Comments on: What does it take to become a good dog breeder?

By: tony l

tony l — Mon, 26 May 2008 17:57:40 +0000

Actually I love the idea of someone who cares about dogs…just like yourself…being a great dog breeder.
For the passion and love for dogs.
Personally, I could never do it, because of the personal attachment to the dogs/ pups
If I could handle it, I’d go for it myself!
Best of Luck!!!!!!

By: Nancy M

Nancy M — Fri, 23 May 2008 16:11:23 +0000

It takes knowing and caring about your breed, whatever breed that is. It is not having any real commercial interest in the breed but the desire to always learn and try to improve upon the breed. Knowing the breed standard, how they need to be constructed to be capable of doing their ‘job’ as well as knowing temperament, trainability, health issues – every aspect of the breed and getting a representative as close to that as possible and then attempting to improve on that and when improving, setting consistency in for all areas as well so that future generations benefit. Breeding for that one ‘great’ representative is ego based and good breeders aren’t ego based – they have good senses of self but don’t need to identify themselves by their dogs and their dog’s accoplishments. In the USA there is no ‘registration’ you have to go through in order to breed – in some other countries there are criteria set forth and occassionally they have mandated minimums but a good breeder will do way more than those mandated minimums as their concern isn’t about some arbitrary criteria but what they know in their hearts is best for the breed. They don’t pick and choose what they like about a dog and then alter the dog to fit those personal choices but will always adhere to the standard to try to come as close to perfection as possible – if once they are extreemly knowledgeable they realize that there should be change in the standard to make the breed more capable of their jobs, then they work with others in their breed club to adjust the standard but never change breed type either in structure or temperament. They committe themselves to do everything possible with each breeding to improve on what they have and not to breed indescriminantly or simply to ‘fill orders’. They look at a dog more with an eye as to not breeding it than as to breeding it and see what characteristics that dog might have that make it worthy of breeding and being included in the breed’s gene pool for the future. There are no perfect dogs at all but you start out with as close to it as possible and work hard at improving and striving for that perfection. It is about not being kennel blind in all aspects and taking all aspects into equal consideration as no breed benefits from any one aspect, health, structure, temperament, type, being put second. There might be characteristics that can be dealt with in future generations that are not improved on in a specific generation but these characteristics are considered and plans for future improvement on these are made. You don’t breed for A litter but for future litters in mind and you don’t breed a lot. There are many instances of influential breeders breeding very sparingly — if you crank out 100 puppies and one or two are good, that is poor breeding – if you produce five puppies that are beneficial to the breed and its future, that is good breeding.

Go to shows and trials and watch the various breeds – find out which breed it is that you are striken by — that you would give up all for — learn as much about this breed as possible – find good representatives of the breed, good breeders and seek out mentors about the breed. Find out the inherent problems as well as the good aspects of the breed – maybe do some help with rescue so you can see what poor breeding can produce as well — all exposures can be educational and thank you for caring enough to WANT to learn before just diving in and producing puppies like most of the world does… Good luck (you can learn a lot about dogs from breeders of other breeds as well and apply it to your chosen breed. I learned a ton from other breed breeders so don’t discount them simply because they don’t have the breed you like – find all breed kennel clubs and become a member and help at shows and stuff – take all opportunities to learn!)

By: doxie

doxie — Wed, 21 May 2008 23:01:49 +0000

WOW, sounds like you are thinking this through and may I say good for you. It’s nice to see your animal is neutered until you are ready. Kudos!
Yes, get your beginning stock from reputable breeders, make sure their dogs are show dogs and have won championships Those are the dogs you want your pup from if you are starting from pups. Make sure you check out the pups parents family tree for conformity to the breed and championships. This will not guarantee you a good breeding dog but helps.
When your pup is old enough and checked by the vet for health then you need to show your dog and make sure she is a champion. It is about 2 years of work.
Start by googling the breed you want once you decide. Talk to breeders and let them know what you want to do and try and get info from them. Go to dog shows and meet the people there and get as much information as you can from them, about the breed how to show. Learn how to be a dog trainer, find one in your area and take classes. Most of all read and educate your self on dogs and the breed you want to breed. Good luck and hope it works for you. Remember not to over breed your dog and don’t start too early.

By: Pam

Pam — Tue, 20 May 2008 20:12:16 +0000

Go to as many dog shows as you can, join a local kennel club. Research the breed thoroughly (standard, health issues, health testing available, faults). Research boodlines. Talk with breeders, owners, handlers. Of course you would want to get your dogs from a reputable breeder. Otherwise you take a chance with poor bloodlines and health problems.

If it’ll be 10 + years, get everything you can.

By: Shadow's Melon

Shadow's Melon — Mon, 19 May 2008 01:07:34 +0000

At least you are thinking ahead, years ahead here. That is a good thing. And thankfully, no designer crap either, we sure got enuf of that roaming around.

I would think a really good step in the right direction is to go to dog shows and then hook up with a reputable breeder. Explain to them your goals and your timeline and it is likely you will find someone who will be willing to mentor you along the way. There is so much to learn about pedigrees, structure and getting involved in what your breed was originally bred to do.

Try to get involved with the parent club of your breed as well and see if there is something local to you in that area.

Once you get a mentor, all your other questions will be answered. See, the reason so many of us on here get so mad at breeding questions is because we already know that if they are asking here, that they don’t have a mentor and likely their dog is from a backyard breeder and shouldn’t be bred in the first place. So start with an excellent mentor and everything else will fall into place for you.

Good luck, and thanx for not falling into the byb club

By: gringo4541

gringo4541 — Sat, 17 May 2008 21:24:06 +0000

You need to start towards your goal now. Get involved with the breed of your choice (many breeders do change breeds or add a breed as time passes). Attend dog shows and get involved with your local breed club. The more involved you become with activities involving the breed of your choice, the more likely you are to find one or a couple terrific mentors that would love to work with you teaching you things you need to know before undertaking the actual purchase and first steps into the ring with your dog. Maybe a mentor will let you get your ‘feet wet’ in the show ring with one of their dogs. I have a theory about showing, “It has to be fun. If it ceases to be fun for me, it’s time for me to get out of the ring.” Don’t let yourself get caught up in taking yourself or your showing too serious. While it is a serious endeavor, you need to be enjoying it or don’t do it. You have to just have the love of your breed in your heart and want to do everything you possibly can to maintain and improve on aspects of the breed. You take breeding and being ethical very much to heart.

Call your local kennel club and see if there is a breed club in your area (you can look on the internet too). Get involved now while you don’t have a dog to compete and don’t plan to have one for awhile. You will be able to see if this is really for you before laying out money on a quality dog and then find you really don’t enjoy this aspect of dog ownership.

By: swimmintink

swimmintink — Sat, 17 May 2008 06:00:26 +0000

Definitely start with GOOD breeding stock. Once you start, get each dog you plan to breed tested (if a test is available) for genetic defects. Purebreeding propagates a lot of problems if you’re not careful. Don’t breed just to get lots of puppies. Be very selective about your litters! You’re more likely to get a champ this way, and less likely to reduce the breed standard. If you sell your puppies to the public, get contracts that they will spay or neuter. Otherwise they will want their own litters and will probably use dogs with inferior genetics. Of course, if you are selling dogs to other breeders, check them out first! Make sure they are reputable before you sell your carefully bred dogs to someone who isn’t going to be responsible. The American Kennel club is a great resource. As a veterinary student, I’m not a huge fan of purebreeding in general unless it is done right! The AKC works very hard to ensure this happens! They are great about maintaining breed standards and doing whatever they can to help breeders reduce the negative effects of pure breeding. Vet Gen offers genetic tests based on disease and breed. They run up to $140 per test, which is well worth it when considering the ill effect these diseases can have.
It takes a lot of work, but being careful is completely worth it!

By: Linda D

Linda D — Thu, 15 May 2008 03:01:22 +0000

Thank you for researching before you jump in. Sounds like you’re on the right track. You should go to some shows and find a reputable breeder to mentor you.

Here’s a good article:

By: Queen of the Dachshunds

Queen of the Dachshunds — Mon, 12 May 2008 02:35:34 +0000

SPAY OR NEUTER!!!!!!!!

1.Not all dogs are built to be bred.

Most pets, although lovable, are not of breeding quality because they have genetic defects and other problems that should not be perpetuated. People who breed dogs for a living are very careful about choosing which dogs they will breed together based on physical characteristics and behavior. Some people decide that it would be fun to breed and just start looking for a dog that has the proper equipment and is willing. This can be a huge mistake.

2. There are already too many dogs in the world.

Breeding your pet is a serious endeavor and should not be taken lightly. There are far too many pets that end up in shelters without good homes. If your breed of dog has large litters, what will you do if you are unable to sell the puppies? Do you really want to contribute to the massive problem of pet overpopulation?

3. Dogs that aren’t neutered face serious health risks.

Consider your dog’s own health. Male dogs that are neutered are less likely to be hit by cars, because unaltered males have a very strong urge to roam and find a fertile female. Male dogs will go over or under fences, through doors and windows, and will pull leashes out of unsuspecting hands in quest of a mate.

Additionally, neutering greatly reduces the incidence of prostatic disease and eliminates testicular cancer in males, and cuts down on breast cancer in females. The possibility of uterine infections is also eliminated by spaying.

4. Female dogs used for breeding may have unwelcome visitors.

If you spay your dog, you will not have to chase persistent male dogs out of your yard. Also, you won’t have to worry about cleaning up messy heat cycles.

5. Be prepared to work like a dog when your pet goes into labor.

Many people do not realize just how much work and expense is involved with letting dogs have puppies. Getting the mother through pregnancy is the easy part, but labor is truly laborious for dog and owner alike. Dogs usually decide to have their puppies at the most inconvenient times, like 2:00 in the morning when veterinary hospitals are closed.

If your pet develops a problem during delivery, it means at least the expense of an emergency call. If the complications are life threatening, you must be prepared, especially if you have a breed of dog that has a broad head like a pug, to pay for an emergency C-section. It is very distressing to have to leave home in the middle of the night, worry about your pet, get a large veterinary bill and then try to explain to your boss why you cannot possibly come to work the next day.

6. It can be devastating when the puppies die.

There is always the prospect of the loss of some or all of the puppies. A neonatal mortality rate of 10 to 30 percent is considered normal. And, it’s easy to lose a puppy if you don’t have the experience or knowledge to care for newborns. Because puppies are not able to regulate their own body temperature initially, you may need to supplement their environment with heat.

7. Not all dogs make the best mothers.

If your female doesn’t have enough milk to feed all its puppies, or decides that feeding her offspring is not her cup of tea, it will be your responsibility to provide them with nutrition every three to four hours, round the clock. And how many mouths are there to feed?

Another aspect of puppy care that you can look forward to if your dog wants nothing to do with her brood is the manual stimulation of urination and defecation. Until puppies are three weeks old they will only void if directly stimulated. If mom isn’t doing this, you will need to take a moistened cotton ball and gently rub the urogenital area until the babes begin to urinate and pass stool. Failure to do this can result in some pretty unhappy puppies.

8. Good luck seeing a profit!

Your last responsibility before they go to a new home is to have them dewormed, vaccinated, and examined by a veterinarian. You will want to make sure that you have budgeted a sufficient amount for this purpose. Needless to say, if you decide to breed mixed breed puppies, you have no opportunity to recoup this expense.

Puppies are a lot of fun and it can be very exciting when they are born, but more often than not, owners find themselves in over their heads when they decide to endeavor into breeding.

Article republished here with permission from VetCentric.com
Copyright(c) 2000 by VetCentric.com

By: g g

g g — Sun, 11 May 2008 16:41:37 +0000

go to the AKC website and click breeds. in this section there should be a breeder referral link. click this and find the breed you are interested in breeding. there should be a national breed association and a list of breeders. find a breeder in your area to work with. study the breed standards. i would get your beginning stock through a reputable breeder from AKC. breeders will know the price and what testing you will need to have done. thank you for taking the time to know what you are doing instead of going into breeding blindfolded.