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Originally Posted by joeyandtanksmom  first off, thank you to everyone who has answered my questions - I appreciate the new knowledge, and to hear your guys' experiences. I think it helps to see what you have gone through and learned. It was quite interesting to see about line breeding - I'd never heard that term before. It does make sense though. I will definitely be checking into at least watching some shows, if not participating at some point. I think that would be fun, as well as a good learning experience. Also, it makes sense about my question about you selling a female to a new breeder - not being a yes or no, I mean. I didn't even think about the fact that you would probably base your decision on whether or not you trust the person and how you felt about them...you would be talking about one of your own puppies, of course  Mardelin - I really thank you for your insight and taking the time to answer my questions, I can see you are a very experienced breeder and want nothing but the best for the breed, and for all your dogs/puppies.
I would also like to reiterate a few things that I think some people just haven't paid attention to or understood...I do not have a female yet, and I do not plan to buy one for at least one year (the SOONEST I would get a girl would be about January of 2011, but it could very possibly wait until 2012). I am trying to do as much research as possible now, so that I am well prepared for when I have a female ready to be bred. I realize that I will see puppies die, and very possibly a mother. I am fully prepared for that. I work in a hospital and see death on a daily basis - I know it's different, but I feel that I am able to handle death, even of loved ones, well.
I know none of you "want to come off as rude", but really, I know that I could lose a dog, adult or infant, and I don't need to hear it 5 thousand times before I understand it. I was more interested in the vet bills of a litter with and without complications, opinions of selling to a new breeder, supplies I may not think of that I would need, and stuff like that. I know about the emotional side of it, and am prepared for it.
Again, I'm not planning on breeding until at least 2013, I'm just trying to get all my ducks in a row way beforehand. Thanks |
So, glad you are taking your time. That is one thing that so many who start out don't seem to do. They are in a hurry and it does come back and bite them in the end.
I know that it is stressed often about the great possibility of losing your female and/or the puppies during a whelp. It has been stressed over and over. And at times it gets on newbies nerves. But, no matter how many times it is stressed, nothing prepares you for that moment when it does it hit you. I know it hit me year before last with my Champion girl......Believe me the harsh reality of it was more than I could bear. You know something is wrong and you are helpless. She lived but, for 4 days it was horrible. Not knowing if she was going to make it. Seeing her with tubes and needles, being pumped full of antibiotics and fluids.....Leaving her with the vet's......Really scarey and the worst feeling is that my decision contributed to put her in that situation......
I'm going to be a bit blunt here.....and you aren't going to like what I'm about to say. If you came to me asking me for a breeding female or male....and said I'm not planning on breeding until 2012 or 13. It would immediately set off warning signals to me. I don't know if that is fair but, it is my natural instinct to feel that breeding is your main goal.....May not be....but, it does send that message to me.
Good Luck in your endeavor.....Research, research, research........don't go to the first breeder that will sell you a dog on open registration, go to the best, one that is going to mentor you and stand beside you every step of the way.