Stud dog articles?

[Mojave's Mom]

I'm doing my best to convince someone I know with a 4 month old pup to NEUTER that dog in a couple of months. The family wants to keep him intact and consider breeding him once he's two years old. They will not be showing him, but at least they have enough brains to have said they will do all the OFA testing before-hand.

So I'm wondering if anyone can point me to informative articles on reasons NOT to stud your dog out. One of their "points" is that they don't have the bitch so what's the problem??

Thanks in advance.

[LavenderRott]

Not sure if this will help you out, but...

When my mom raised poms, her brood bitch lost a litter of pups for no apparent reason. When she lost a second litter a year later, a trip to the vet and many tests determined that she had contracted herpes from the stud dog. She was promptly spayed.

[Bucky's Mom]

From the Humane Society

http://www.hsus.org/ace/11879

[Mavides]

Here's another good article for you to try...

http://warrentonkc.tripod.com/wnt2std.htm

[Mojave's Mom]

Thank you everyone, I truly appreciate the help. I've been researching all afternoon and have found some great info. One in particular I'm copying into this post as I think it can help anyone who comes on here thinking about breeding. It was found on the Dogo Canario Club website and it's one of the best I've seen....maybe Major will be nice and copy it into a "sticky" for the top of this forum? ;)

__________________________________________________ ____________
Puppies, who doesn't love them? But are you ready for the responsibility of producing a litter of them? These are just a few of the things you should know and consider before deciding to produce a litter of puppies from you dog.

For the stud dog owner

Is your dog of breeding quality? Is he a typical and high quality example of the breed? Who has assessed him to be so? Have you shown him in conformation events? Has he been breed surveyed by qualified judges? Have several knowledgeable breeders evaluated him? or just his own? Do you know his strengths and weaknesses? What faults does he have? Can you evaluate his pedigree and determine the right mate for him? Or is it just your opinion that he is a good dog and will make nice puppies?

If you can only answer YOU know he is good enough, you might want to reconsider breeding him. A pet quality male is not in very high demand for a stud. Only the top males of any breed should be used for stud. When a female's owner can chose from many excellent males, what does your dog have to offer to the breed?

Is he healthy?

Has he been certified free of hip dysplasia by the OFA or other registry? Or is it just OK that he "moves well"? Has he been tested for and cleared of any breed specific genetic diseases? Or is he just given a "good examination" by his veterinarian every year? Are there genetic defects in his lines that you should know about? Is he mature enough to breed?

Does he have the proper temperament for the breed?

Is he titled in any working trials? Has he been evaluated by a professional trainer or temperament tested? Is he a confident and happy pet?
Ok, so you have determined that your dog is a wonderful healthy and temperamentally sound dog that should be bred.

Are you ready for the responsibility of owning a stud dog?

Are you ready to safely house a bitch for breeding and make sure that she breeds only to your male? Are you prepared to deal with days (or weeks) of your male constantly whining and howling due to a female in season in your home?

Suppose that you want your own breeding pair. Are you ready to separate the pair every time mating is NOT wanted? Or will you end up with puppies every 6 months? Are you ready for the 3 weeks (or more) of not eating, whining, howling and pacing that your male will do? Maybe the female also? How many "accidental" litters are you prepared to whelp and sell?

Do you know when the correct time to begin breeding is? There is more to breeding than leaving the 2 dogs alone in the backyard. Can you handle a problem bitch that simply doesn't want to breed? What if she attacks your male during the mating?

Are you ready to assist the bitch's owner in the sale of the puppies? Though you may not have to physically deal with the puppies, your dog's reputation is on the line with this litter also. A stud owner should be as caring about where the offspring end up as the bitch's owner is. What if the bitch's owner is inexperienced in the breed. Will you have all the answers to assist them in this endeavor?

Are you prepared for the changes in temperament that will probably occur to your dog? Once he's been bred, there is little else he may think of. Loss of appetite, whining, howling and pacing every time he becomes aware of a female in season. He will not care that it is the poodle on the next street. Wandering and territorial marking (often IN your house) and mounting are some of the other changes that may happen to your male.

Questions for the female owner

Is your bitch of breeding quality?
Is she a typical and high quality example of the breed? Who has assessed her to be so? Have you shown her in conformation events? Has she been breed surveyed by qualified judges? Have several knowledgeable breeders evaluated her? or just her own? Do you know her strengths and weaknesses? What faults does she have? Can you evaluate her pedigree and determine the right mate for her? Or is it just your opinion that she is a good dog and will make nice puppies? Or does everyone you meet want a dog "just like her"?

If you have answered yes to the last 2 questions, you may want to reconsider.

A pet quality female will produce only more pet quality offspring. The promises of "I want one just like her" generally quickly fade away once puppies actually arrive. So what's wrong with just pets? Nothing, but even pet dogs deserve to be typical examples of the breed. Litters that include top prospects also include pet quality puppies that deserve loving homes. Why would you want to add more "just pets" to that?

Is she healthy?

Has she been certified free of hip dysplasia by the OFA or other registry? Or is it just OK that she "moves well"? Has she been tested for and cleared of any breed specific genetic diseases? Or is she just given a "good examination" by her veterinarian every year? Are there genetic defects in her lines that you should know about? Is she mature enough to breed?
Does she have the proper temperament for the breed?

Is she titled in any working trials? Has she been evaluated by a professional trainer or temperament tested? Is she a confident and happy pet?
If you have had her assessed by professionals in all 3 areas and she passed all areas favorably.........congratulations. You have a female that is worthy of breeding. But are you ready for it?

Things to consider

How will you find a good stud? Will you search everywhere for the exact mate for you bitch that is as good as your female? Will you look for one that complements your females strengths and compensates her weaknesses well? Or will you use any male that is close enough to you? Or better yet, get your own 'breeding pair"?

To produce the best possible litter you can it may be necessary to travel (sometimes quite a distance) to get the best male for your bitch. A responsible breeder will never use a male just because he is closer than a better one. And though many kennels have several stud dogs, most of them still seek outside breeding to better their dogs.

The best males are usually only offered to stud to females that their owner approves of. After all, even though the genetics of the pups come from their mother too, the sire of a litter is usually blamed for poor offspring by the public. An owner of a top male does not want his/her dog known for producing sub-par puppies.

Why do you want to have a litter?

If your motivation is money, think again. There are many many financial costs involved in breeding that you should be aware of. These costs can be somewhat higher or lower depending on your location.

$100-150 Pre mating examination of your dog. Including vaccination updates, parasite examination, brucellosis testing and general physical.

$150 hip radiographs and OFA evaluation

Stud fees. This can range from $1000 plus depending on the choice of male you have made. Very rarely can you count on the best males taking "pick of the litter" as payment. Unless you have a truly exceptional female that the studs owner wants a puppy from, you should count on paying them cash. Are you shipping the female to the stud owner? Add another $500 to that figure. Few people are lucky enough to have the best male for their female next door to them.

$200-300 for additional food before and after whelping. While during pregnancy a bitch generally only increases her intake the last few weeks by about 50%., by the time the pups are 3-4 weeks the dam may eat 300-400% more than usual. A bitch with a very large litter to feed may eat in excess of 20 cups of dry food daily.

$200-300 for puppy food after weaning. A large litter of pups may eat 40lbs of dry food per week.

$100-300 for medical care on the pups. Health examinations, worming and vaccinations. Many breeder so save some expense by home vaccinating, but this should not be attempted by novices. But responsible breeders will still have all the pups health examined by their veterinarian. Figure from $25-50 for each pup in the litter.

Are you going to crop the puppies before sale? Figure $150 and up per puppy for this procedure.

$50 for postpartum check up on the mother. Are you removing the dew claws on the puppies? Add about $10 per pup.

So you have already spent at east $2000 and your bitch isn't even bred yet? Still think you are going to make some money? Don't forget the time off from work you will miss during the whelping. And take into account the many hours of work you will put into this litter. Feeding, cleaning, playing with, etc... with this litter.

Think it will be educational for the children?

Think again. Most new mothers, especially first time mothers, do not appreciate large audiences during whelping. Often having more than just her trusted owner (or 2) in the whelping pen with her will make her extremely nervous. A nervous female is more likely to injure her pups during birth than a calm and relaxed one. Are you prepared for your children to witness a dam injuring or killing her puppies? Whelping a deformed pup? What if complications arise with the birth? Do you want your children to get an "education" by watching the family pet die during delivery?

Sales

A reputable breeder usually has most if not all of a litter sold well in advance of breeding. How will you sell your puppies? After all, who knows who you are?

Do you have homes for all of your puppies? What will you do if there are still puppies available at 4 months? At 6 months? Are you prepared to keep them until suitable homes are found no matter how long? Or will you sell them cheaply to anyone, or worse yet take them to a shelter when they don't sell? What if one never sells? Will you keep it for future breeding?

Will you carefully screen the homes for your new puppies? Will you provide follow up support for your pups for their entire lives? Will you take back a dog at anytime and for any reason? Are you prepared to offer a guarantee?
What if something goes wrong? Here is just a sample of some problems that can occur during breeding, whelping and post partum.

The breeding pair

So you have decided that your dog (male or female) is so wonderful that you should become a breeder, yet there is no demand to stud your male to anyone close, nor a male to breed your female to. Now what? Get one of the opposite sex and have your own "pair"?

Many people find this the simplest solution to the problem of distance and cost. Why bother paying a stud fee when you can take the same money and get your own male right? Think again.

You will most likely purchase a puppy. How will you be certain that this male will grow up to be of sufficient quality of type, health and temperament to use as a stud dog? Even if he is, is he right for your female? Will you still seek outside studs to better the breed or just use your own male, even if he's not right for convince?

Suppose you are lucky enough to find a nice young adult male to purchase. It is easier to find a breeding quality adult male for sale, as a breeder only has use for so many studs......but wait.......why is he for sale in the first place? Has he been bred before and produced problem offspring? Is he not producing at all?

If you own the male first and decide to get a female to breed to him, because he is pet quality and your phone is not ringing for stud inquires, how will you select the right mate for him?

You now have a mature male, and a female that is just a puppy, yet your little girl goes into season at 8 months old. Is she ready to have a litter already? You'll be careful and separate them right? Ok, good start, but what will you do with a very persistent male? He chews through doors when you lock them in separate rooms, he climbs fences when you put him outside. He scales the gate of her 6 foot enclosure. Then what? You can board him in a kennel for a month.....figure at least $10 per day for that. Another $300 to your breeding costs, and this is without a litter resulting.

Maybe you can find an older adult female for breeding. Few breeders will easily let go of a female that is a good producing one. What is wrong with this female that they want to sell her? Is she producing poor litters? Is she not a good mother? Is she producing genetic defects? Can you get references from people that own her previous offspring?

What if something goes wrong? How do you plan on replacing puppies with genetic problems if you only own a "breeding pair"? No one will want a replacement of the same problem parents, besides if the defects are severe enough and in enough numbers those 2 should be spayed and neutered.
The only reason, ever, that one should produce a litter of puppies is to better the breed. If you can not honestly say that your animal is of quality to breed, or are not prepared for any of the things that can go wrong, you are not ready to be a breeder.

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 the 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 displasia 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 alot and their barking is really beginning to annoy the neighbors, who call the police who inform you of the $150.00 noise bylaw.

4. Your neighbors also call the humane society which 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 advertising bill and the $600 vet bill.

So you gotta ask yourself...do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, "breeder?"

[Mojave's Mom]

Originally Posted by Mavides

Here's another good article for you to try...

http://warrentonkc.tripod.com/wnt2std.htm

I ran into this one during my search as well, thanks! Printed it out and will give all my info to them tomorrow. I have a feeling the owner's cocky son is going to call me bitching about why he still thinks it's a good idea to breed the dog....he doesn't give a rat's patootie that the owner is his SEVENTY FIVE YEAR OLD mother who is having enough problems handling the dog. Imagine the problems if the dog senses a bitch in heat in the neighborhood

Keep your fingers crossed that I am able to change their minds..... :(

[Brooke&Ryan]

Fingers are crossed. You can do it!!

:)
Brooke