Just wondering how many people here are breeding dogs and what do you breed?

I am thinking about a one off mating next year for my german shepherd before I get her spayed. She is 10 months now, just had her first season.. was thinking in about a year, maybe 18 months time, when she's 2 or 2.5 years old. She has a really good pedigree and the breeder is urging me not to get her spayed before getting a least one litter of pups from her - and hopefully will have the time next year.

Do you think people should breed once to pass on the blood lines of pedigree dogs from champions etc? I still can't decide whether I should or not.

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if you thin kit's right the go for it. at worrk my boss breeds terriers and rotties and both get bred once if they're going to be spayed.. others just get bred ragged. i dont agree in breeding for breeding sake but if she's a nice dog with a nice pedigre and you think the pups will inherit all her good bits go for it.

if you 're not sure now why not reassess the situation nearer the time you intend to breed her?

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I think my biggest deciding factor, after the dog's health etc. would be could I find suitable homes for all the puppies. Homes that I could be 90-95% sure would be for life for them.

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Its really difficult with shepherds just because of all the people that are breeding them for money ATM. you need to think of factors like health, her and the studs hip scores, temperament etc.
there are too many badly bred shepherds going about just now, so be VERY selective with the stud if you do breed her.
But hopefully all goes well and you get some lovely, well bred pups if you do go for it, and good luck cos shepherd pups can be damn loud!

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I have pets...

Yeah.. that's another thing, before I breed her I would have to have her hip scores done. We think they're good, parents are very good so should be okay but if high then obviously I wouldn't breed her.

If I decide to get her spayed I never have to put her through getting her hips scored either. Hard decision to make.

The vet is telling me if i want to get her spayed, the best time is in the next month, as she's just finished her first season.. the breeder is telling me to wait and try and breed her next year or the year after, and then get her spayed..

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just do whatever you think is right for the dog. She wont ever notice or care if you dont breed her and spaying her does stop a lot of health problems later in life. The breeder is obviously wanting to breed her but shes not their dog and if you bought her originally as a pet why breed her?

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I have pets...

Personally I never get a dog or bitch spayed before 2 years old especially in a later maturing dog for instance a lab. If the breeder wants to take some of the pups for sure then id have her scored and go for it but only if I was going to keep atleast 1 of the pups myself aswell. I wouldnt risk the health of my dog if I didnt really want to breed myself as you would kick yourself if you bred her and she had any problems during or after.

Also consider if spayed now you do majorly reduce chances of mammary cancer, below 10 percent chance now but if you do let her have another season or 2 to breed her that chance will go up to 25 percent after her next season. Although this is only information I have read and not had experiance of personally, so with my own dogs like I said I dont spay till 2yrs.

I breed and show dogs and must admit the way the GSD people are going at the min I wouldn't want to be going down the breeding route anytime soon. I used to have GSD's for obedience and showing almost 25 yrs ago but still have a lot of contacts within the breed today, I know of at least 8 breeders with litters due anytime now so you'll have to consider them as potential competition for your pups when you breed.

My worry too is why does the breeder want you to breed, are they helping in stud choice, with homes for the pups, why haven't they kept a bitch back from the same litter for their future breeding plans? Are you prepared for the problems that can and do occur with breeding such as herpies disease which is on the increase at the moment, does very little to the adult dogs but is a certain death for the pups, what if you need a emergency c -section, is the breeder looking to have the bitch and do the breeding and rearing for you? ARE you thinking of doing hips AND elbows and do you expect similar of the stud dog? Do you work can you take time off to be with the bitch and her puppies for at least 2 days post whelping whilst things settle down, can you take more time off later for their 4 meals a day during working hrs? ARE you in a position to take back any of the pups you've produced at ANY TIME during their lifetime no questions asked or help with rehoming if circumstances change with their owners? I've had a 10 yr old pup of mine have to come back to me when his owner was killed, another when her owners carer died suddenly and he was unable to look after the dog.

Most vets these days recommend spaying 3 mths post season when the hormone levels are at their most balanced and have to admit if I could I would neuter my pups prior to them leaving me as they can in the USA. Yes the dogs grow slightly larger than non neutered animals but we're only talking mm's according to research carried out in the US over a 25 yr period.

Good luck in the decision making there have to admit I loathe breeding and all the problems it entails especially with prospective homes, sound great over the phone and are a nightmare in person so you send them away with a flea in their ear then have to start again on looking for a new home, or the list of 12 potential homes prior to whelping turns into nil by the time they arrive coz folk can't wait so go and get something else grrrr lol.

my mates dad breeds German shepards for the police and security firms, worth a fortune, about £2000 a pup, but he has proper kennels and a few breeding bitches its a proper business

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