There are several crucial things to consider before breeding your dog. These are things that you need to be aware of and familiarize yourself before you take the first step towards breeding your dog – in fact, knowing some essential facts should be your first step. The population for domesticated pets is getting incredibly out of control, and it is important that all dog breeders be aware of that problem and make responsible decisions with the animal population in mind.
To begin with, neither AKC registration, CKC registration, UCK registration, nor any other type of registration is an automatic indication of dog qualities. To be perfectly honest, there are a lot of dogs out there which simply should not be bred. Breeding, especially pure breeding, has been going on for a very long time, and some of the progeny in certain breeds are really showing the effects of that. Some of them have defects when it comes to bone structure, health, behavior, and personality, and these defects should not be passed onto another generation. That is something you need to consider before breeding your dog: how healthy is he or she? Does he or she have any such health problems? The top goal of every good breeder is to meet the Breed Standard. You should only seek to improve the breed.
If you are thinking about breeding your dog as a way to make money quickly, then you need to think again. Becoming a breeder initially costs much more money than it will ever make. It is an investment of time, love, patience, care, and money. Think about it: sires, dams, and puppies all need their shots; regular vet check ups; food; shelter; proof of quality; et cetera. You may have to pay stud fees, there may be complications with a dam’s pregnancy – nothing is impossible, and the possibilities are endless.
It is also important to realize that, when you begin breeding, you have no reputation. You have no referrals. There are no guarantees that anyone will want the puppies you have produced. Furthermore, you cannot begin to sell puppies until they are at least four months – and often eight months – old. Are you prepared to take complete care of them during that time? Because it would be reprehensible to breed puppies and, if they do not sell quick enough to suit you or you are not prepared to care for them, sell them to a dog broker, take them to the pound or shelter, or simply leave them somewhere.
Some people choose to breed puppies so that can expose their children to the joys and beauties of birth. If that is your aim, you may want to reconsider. Birth is a beautiful, natural thing, but there are a lot of risks involved in this approach. After all, giving birth to a whole litter of puppies is a difficult endeavor. The dam may be hurt or even die; at the very least, she may be savage and aggressive while she is in labor, especially if she is having difficulty breaching a very large whelp. The puppies themselves may be stillborn, or they may be born with deformities or other problems – is that something you would really want your children to see? It is crucial to make sure you will not be doing more harm than done with this approach, considering how many things can go wrong during delivery.
