First, you must ask yourself why you want to do this. As with any important decision there are good reasons and bad reasons for doing something. Because this decision not only affects your dog(s), but also the lives of all the potential pups produced and their new families, doing it for the right reasons becomes all the more important.

Reasons NOT to breed:

1. Please do not breed a litter just to make some extra cash off your family pet. We're talking about the lives of animals here, not just some product on a shelf. The decisions you make now, can continue to effect your dog and her pups for rest of their lives.

2. Please do not breed just to share the birthing experience with your kids. Yes, it is wonderful to share the miracle of life with children, but do not do so at the expense of your dog and her offspring.

3. Please do not breed because you think it does your female good to have a litter before getting her spayed. There are no proven benefits to the mother--physically or emotionally in doing this. In fact, getting your female spayed BEFORE her first heat cycle greatly reduces many health risks for her. Whelping a litter of pups not only presents risks associated with pregnancy and birth, but also only adds risks to her health later on in life.

4. Some people want to have one litter simply to keep the lines of their favorite family pet going so that when she passes they can keep one of her offspring. This is not a great reason to breed, but if you insist on doing so, please make sure you have the time and money to do it properly. For info on responsible breeding, see "Things to consider before breeding" and "So you're going to breed your dog" below.

The best reason for breeding--The best reason for breeding a litter is for a passionate love of the breed and strong desire to improve upon the breed with future generations. This helps to maintain the breed standard and results in a dogs that can live up to the expectations of those seeking a certain breed for its known attributes.

When we breed dogs that are poor examples of the breed standard--perhaps those that are too large or small in size, too timid or aggressive in temperament, to hyper or laid back for their breed, or perhaps are just improperly proportioned, the results are dogs that don't fit the breed standard. "Why is that such a terrible thing," you ask? "I like my dog the way it is and don't plan to show it or hunt with it, it's just a good family pet." The problem is, the people seeking to buy a dog of a particular breed may be doing so because they want a dog of a certain size, temperament, activity level, etc. They've read about different breeds and decided they want a Golden or a Lab. But since not all breeders are breeding to maintain the breed standard, what they may end up buying is a dog that is larger than they wanted, or more active then they were prepared to handle, etc. The end result is a bad match for dog and family, and so they end up getting rid of it. Not a picture of a happy ending.

Things to consider before breeding:

1. Health--If your dog has any serious health problems, breeding it will only pass those problems on to another generation. Breeding a dog before obtaining all the proper health clearances, despite how healthy and problem-free your pet may seem, is not doing anyone any favors, but in all likelihood could be passing on recessive unseen problems that may come to the surface in future generations.

Did you know that one out of every 5 Goldens and one in every 8 Labs today will test positive for hip dysplasia, (HD)? You might say, "Well my dog doesn't have hip dysplasia because she has shown no symptoms, so I don't need to get her tested before breeding her." BIG MISTAKE. "Why," you ask? Because the majority of dogs effected with HD are non-symptomatic, and can remain so for most of their lives or even until they day they pass on. Just because your dog is not physically impared or limping in pain, does not mean she is free of HD. The one and only way to know if your dog is free of HD is to have her x-rayed by your vet and then have that x-ray evaulated by either the OFA or Pennhip.

Another thing inexperienced breeders often think is "Both of my dog's parents have passing hip certifications, so my dog shouldn't have a problem." Wrong again... because "shouldn't" does not equal "doesn't." Because the incidence of HD is so high among these breeds, even if both parents have passing results that doesn't mean that your dog is automatically free of it. Pups from litters where both parents, and even all four grandparents, have passing hip certifications can still test positive for HD. Only 50% of HD cases are caused by heredity, the other 50% is environmental.

Ok, so now you might be thinking "Ok, let's say my dog does have HD, but is non-syptomatic since she shows no obvious physical signs, what's the harm in breeding her and potentially passing on more non-symptomatic cases of HD?" The problem is, when you continue to breed dogs with even the most minor cases of HD, after just a generation or two the cases become more and more problematic and severe. The whole reason behind getting dogs tested for HD is so we can make the decision to only breed those not effected, therefore eventually minimizing the number of affected cases. Continuing to breed affected dogs only adds to the problem and makes cases of HD not only even more prevalent, but also results in a larger percent of effected dogs with moderate to severe HD--the kind that inhibits normal function and requires medication, corrective surgery, and sometimes even the need to put the dog down.

The next thing to cross your mind might be "Well, ok I see your point, but I'm only going to have one or two litters. How much harm could that do?" The answer is A LOT. Unless you plan on selling each and every pup on a strict spay/neuter contract, AND you follow up to make sure everyone abides by the contract and gets their pup's spayed or neutered before they have the opportunity to produce a litter, the pups you sell from just that one or two litters could end up having litters of their own, then those pups could have litters, etc. That is exactly how HD cases become more and more prevalent and severe. The simplest way to avoid adding to the problem is to get your dog tested before you breed it, and if it doesn't pass, get it fixed right away. It's the right thing to do. Remember HD isn't the only health concern for Goldens and Labs. Getting all the necessary clearances before breeding, not just for the hips, but also the eyes, elbows, heart, and thyroid, are all equally important.

2. Temperament--Does your dog have a temperament you want to pass on? If your dog is aggressive, timid, or has any other potentially problematic behavior issues, it can pass these traits on to its offspring resulting in pups that may not make good family pets. Only dogs with good personalities and temperaments should be considered for breeding.

So you're going to breed your dog...

If your dog has passing health certifications and a winning personality, and you have every reason to believe the pups produced from a potential breeding would share all those great traits and make wonderful pet quality pups, the next thing you need to do is find a dog to breed your dog to who also shares all those good qualities. Once that is done and you have made the decision to breed, here are some things you need to know about pregnancy, whelping, and caring for a litter of pups:

First, be sure to talk to your vet about your breeding plans and ask for advice on what to expect, how to prepare, and when there is cause for concern. Your vet should be able to provide you with literature that will educate you to the whole breeding, prenatal care, delivery, and puppy care process.

(The following is just a general overview. For more detailed info, I suggest looking up a book on the subject.)

Gestation: Dogs carry pups for an average of 63 days (counting from the time of the first breeding). It is not unusual for a dam to whelp between the 56th and 66th day. As a general rule, larger litters whelp on the early side, and smaller litters or those containing only one puppy, whelp on the later side.

Confirming Pregnancy: There are a number of ways to know if a bitch has become pregnant as outlined below:

1. Palpation--your vet should be able to feel for pups by gently and carefully feeling the female's abdomen around 3 to 4 weeks into the pregnancy.

2. Ultrasound--this can be performed as early as 18 or 19 days into the pregnancy.

3. Blood test--at 25 days or later, this can be done to check for pregnancy hormones.

4. X-Ray--near the end of pregnancy, around day 45 or later, an x-ray can be taken.

Care and Feeding During Pregnancy: During pregnancy it is best to feed a quality dog food that is high in calories and protein. Feeding regular growth and development puppy food is best. Large breed puppy food is not recommended for pregnant females because it has a lower calorie formula and will not provide enough nutrition for the growing pups in the womb. During the second half of pregnancy you should start to increase the portions allowing the female to eat around twice her normal amount. While proper and healthy weight gain is critical during pregnancy, becoming overweight can be a problem when it comes time for her to whelp. She needs to maintain a normal activity level to stay fit and in shape until the last two weeks of pregnancy when her activity should then be restricted and kept to a minimum. Fresh, cool water should always be kept available to the female during pregnancy.

Preparing for Whelping: Dams should deliver at home in a familial and comfortable surrounding. A whelping box should be constructed as a safe place for the pups to be born and live for the first few weeks of life. It should be placed in a warm, quite, and draft free area of the home where there are little to no distractions. Be sure to introduce the dam to the whelping box two weeks before she is due to deliver, and get her used to sleeping in it at night.

Signs of Whelping:

1. A few days before giving birth the females appetite will decrease until 24 to 48 hours prior to whelping she may eat little to nothing at all.

2. The females normal body temp of around 101.3 degrees may drop to 99.5 degrees or below 12 to 18 hours before labor begins.

3. She may begin pawing or digging around excessively close to delivery. This behavior is referred to as nesting. Once labor begins she will pant heavily, become restless, and show some signs of discomfort.

Labor and Delivery:

During the first stage, which may last from 6 to 12 hours, involuntary uterine contractions dilate the cervix.

Then the contractions become more forceful.

During active labor, the female begins pushing and generally, within a normal window of fifteen minuets to two hours, a puppy is born.

Often times, as with Golden and Labrador Retrievers, labor goes smoothly and there is little or no need to intervene, however if you are concerned that it is not going well, or if the dam or her pups are having trouble, don't hesitate to call your vet right away.

Care of pups and weaning: Newborn pups are born with their eyes and ears closed and will begin to open by 10 to 14 days. Most pups can stand by 14 days and eat commercial food from a bowl by 21 days once their teeth have come in. Pups are fully oriented to sight and sound by 25 days.

The whelping room should be draft free and kept at a temperature of 85 degrees up until the first week after delivery. Thereafter progressively reduce the room temperature to 72 degrees by the time the pups reach 6 weeks old. The best way to keep a close eye on the temperature is to keep a thermometer in the room near the whelping box. Young pups are unable to maintain their own body temperature and can get chilled very easily. This is the leading cause of death in young pups.

New born pups should not be handled excessively by people outside of the household to avoid illness and disease from outside sources. Once they have been weaned and vaccinated they can be allowed to be handled by visitors.

The bedding in the whelping box should be kept clean and changed regularly and as needed as the pups grow to keep them clean and healthy.

From birth to 4 weeks of age the pups rely 100% on their mother for nutrition and should be allowed to nurse at will 24 hours a day. Mother should only be separated from her pups long enough to eat drink and go outside to the bathroom.

Between 3 to 4 weeks of age (whenever the pups' teeth have come in) pups should be introduced to commercial dog food. Before feeding their first meal, remove the mother from the room for an hour to allow the pups to become hungry. Then offer them a small amount of dry puppy food mixed with an an equal amount of warm water. Do this three times a day for a week. Then for the next week, take the mother away during the day and continue to feed the pups dry puppy food mixed with water three times a day, then allow the mother back in to sleep with them and nurse overnight.

By six weeks of age pups should be completely weaned from their mother, and at that time should be vet checked and vaccinated. They can now be given dry food without mixing with water, however fresh water should be available to them at all times. Pups should remain with their littermates for a couple weeks after weaning from the mother to socialize, play, and establish a pecking order.

As early as 7 to 8 weeks of age (varies by state) they may be allowed to go to their new homes.

Pups should be wormed at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 weeks of age. By 12 weeks they are old enough to begin monthly heartworm treatment.

Vaccinations and vet checks should be given at 6, 9, and 12 weeks of age.

Pups should not be allowed in public, high dog traffic areas until vaccinations are completed and the rabies shot has been given. Until then, pups should be restricted to the house, yard, and vet's office and not allowed to interact with strange or unfamiliar dogs.

Basic obedience, house, and crate training should begin soon after the pup is taken to it's new home.

Selecting homes for your pups: Please, don't just give a pup to anyone who is willing to hand over the money. If you care about the well-being of your pups, take the time to ask questions and make sure all the pups go to suitable homes with responsible and loving families that have the time and dedication to give. The most responsible thing to do is provide a written sales contract that includes at a minimum, the pup's date of birth, AKC registered names of parents, date of sale, signature, address, and phone number of the seller and buyer. It is also a great idea to sell all your pups on limited AKC registration. This is done simply by checking the limited registration box on the AKC registration application. Do not, under any circumstances, sell your pups to a pet store, broker, or suspected puppy mill operator.

If you would like to become more involved in breeding purebred dogs, and would like the advice and support of a mentor to aid you in taking the steps needed to become an educated and reputable breeder, please feel free to contact me.

back