If you’re a diehard dog-lover, you may consider breeding your dog. Maybe you want your sweet little Shih Tzu Suzie to experience becoming a mother, or perhaps you’re looking for some extra cash to finance your dream vacation to the Bahamas or top up your children’s college fund. It might be that you want to better the breed, or have the kids to witness the agony – and the ecstasy - of birth (from a dog’s perspective, that is).
Whatever the reason, dog breeding can be educational, fun and - occasionally – even lucrative. But don’t venture into this past-time until you have fully weighed up the pros and cons. Many people assume that breeding a bitch is as simple as introducing Suzie to a charming stud dog, waiting 63 days, then getting clean towels and hot water ready to welcome the cuddly pups into the world. The reality is far from that.
It’s estimated that quality breeders put in at least 130 hours of their own time to raise just one quality litter – which means about two hours a day - and that statistic doesn’t even touch on the financial outlay involved. Dog breeding is a time-consuming labor of love requiring a lot of energy and money, and one that should not be entered into without due thought and consideration.
If you are considering breeding your dog, keep in mind that you must be willing to:
- Take responsibility for the health of the mother and puppies
- Accept all the financial outlays their breeding and health will incur
- Care for the puppies until they are ready to be sold. In some states it is illegal to give away or sell pups until they are at least eight weeks old
- Be willing to care for a pup that may have problems. What if one of Suzie’s offspring is born deaf or epileptic, or has some other problem? You are responsible for their care - or could you live with yourself if you gave them to a shelter, where they would no doubt be put down?
- Be emotionally ready to part with the puppies when the time comes – and prepare your kids for the final goodbye. The first litter in particular can be particularly hard to part with, and your children could be upset for months afterwards
Cost of Breeding
Breeding is a much bigger expenditure that you might think. Before your dog whelps, you will have to shell out a lot of money – and you still have at least eight weeks of expenses after that, or more, if the dogs don’t sell easily. Costs will include:
- Potential stud fee – some owners will accept the promise of a puppy instead
- Potential travel costs to meet the stud. You may have to look far and wide to find that perfect match, and sometimes going out-of-state is the only way
- X-rays appropriate for the breed in question, which can include X-rays of the hips, elbows and knees
- Some breeders pay for fertility tests as well as for a sonogram to see if the breeding was successful
- Whelping costs, including whelping box, heat lamp, surgical equipment such as tweezers and scissors
- Puppy formula, feed and medicine, as well as lots of nutritious food while Suzie is pregnant
- Eye certification (done at seven weeks), vaccinations, worming etc. You will also have to pay vet bills if the mom or pups get sick
- Time off work when Suzie whelps, to care of sick pups etc
- Advertizing the litter and making sure they find safe, good homes
Advice Before Breeding
If you’ve thought long and hard about breeding and decide it’s a route you want to take, you will need to invest a lot of time and effort into the preparation. Most dog breeders spend up to two years planning in advance. You should be willing to:
- Talk to experienced breeders and attend dog shows. This is mandatory to help you decide not only if this is the route you want to take, but also to get advice on what needs to be done next.
- Determine if Suzie is of high enough quality to breed. She should have at least a three-generation pedigree, preferably more, and and be appropriately registered with the AKC (American Kennel Club) or UKC (United Kennel Club). Knowing her Breed Standard is also important – she should be as close to the Standard as possible.
- Make sure Suzie is in excellent health and has no genetic defects. This will involve having a trained veterinarian check her out thoroughly, especially to screen her from defects that are typical of her breed.
- Ensure that Suzie has a good temperament and can complete tasks that are required of her breed. Breeders acknowledge that temperament is associated with genetics, which means that if Suzie is vicious and loves nothing more than biting little children, her children will no doubt follow suit.
- Make sure that Suzie is the right age to have puppies – she should be at least aged two – and ascertain when she is likely to be in season.
- Be confident that Suzie’s schedule will fit in comfortably with your own. It’s not a good idea to plan a two-week family reunion in Yellowstone the week she is due to give birth.
- Have a list of potential puppy buyers ready, and/or be financially prepared to advertize.
Breeding a dog – especially a beloved pet – can be a fantastic experience. But it also has its pitfalls. It’s estimated that more than 3.5 million homeless dogs are euthanized every year because they cannot find loving homes, and while you may think that only mongrels fall into this category, almost one-fourth of these animals are purebred dogs with papers. Do you want Suzie’s puppies to end up like this?
Before you consider breeding a dog, think carefully about whether this is really the right decision for you and your family. Weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of breeding, and don’t take this decision lightly. If done correctly, breeding can be a great experience for the entire family - as well as the dogs involved. If done incorrectly, many lives could be at stake.
If you’re interested in finding out more about dog breeders in your area, check out the links below:
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