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Re: breeding
Most breed clubs recommend that bitches should not be bred from until they are at least two years old.
It is also really important that before breeding you go through the following stages:
1. Ascertain whether or not she is of good enough quality to breed. Has she been shown or worked successfully. Has she been assessed by a breed specialist judge?
2. If she is good enough, have you researched the pedigrees of both your bitch and the dog you wish to use at stud? Are there any health problems in the background? Are the pedigrees compatible?
3. If everything is still green to go, have the breed appropriate health tests carried out and assess whether the results are good enough for her to be bred from.
4. At this stage, you have to ask yourself, who would I sell my puppies to? What sort of puppy contract would I ask new owners to sign. What sort of conditions would I put on the sale?
5. Can I afford to have a litter? First of all there is the stud fee - usually the price of a puppy and often to be paid upfront. Then there is the "insurance" - as far as I am aware, no pet insurance company covers problems/complications arising from whelping, so if your bitch needs a C section and/or has other complications, can you afford a vet bill which might reach £3000?
6. Do I have the time to have a litter? A litter of puppies is a very time-consuming affair. From birth they will be with you for at least 8 weeks and will become increasingly demanding as they grow.
If, for whatever reason the bitch refuses to feed the pups and rejects them, can you spare the time to feed and clean them hourly for the first 96 hours or so, then slightly less often as they grow?
I am sure there are many other aspects I have forgotten, but one thing is clear, unless you are a bad breeder whose only concern is for the money you can make, breeding is not someting to be undertaken lightly.
Mick
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