Breeding ?

[Giselle]

I know these aren't the answers you want to hear, but your initial question was asking us how to ensure that you don't become or breed to a BYB. It wasn't asking for information to help persuade your husband not to breed.

Firstly, there is a reason why Oreo is not neutered. If you got him from a good breeder, there would've been a part in the contract stating that the dog sold to you was either show or pet quality. If show quality, the dog could be kept intact. If not, you're bound by contract to neuter him. There are three essential scenarios: 1) He is pet quality and you need to neuter him as you are breaking a stipulation of the contract 2) He is show quality and you have not invested time in showing/proving him worthy to breed 3) He did not come from a reputable breeder and he does not have a contract stating any of this.

Numbers 1 and 3 give you enough argument to neuter Oreo. Number 2 is a workable scenario, but that involves you entering shows and proving Oreo in the conformation ring. This is an expensive and time consuming route - exactly the opposite of what your husband wants.

Now print this out and explain to your hubby why Oreo needs to be neutered ASAP.

[Scooter's Mom]

1) He is pet quality and you need to neuter him as you are breaking a stipulation of the contract 2) He is show quality and you have not invested time in showing/proving him worthy to breed 3) He did not come from a reputable breeder and he does not have a contract stating any of this.

Numbers 1 and 3 give you enough argument to neuter Oreo. Number 2 is a workable scenario, but that involves you entering shows and proving Oreo in the conformation ring. This is an expensive and time consuming route - exactly the opposite of what your husband wants.

The people we got Oreo from paid a fortune for him when they lived in California.
Then, when they moved here they decided a dog was too much work and let their 8 year old son be in charge of Oreo's care. Oreo was rarely fed, used to be picked on and was left outside in the Arizona heat for a year and a half.

I have no idea what their original contract was with the breeder they purchased him from.

Any more questions, please PM me. I've stated already that I personally was not for breeding him. I just wanted a little information to use in my defense when I told my hubby it was not a good plan.

Thanks,

[Karen]

I hope we were able to provide you with enough reasons to use to convince your husband. Let us know how it goes! And thank you, by the way, for rescuing Oreo from a bad situation.

[Scooter's Mom]

Thank you Karen.

I am sure that with the information I have received - it will be more than enough to convince my husband that breeding is a bad idea.

[Flatcoatluver]

Glad to here that you might be able to convince the hubby not to.

Breeding responsibly will cost you a lot of money. There are way to many unhealthy shih tzu's out there, you never no if your adding to that problem without hips, eyes, heart, and other testing that will cost you quite enough. Why not neuter him, it may save you a lot of money in the long run, he could end up getting a testiculer cancer if not neutered.

[Danegirl2208]

Here is an excellent article I found online.. please let your hubby check it out:

"Allowing a dog to sire a litter is a big decision & needs a lot of thought about the responsibilities involved & the amount of knowledge needed.

The responsible owner of a potential stud dog must have in depth knowledge on a range of subjects including:

The owner must know what hereditary problems exist in the breed & which lines have produced problems in the past to be able to make an educated decision about whether their dog should be used at all & if so, which bitches he would suit. It is never just a case of letting any bitch mate any dog - this could lead to disaster!

The Bitch's Cycle. The stud dog owner must be able to advise novice bitch owners when to bring their bitch for mating as all bitches differ. The stud dog owner must know from just looking at a bitch whether she is receptive to mating or not - introducing a stud dog to a bitch who is not ready for mating could lead to the dog being injured as bitches may be aggressive to males if they are not ready. The stud dog owner must also be prepared to board an in season bitch for a few days or longer if she arrives before she is receptive to mating.

Mating Techniques. Contrary to popular belief, not all male dogs know instinctively what to do with an in season bitch - many need careful tutoring & the stud dog owner must know how to do this & how to assist a dog to achieve a successful mating. Some matings can be technically difficult for example if the dog & bitch vary in size too much or if the bitch is reluctant to stand still to be mated. Again, the stud dog owner needs to know what to do to achieve a good result without injury or distress being caused to either party.

Managing the Stud Dog. Once a dog is used at stud, it is not unusual for his personality to alter to some extent. Some have a tendency to mark their territory indoors (cocking legs on furniture etc) and may be more likely to wander off the lead in search of in season bitches. Once a dog has been allowed to mate one bitch, they will generally want others! Some may also become more aggressive to other male dogs (due to sexual competitiveness). The potential stud dog owner needs to decide whether they can cope with these possible behavioural changes.

Responsibility for Puppies. Once a dog has been used at stud, the owner cannot just take the money & forget about it. The stud dog owner must be prepared to give advice on rearing puppies to the bitch owner (if a first time breeder) & must also take responsibility for any hereditary defects produced by their dog. They are also morally responsible for helping with the rehoming of any of their dog's offspring should the need arise at any time. This responsibility also means the stud dog owner must vet bitch owners that contact them to ensure that the breeder is reputable (not a puppy farmer for instance!) & that the bitch is old enough to be mated (or not too old) & has passed all the recommended health tests (annual eye tests for example).

If after reading this, you feel you can undertake the responsibilities of offering your dog at stud, then you need to get him seen by reputable breeders. This means showing him (if a show-type dog) or competing at Field Trials / Working Trials (if a Working dog) If other breeders can see that he is an excellent example of the breed, then they may ask to use him at stud, but the key word is "may" - there are already a large number of experienced stud dogs in the country for the reputable breeder to choose from. It goes without saying that your dog should also have had the recommended health screening tests which means as an absolute minimum, he should be eye-tested annually and hip scored. There may be other health issues relating to your breed, so check with your breed club and carry out any further health checks that they recommend.

As you can see, owning a stud dog is not for the fainthearted - it's not an easy way to make some extra cash & is never just a case of putting together any dog with any bitch & leaving them to get on with it - doing this could cause one or both parties to be injured and could also result in pups with health or temperament problems. If you would like to offer your dog at stud simply because you would like another puppy with his personality & looks, then it would be easier to buy another puppy from your dog's breeder!"

[cyber-sibes]

Good article, Danegirl, thanks for posting it.

[anna_66]

IF your husband decides to breed, I would suggest you talk to NicoleLJ as she has just had a litter of puppies and would be able to tell you what and all has to be done.

Good luck.

[IRescue452]

Do you know the original breeder even? It is possible the contract stated that the first owners were not to resell him without their permission. Trying to find a breeder to use him for stud would open a whole new can of worms. No reputable breeder will want to touch this situation with a ten foot pole. Plus you aren't gonna make a cent enough to bother with once everything is done properly. Breeding does not make money.

[Romance]

nichole_j doesn't have any stud dogs of her own. I however have 2 on site along with a litter of 9 and 3 females. prolly better if you talk in pm with an actual kennel. This came out much harder than intended.
was just given instruction on how to get the edit to work. sorry for lag in the editing process.
what i meant was its prolly a better idea to talk with someone who actualy has stud dog of their own.

[NicoleLJ]

IF your husband decides to breed, I would suggest you talk to NicoleLJ as she has just had a litter of puppies and would be able to tell you what and all has to be done.

Good luck.

Thanks so much Anna for the vote of confidence.

I have never owned a stud dog so would not know how to direct any suggestions. Though hopefully in the long run we hope Ajax will pan out to be an excellent example of his breed and hence become a stud dog. But along the way I am learning what needs and should be done to prove his breed worthiness. I have a mentor who will help me with this who is very experienced in the breed.

So my big suggestion is that if someone is really serious about breeding they need to get a mentor in their breed to help guide them in the process. This makes things so much easier for everyone. Whether you have a female or a male having a mentor when you first start out is extremely important.

Hope that helps.
Nicole & Sheena & Puppies