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DVA 326 Bridge Street * Dedham, MA 02026 * 781.326.2800
Should I Breed My Dog?
When you make a decision to breed your dog, you assume a responsibility for the health and quality of the puppies you produce. Responsible dog breeding is a time consuming and expensive process that should not be entered into without careful planning. Careless breeding can lead to puppies that inherit disabling diseases -- This makes you, the breeder, ultimately responsible. Different breeds are affected with varying inherited diseases: Hip and elbow dysplasia can cause painful lameness; progressive retinal atrophy and congenital cataracts can lead to blindness; subaortic stenosis is a heart condition that can cause sudden death; and familial nephropathy is a condition that can lead to kidney failure early in life. Some of these diseases are preventable by simply not breeding affected or carrier dogs.
When considering breeding, ask yourself why. If the answers include making money, exposing your children to “the miracle of life,” because you have heard it is good for a female dog to “have a litter” or because she is “AKC Registered” you need to reconsider. Pregnancy and whelping do not always go according to plan. If the bitch needs an emergency c-section or if the puppies become seriously ill, you should be prepared for the additional veterinary care that will be needed. Mother nature can be brutal -- It is not unusual for puppies to be stillborn. This unfortunately may not be the “miracle of life” that you were planning on. Additionally, allowing your female dog to go through even one heat cycle greatly increases her chances of mammary (breast) cancer as well as a uterine infection called pyometra that requires emergency surgery. Finally, AKC Registration has nothing to do with the quality of your dog’s bloodlines; it is a breed registration agency only. If you have purchased your puppy from a pet store or a “breeder” where the mother was not present, it is possible that you have a dog from a puppy mill. These are operations (usually in the midwest portion of our country) that breed female dogs every heat cycle and produce mass quantities of puppies. This is not considered responsible breeding by reputable dog breeders as these dogs are usually not screened for any genetically based disease before they are bred. Often they are bred before they are even one year of age. My very first dog was an AKC registered Cocker Spaniel from a pet store. She was a wonderful, loving companion whose memory I will always treasure, but she was spayed at six months of age!
If you have never bred a dog before and think you may want to begin to become involved with this activity, I suggest that you visit several dog shows, agility trials, or tracking trials. Figure out which breeds interest you, what they are supposed to look like, and speak to some of the people at the show. Dog people love to discuss their sport! Learn as much as you can this way and then consider purchasing a dog from a responsible, reputable breeder that could be a candidate for you to breed after two years of age.
Should you decide to breed your dog, find a veterinarian who offers pre-breeding screening services including PennHip™ , OFA, echocardiography, genetic blood testing, and Brucella canis testing. Additionally, your vet can help you with breeding management including breeding timing, semen collection, and artificial insemination. Finally, be sure to find information on 24 hour emergency care should you encounter any difficulties at whelping and need an emergency c-section. Breeding dogs for show, obedience, hunting or other purposes can be very rewarding if it is done responsibly.
The following websites address responsible breeding: www.canismajor.com/dog/responbr.html www.k9web.com/dog-faqs/breeding.html
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