Post by Sarah on Apr 10, 2011 18:52:04 GMT
If you're thinking of breeding please read this thread, it's not a lecture and we cannot tell you what to do but a little education goes a long way and could save some lives and a lot of expense and heart ache.
So you have a bitch and would like to keep a puppy from her.
Maybe you think because you have a bitch and a dog you should breed them.
Your friends and family love your dog so much they think you should have a litter.
You want to make some money or you want your kids to experience life being brought into the world?
If any of these are reasons you want to breed then frankly spay/neuter now. Breeding should only be done to improve the breed standard... This doesn't mean breed a dog which is far off standard to a champion whilst you would be improving on one you wouldn't be the other! If your dog isn't to standard then it shouldn't be bred.
If you are seriously considering breeding then you need to decide if your bitch is breeding quality. Does she meet the breed standard? Have you shown her or had a breed specialist go over her (this does not mean by any means all dogs have to be shown but they should be very close to the breed standard).
Are there breeding restrictions on her pedigree? If so spay her, if she was to be bred fom her breeder wouldn't of endorsed her pedigree.
Do you know her faults?? Do not kid yourself into thinking your dog is perfect, she isn't every dog has faults even those winning Best of Breed at Crufts. No dog is perfect. Remember you are breeding to improve the breed if your dog has a bad mouth, poor angulation, high tail set, long in the muzzle, shocking topline and is 10lb it's got too many faults to breed out and should be spayed.
Do you know your dogs lines, her ancestors faults? Have you learnt enough about genetics to know what not to breed together (e.g never breed two dilute colours together as can cause Colour Dilution alopecia).
Does she have any hereditary health problems like Luxating patella?? If so spay her it Is not fair to put puppies or their new owners through the heartbreak and cost of repairing LP. The UK KC does not currently recommend any health tests for Chihuahuas but use your brain if she has a problem don't breed her.
So now your bitch meets the standard you know her pedigree better than you know your underwear drawer, she is healthy and her pelvis is big enough to breed (remember chihuahuas are NOT an easy whelping breed - I'll get to whelping in a minute) as can be and you want to find a stud!!
Your next door neighbour has a boy who they are happy to let you use for free - Tell them NO!! You need to go through the same steps for a stud, do they meet the standard, does the owner know their lines, are they strong where your bitch is weak and vice versa? Do their pedigrees compliment each other??
Now you have found your stud you know everything you need to about whelping you are aware that your bitch may die, have learnt how to deal with certain situations have an experienced mentor, your vet is onside, have £3000 in the bank just in case and your bitch has come into season and is of breeding age you send her to stud and she wants to rip the studs face off because he is trying to mount her? This does happen which is why you need an experienced stud handler accidents do and can happen anything from aggression from the bitch to a panic in a tie and a broken penis! Everyone has to start somewhere but you must know how to prevent accidents.
Remember a crypto-orchid (that's ones retained testicle) should never be bred from as it can be hereditary and carries a higher risk of testicular cancer.
Say the mating and whelping went fine totally text book but the bitch rejects the litter what would you do? Let the puppies die?? Are you willing to hand raise them.. Feeding them (sometimes by tube) every two hours round the clock, stimulate them
To eliminate (because puppies cannot relieve themselves for the first few weeks of their lives), keep them warm, basically be their mother until they go to their new homes at 12 weeks (yup you read that right chihuahuas should stay with their breeders until 12 weeks).
What about puppies having to be put to sleep because they have a cleft palette or hydrocephalus (do you know what hydrocephalus is or what to look for? If not then you really shouldn't be breeding your dog) can you cope with the heart break?
I am not by any means saying you shouldn't breed even the most experience of breeders were newbies once, just prepare yourself, research, know your breed, get a mentor and do it for the right reasons there are so many poorly bred chihuahuas in the world please do not add to it!
ETA: In the states, the recommended health tests for the Chihuahua are...
1)OFA Patellas
2)Cardiac
3)CERF (eyes).
The first two can be performed by licensed vets, the final one must be done by a specialist.
So you have a bitch and would like to keep a puppy from her.
Maybe you think because you have a bitch and a dog you should breed them.
Your friends and family love your dog so much they think you should have a litter.
You want to make some money or you want your kids to experience life being brought into the world?
If any of these are reasons you want to breed then frankly spay/neuter now. Breeding should only be done to improve the breed standard... This doesn't mean breed a dog which is far off standard to a champion whilst you would be improving on one you wouldn't be the other! If your dog isn't to standard then it shouldn't be bred.
If you are seriously considering breeding then you need to decide if your bitch is breeding quality. Does she meet the breed standard? Have you shown her or had a breed specialist go over her (this does not mean by any means all dogs have to be shown but they should be very close to the breed standard).
Are there breeding restrictions on her pedigree? If so spay her, if she was to be bred fom her breeder wouldn't of endorsed her pedigree.
Do you know her faults?? Do not kid yourself into thinking your dog is perfect, she isn't every dog has faults even those winning Best of Breed at Crufts. No dog is perfect. Remember you are breeding to improve the breed if your dog has a bad mouth, poor angulation, high tail set, long in the muzzle, shocking topline and is 10lb it's got too many faults to breed out and should be spayed.
Do you know your dogs lines, her ancestors faults? Have you learnt enough about genetics to know what not to breed together (e.g never breed two dilute colours together as can cause Colour Dilution alopecia).
Does she have any hereditary health problems like Luxating patella?? If so spay her it Is not fair to put puppies or their new owners through the heartbreak and cost of repairing LP. The UK KC does not currently recommend any health tests for Chihuahuas but use your brain if she has a problem don't breed her.
So now your bitch meets the standard you know her pedigree better than you know your underwear drawer, she is healthy and her pelvis is big enough to breed (remember chihuahuas are NOT an easy whelping breed - I'll get to whelping in a minute) as can be and you want to find a stud!!
Your next door neighbour has a boy who they are happy to let you use for free - Tell them NO!! You need to go through the same steps for a stud, do they meet the standard, does the owner know their lines, are they strong where your bitch is weak and vice versa? Do their pedigrees compliment each other??
Now you have found your stud you know everything you need to about whelping you are aware that your bitch may die, have learnt how to deal with certain situations have an experienced mentor, your vet is onside, have £3000 in the bank just in case and your bitch has come into season and is of breeding age you send her to stud and she wants to rip the studs face off because he is trying to mount her? This does happen which is why you need an experienced stud handler accidents do and can happen anything from aggression from the bitch to a panic in a tie and a broken penis! Everyone has to start somewhere but you must know how to prevent accidents.
Remember a crypto-orchid (that's ones retained testicle) should never be bred from as it can be hereditary and carries a higher risk of testicular cancer.
Say the mating and whelping went fine totally text book but the bitch rejects the litter what would you do? Let the puppies die?? Are you willing to hand raise them.. Feeding them (sometimes by tube) every two hours round the clock, stimulate them
To eliminate (because puppies cannot relieve themselves for the first few weeks of their lives), keep them warm, basically be their mother until they go to their new homes at 12 weeks (yup you read that right chihuahuas should stay with their breeders until 12 weeks).
What about puppies having to be put to sleep because they have a cleft palette or hydrocephalus (do you know what hydrocephalus is or what to look for? If not then you really shouldn't be breeding your dog) can you cope with the heart break?
I am not by any means saying you shouldn't breed even the most experience of breeders were newbies once, just prepare yourself, research, know your breed, get a mentor and do it for the right reasons there are so many poorly bred chihuahuas in the world please do not add to it!
ETA: In the states, the recommended health tests for the Chihuahua are...
1)OFA Patellas
2)Cardiac
3)CERF (eyes).
The first two can be performed by licensed vets, the final one must be done by a specialist.
