Raising dogs is not a commitment to be taken lightly. It can be very fulfilling and wonderful, as long as you understand the responsibilities involved. Before you decide to start breeding puppies, there are a few decisions you need to make. In addition, you must also consider the commitment and the necessary preparations.
Steps
Part 1 of 6: Deciding to Raise Dogs
Step 1. Do your research
Before you decide if you are ready and able to breed dogs, you need to be well informed. This way you will be able to truly understand what the process entails and what you will need to do. Read books from experienced and qualified dog breeders or veterinarians. Talk to your veterinarian about the advantages and disadvantages of an activity of this type; compared with other reliable breeders about the real feasibility of this project.
If you want to find books that deal with these topics, go to the bookstore or library, do an online search or consult some of these texts
Step 2. Find valid reasons
The only responsible reason for breeding dogs is based on previous experience and research. If you have spent the past two or more years training and working with your dog to participate in competitions as well, you are a good candidate for this activity. Raising healthy, high-quality puppies requires commitment and research.
- You shouldn't breed dogs to sell them as pets. This is not a convenient or responsible way to raise them; precisely this motivation leads to transforming a dog farm into a puppy factory-lager, whose presence is already sadly excessive on the national territory. You should be a responsible person and not just another breeder who contributes to the problem of overpopulation of pets.
- Proper and responsible dog breeding requires a lot of time and investment.
Step 3. Analyze the situation
Consider having an exceptional breed, so that you can develop other equally special animals with the help of experts. Your goal is to improve the breed, so you need to be sure your dog is in the top 10% of the specific breed. Your specimen must make a positive contribution to genetic development.
- The dog must be healthy and awake. He must also have a balanced physical appearance that matches the standards of his breed, as well as an exceptional temperament.
- You also need to be prepared to live with the puppies for a minimum of 8 weeks before they can leave your home to be adopted by new families. You need to know at what time of year mating can occur, in order to better understand how it will affect you and your family.
- Be prepared for the possibility of having to keep all puppies. You are responsible for their health and happiness. If for some reason you can't find them a new home, you may need to keep them all.
Step 4. Know which breeding dogs are the best
Some types are excellent candidates for mating, as they have hereditary traits that can be passed on to new generations. For example, you can breed working dogs: their attitude is based on the ability to retrieve herds or chase prey. You can also breed show dogs, which are evaluated based on their physical appearance and behavior.
- In working breeds, their ability to perform certain tasks can be hereditary: parents must have demonstrated their skills in the field. There are competitions to demonstrate a dog's abilities in performing specific tasks.
- Show dogs must respect a particular conformation, i.e. standard aesthetic characteristics, specific for each breed. These are established by the Kennel Club and also include a well-defined character profile. Dogs bred to meet these standards are judged in a ring and compared with others to determine which dog best represents the breed's best characteristics.
- Each country has its own breeding standards. If you intend to have yours participate in dog shows abroad, find out about the specific rules of that country.
Part 2 of 6: Choosing Which Dog to Breed
Step 1. Choose your dog
You need to decide which of your dogs is best suited for breeding. You need to find a female who can have puppies and a male of the same breed from which to develop the offspring you want. You need to be sure that both of them have the right characteristics in order to obtain a quality breed.
You can possibly get a male for mating from another breeder, if you don't have one. It is expensive to hire a dog or buy sperm from a purebred dog. Sometimes an arrangement can be found that allows the male owner to choose a few puppies. Make sure that all the terms of the agreement are written and signed, so that there is a contract between all the parties involved in the litter
Step 2. Determine the genetic characteristics
You need to check the genetic background of the dogs. Examine the bloodline of your dogs to make sure their ancestors also respond to excellent quality characteristics. If the dog is purebred, you can get its pedigree from the Kennel Club or other relevant authorities. Also, you need to make sure that the pair destined to form the litter have no direct blood ties, to prevent inbreeding genetic defects.
You should also plan to have the dogs you want to breed undergo a specific test to rule out any genetic problems associated with their breed. You can contact ENCI, the Italian National Dog-loving Body, to find a database of dogs and test results about possible genetic problems, such as hip and elbow dysplasia, eye disease, patella dislocation and heart problems. You don't have to breed dogs with poor health conditions that can be passed on to the next generation
Step 3. Look at their temperament
Look at the dogs you want to mate to evaluate their behavior, both what they maintain with each other and what they show towards other dogs. Mating balanced animals increases the chances of producing puppies with a similar temperament. You shouldn't breed aggressive and overly fearful dogs, as they can be dangerous.
Step 4. Check the age of the dogs
You must be sure that your specimens are of the right age to reproduce; for most of the breeds it is around 2 years old. In fact, many genetic characteristics are visible at around 24 months. You can consider submitting animals to specific tests. Sometimes, in fact, the bodies responsible for certifying the pedigree of dogs do not accept radiographs of animals less than 24 months of age to establish hip dysplasia and / or the degree of severity. If you want to successfully breed your specimens, you must ensure that they have permanent identification, in the form of a microchip or tattoo, in order to present the results of the tests for evaluation by the ENCI or other bodies - these in fact they want to make sure there is no way to falsify the results.
Females begin the heat period, or estrus, between 6 and 9 months of age and after the first cycle they go into heat every 5-11 months. Most breeders prevent the dog from reproducing until she is 2 years old and has already had 3 or 4 oestrus. This is the time when she is fully mature and physically able to withstand the stress of pregnancy and childbirth
Part 3 of 6: Examine the Dogs
Step 1. Take your pet to the vet
Before having your four-legged friend reproduce, you must have him examined by the doctor. Make sure he has been vaccinated regularly, as his antibodies will be passed on to the puppies through the milk and will be the ones that will protect the kittens from disease.
Step 2. Find out about your pet's medical history
If you have any unknown health problems, you should change your breeding plans. Small dogs may have certain genetic conditions that you should be aware of before thinking about breeding them, as puppies may exhibit the same problems - or even worse. Among the various ailments could be dental problems such as malocclusion, a condition in which the upper and lower jaws do not close properly together. The animal may also be subject to dislocation of the kneecaps, hip or elbow dysplasia and have spinal problems such as a ruptured disc. He may also have allergies that lead to skin and ear infections, heart ailments, eye or behavioral problems.
Make sure the animal is subjected to a regular deworming treatment program. Roundworms, hookworms, and heartworms may have been passed on from mothers to puppies
Step 3. Submit your breeding specimens to a fertility test
You need to be sure they are able to reproduce. This may involve a sperm test for the male dog. It is important to perform these tests, as genetic problems and contagious diseases such as brucellosis could be found. Before starting a breeding with a male or a female you must subject both specimens to the examination for brucellosis, to be sure that neither dog is a healthy carrier and can transmit the disease to the others.
Part 4 of 6: Starting the Breeding Process
Step 1. Wait for the female to go into heat
She needs to get into heat before considering getting her to mate. There is no certain date that establishes the right time, so you must check it periodically to understand when it occurs. Her genital area begins to swell and blood loss may occur. If the male is in a nearby pen, he will start to get a little excited and take an interest in the female.
- Keep in mind that the dog will not accept the male until she is ready to breed. She may even attack him to keep him away until the right moment. Pay attention, therefore, to prevent them from hurting each other, check them carefully when they are together.
- Typically, the female is receptive about 9-11 days after she goes into heat, at which time she allows the male to mate.
- If you notice that you are having difficulty getting pregnant, see your vet who can have you tested for progesterone, which helps to tell when you are in oestrus and when your body is ready to receive sperm (progesterone levels normally rise 1-2 days before ovulation). Not all females exhibit heat and this can make it difficult to know when they are fertile; for this reason, the progesterone test helps to know the timing of ovulation.
Step 2. Consider artificial insemination
This is a procedure that can help to impregnate the female if you do not have a male available to mate with her. Frozen dog sperm can be shipped all over the world thanks to storage in liquid nitrogen. There are specific procedures for thawing and inseminating the dog. You may need to consider this if your chosen pair cannot reproduce naturally.
- However, be aware that this can be a complex issue, as it can raise doubts about the reproductive capacity of the future generation.
- In very special cases, the sperm can be surgically implanted by a veterinarian into the female's uterus by means of an operation under anesthesia. Of course, these additional procedures increase the cost of each pregnancy and each puppy that will be born.
Step 3. Keep your dog healthy
When you are certain of her pregnancy, you can separate her from the male. Make sure you feed her a healthy and balanced diet; you can also give her supplements, such as calcium, which are usually indicated by your vet.
- This must occur during pregnancy. The gestation period of dogs is 58-68 days.
- Make sure the cage is free from parasite infestations such as fleas. Clean it regularly and make sure that the animal always has plenty of fresh water and clean cloths for the kennel available.
Step 4. Pay attention to the physical changes in the dog
The nipples and mammary glands undergo changes during pregnancy. Especially in the last phase, the mammary glands begin to fill with milk, and during the last three weeks the expectant mother needs more nourishment. Discuss the most suitable diet with your vet.
Typically, the female is fed puppy food during the last three weeks of pregnancy. This provides her with adequate calories and nutrients suitable for the growth of fetuses and to help her prepare for breastfeeding
Part 5 of 6: Managing the Childbirth
Step 1. Prepare a box where she can give birth
This container will be where the cubs will be born and should be approximately 6 inches longer than the female when she is lying prone and approximately 12 inches wider. There should also be a suitable structure to prevent the mother from accidentally lying on the puppies after giving birth.
Place alternating layers of plastic sheets and newspapers on the bottom of the box. This way you can clean more easily when the bottom gets dirty, because it will be enough to take out a single layer of paper and a sheet of plastic, leaving the others clean in their place. Consider including towels or other fabrics that can be easily washed
Step 2. Be vigilant
You need to know with some precision when the time for delivery is approaching. Learn about the stages of labor. When puppies begin to be born, check the parturient to see if she is experiencing severe contractions for longer than 30-45 minutes without a puppy being born - this could be a sign of complications during delivery.
If you subject the expectant mother to an x-ray at 45 days of gestation, the veterinarian is able to see how many fetal skeletons are present in the uterus. This will also let you know if there are any particularly large puppies and if any problems may arise during delivery, as well as the fact that you and the vet will be prepared for a possible Caesarean section and have an idea of how many puppies to expect
Step 3. Keep the puppies warm
Once the birth process is complete, you need to make sure the unborn babies stay in a warm place and make sure everyone is able to suckle milk. Examine them to check for possible birth defects such as cleft palate. The upper wall of the pups mouth should be complete, with no signs of separation of the oral tissue. The new mother cleans the puppies and helps them suck on the nipples.
If there is a cleft palate, milk from the mouth enters the nasal passages. If the situation is serious enough, the puppy must be euthanized because he will not survive
Step 4. Make a note of the birth
Write down the date of birth, the total number of puppies and how many there are for each sex. If you intend to register the litter with organizations such as ENCI, you can do it online. You will need to know the parental registration numbers to fill out the form.
Part 6 of 6: Caring for Puppies
Step 1. Check the puppies
Watch them carefully during the first few weeks, and make sure they stay clean and warm. Also make sure they have enough milk available. Weigh them on a scale every day to make sure they grow regularly. If you want to have healthy puppies, make sure they are absolutely clean, active and have a full belly. They should gain about 10% weight every day for the first 2 weeks of life.
When they reach about four weeks, they start to be very lively and the container where they were born is no longer enough. Provide them with a larger box, where they can better explore the world around them, while remaining safe. At this stage of their life, the mother usually begins to leave them alone for long periods. Now you can start weaning the puppies by giving them wet kibble
Step 2. Take them to the vet
When they are 7-8 weeks old, give them a follow-up visit, during which the doctor will give them the first vaccines, such as DHPP for distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and parainfluenza. On this occasion they will also undergo a treatment for worms. Also consider flea treatment and heartworm prevention.
Make sure your vet looks at possible other health or genetic problems as well. A responsible breeder must provide all this information to prospective puppy owners so that the new family is able to successfully complete the vaccine course during the recommended periods
Step 3. Carefully analyze the puppy's new owners
You need to pay attention to the members of your pooch's new family to make sure they are welcoming and loving, responsible and ready to devote time, energy and resources to new dogs.
Don't rule out the possibility of controlling their home. Be prepared for the idea of having to refuse a family, if it does not seem suitable to welcome your puppies with love
Step 4. Enter into a contract
When you find a new family suitable to welcome them, you need to enter into a contract with them. Make sure you include any health warranties you give them and what the limits to those warranties may be. Insert a clause that provides for the return of the puppies if, at any time, the family is no longer able to support them.
