Freeper Input needed. Does Anyone Here Breed Dogs? Looking for Information on Getting Started

08.10.14 | Chickesoup

[Chickensoup]

Does anyone here breed dogs? I love a certain breed of dog and next year I am going to end one of my jobs and would like to buy and raise and train a few dogs of my favorite breed.

But I don't know how to start. Love information. Or even direction.

FreeRepublic you are like a husband, advisor, computer geek and everyday company to me. Love you all and wish I could have you all over for Chickensoup!!

[rintense]

:( do sad. My rescue BC, now a year old, has Ventricular Septal Defect and now an enlarged heart. He’s on meds to hopefully stop the enlargement and will go for his 3rd echo in January. He has no idea there’s anything wrong with him and you would never know it if you met him. He is living the life he was meant to live, even if it’s a shorter one.

[trisham]

High energy! Thank goodness mine are couch potatoes most of the time. :)

[rintense]

Freepers are wonderful, generous dog lovers!

[BigEdLB]

Hi-
Along with my wife, I bred 3 litters of Standard Poodles

Look for pups for sale that include full registration with AKC. Also, remember, there alot of breeders out there. Some won't sell except as a pet, and some are unscrupulous, and may sell you a pup of problems. Make sure you check the pedigrees before you buy. Genetic defects have to be checked for, and one can inspect that by looking at a pedigree.. In poodles the most important seemed to be hip displasia, and congenital retina defect. But other genetic problems with thyroid, or von Wildebrand's syndrome (like hemophilia). Make sure that the dogs are not too closely related, there is a number based on the occurrence of common ancestors. Make sure the number is under 10% and better if under 5%.


Our Papa (red)and Mama (White)
Together they had 12 boys and 7 girls

[trisham]

Beautiful dogs.

[Chickensoup]

Thank you for your information! Beautiful dogs.

[shibumi]

To quote the late great Sir Harry Lauder:

"Ah need no encourrragement!"

[trisham]

I’m so sorry! Still, he is so fortunate to have you to love and care for him for the rest of his life, no matter how long.

[trisham]

People can be so kind.

We have two Harry Lauder walking stick trees. :)

[Salamander]

I can never bear to wait.

The emptiness is too much.

When one passes, I go rescue another.

It may not really heal my pain but it does save a dog so that’s okay.

:)

[Salamander]

The outpouring of kindness was the most humbling thing I’ve ever experienced.

Just her MRI *alone* was $1800.

Until we had that done, we had no idea 70 percent of her brain was “gone”.

The neuro vet didn’t understand how she could even see, let alone learn obedience.

She was such a special dog.

She left a gaping wound that will never really heal.

Nobody should have to bury a dog who still has “puppy bumps”.

[trisham]

I’m so sorry. She was so fortunate to have you there for her during the last of her life. I know how you must feel, but try to keep in mind that she loved you, and she knew that you loved her. That’s all that really matters.

[freekitty]

First thing is you have to want to love it or don’t do it. Taking care of a litter of puppies day and night for 8 weeks or longer is not an easy task. Make sure you know a lot about your breed. If not, get together with breeders(good ones). Visit shows and talk to breeders. If you haven’t chosen a puppy; decide whether you want female or male. Usually if it is male, you will be offered pick of litter. Think about showing as it will help you if want to really do this. When choosing a puppy ask to see the lines and any health problems(a good breeder will tell you if there are things in the background) and be sure to ask for a litter evaluation. Do not co own. Not a good idea unless you know what you are doing. Learn your lines and genetics. I know it’s a lot and there is much, much more; but these are things you need to know. You also need to have hips, elbows, eyes heart checked. If you dog has bad hips or bad whatever, don’t under any circumstances breed. Yes, you will be told the truth and lied to; but you use your common sense. Good luck.

[freekitty]

Correction: if you buy a male and you breed the male, you will usually be offered pick of litter and not money. Set your stud fee according to how good the dog is.

[Salamander]

[Salamander]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiinCPmlYy0#t=89

[KGeorge]

You’ve gotten some great advice on this thread. May I suggest that you get in touch with M.A.R.S. Mini Aussie rescue & Border Collie rescue? (2 different groups, not together as one. You can find them- & others, on Petfinder. And google)
Both breeds (& many/ most others) have specific health & temperament concerns that you need to be aware of.
Especially, look into MDR1, which affects both breeds. It’s become extremely controversial & MARS was very candid with me when we thought we had Ivermectin issues (we do) with our youngest Eskie. (google “Buster’s Story”.)

While it’s true that mixed breeds are fantastic dogs, you won’t always get what you expect just by repeating a combination. Genetics are a funny thing. & sometimes, it’s not “funny”, but heartbreaking.

I’m not trying to discourage you. I wholeheartedly support ethical breeders. Every dog should be “the perfect dog” for their owners. Sometimes, only a purebred will do. And Thank God for that! (I can’t imagine a world without them, which is why I despise HSUS, etc)

Breeding (& rescue) isn’t a part time job. Be prepared for it to become your world. Be prepared to have your beliefs changed about a *lot* of things.

I will tell you a personal story. Not long after I got into rescue, I had the opportunity to foster 3- 4 month old PB Eskie brothers. No problem! We have a very large kitchen, plenty of Eskie experience, & I am WILD about puppies- every terrifying, adorable, harrowing minute of them.

A young lady had, like you, loved the mother of these boys so much, she decided to breed her. She died shortly after (I guess, after they were weaned). After these 3 months, she’d had about enough of it & took them to the shelter in Abilene.

After about 5 weeks, we were pulling our hair out. We didn’t get to bed until 3 or 4 in the morning, it was fun & games almost 24/7, our kitchen was a SEA of pee (cleaned no less than 7 or 8 times a day). At one point, they all came down with a stomach bug & had to get to the vet for that. They moved the xpen from one end of the kitchen to the other, spreading chaos as they went. They WERE adorable, but we were EXHAUSTED. At that point, God Help me- I wouldn’t have done it, but I could actually understand why the owner had freaked out & dumped them at a shelter. Thankfully, I was just a volunteer & after several days of agonized discussion, called my mentor to come & get them.

Not only is it expensive, time consuming, information intensive, & sometimes heart wrenching, you very well could think that you must have lost your mind.
I’m just sayin’. You could be perfect for this, but I sure hope you’ll research it backwards, forwards, & inside out before you seriously consider it.

You might look up dog forums & breed specific forums- maybe join those. They are a wealth of information & there are usually at least 1 or 2 people who raise that breed & post regularly.

[Chickensoup]

Actually he is identified as an English Shepherd, not the aussie border collie mix we thought he was.

[KGeorge]

Oh. Seeing his picture (Handsome guy!), I can see why the mix was a consideration. His coloring does resemble some Australian Shepherds, very much, & I can see what looks like Border Collie in his face.

The MDR1 thing still applies- especially if breeding. 15% of English Shepherds carry the gene (compared to 50-70% of Collies, for example). MARS would still be a helpful contact because even many breeders whose breeds are affected have been browbeaten into disregarding it & most vets discount it or play it down.
It is a terrifying, cruel, & expensive thing to go through. In the future, I would err on the side of caution rather than trust the U of Washington test. It won’t save your dog. :-X

This can happen with almost any dog, btw. Unless there is a pedigree that documents both parents all the way down their line, it’s impossible to know if there is a herding breed or sighthound somewhere that can throw back to this gene.

Someone said that people will lie to you. That is devastatingly true.

Another issue to consider is whether they can be affected by “double merle” genetic issues. Google “lethal white” or “double merle”. Some of these have come into Eskie rescue; blind, deaf, or both, & have, literally, pure white coats.

Here is another informative website for you, if you haven’t seen it already.

englishshepherds.net

especially this article, as it pertains to breeding

http://www.englishshepherds.net/articles/color1.html

Hope this helps.

[Chickensoup]

Thank you very very much!