Dog Breeding Should Be About
Improving The Breed

By Teri Champigny

As a responsible and good dog breeder you would love to achieve the “Breed Standard” for your dog. It might take you 15-20 years. The truth is that you can never have the “perfect” dog, but the closer you come to the “Breed Standard” the better it is. It is your selective dog breeding decisions that would result in a better dog. The more informed you are the better it is. Before every breeding you should ask yourself will the puppies conform to the “Breed Standard”.

Keep Breed Standard In Mind

It can never be emphasized enough that before you start to breed it is a good idea to gather all the information that you can on the particular breed of your choice. You should talk to lot of breeders, read books on breeding and breed standards, visit various dog events, and find out what the judges are looking for in that breed. This way you will learn what is good for that breed.

You will have to find a good mate for your dog to breed with. What you should look in your dog’s mate are qualities that would help bring a litter that is closer to the Breed Standards. For example, if your dog’s head is slightly smaller according to the ideal standards, you should look for a mate with a large head.

As a responsible dog breeder you would have to ensure that your dog has the right temperament for handling the pressures of domestication. Very often families give up on dogs because they are too aggressive or have some behavioral problems. If your dog has an aggressive temperament, it is more likely to be passed on to the puppies. It is better not to breed such dogs. Make sure that your dog’s mate should also meet the temperament requirement of that breed. Breed dogs that are happy, confident, and obedient mate well and also breed similarly inclined pups and must be encouraged. Carefully analyze the temperament requirement for your dog’s breed.

If you are into dog breeding, you should be aware about the genetics diseases that are commonly found in you dog breed. Some of the genetically related diseases affecting dogs are Hip Dysplasia, Osteochondrosis Dessicans, Patellar Luxation, Allergies, Retinal Dysplasia, etc. Before you breed a dog and a bitch, you should make sure that both of them are free from brucellosis. Brucellosis leads to sterility in both sexes. Though it is a sexually transmitted disease, the entire kennel can be infected through contact with secretions.

To meet the Breed Standards requirement, it is essential that the female is above 2 years of age. She should be mentally and physically prepared to breed. A female should be bred every other year. Healthy female means healthy puppies and as a responsible dog breeder, you should see to it that you should not breed the dog too often.