MY THOUGHTS: The VERY first thing you must ask yourself is, "Why am I breeding my dog?". The next thing you must ask yourself is, "Am I willing to risk her life to get a litter of puppies?". The next thing you ask yourself is, "Am I financially able to incur the cost, REGARDLESS OF THE AMOUNT, for emergency care for her, as well as the babies, if things go badly?". If YOU are going to ask your female to risk her life FOR YOU, just for you to have babies, YOU AT THE VERY LEAST, OWE IT TO HER TO BE FINANCIALLY WILLING TO COVER ANY EXPENSE TO SAVE HER LIFE AND THE LIFE OF THE PUPPIES. I CAN PROMISE YOU, THIS CAN EASILY BE WELL IN EXCESS OF $5000.00.
Breeding is a gamble. The odds are increased in YOUR favor, if you have a solid knowledge of the pedigrees and lines of both the dogs being bred, what the lines behind them throw, and any genetic issues that have cropped up in the last 12 generations of either dog. Then, you have to have a complete knowledge of how to whelp a litter, how to recognize WHEN your female gets into trouble, how to raise an orphaned litter, how to care for a female with eclampsia, how to care for a female with mastitis, how to tube feed any babies that are unable to nurse on their own or are pushed away by momma (you must decide if you are going to try to save the baby or let nature take its course and just let the baby die).....these are just a few of the most important things you MUST know before you can, with a good conscience and clear head and honest heart, breed your female. |