Authored by Melissa Church in Dogs
Published on 05-23-2009
Breeding dogs is a rewarding experience that is rarely paralleled. Dog breeding for beginners is a process that takes patience and a willingness to learn. Once you have committed yourself to this process the rewards awaiting you are innumerable. Looking into the tiny faces of your first litter is a feeling like no other. After reading this article you will become familiar with the standards of your breed, hunting for a suitable mate, and the breeding process itself. With this information in hand you will be ready for the world of dog breeding.
Being open to the advice of other successful dog breeders will give you insight into the nuances of the practice. Watching dog show competitions will give you a better sense of what to look for in any particular breed. Height, weight, color, and vitality are some of the basics that earmark a champion.
Comparing your dog to the breed standard is a crucial step of dog breeding. Become familiar with the most desirable characteristics of your breed. Invest time in learning the physiology of your breed and what is considered the gold standard. Many beginners make the mistake of not doing their homework and end up with puppies that hold up poorly against the standard. The goal of dog breeding is breeding toward the standard. Due diligence is needed to make sure that you have the best stock available to you to create the best lineage.
Once you’ve verified that your dog meets the requirements of the standard you can begin your hunt for a suitable mate. This can be a sticking point of dog breeding for beginners. Find a reputable breeding stud or bitch. You can find the right mate for your dog in the yellow pages under dog breeding or doing a targeted search on the Internet. If your dog is registered with the American Kennel Club you will want to find a mate that is also registered. If neither dog has papers then this step won’t be of any significant importance but it also means that you cannot show any of your litter in competition. Having parents with suitable lineages is at the core of dog breeding.
Make sure both dogs have clean bills of health. You need to be made aware of any preexisting conditions that your dogs mate may have. You don’t want to be unpleasantly surprised when unexpected health problems befall your new litter. The dogs should be familiarized over the course of a few days to a week. The breeding process should take place in the kennel of the stud dog. After the breeding session is over you’ll want to wait a few weeks before confirming a possible pregnancy with your vet. Dog breeding for beginners can be challenging at first but once you have delivered a litter of champions it is well worth it.
Dog breeding for beginners is a study in details. Becoming familiar with the standards of your breed, hunting for a suitable mate, and the mechanics of the breeding process itself will provide you with the edge that will rank you among the professionals.
