to breed or not to breed
 

I was so excited waiting the second heat of my Kissie. Yesterday it was the first day of her second heat. She is born on august 7, 2005. She is 18 months. The male of friends of mine is perfect for her (3 pounds), she weights 5 pounds. But I am so afraid to expose her that I prefer wait till her third heat because I read she has to be at least 2 years.
Please I need your opinions.:confused:
Thank you

There are several things to consider before breeding your girl. Has she been tested for congenital and other health issues? Is she a good representation of the breed? Having a judge go over your dog whether you show her or not gives invaluable feedback. Is the male of excellent health and temperment? Is he a good representation of the breed? What are his faults, what are her faults? Will the two balance each other? What type are you trying to create and what is your goal for this breeding? Are you prepared to possibly lose your bitch, have to raise orphan pups, take time off form work and sleep? Has the male been tested for STDs? Though old enough and of good weight is your girl mature enough, does she have a good build for carrying and whelping pups? There's alot to think about before breeding and I applaud you for taking a moment out to do so. Being a breeder has been my dream for years, it keeps me up at night (like last night) but I love it. I hope you find your dream as well.

please don't let her breed. Please read this.
ATTENTION ALL NOVICE POTENTIAL BREEDERS!!!!!

SO YOU WANT TO BE A BREEDER? - Breeding the female
So you want to breed your female. You know what to expect if everything goes right. Your little girl will present you with tiny bundles of joy. She will lovingly nurse them and care for them until they are old enough to be weaned.

You and your family will find great joy in watching and playing with these little dolls, and then when the time is right they will all (or maybe you keep just one) go off to special homes to live out their lives as cherished companions. But have you given consideration to what if something goeswrong? I have listed here a few of the problems that I myself have personal knowledge of. Everything listed has happened either to me or someone I know. These are not isolated incidents. I'm sure other breeders could add miles to my list. Learn by others mistakes!. Let the breeding up to those who know what they are doing, have the experience, know what to expect.

WHAT IF DURING THE BREEDING


The stud dog you have chosen is carrying a venereal disease and gives it to your female. She not only doesn't conceive but you have to pay the vet bills to get her infection cleared up and she is now sterile.
The stud dog you decided to breed your darling to is not experienced. Once the two dogs are joined tightly in a tie, he decides to chase the neighbors cat out of his yard. He bolts for the cat ripping his penis loose and causing your bitch to hemorrhage from within.
Your modest girl decides she doesn't want the attentions of this gigolo mutt chosen for her without her consent. She snaps at him catching her tooth on his loose cheek and rips it open sending blood flying everywhere. He retaliates by sinking his teeth into her left eye.
You leave your dog with the stud owner because the breeding is not going very swiftly. In fact , it's been three hours and nothing is happening. The stud owners leave the two dogs alone in the back yard. The dogs get out through a tiny hole in the fence and a truck hits your female.
You pay the $250-$1000 stud fee up front figuring you will make that and more back when the pups sell. The breeder guarantees the stud service to work or you can come back again. After 2 months you discover it didn't work and now must wait another 4 months to try again. Of course it doesn't work again, so in another 4 months you take your dog to another male and risk loosing another stud fee.
You get her bred. Bring her home. She bothers you so you let her out she is still in heat and still receptive to males. You hear a commotion outside there is your girl tied up with the neighborhood mutt. when she whelps there will need to be DNA tests done on the pups

You get her bred. Bring her home and let her out. (She is still in heat and receptive to other males) but you do not see the neighborhood mutt breed her. The pups are born but look odd. You call the stud owner he suggests DNA testing (At your expense). You have a litter of mutts! What do you do about the ones you have already sold?
Or knowing she tied with the neighborhood mutt you decide to terminate the pregnancy and try again being more careful next time. But a few weeks later your female is very sick because you had her given a miss-mate shot creating a hormonal imbalance causing a uterine infection and now she has Pyometra and needs a complete hysterectomy. All plans of getting a litter is gone and your female's life is now in danger if she does not have the operation.
WHAT IF DURING THE BIRTH


The puppies are too large for the female. She never goes into labor, the puppies die and she becomes infected by the decaying bodies.
The puppies are coming breech and they drown in their own sacks before they can be born.
The first puppy is large and breech. When it starts coming your female starts screaming, and before you can stop her she reaches around, grabs the puppy in her teeth and yanks it out killing it instantly.
A puppy gets stuck. Neither your female nor you can get it out. You have to race her to the vet. The vet can't get it out either. She has to have an emergency caesarian section of course it is 3:00 am Christmas day.
A puppy is coming out breech and dry (the water sack that protects them has burst). It gets stuck. Mom tries to help it out by clamping her teeth over one of the back legs. The head and shoulders are firmly caught. Mom pulls on the leg, hard, peeling the flesh from the leg and leaving a wiggling stump of bone.
A dead puppy gets stuck in the birth canal, but your female is well into hard labor. She contracts so hard trying to give birth that her uterus ruptures and she bleeds to death on the way to the vet.

WHAT IF DIRECTLY AFTER THE BIRTH


The mother has no idea what to do with a puppy and she drops them out and walks away, leaving them in the sack to drown.
The mother takes one look at the puppies, decides they are disgusting droppings and tries to smother them in anything she can find to bury them in.
The mother gets too enthusiastic in her removal of the placenta and umbilical cord, and rips the cord out leaving a gushing hole pulsing blood all over you as you try in vain to stop the bleeding.
Or, she pulls on the cords so hard she disembowels the puppies as they are born and you have a box full of tiny, kicking babies with a tangle of guts the size of a walnut hanging from their stomachs. Of course all the babies must be put to sleep.
What if because of some Hormone deficiency she turns vicious allowing no one near her or the babies, who she refuses to nurse, or you have to interfere with.
You notice something protruding from her vagina when you let her out to pee. You take her to the vet to discover a prolapsed uterus, which needs to be removed.
WHAT IF WHEN YOU THINK YOU'RE IN THE CLEAR


One or more of the puppies inhaled fluid during birth, pneumonia develops and death occurs within 36 hours.
What if the mother's milk goes bad. You lose three of your four puppies before you discover what is wrong. You end up bottle feeding the remaining pup every two hours, day and night. After three days the puppy fades from infection and dies.
The puppies develop fading puppy syndrome you lose two. You bottle-feeding or tube feeding the last remaining baby. It begins to choke and despite your efforts to clear the airway, the pup stiffens and dies in your hands.
Your female develops mastitis and her breast ruptures.

Your female develops a uterine infection from a retained placenta. Her temperature soars to 105. You race her to the vet, he determines she must be spayed. He does the spay in an attempt to save her life, you pay the hundreds of dollars bill. The infection has gone into her blood stream. The infected milk kills all the puppies and the bitch succumbs a day later.
All the puppies are fine but following the birth the female develops a hormone imbalance. She becomes a fear biter and anytime anyone tries to touch her she viciously attacks them.
Mom and pups seem fine, the puppies are four weeks old and are at their cutest. However, one day one of the puppies disappears. You search everywhere but you can't find it. A few days later another puppy is gone. And another. You can't figure how on earth the puppies are getting out of their safe 4' x 4' puppy pen. Finally there is only one puppy left. The next morning you find the mother chomping contentedly on what is left of the last murdered puppy.
WHAT IF THE NEW HOMES AREN'T SO HAPPY


You give a puppy to a friend. Their fence blows down so they tie the puppy outside while they go to work. A roving dog comes along and kills the puppy. Your friend calls you up to tell you about the poor little puppy and asks when you are having more puppies.
You sell a puppy to an acquaintance. The next time you see them you ask how the puppy is doing. They tell you that it soiled their new carpet so they took it to the pound
You sell a puppy to a friend (you give them a good price and payments). They make a couple of tiny payments. Six months later they move to an apartment. They ask you to take it back. You take it back and of course the payments stop. The dog they returned is so shy, and ill mannered from lack of socialization and training it takes you a year of work providing socializing and training to be able to give it away.
You sell a puppy to a wonderful home. They love her like one of the family. At a vet check done by their vet it is determined that the puppy has a heart murmur. (Your vet found nothing when he checked the puppy before it was sold.) They love their puppy and want the best for her. They have an expensive surgery done. The puppy is fine. They sue you for the medical costs. They win, because you did not have a contract stipulating conditions of guarantee and so as breeder you are responsible for the puppy's genetic health.

You give a puppy to your mother. She is thrilled. Two years later the puppy starts developing problems. It begins to develop odd symptoms and is suffering. Hundreds and hundreds of dollars worth of tests later it is finally discovered that the dog is suffering from a terminal condition that was inherited. possibly from your female since you know nothing about her family lines.
One loving home decides your puppy is untrainable, destructive and wants to return the pup and get a full refund, which you have spent on your vet bills.
One loving couple calls you and is very upset because their pup has crippling hip dysplasia and want to know what you are going to do about it. You have spayed your female so a replacement is out of the question, looks like another refund.
THE SALE


You put your ad in the local paper for your pups at the usual price and get only 2 responses and no sales. You cut the pup's price in half and broaden your advertising to 3 other newspapers in which the advertising totals $120.00 a week.
You get a few more puppy inquiries from people who ask all about health testing you did before breeding and if the pups are registered. You tell them your dogs are healthy and it was enough and that you could get the papers. The callers politely thank you and hang up.
The pups are now 4 months old and getting bigger , eating alot and their barking is really beginning to annoy the neighbors who call the police who inform you of the $150.00 noise by-law.
Your neighbors also call the humane society who comes out to inspect the care of your dogs. You pass inspection but end up feeling stressed and harassed.
You finally decide to give the rest of the litter away but still have to pay the $1200.00 advertising bill and the $600.00 vet bill.
So you gotta ask yourself: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, "breeder?"

Omg if that doesnt put you off nothing will!

Definitely gives you something to think about

breeding
 

Caution is wise, but total fear will prevent you from thinking with a clear head...and 9 weeks is a very long time to be stressed...your bitch will sense your stress..and a stressed bitch is more prone to complications.

Noone can make this choice for you. There are people on here that breed their females yet turn around and tell you why you shouldnt. Im not saying to breed her or not to breed her.Thats your choice, If you have read all that could happen and still want to breed then thats your choice. Their are times things happen and turn out very sad and it dont mean it will for you, yet it could so be prepared. Dont let others make your mind up for you. And Yorkierose is right if you start out scared and stressed your female will pick up on it and its not good for her. just read up on all you can before you plan to breed. Good Luck in what ever you choose.But you have to be the one to make up your own mind.

Definately take all into consideration. Female & male both tested & clean bill of health. Prepare for any problems. I have been researching awhile & have a list of tests to run w/a vet, formula recipes, vets emergency/ home number incase.

vivi,

Only you and your vet can determine if it is ok to breed her.


BTW, if it were up to a few people on this site, there would be no Yorkie breeders because in their eyes, no one can do it up to their "standards".:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:







.

OH My!!! :shocked7q :shocked7q :shocked7q

I know that definitely there is always risks but guys, don't you think that you are extremely dramatic. My goal is not to be a breeder or try to make a business. I only want to breed my yorkie once. I want to keep the pups if I get one or two. If there is more, I have family with good homes, dog lovers. That is not the point. My female is 5 pounds, she is in good shape and without congenital problems. Her temperament is excelent. My vet who checks her regularly didn't found nothing to worry about. I can't guess how good mother she will be.
If we all think like that even us human beings never get pregnated, because we can die or loose the newborn or become sterile or have a baby with many health issues. I think that everything you do in your life has a risk. BUT THE NATURE HAS HIS LAST WORD.

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :bravo: :bravo: :bravo:

THANK YOU

I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU: THERE WOULD NOT BE YORKIES AT ALL BECAUSE EVEN THE MOST EXPERIENCED BREEDERS CAN FIND THE SAME PROBLEMS thumbup:


:D

There is no drama, just information passed on. All which are things that can and have happened to even the most experienced breeders. You alone can make the decision...and what people are saying to you is just be prepared. And yes, you can lose your girl in the process and the puppies as well.


I assisted my mentor, who has been breeding for 38 years, with whelping litters. What was amazing while watching her through the whole process, is her ability to know the danger signs. I watched her milk down a puppy that was too high in the birth canal, turn a puppy that was breech.....would I have known how to do all that with my first litter, had I not assisted her, NO....all these things she did and others saved puppies lives. She knew when to administer medication to help mom with contractions, and when to take a dam in for a C-section She does this automatically, because of her years of experience and the training she received from her mentor. And I've also watched her cry when things didn't go right and she has lost a puppy.

What we're saying is that education can be your best friend, learn before you begin this adventure. Whether you are breeding one litter or a dozen, do it with excellence, strive to improve the breed.
Hey Mary, I want to learn to milk a pup down the birth canal, I've seen vets who won't even do that. I'll continue to search for a mentor as knowledgable as yours. Shame you don't live closer. ;)

I just marvel at what my mentor knows. Watching her in action is amazing, a calm comes over her, she positions herself at one end of the whelping pen, a standing mirror at the other end, and watches the bitch from every angle....knows when things look wierd and get into action. She was mentored by a few vets, and some great breeders that are no longer with us.

Wow I would love to see her in action! Skill like that is priceless and the knowledge that goes hand in hand with it, worth a million bucks! I'll see you Friday! :D :D
First time in NY and I'm so excited, can you tell?!

Puppy Bitches don't show until 10:30....I'm only showing Tahlulah in Sweeps. Rainey will show on Saturday and Sunday.

Too bad you weren't coming in earlier....we're doing shopping on Canal Street on Thursday. Macy's is right down the street from the hotel...everything, is pretty close walking distance.

Mary

You will get to meet her, she's coming with me.....78 year old, lil gruff woman.....

Hope you all have a great time and can't wait to see you there.

That is not true and I can not believe that was said. I am a new breeder and found that people on here have been overall supportive. When my female went into labor, this past Thanksgiving 7:00pm and had copmplications, nobody was there for me except for a YorkieTalk member. She knew it was my first litter and stayed online with me for about 3 hours!!! I ended up having to take her to the hospital and pay over $2,000 in vet bills for a c-section and 2 of the 4 pups did not make it!!!:( It does happen and breeding is not always easy. You just have to be prepared. The scariest thing for me that night was the possibility of loosing my Trini.

People are not saying not to breed (I can not speak for all, but most) just to be well informed of all the possibilities good, and bad and if you can except both and educate yourself well and want to be a breeder that's up to you. To most pet owners that do not know the work involved and the risks, reading what was posted gives a reality check and they do not want to take the chances with their babies. To others, it is a chance they want to take to forefil (spelling?) a passion.:p

First of all, congratulations on finding someone that was willing to help you rather than criticize you. There are some very knowledgeable and supportive people here.

Research the forum and see how many people get attacked instead of helped when asking a question about breeding, pregnancy, birthing, etc. My reason for reading this board is to gain knowledge from the people that ARE willing to give good advice and share knowledge, instead of criticize and bash.

I orginally came on this board asking a question about breeding and got attacked. I stuck it out and learned how to filter out the junk. I've been on here for a while now, have gotten great advice, especially when I had a very large pregnant mom. I was totally supported.

However, all I have been seeing lately is attacks by a select few on people who breed or who want to breed. It's one thing to bring up valid points, it's another to drive them down peoples throats

As I said, research the forum and you will see what I am talking about. I think this is a great place, but the judgement and criticism on breeding has gotten out of hand IMHO.

SORRY TO HAVE BEGIN THIS FIGHT. IT'S BETTER TO READ BOOKS.:animal36

You didn't start a thing, Vivi. There really is some info here that is probably better than books. But sometimes you do have to use a filter. Some of the posts may sound like "shock treatment" but once they all see a person is really trying to learn to do this right and is making educated decisions, they lighten up a bit. There are some great sources of information here -- it's a resource I plan to draw from for a long time to come.

I want to breed my two some day if all goes well. I figure it will take me the next year just to learn enough to be a novice. I will use every tool I can to get ready -- books, mentors, forums, internet reference material, you name it!

The minute you have a litter of puppies at home , you are a breeder .