellosis before breeding them. Brucellosis causes eventual sterility in both sexes (sometimes non-obviously) and can cause a litter of puppies to be aborted or die shortly after birth. In addition, brucellosis is on occasion transmissible to humans via the urine or feces of an affected dog. Between dogs, it is most commonly passed in sexual intercourse, although an entire kennel can be infected through contact with secretions.
The sire should be in excellent general health. The dam must be in good health, to withstand the stresses and rigors of a pregnancy. They must both be up to date on their vaccinations.

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Temperament
Never breed any animal that has temperament problems. In particular, this has been the cause of the degeneration of many breed's general temperament: Doberman Pinschers, Rottweilers, and so on. If your animal is untrustworthy around people, overly aggressive to people, excitable, or is a fear-biter, do not breed it. If it is shy or submissive, don't breed it. Look for happy, confident and obedient animals, and consider carefully the particular temperament requirements for your dog's breed.
There are a variety of tests to indicate a dog's temperament. Many of the working breeds have a temperament test (for example, the Doberman's WAC test) for their breed. AKC has a Canine Good Citizen test (open to all dogs) that gives some indication of the dog's temperament (and, yes, training). Therapy Dogs International and other Therapy Dog clubs have temperament testing that does try to separate out actual temperament from training. Obedience titles can be (but are not necessarily) an indication of good temperament.

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Pedigree Research
You must carefully consider each dog's pedigree for compatibility. Try to select strengths to offset weaknesses. Do not allow your bitch to be bred to an unsuitable dog, and conversely, be picky about the bitches you allow your dog to breed. This phase alone requires considerable research to find a suitable candidate, and you should definitely work closely with a knowledgeable person, ideally the breeder of your dog. Simply because two dogs "look good" or even *are* good does not mean that they necessarily complement each other: suppose they are both carriers for the same disease? Suppose they both have a tendency to overbites or other disqualifying faults?
Be honest with yourself. If your dog is not a good representation of its breed, do not let it reproduce. It is much easier to improve a few faults than to try and get excellent pups with a mediocre dog. Check the breed standard for your dog and ask a knowledgeable person for their evaluation of your dog.

We'll return the the importance of scrutinizing a pedigree in the genetics section below.

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Frequency of Breeding
Ideally, a bitch should only be bred every other year and she should not be bred much before two years of age. The season closest to the second birthday is a good one to start with; certainly no earlier than this. In some breeds, you may need to wait one more season before beginning. By this time, she is better prepared mentally for having puppies than she would have been with her first few seasons. Her physical growth is complete and pregnancy at this point won't endanger her health, provided that she is healthy to begin with.
In breeds with Hip Dysplasia, many people wait until after two years of age so that the parents can be certified; however if you have sent in xrays to OFA for preliminary evaluation and they came back as fine, many breeders consider it safe enough to then breed on the season closest to the second year, which can wind up being before the bitch is actually old enough to be certified. (And when the bitch is old enough, she is, of course, duly certified.) But the preliminary xrays must be examined by OFA, not by a local veterinarian. There are many dysplastic dogs out there that had vets look at their xrays and pronounce them "wonderful."

It's important, however, to keep the frequency of breeding low. Even at maximum, you want to allow at least one unbred season between breedings. This allows your bitch to rest and regain her strength. A bitch that whelps too often will produce weaker puppies more likely to die, and the repeated pregnancies are pretty rough on her, too.

For dogs, they should definitely have all their certifications necessary. For many breeds this means that they should be over two years old. Since a dog can be bred at any time, unlike bitches, waiting for two years is not a problem, whereas a bitch often has a season just before two years of age and then has to wait until 2.5 or three which sometimes presents problems in trying to time her litters. But this does not apply to a stud dog, so he should definitely have all of his checks and certifications before being bred. Frequency is not generally a problem although some dogs have problems with sperm production if they breed once a day for several days. They need top-quality feeding and care if they are going to be bred often.

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Care of the Pregnant or Nursing Bitch
You should make sure the bitch is up-to-date on all her vaccinations, medications, and shots before she is bred. She will require supplementary food during the last three weeks or so of pregnancy. In general, puppy food is formulated both for puppies and pregnant or nursing bitches.
She should be under the care of a vet for any related problems. Dogs can have miscarriages. Illnesses, diseases, or infestations that the bitch picks up during her pregnancy can affect the puppies. Difficulties during whelping are entirely possible, and the rule for some breeds. You must be prepared to get her to the vet quickly in an emergency.

There are instances of "mummy puppies" where you have a puppy whose development went awry, but it was not aborted. Instead, it dries and shrivels up, and when born, looks like a mummified puppy, blackened and ready to rot. Overbreeding and inadequate care are usually the causes. It is quite likely that the dam will come down with an infected uterus after such a puppy. "Water puppies" are another type of problem in which the dead puppy appears to have never properly developed a skeleton and appears to be full of gelatin. This seems to be linked to a viral exposure.

Other congenital (but not genetic) defects can include: no anus, cleft palates and hare lips. These conditions require corrective surgery or the puppy will die.

While the bitch is nursing the puppies, she will require about three times the amount of food she normally eats! It is also common for nursing mothers to go out of coat at this time.

Reply
Recommend Message 3 of 3 in Discussion

From: MsRottie1 Sent: 4/16/2003 12:44 PM
Caring for the Puppies
Prewhelping preparations
You should have a sturdy, clean, proper sized whelping box for the litter. It MUST include a "pig rail" around the edge to prevent the bitch from laying on or smashing her pups. It should be big enought to allow the bitch to turn around but small enough to prevent the pups from being "lost" in the unused portions. About six inches longer than she is, fore and aft, when laying prone (as in suckling her puppies) and about a foot on either side length wise.
To get the whelping box ready for your bitch, get a sheet of plastic, such as you would use for painting a ceiling to protect the floor. Cut it up into several pieces the size of the whelping box. Put one piece of plastic down, several layers of newspaper, another piece of plastic, more layers of newspaper and so on for four or five layers. Then when your bitch is whelping puppies, you can roll off a layer when it gets messy -- and it will! -- and throw it away to instantly clean the whelping box.

Postwhelping
After the puppies are born, there are many strategies for lining the whelping box. Some people continue to use newspapers, but puppies get pretty dirty from both newspaper print and feces. Other people have had success with synthetic materials on top of absorbent materials: the synthetic material provides secure footing, but the urine and other liquids pass through it to leave it dry. Other people use pine shavings (about six inches deep). You will do a lot of laundering to keep things clean no matter what you use. You will also have to clean the feces out of the whelping box after your bitch decides that's no longer her job.
Newborn puppies MUST be kept warm. The temperature in the whelping box at birth should be 90 F. The temperature can then be decreased 2 degrees every other day. NEVER FEED A CHILLED PUPPY!!! If a puppy becomes chilled it will cry continually and it will tuck its tail between its little legs. A healthy, happy, litter will "purr" like a swarm of bees and when feeding their tails will be straight out from their bodies. Warm any chilled puppy by putting the puppy under your shirt and under your armpit. The best method of warming a puppy is to use a special whelping box heating pad with a towel over it to prevent soiling the pad. Make sure the temerature does not go too high. Heating lamps are ok but puppies can become dehydrated. If the litter clumps together and cries, they are too cold; if they separate and try to hide under shade, they are too hot.

Large litters will require supplemental feedings if you want all the puppies to survive. Your bitch may not be able to care for a very large litter. You will need to get the pups rotating on shifts. For the first two weeks you may have to supplement as much as every four hours. Use a good prepared milk-supplement especially formulated for puppies. If you get in a bind you can use a goat-milk reciepe avilable in most books about breeding and whelping pups. You may have to tube feed those pups that will not suckle from a bottle!

Are you going to remove the dewclaws or dock a tail? This must be done by 3 days old at the latest! Any later will not heal as nicely or quickly!

If you have a purebred litter, you must record the date of birth and all of the pups (including the dead ones) in your record book. Then you will need to fill out and send in your litter registration form. You want to do this as soon as possible, since many registries can take up to 6 weeks to return the forms for individual registration to you (which you will want to give to your puppy buyers later).

You will have to keep the whelping box clean. For the first two weeks the bitch will keep the pups pretty clean, but the bedding should be changed twice a day at minimum. Starting week three, the pups start to eliminate some on their own.. then you will need to clean much more often!

At four weeks, the pups usually become very active and it this time may require a larger area then the welping box...you will need a large ex-pen or some way of confining them safely. You do have a place to keep them that they are safe in and can't destroy? Puppies at this stage can devastate a room or garage in hours.

At week five you will probably want to introduce the pups to weaning food. Usually you will have to mush up the dry puppy food for the pups to be able to eat it. Use warm water and let the food stand in a bowl for about 2 hours.

At week six you should vaccination and worm the pups, and have them checked for heartmurmers, hernias, males for testicles (yes you should be able to feel them at 6 weeks!), deafness, and eye problems.

You should be socializing now too... And are you going to do any puppy testing for temperaments? At seven weeks you should be calling up those poeple with deposits on your pups and getting your paper work all sorted out. Are your spay/neuter contracts ready? How about pictures of the pups for your clients?

And this is just if everything goes perfectly! What happens if one of the pups has a heart murmer, or a hernia? What about a deaf puppy? What if your whole litter gets parvo or distemper? What happens if one of the pups is affected with "swimmer-puppy" syndrome? What about fading-puppy syndrome? What happens if your bitch gets an infection or mastitis? What if she dies?

Placing the puppies
After the puppies are born, if not before, you must consider placing your puppies. Time and time again, people breed a litter because friends and family want one of their dog's puppies -- and then none of them will take one.
At six weeks is when even seasoned breeders wonder why they do this. A healthy active litter of six will run you ragged at this age. They are so curious, they want to explore everywhere, and they are at the prime age for socialization and exposure to many things that you, as a responsible breeder, want to give them a head start on.

At eight weeks, you may begin placing those pups that are ready to go to their new homes. Insecure pups may need more time, how are those puppy tests coming? You can't place puppies earlier than 7.5 weeks or so (no matter how much you may want to).

Are you prepared to do some legwork to find GOOD homes for them, not just hand them off to the first person who comes by? You are aware that you won't always be able to sell all of your puppies locally, aren't you? What assurances do you have that the puppies will not wind up filling animal shelters, facing death because their parents were thoughtlessly bred? Suppose you wind up keeping more of the litter than you intended to? Suppose some of your puppies are returned? Can you keep the extra puppies?

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Considerations for Stud Dogs
First, remember that it is extremely difficult to come up with a top quality stud dog that people want to use. After all, they will look around and pick out the best male they can find. So your dog has to be pretty impressive to be noticed in the competition.
Your male should be in top condition. He should be certified clear of joint problems (and in many cases that means he has to be at least two years old). His eyes should be checked annually. He should be clear of any abnormalities common to his breed. No heart problems, no seizures, no thyroid problems, etc. He should be clear of brucellosis. His temperament should be good, and appropriate for his breed. If you have such a dog, you will need to get your dog well known. This generally involves showing your dog (in show, field, or obedience) and doing other work with him. An unproven dog (that has no previous puppies or only puppies too young to evaluate) will command a much lower stud dog fee than a proven dog (with a record of puppies to examine).

You must be prepared to board the bitch. The common procedure is for the bitch to be shipped out to stud, so you will need facilities to board bitches in heat. These facilities should be adequate for up to a week of boarding and to prevent any mismating. You might wind up with more than one bitch at a time -- can you board them all safely?

You must monitor the mating and be ready to intervene if necessary. Some breeds require intervention (such as Basset Hounds). Not all dogs or bitches understand what to do, especially if it is the first time for one or the other. It can be disastrous if two dogs are left alone to mate. Additionally, if the mating doesn't take, are you prepared to go through the whole thing again the next time the bitch comes into season? Typical contracts call for free repeat breeding in the case two or less puppies occur or the breeding doesn't take.

You need to be able to evalate the bitch's pedigree for compatibility with your dog's. Any good points or bad points of the litter are (rightly or not) attributed to the sire, so your dog's reputation is at stake with each litter he sires. You should be reasonably confident that the proposed breeding will result in good puppies.

If the owner of the bitch is a novice, are you prepared to assist with advice on whelping and puppy care? These people will expect you to have the answers. Sometimes entire litters of puppies are dumped on the stud dog owner when the bitch's owners can no longer cope with them because they didn't realize what a responsibility caring for a litter involved. Are you ready to take care of and place your dog's offspring if this should happen to you?

Are you prepared to deal with cases where you are certain your dog is not the sire of the puppies but the bitch's owner insists that he is? Or if the owner of the bitch insists that you must have allowed a mismating to occur when she was boarded with you? Disputes of this sort can become very ugly very quickly.

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Genetics
If a purebred dog of breed X mated with a purebred dog of breed Y, both meeting health standards for their breed, is there a better chance the offspring would be healthier than a same breed mating because the gene pool is larger?
In terms of health alone the first answer would be that in breeding two healthy dogs it shouldn't matter if they're the same of different breeds, you're apt to get healthy pups. But this doesn't take into account the question of recessives. Suppose you breed two dogs of different breeds that both have the same incidence of a recessive health problem. The pups would have the same odds of having that health problem as purebred pups of either breed. On the other hand, suppose the two dogs were of breeds that have no recessive health problems in common. This would reduce or eliminate the odds of the puppies of having the health problems of either breed. This is the classic explanation for the theory of first generation hybrid vigor. The resulting pups should not be bred though, since they'd have a good chance of having the recessives from BOTH breeds, so the grandpups would be inclined to be worse off than the purebred offspring of their grandparents. An excellent set of articles dealing with "hybrid vigor" can be found in DogWorld, Jan 1997 by George Padgett DVM. Another very important point to keep in mind is that when a purebred carrying a genetic defect is crossed with another breed or mixed breed, the "bad" genes do NOT "go away" even though they may not be expressed in the offspring. If crossed with another dog carrying the same defect, the offspring of that breeding will demonstrate the defect.
Purebred dogs have all these diseases, though! It seems that you never hear about mixed breed dogs with problems.
Responsible breeders try to identify genetic diseases their dogs might be carrying and to eliminate them by careful breeding. It is ironic, though not surprising, that their efforts to identify and weed out genetic problems have lead some to cry "look at all the genetic diseases purebred dogs have!" A moment's careful thought will lead you to the conclusion that mixed breeds carry the same harmful genes (their parents, or their parents' parents, were purebreds, after all). The differences are
with some recessive disorders (though not all genetic defects) the disease is less likely to be expressed (though it can still be inherited by offspring)
you have lesser likelihood of ever identifying or eliminating any harmful genes your mixed breed may be carrying
Also, if you stop and think about it, many mixed breeds are simply not tested for most problems. When they get older and limp, it's just considered old age, although it could well be hip dysplasia. When they get older and start to go blind, it could be PRA, but the owners are unlikely to test for this. It's not that owners of mixed breeds are bad, by any means, but they are not looking for possible inheritable problems, either.
When you breed two different breeds together, what kind of variation can you expect?
Pfaffenberger's book has some interesting data on this. He did some experiments with four different breeds. They were dogs of approximately the same size, but very different physical appearance AND behavior. The results he saw in the first and in subsequent mixed generations are pretty interesting.
Let's look at a common crossbreeding: "cockapoos" (which are not purebred dogs, nor registered with any registry). These are crosses between Cocker Spaniels and Minature or Toy Poodles. The dogs actually vary quite a bit, some being more poodle like than others, and some being more cocker like than others. However, they are generally all a small sized, buff colored shaggy dog. If you breed two cockapoos together (not generally done), you get an even wider variation of dogs -- some look like Minature Poodles, others like Cocker Spaniels. The reason for this is the recessive genes hidden in the first cross that came out in the second generation. This is actually a visual example of why "hybrid vigor" doesn't hold.

What is outcrossing?
Outcrossing is where the sire and dam are totally unrelated, preferably for three or four generations. The true form of an outcross is between two entirely different breeds because in reality the members of most registered breeds come from a common ancestor (althought it may be many, many generations back). It is very rare for outcrossed puppies to be uniform in appearance. Usually there are a very large ranges of sizes, coats, colors, markings, and other distinctive characteristics. Outcrossed litters are generally heterozygous, and do not reliably reproduce themselves, so even the nicest puppy in the litter may not later produce the best puppies.
Outcrossing is generally used to introduce something new to a line -- a better head, better colors, better front, etc. Usually the puppies retained from these breedings are bred back into the breeder's original line to standardize them back into the line's general characteristics and reproducibility -- with the one desired characteristic. The tricky part is that other characteristics may come along for the ride!

If you are dedicated enough, you can eventually continue breeding by outcrossing alone (but don't expect instant or quick results). You should pick dogs that complement eachother well and are similar in general appearance. This is a long hard road to eventually developing a line. Through outcrossing, many health problems can quickly be eliminated (or just as quickly added into your breeding), but usually you do sacrifice some show quality and producibility.

You have to remember that dogs that appear totally healthy may be carriers of genetic problems. To find this out, test mating is done to a dog that is affected with the genetic problem (resulting usually in puppies that are both affected and non-affected carriers) or by inbreeding to a related dog that also doesn't show the signs of being affected (usually littermates are used) this will usually result in some puppies free of the problem, some puppies as carriers, and some puppies affected if both dogs carry the problem gene (this is not as accurate as breeding to an affected dog, but you are less likely to have to put all the puppies down).

There are variations on outcrossing. A "true" outcross could be a dog that has totally unrelated dogs bred together throughout the pedigree. This is very rare. On the other hand, "linecrossing" is a form of outcrossing where dogs from unrelated lines are bred to produce a new line. The sire and dam are usually very linebred from their prospective lines and the resulting puppies are varied in appreance, some looking like the sire's line and some looking like the dam's line and some looking like mixtures of both lines.

How about line breeding?
Line breeding is when the sire and the dam are distantly related: e.g., grandsire to granddaughter, granddam to grandson, second cousins, half cousins, uncle to niece, aunt to nephew..... The general strategy is that there is a common ancestor that is being doubled up on both sides. So the desired dog appears several times in the pedigree.
This is probably the most common strategy in breeding purebred dogs (and in developing new breeds, for that matter). Though this method, new genes are slowly introduced and unwanted genes are slowly replaced. The actual rate varies by how strongly you line breed. It sacrifices little overall quality in terms of show quality. Usually the puppies are rather close in general conformation. The only problem with this method is that it often takes several generations to get poor genes out, (or adding desired genes in) resulting in many puppies that have the same genetic problems (or virtues) that their parents have. And then because some breeders are more interested in winning, they do not place the affected puppies on spay/neuter contracts. This is both a blessing and a curse for the breed. If the breeder is very careful, affected pups can be used wisely to prevent loss of quality, but still remove the affected genes by only breeding the affected pups to known non-carrier relatives. This way the breeder can again try to "edit out" the bad genes. It takes longer this way but less show quality is lost in the process. This process results in dogs that will often reproduce their same level of quality. This is refered to as reaching homozygous litters (more genes of the same kind apparent in the puppies).

Inbreeding and linebreeding really differ only in degree. Linebreeding is less likely to cause harm than inbreeding. Inbreeding is not for novices. Knowledge of genetics and the breed is required for success. For good results it must be well-planned and breeders must be ready for whatever problems it presents.

And inbreeding?
Inbreeding is where the sire and the dam are closely related: mother to son, father to daughter, sister to brother, half sister to half brother, cousin to cousin. People disgree about the exact point at which inbreeding becomes linebreeding. Inbreeding is the quickest way to find out what poor genes are in the line and what dominant characteristics are in the line.
Although many people are disgusted with the idea of this family incest, it is an extremely useful tool for diagnosing what genes are present. If the genes for bad eyes are present, but hidden or resessive, this will bring them out to their full extent. If there isn't any bad genes, then the puppies will be of very close uniformity and very able to reproduce themselves (theroretically). This is a homozygous breeding. The resulting puppies will have a lot of genetic material that is the same as their parents and grandparents and will be close genetically to each other.

Inbreeding doesn't introduce new genes and does not eliminate bad genes that the line already has. It only shifts them around like a rubix cube. This often results in litters with high show potential, if the quality was high to begin with. It shows you what recessives you have lurking in the dogs' backgrounds -- both good and bad. But there are drawbacks. Besides the possibility of bad recessives, inbreeding exclusively will eventually lead to infertility. It's like a xerox machine. After so many copies, you have to renew the ink. The same with dogs, you have to introduce new genes. No reputable breeder will use inbreeding exclusively, and many breeders simply never use it. Usually, you will only find: very experienced breeders, ignorant breeders, and puppy mills making use of this technique.

Inbreeding increases the chance that a gene obtained from the sire will match one obtained from the dam, both stemming from the common ancestor(s) on which the individual was inbred. Thus, inbreeding tends to make animals homozygous rather than heterozygous. The inbreeding coefficient measures the resulting increase in homozygousity. All breeds have a given degree of homozygosity the mating of two dogs from the same breed would not produce a recognizable specimen of the breed!

Inbreeding increases homozygosity and decrease heterozygosity. So it can duplicate both desirable and harmful alleles, both of which can be unsuspected in the line, and may appear. Inbreeding does NOT create anomalies, it brings present anomalies to the surface. Even when the anomalies are present, inbreeding might not reveal them. However, once revealed, then the breeder can do something about them in the next generations of breeding.

An increase in harmful recessives is undesirable but it is not a major drawback if they are identified early. The effect of inbreeding on major polygenic traits is greater. Generally, traits that are highly inherited (ie largely additively controlled) are not adversely affected by inbreeding but, traits under non-additive control, especially those tied to dominance and thus not of high heritability, are often markedly harmed by inbreeding.

OK, how do pedigrees figure into this?
Remember that it is difficult to spot unaffected carriers. When an affected dog shows up, its pedigree is often examined for likely carriers. For example, PRA is a common problem in many breeds. There are dogs that come down with PRA that have a certain ancestor in common. That ancestor may then be considered a possible carrier and line breeding on him is avoided. This is a simplistic picture, obviously, since it's possible for an unaffected non-carrier of PRA to come from an unaffected carrier that came from an affected dog (therefore the affected dog is in the unaffected dog's pedigree). If a general blood test is ever developed that shows the presence of the recessive in an unaffected dog, then much more accurate breedings may be done; currently this is only possible for Irish Setters.
There is rarely only a single problem a breeder is trying to screen for. Suppose a suspected carrier of PRA is known for producing excellent hips. A breeder might therefore introduce that bloodline into theirs for the hips, and be willing to have the possibility of PRA show up in the line. In screening out one problem you might have to accept the possibility of another appearing.

Examining the pedigrees also lets you know what percent of ancestry the dogs share (since the relationships are often much more complex than simply cousins or aunt/uncle, the degree of common ancestry is often given as a percentage instead) and decide whether or not it's acceptable given your current goals.

What are like-to-like matings and compensatory matings?
Like to like mating implies the best to the best and the worst to the worst where the worst is not used at all. For most breeders, like to like matings are between dogs which resemble each other greatly and so similar type dogs are bred. These dogs may or may not be closely related.
The pups resemble their parents because of the genes in common with them. If those parents resembled each other their progeny would be even more like their parents. This tends to make the population look more uniform, however there is little increase in prepotency from this technique.

Compensatory Mating: This unlike to unlike mating is used by breeders to correct for a defect in an animal by mating it to another animal that might correct for the defect. The system is basically simple but the breeder must identify faults and virtues and it requires breed knowledge. The pedigrees of both dogs should be examined carfully to try to identify the ways in which the dogs differ and what the expected outcomes could be. A correct dog and not one who errs in the opposite direction is required. That is, if you want to improve structure, look for a dog with correct structure and not an overbuilt dog. This technique often results in only one or two pups with the combination desired.

But this is all very vague and complicated!
Yes, it is. There are no easy answers, and there are different things to consider in every breed. This uncertainty with respect to genetic inheritance is exactly the reason that breeding is so difficult to do right. It helps immensely to have a "mentor", someone who is familiar not only with the breeds, but the lines your dog belongs to -- advice from such a knowledgeable person is often extremely valuable.
If we knew everything about genetics, we wouldn't have problems with our dogs any more. We'd eliminate Hip Dysplasia, PRA, heart problems, thyroid problems, seizures, etc. within a few generations if we knew everything. Unfortunately it's an art that few people are actually very good at.

posted 08-26-2003 04:42 PM            

If you do not have the competencies required to facilitate the breeding of your bitch, the raising of puppies, and the placement of puppies, it is irresponsible and unethical to breed until you have.
As a starting point, if you can answer the following questions, then you'll be well on the track to being ready to breed. If you can't answer 90% of these, don't even bother attempting to breed until you can:

Setting yourself up right
What does dog conformation refer to?
How can you test if my dog has the correct conformation?
What important points should be considered on a dog's pedigree?
How many championships should be listed in a pedigree prior to breeding?

The beginning of the season
When will a bitch first come into season?
Should a bitch be bred on her first season?
How old should a bitch be before breeding commences?
On what grounds should a bitch not be bred from?
On what days is a bitch fertile?
How long is a bitch's season?

Breeding the dogs
On what day's should a bitch be bred?
What is a studmaster and when should they be used?
On what attributes is a stud dog selected?
What health testing should both the dam and dog have prior to breeding?
How old should a dog be before he is used at stud?
What are the responsibilities of a stud dog owner?
What are the important contract items to have in a breeding contract?
On what grounds should a dog be neutered?
What diseases can a dog get while being bred?
When should a dog be allowed near an in season bitch?
How does the breeding actually take place?
Does there need to be a tie for a breeding to have taken place?
What is AI and when should it be conducted?
Who should conduct the AI and what specific precautions should be taken?
Why is the stud dog turned during a breeding?
How many times should a bitch be bred?
Can a litter have more than one father?
Where must a bitch be kept while she is in season?

Gestation
How long is a bitch's gestation?
What special diet should the bitch be fed while in season, and while pregnant?
Under what special circumstances should additional calcium be fed to a pregnant bitch?

Whelping
What are the signs that a bitch is going into labour?
What is the best type of whelping box arrangements?
Where should the bitch be when she whelps?
What are the signs that the whelping is going well?
What are the signs that there are problems developing?
When should a c-section be performed?
What is primary inertia and the implications?
What is secondary inertia and the implications?
What is oxytocin?
When should the vet be called for help?
Should calcium be administered during whelping?
What does green fluid indicate?
How long should it take for a bitch to whelp?
What is the incidence of puppy deaths in each litter?
What is a breach birth, how often does it happen, and what are the problems that can result?
What are the implications for a pup born out of the sac?
How do you ensure that each placenta is accounted for, and what do you do if they are not?
What should be done with the placenta?
How do you resuscitate a dead puppy?
How do you clear fluid from a puppy's lungs?
How many extra set of hands should you have at a c-section?
When should oxygen be administered to puppies?
When should puppies first fed from the dam?
How do you check for cleft palate?
How are puppies who are deformed managed?

Caring for the mother
What should the dam be fed while she is looking after puppies?
What are the signs of infection in the bitch?

Caring for puppies
What are the signs that the puppies are progressing well?
What are the signs that the puppies are in trouble?
What is mastisis and how is it treated?
What do you do if the dam's milk does not come in?
How do you bottle feed a puppy, and what do you use?
How do you tube feed a puppy?
How can you tell if a puppy is feeding well?
How can you tell if a pup has received enough milk?
How can you check to see if a pup is dehydrated?
What is fading puppy syndrome and how do you rescue a puppy from it?
What are the common problems to be aware of when raising the puppies?
When do you introduce "real food" to puppies?
Why should puppies never be given "baby food"?
Why should puppies not be given grains to eat?
Should puppies be vaccinated?
Should puppies be wormed?
Under what conditions should a puppy be culled and how?
Under what conditions should a puppy be wormed and/or vaccinated?

Placing puppies
How do you choose puppy buyers?
What responsibilities do you have as a breeder for those pups?
What sort of guarantees are you going to offer the buyers?
How do you ensure your puppy buyers are going to look after the puppies?
When and how do you temperament test puppies?
How do you match the right puppy with the right person?
When do you remove the dam from the puppies?
When should the puppies be totally weaned?
How are puppies house trained?
When are puppies first socialised and how?
What sort of puppy pack information are you going to provide to the buyers?
When do you start training the puppies?
What breeder support are you offering once the puppies have gone?