# Questions for the breeders



## luvmyfurbaby (Feb 11, 2007)

After a pup becomes a Champion do you always breed them? Are they usually AI'd or the old fashion way? If you breed them do you then get them fixed and pet them out for a fee to cover spay/neutering & teeth cleaning? Usually after how many times breeding them? For males do responsible breeders stud them out? I know you wouldn't sell them intact to the public but would you be willing to sell them to another breeder starting out? 

Sorry for all the questions but I would like to learn how they do it now a days.....and no I am not looking to start a breeding program. :no2: Thanks in advance for your responses.


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## bellaratamaltese (May 24, 2006)

I can't answer for everybody but..

I'll answer for myself, LOL. 

There is no set rule that if you finish a dog (male or female) you have to breed them. 

For example, I don't plan on keeping Chowder even though I'm hoping to get him finished but he will go to a new home neutered. My situation is one where I can't have a lot of dogs, so I have to be really selective with what I keep. I don't 'need' Chowder although I love him to pieces! He would be treated like a retiree (regardless if he's been used for breeding or not) because he's an adult maltese (or close enough to it, LOL) I'm not doing this for money, so a good home is the only thing I care about, not how much I can charge for a particular dog. Chowder has been a 'learning' dog for me and he's a lot of fun to show and he's such a sweet, goofy boy. (And I'm only mentioning this as an example, btw, not for any other purpose)

And yes, responsible breeders stud out their males to people who they feel will be responsible with their lines and respect the contracts. As far as selling studs to new people starting out, it all depends on the breeder and the person in question who is trying to get started. Not everybody who says they want to show their dogs always follows through and it sometimes can be taking a huge risk with somebody new. 

But like everything, it all depends on the circumstances and the people involved. I dont' think there is any 'set' amount of breedings for a male before they are neutered, but the viability of the sperm decreases with age. Females are a different story though, and are usually retired from breeding earlier. 

Again, I can't speak for everybody, i can only speak for myself, so you're going to get a variety of answers here. And I'm so new to showing/breeding, I'm very far from a voice of experience!


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## luvmyfurbaby (Feb 11, 2007)

Thanks Stacy! ***bumpity bump*** just in case there are more breeders on tonight?!


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## bellaratamaltese (May 24, 2006)

QUOTE (LuvMyFurbaby @ Jan 1 2009, 09:19 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=697270


> Thanks Stacy! ***bumpity bump*** just in case there are more breeders on tonight?![/B]


I'd love to hear other views on this!!


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## mysugarbears (Aug 13, 2007)

That is a very good question Maggie, i've often wondered myself. Thank you Stacy for answering. i can't wait for the other breeder's take on this also.


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## 4pupsmom (Dec 13, 2008)

Maggie,
Thank you for asking the questions! Maybe I can add one more as I am not sure wether or not you were asking about the females as well when you asked QUOTE


> Usually after how many times breeding them?[/B]


. 

How many time do you breed a female before retiring her? As well, do you breed her as soon as she has her first heat after having a litter or do you wait? And how long do you wait?
Thank you to all who can/will give some answers!


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## luvmyfurbaby (Feb 11, 2007)

:woohoo2: Anyone :woohoo2:


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## Furbaby's Mommie (Jul 10, 2004)

I've wondered the same.

If you have a female that has to have a C-sect to deliver, how many times would you breed them?

How long after a litter do you breed again? How many total litters?

When do you start using a stud dog, and until how old? Is there a limit to how many times in a year?


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## Tina (Aug 6, 2006)

Every breeder has different habits than other's. A girl that has had a c-section can on the next litter free whelp. Why did they have the section? It depends on the shape the girl is in. Some can handle whelping better than other's. Some take care of their babies better than other's. I do not breed a girl after she is 8 years old. Depending on the girl. 
It depends on what the mating might produce. If it is something I am looking for you hate to throw it away. For breeding them again after their last litter, again depends on the girl. Some times I do and sometimes I don't and sometimes I have to convince the girl she is not having puppies this go around. Dogs can have 2 litters a year. The bad thing is that all my girls will cycle together. I sure don't want 3 or 4 litters all at the same time. No, No, No. 

Do I wait until they are champions, No. It takes an owner/breeder/handler longer to finish their dogs. You can miss out on what you want to improve on if the girl is a little older and the male is around a year old. You'll see a lot of breeder's will only finish their males. The male is the most important aspect to my breeding program. But my girls have contributed better coats to the newer dogs in my lines. I breed to type and then to pedigree. I don't closely line breed, but do some to lock in the head. My pedigrees list on them the co-efficient % of inbreeding in the pedigree.

AKC has some guidlines as to how old or young the dogs can be for registration. It's listed in the AKC Procedures for Registration Matters. Overage/underage Sires and Dams. "No dog or litter out of a dam under 8 months or over 12 years of age at the time of mating, or by a sire under 7 months or over 12 years of age at the time of mating." 
And AKC requires DNA on males who have bred 7 or more litters in his life time or producing more than 3 litters in a calendar year. 

There isn't a limit to how many times a male can be bred in a year or his life time. You need to make sure he has a good sperm count and physically capable of breeding. For breeding I allow the natural course to occur unless he can't get it right and I really want that breeding done. You cannot expose a girl to 2 males in her season. If you do you will have to DNA everyone to make sure who is who. So, then I AI the male. There is a $200 "administration fee" you have to pay if you do end up with a multiple sired litter with AKC. They don't encourage it, but then they will work with you if it happens.
There is so much to breeding dogs than people really realize. Every one handles their lines and how they do things differently. It doesn't make a breeder good or bad. It's their way. JMO
Tina


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

QUOTE (Furbaby's Mommie @ Jan 3 2009, 07:00 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=698541


> I've wondered the same.
> 
> If you have a female that has to have a C-sect to deliver, how many times would you breed them?
> 
> ...


We don't recommend doing more than 2-3 sections before retiring a bitch. You do create scar tissue with each surgery and it is major surgery. 

There are 2 schools of thought:
1. Breed a litter, skip a season, breed again
2. Breed back to back litters if the bitch handles it well and then rest a year
It depends on the bitch as to which is best. It possible to breed back to back and retire the bitch at a younger age, I prefer that model. 

IMO, there is no reason to breed a stud before it is 2 years of age and an adult. You can use them as long as they are fertile, but in their older age AKC requires their sperm be checked to ensure they are still fertile. There is no real limit...but I have heard of studs who were over-bred having low sperm counts. It is very important to have intact males prostates checked every time they are into the vet.


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