Dog Breeding

By Mark Woodcock

So you have a female pedigree dog with papers, you want to make some extra cash, so you think you'll go ahead and mate her with a stud so she'll breed and have some puppies. Not so easy! Proper breeding needs time, education, experience and of course money.

Dog breeding does not make you money. If you are a good dog breeder, after postnatal care costs and proper veterinary care costs, there is little money left. Inexperienced dog breeders could end up with unwanted puppies which will just contribute to the growing dog overpopulation problem that exists. There are some 3 million plus unwanted dogs and cats in the United States, around 25 per cent of them are purebred. Of course there has to be some breeding, as without breeding we would have no puppies to grow into dogs.

Good reasons to breed your bitch is to perpetuate good qualities of certain breeds of dog and to perpetuate a specific breed. If you breed puppies which are in demand, then you will usually be able to find them good homes. You should consider several things first if you are seriously considering breeding. Is your bitch of a good quality to be bred? Does your bitch fit her breed standard? Have your bitch examined by a veterinarian for her suitability for pregnancy and therefore avoiding inheritable abnormalities.

If your bitch can match up to these things and fits her breed standard, is healthy you may want to breed her to pass on her good traits. You should start by finding a reputable breeder to mentor your, attend dog shows and educate yourself by reading about breeding. You should also develop a good relationship with your veterinarian, one who could be called upon for any pregnancy and whelping problems you may encounter.

Getting your bitch pregnant is not as simple as you may first think. You should choose a good stud dog, check out its pedigree. cycles also vary from breed to breed and individual to individual to the timing of mating is also crucial to ensure pregnancy and in some cases may have to be repeated if mated to early or too late in your bitches cycle. Some people assume that dogs don't have problems during pregnancy or whelping, in the case of purebred dogs that have been unnaturally selected, this is not the case and some breeds may be prone to complications.

It is common during whelping to lose some puppies and therefore it is essential that you work along with your veterinarian to learn how to identify and handle any problems that may arise. Breeding is not a light undertaking, it's not just a hobby and does not always make you money like a business should. You should therefore take your time, you should have some money to invest along with plenty of energy.

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