DOG BREEDING PROBLEMS - (Part 1)

People that do not breed dogs are under the misconception that if you just let nature take its course and let two dogs breed that nine weeks later, you’ll be throwing a baby shower! The puppies have arrived and little Johnny and Jane have just witnessed the miracle of birth! If only life were simple like that. Oh sure this is the way that nature has planned it which is very evident by all the unwanted dogs and cats in shelters today.

But what about dog breeders that plan their animals litters? Isn’t it just as easy for their dogs to produce a litter of pups as the one’s that roam the streets? Sometimes yes and other times no.

There are a few reasons why a bitch may have infertility problems. Not knowing when to breed your bitch is one of the top reasons why a litter of puppies are not born. Some people assume all bitches should be bred around the same time as another one of their bitches are bred. The length of a bitch’s cycle varies from one bitch to another. There is not “one size fits all” when it comes to breeding. A good stud dog that has had much experience normally can tell when a bitch is ready for breeding although this is not always the case. If the bitch is willing to stand for the male, then breeding her every other day is a wise decision if you own both animals. Some bitches have been known to stand on the third day of her cycle or as late as the 21st. day of her cycle. Many breeders wisely use vaginal cytology and progesterone assays to help determine when the bitch is ready to be bred. This is especially important if one uses artificial insemination to impregnate the bitch.

It’s true, but some bitches will not always breed with certain males. Sometimes they can be very discriminating against certain males. Then you may have a submissive male that will not breed to a more dominate bitch. It is ALWAYS advisable to muzzle a bitch when you’re breeding her. You never know when she may get snappy with the male and turn around to bite him. Then you have the bitch that will fight you every step of the way to avoid being bred. I’ve had bitches throw themselves on the ground flipping over or refusing to stand up and you have to force her to stand. Always a pleasant experience when breeding one of these darlings!

The male isn’t free from breeding problems either. Ever breed to an inexperienced male that wants to play once he’s tied with the bitch? I have and let me tell you it was a horrific experience for him. My bitch was absolutely fine having been an experienced broad bitch. This young stud dog was in a lot of pain caused by him trying to play instead of getting the job done. His owner was an experienced breeder but I know she wasn’t expecting his shenanigans either. Or you might have a male dog just lie down in a corner when your bitch is ready to be bred. I’ve seen this happen sometimes with males that are bred too much. It’s almost like they become bored with it. I got my bitches finally bred and they both had litters so the girls were ready to make whoopee but the guys didn’t want any part of it! Guys can be funny like that sometimes!! (Ooops I mean dogs).

For the novice or pet person reading this you may not know, but a bitch can get pregnant from more than one male during her breeding cycle. So the litter can be sired by more than one dog. Maybe that’s why all those bitches that gets pregnant while roaming the streets has puppies in all shapes, colors and sizes!

Sometimes if a bitch it overweight or underweight she may have a problem conceiving and delivering a litter of puppies. If the bitch has health problems especially hormonal disorders such as hypothyroidism they can affect her fertility.

Males too may have infertility problems. These may include a decreased sperm count, poor sperm structure (morphology) or poor sperm motility. These problems may be caused by genetics or may be due to injury or an illness. A male’s semen sample can be collected and analyzed in helping to determine the problem. Also an infection such as canine brucellosis can cause sterility. That’s why most stud dog owners require your bitch to have a canine brucellosis test before he will breed her to his male.

A breeder can fix a poor timing of a breeding but other breeding problems can be more of a challenge and difficult to fix. Sometimes a reproduction specialist can be a breeder’s answer to a prayer when dealing with breeding difficulties. Careful consideration should be made when attempting to breed animals with infertility problems. These problems may be passed genetically to their offspring and carried down through their bloodlines for future generations. I know of many bitches that sit in people’s kennels that have beautiful bloodlines but have never been able to have a litter of puppies. This is heartbreaking for the breeder.

(To be continued…..)


From the book: THE COMPLETE BOOK OF DOG BREEDING...A veterinarian with many years of canine practice experience offers guidance to novice and professional dog breeders, emphasizing the responsibilities of reputable breeders to their dogs and to the buyers of the puppies they produce. Topics covered include: the choosing, health, quality, and conditioning of brood stock; practical DNA use, and Canine Health Information Center (CHIC) surveys and data storage to scientifically improve the selection of healthy brood stock and puppies; potential breeding problems; artificial insemination; pregnancy and its duration; embryonic and fetal activity; pregnancy nutrition; physical changes during pregnancy; stages of labor; normal and Cesarean-section births, and how to assist in both; nutrition of dams and puppies and how to recognize and prevent potential problems in both; neonatal puppy care; lactation and weaning the puppies; socializing the puppies; pedigrees, registration, and titles; and much more. Filled with color photos and line art.


My rating: Breeding only from strong, healthy bloodlines: (4)

A PUPPY NO MORE

This was a little something that I wrote about several years ago. It's something short and sweet about the ownership and love for a bitch that you plan on breeding for her first time. Perhaps you're a first time breeder or maybe you've been breeding for years and one of your girls has found a very special place in your heart. So this is for the first time breeder and for all those that own a "heart dog." It was written for one of my dogs, but the sentiment can be for anyone that is loved by a dog!

A PUPPY NO MORE
By
Barbara J. Galasso


You were just a bundle of fluff when I first laid my eyes upon you. Your big ears crossed over the top of your head and when you ran across the yard to greet me, the wind played with and bounced them from side to side. Just a bundle of love all wrapped up in a package of puppy breathe and kisses. I knew that I had just had my heart stolen and it would never fully belong to me again.

From the time that I brought you home, you truly believed you were meant to be the queen of your castle. You immediately set out to take over your new home and made sure that your cold wet nose had inspected everything. Your smudge prints were left on any surface that used to have a shine to it.

Belly rubs…..oh, that pink belly skin of yours, ball chasing, squeaky toys squeaking, dog biscuit begging, sit, down and stay lessons to be taught. Reminders from you to me when it’s your breakfast time, your treat time, your supper time and your evening snack time all done with a nudge to my arm, a whine in your throat and that constant circling around me until I acknowledge your hard efforts.

How many laughs did you give me almost on a daily basis? From watching you struggle to get your hind legs up on the bed only to fall back down on the floor again. The more I laughed at you, the more determined you became. You’d bark at me for laughing at you I remember. Did you really know I was making fun of you, I wonder. You loved watching TV with me especially when I’d share my popcorn with you, not really caring which flavor it was, but just that it was popcorn.

You and I did everything and went everywhere together; constant companions, you and me. You made your presence known every place I took you. You were never the quiet type, you know. I used to and still do call you “Little Miss Emotional”. You would make your announcements with a loud show off bark demanding everyone come over and pet you and that long tail of yours; well it never did stop wagging. Happy is your middle name.

You’ve taught me to realize that we humans can truly be ourselves around our dogs. You may look at me like I’m crazy when I act the fool, but you’ll never betray my secrets. They are totally safe with you, my dog.

That first year went by too quickly. How many walks up the mountain we took together when chasing and barking at the deer was one of your many favorite past times? You loved going for walks, but I think you enjoyed handling classes best of all. This is where you got to show off the most. Everyone else was so well behaved. Mischievous was a word they added to the dictionary just for you.

Now as I look at the calendar, I realize that next month you will be two years old. The time is fast approaching for the real reason you were born. Your destiny is to be fulfilled. Your heritage is to be passed to the next generation from all the breeders in your pedigree before me. I am chosen to continue the work that they painstakingly started.

As I drive down the street, I take a quick look at you lying in the back seat. I get a little melancholy wondering where the first two years of your life went so fast. I’ve decided I’ve grown the old sentimental fool. I want to keep you just the way you are. I want nothing to take that purity of innocence away from you; the part that still keeps you a puppy.

We just came from the vet’s today, you and I. You had your examination and your blood work was done. The doctor tells me, everything looks fine and your girl is ready to be bred. The stud dog owner is notified and in another few days you and I will be taking another trip in the car together. Only this time you leave as a puppy and return home a puppy no more.


NO PART OF THIS ARTICLE MAY BE REPRODUCED OR COPIED WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR!


From the book: "Breeding a Litter: The Complete Book of Prenatal and Postnatal Care" is the most up-to-date and inclusive guide to breeding, whelping and placing puppies. There is a focus on making the most of the "breeding experience" in order to produce puppies who are physically and emotionally sound and go on to enjoy life and enrich the lives of the humans around them. This book contains the all-important basic knowledge necessary to serve as a foundation for the reality of firsthand experience. A clear and commonsense format shows everyone who is thinking about breeding a litter how to create the best possible environment for dogs, puppies and owners alike. Beyond the basics, author Beth J. Finder Harris gives detailed information on selecting breeding stock, neonatal care, puppy development, social conditioning, and also fully addresses the aspects of breeders' responsibilities, contracts and puppy care instructions.


My rating: German Shepherd puppies: (4), "Heart Dogs" (4)

IF TOMORROW NEVER COMES

When we became involved in the sport of dogs we did so because it was something that was of interest to US and because WE loved the German Shepherd dog. For most of us, it became a way of life. It was not only a sport or hobby but it became a way to socialize with people who also shared our love of the breed. We may have joined our local breed club, participated in their handling classes, trained our dogs in obedience or helped organize a point show. We saw the same people month after month and even made some new friends that we didn’t know before. There is never a lack of conversation at these social gatherings because when you’re involved in the sport of dogs, there is always something to say and there will always be differences of opinion. This is how we all learned. But we felt comfortable there. We were among friends.

Time passes, we grow older, many dogs will come in and out of lives and then a time comes when we are no longer able to do the things that we once enjoyed. We still connect with our friends talking with them on the telephone or on the internet. Perhaps we go to a local dog show once in awhile just to be around all the beautiful dogs and to see our friends again. Our friends are getting old right along with us. Can it be that so many years have gone by and now we’re watching all the new people who have come into the breed? We watch as their eyes light up bragging about a new hopeful that they’ll be showing in the spring. We remember those days too when our hearts were on fire and we were filled with excited anticipation.

When one ages, we know that there are things that we have to prepare for in our life. It’s just a process that we all will go through. Life happens. It doesn’t ask our permission. Hopefully, we have made preparations for our beloved dogs that may be left behind. This can be one of the hardest of things to prepare for. When we make out a will, who will be WILLING to take care our dogs and all the responsibility that goes along with it? We can’t just assume that a sister or a brother will look after them. This is something that must be discussed with the person you would like to take care of your dogs. Because we love them, doesn’t mean everyone else does. Sure they may think they’re cute when they come to visit you at your house and the dog wants a pat on the head. However, patting them on the head and keeping them is a whole different story.

If you have many dogs, this will present an even bigger problem. Many times the dogs will have to go in different homes. How many people do you know who will take them? Maybe one person will, but what about the rest of them? Some people may tell you that they’ll take your dog thinking it won’t be too much of a problem. If these people never owned a dog in their life, it might very well be a problem. If you are looking for someone to take care of your animals when you are gone, it’s a very good idea to leave some money in your will for the care of your dogs. We all know how expensive taking care of animals can be. The burden of taking care of someone else’s dogs is hard enough. We don’t want to burden these people further with financial difficulties that may arise by taking care of our dogs.

Having dogs in our lives is something that WE chose to do. WE have a love for this breed. Most people who are not involved in dogs do not share our feelings for them. In some cases if you have some young well bred animals, some other breeders may want them for their own breeding and showing program. However, never assume that people will. You must approach these people to see if this is something that they may be interested in. Tell them that you want to put their name in your will before you do so.

And what about the older dogs who may have special needs and special diets? Maybe they need to have their arthritis medicine. Perhaps they can’t stay out in a dog run. They need to be in the house. Who is there to watch over them when they need to go outside to go to the bathroom? They no longer can hold themselves and may eliminate on their new “owners” oriental rug? Who besides dog people will put up with needy animals problems? Our love for the “oldsters” may have no limitations. This may not be true for their new guardian.

What happens if you become sick and are not physically able to take care of your dogs any longer? Suppose you live by yourself……who will take care of your dogs? Are you financially able to have someone come in do the work that you would normally do? It’s probably a smart thing to do to have a typed up set of directions on how to take care of your dogs (feeding, watering, cleaning, housing, etc.) in case such a situation should present itself.

Making out a will is not just for the “senior citizens” but should also be done by people who are younger and have dogs that may be left behind. Tomorrow is promised to no one and one never knows what each new day has in store for them. Animals don’t stop living because we do. When 5 o’clock comes around, they’re still looking to be fed. Who will be there to feed them?

What type of facilities does the new owner have for taking care of your dogs? Some breeders have dogs that have never set foot in a house. They are kennel dogs. This is all that they have known all their lives. What becomes of these guys? Who would have the time or even want to start training a kennel dog to be a house dog? How many people have dog runs and kennel housing in their back yard? How many people even want them on their well manicured lawns? How many people have their back yard fenced in?

Most good breeders feel that if we brought these animals into the world, we have a responsibility for their life and that doesn’t stop because we are no longer here. We must prepare for the time that we are not here because our animal’s life depends upon it. It is not unheard of that when an animal owner passes away, their animal is put into a shelter. This is not what we planned for our beloved pet, but unless we do plan NOW, this very well may be where he ends up! No one likes to talk about this subject, but it’s part of our reality and truth be told we don’t know what tomorrow or even what today will bring to us. It’s better to be prepared so our animals will be taken care of even if it will no longer be by us. We owe it to them to keep them safe and that they have a quality of life that they deserve. After all, WE wanted them. WE love them. Not everyone else does.

My rating: making out a will no matter what age you are: (4), approaching people about taking care of your dogs when you no longer can: (4), leaving money in your will to take care your dogs: (4)