Quote:
Originally Posted by MindieRose  There are many complications that can come up in any birth, with any dog, but all in all, breeding and birthing dogs is not rocket science. |
If you are really trying to get the best chance of breeding dogs that are going to live long, healthy lives, it is pretty darn complicated. You should have some knowledge of genetics before breeding dogs, at least some understanding of how certain traits are passed or are believed to be passed. It IS science.
I think the criticism comes from the fact that the owner of the dogs said she did not want them bred yet, but did not keep an intact bitch in heat and an intact male separated, even though the male was obviously giving it a really good try at breeding the bitch. If the breeding does result in a pregnancy, it is not a responsible thing to allow a 9 month old puppy to whelp puppies. Just because she has a heat cycle does not mean she is ready to be bred. In domesticating dogs we have modified their behavior into that of a perpetual juvenile that takes longer to mature than a non-domesticated relative, but the biological cycle has not been modified to match that. Just as there are very few of us that would think it was a good idea for an 11 or 12 year old human to get pregnant even if she is ovulating, most of the breeders I know would not think a 9 month old puppy is ready to take on the role of mother. Personally, I won't breed a bitch for the first time until she is approximately 2.5 yrs old. I want her to enjoy her puppyhood first.