Authored by Sama Fazal in Dogs, Small Business 
Published on 01-31-2009

Dog breeding is sometimes made to appear as an easy profitable business with lot of money to be earned. But it also involves huge responsibilities on the part of the breeder. Dog breeding is definitely not an easy task. There are many things to attend to, during the dog breeding process.

When you start out on dog breeding, you would first need to find quality dogs for breeding. They may even need to be registered with the concerned authorities. You do not want to produce mutts that may not find good owners. By choosing good quality breeding dogs you can ensure that your puppies are of the best dog breeds and have better chances of being sold to other owners.

To start with you may have to begin by reviewing the parent dogs’ medical histories. The dogs must be free from hereditary illnesses. They must also have been tested for infectious diseases. Both parent dogs also need to have a good temperament. Aggressive or overly unfriendly puppies are not good for commercial dog breeding. When dealing with dog breeding, you also need to be careful about bacterial infections that can affect mother or father dogs. You are especially vulnerable if the breeding is being done in the country or on a farm. You will need to put in extra efforts to ensure that the puppies and the mother dog are free from bacterial infections.

Not all puppies can survive the process of birth. Many puppies die during whelping. The element of risk is present always as both the mother dog and the puppies can fall sick. The process of whelping puppies can cost time and money. And you will need to set up the breeding area with basic necessities. A whelping box may be needed. You will also need medical items and things like thermometers, heat lamps, and hemostats. You should know how to use them before your puppies are born.

After the puppies are born, the mother dog will care for them for a month or so. The new puppies will need a private and safe place to stay during this time. Sometimes the mother may just need some time for herself, away from the puppies. You will also need to keep the breeding area clean to avoid contamination and smells. You can use waste paper or old newspapers for carpeting the area.

Puppies need to feel warm always. Hypothermia or excessive cold can kill puppies. So you will need heat lamps with automatic thermostats when raising puppies. A temperature of 75 – 80 deg F is recommended for the puppies’ environment. Dogs will often bark and whine during the night so they may disturb your sleep. You may find that you need to clean the breeding area a lot after some nights. Unclean breeding areas can increase the risk of infection in the puppies.

Dog breeding can be a rewarding and profitable enterprise if you are prepared to deal with all the hassles involved but first and foremost, you need to be a pet lover who is willing to put in the necessary effort and get pleasure from the entire process.