breeding small dogs in heat?

[whatadandy]

how many days into heat should I breed my dog?

[divegirl]

The answer to this question is easy...depending on the individual dog... anytime from day 7 onwards. That's the easy part! I would like to add though, if you are planning on breeding your bitch you should have known that already, breeding of any dog is not something to be taken lightly, it needs to be researched properly. Are you prepared for the cost of rearing a litter? The time involved and the emotional angst? I have just spent 4 weeks sleeping on my sofa hand-rearing a pup, rewarding....yes.... totally tiring...yes! I don't mean to sound condecending, but please do some more research before commiting your dog to stud.

Lisa

[lankeela]

Sorry, totally with Lisa on this one. If you don't even know that then you should not be breeding.

http://www.dogstuff.info/to_breed_or_not.html

[drchasuble]

And I naively thought that the Answer Bank was the place where people get their questions answered.
Surely the poster is simply making a start to his or her research by asking some supposedly friendly people this question.

Shame on you both for being so patronising and judgemental.

[divegirl]

If this were the case do you not think the question would have been worded something along the lines of 'I am thinking of breeding my dog where can I get information....blah blah blah'. I have answered the question asked and added some further information as has lankeela. All that I have pointed out is that breeding is not something to be taken lightly and I feel no shame in admitting that I care more for the dogs welfare than that of the person asking the question [no offence whatadandy]. There are to many accounts of ill-thought out litters in this country, too many dogs in rescue centers and to many opinionated people on AB. I was merely offering advice, that of course does not have to be heeded, but is my advice non the less.

Good day to you drchasuble.

[lankeela]

There are so many avenues for getting information with books, internet sites, and yes, even asking experts that I don't really think asking the general public on a question and answer site like this shows any form of research has been undertaken.

Dog breeding is an art, and can be heartbreaking, expensive and time consuming. Many people think you just need a bitch and oh yes a dog from up the road and voila you have a money making scheme.

As divegirl says, this is why rescue centres are so full and the free ads are full of litters being advertised. Some of us take pride in our breeding programmes, studying pedigrees and travelling hundred of miles and spending hundreds of pounds (very little if any of which can be recouped) showing our dogs and visiting prospective studs with our bitches. Joe Public comes along and thinks they can make money just by having a litter with little or no thought given to how they would cope if all the puppies were returned to them by the owners because they could not cope, or how they would feel if they lost their precious pet during a difficult whelping and how they would pay the vet bills if a c-section was necessary and maybe ending up hand rearing a litter.

I am afraid I am long since past caring whether I offend anyone or not. At least one person on this site was sensible enough to decide that breeding was not for her, and she took our advice in the best possible way.

Sadly I suspect that many others will not.

[Noweia]

Have to agree with lankeela and divegirl - I see far too many people on this site asking for the most basic of information: if you have to ask that, then you shouldn't be breeding!

[gelda]

Well done Divegirl and Iankeela, I completely aggree with you on this point! Gelda

[gelda]

Sometimes I can't believe some of the questions posted on here!!!

[willow66]

I totally agree with lankeela and divegirl. In my opinion, dog breeding should only be done by registered breeders who care for the breed. There are so many hereditary diseases, getting the right bloodlines, hip/elbow scores etc are just a couple of things to be taken into account. It is not for someone who just wants their dog to have puppies or to make money. What happens if the owner can't find homes for all the puppies? My dog came from a litter of 14!!