Originally posted by Dave&Cat


My intentions for the dog is to have as a pet. Not to breed. I do not believe in spaying a female until after she has had a litter of puppy's. It has to do with health reasons and mainly weight reasons for the animal.
You want your dog to be unhealthy and fat?

Not spaying a dog before her first heat increases the likelihood of cancer, and letting your dog breed GREATLY increases her risk of cancer. As for weight, it will change absolutely nothing except the fact that your dog will be alot fatter for the months that it's pregnant, and about a month or two afterwards.

I'd suggest finding a reputable breeder, but I'm afraid that you'll never find one that will let actually let you irresponsibly backyard breed. You'd have to go to a backyard breeder, and then you'd just be starting the process of more unhealthy dogs. most BYB's don't register, and don't have papers. Most don't have a pedrigree, and most come from bad lines; usually other backyard breeders, petshops, or puppy mills. So good luck...I guess.

Just some statistics about our overpopulation problem (And yes, I AM trying to deter you from your intentions as 99.9% of ANY loving pet board will):

~An estimated eight to ten million dogs are euthanized in shelters each year. Millions are abandoned, only to suffer from illness or injury before dying. That's about one every 4 seconds.
~Most of the dogs in shelters are from backyard breeders.
~Over 56% of dogs and puppies entering shelters are killed. (Most of these dogs and puppies go to "good" homes).
~It costs U.S. taxpayers an estimated $2 billion each year to round up, house, kill, and dispose of homeless animals (So you may be adding to the taxes by breeding).
~For every human, there are about ten dogs. There are about 6 billion people in this world. Should every person own ten dogs?
~As many as 25% of dogs entering shelters each year are purebreds.
~Every unspayed female pet potentially contributes to the problem.

Spay/neuter Myths
Myth: It is better to allow your female to have one litter before she is spayed.
Fact: The best time to spay your female is before her first estrous cycle. Early spaying greatly reduces the incidence of mammary cancer.
Myth: Preventing animals from having litters is unnatural.
Fact: We've already interfered with nature by domesticating dogs and cats. In doing so, we helped create dog and cat overpopulation. We must now take responsibility for solving it.

Myth: We don't need to neuter males because they aren't the ones having the litters.
Fact: It takes two to tango! In fact, one unaltered male can be responsible for impregnating dozens of females.

Myth: Spaying and neutering is expensive.
Fact: The cost of surgery may compare with the cost of raising a litter of puppies and kittens. Spaying/neutering also saves taxpayer dollars. On average, it costs $100 to capture, house, feed, and eventually kill a homeless animal - a cost that comes out of all of our pockets

Myth: Animals, dogs in particular, are less protective after sterilization and show other negative behavioral changes.
Fact: Any changes brought about by spaying/neutering are generally positive. Neutered male cats usually stop territorial spraying. Neutered dogs and cats fight less and are less likely to become lost due to straying from home in search of a mate. Spayed animals do not go into heat or need to be confined indoors to avoid pregnancy. All altered animals remain protective and loyal to their guardians.

Myth: Animals become fat and lazy after spaying and neutering.
Fact: Usually, the only way animals become fat and "lazy" is by guardians overfeeding and under exercising them.

Facts about letting a dog give birth before being spayed
~A female spayed AFTER sexual maturity has a 70% chance of developing mammary cancer. By having a litter of puppies, her chaces of cancer are increased greatly by even more.
~Contrary to popular myths, there are absolutely NO benefits, medical or otherwise, in letting your female dog have even one heat cycle or litter before she is spayed.
~Your spayed female will be healthier. She will avoid the risks of pregnancy and uterine infections, and she will be far less likely to develop mammary and uterine cancer in life.
~A dog that isn't spayed before sexual maturity has a very good chance of developing the life-threatening uterine infection. Risk greatly increased after having puppies.

I'm not trying to be rude, just trying to get you to understand that your dog will be subject to all of these. A well-bred dog will be healthier and may not get these problems, of course, and that is why reputable breeders are picky about which dogs they breed. However, because you will most likely choose from a BYB who's dogs will most likely be unhealthy with unhealthy lines already and are much more suscpetible to cancer, tumors, etc, than so will your dog. Just think about it please.

A reputable breeder:
Breeds ONLY for the improvement of the breed, and NO other reason.
Has pedigreed dogs with papers, and the puppies should be registered.
Has more than one breeding pair. (4-12 dogs).
Doesn't breed more than two breeds (Infact two is pushing it if you ask me).
Makes sure their dogs are health certified (hips, elbows, eyes, etc.).
Breeds purebred dogs.
Discontinues any line that shows any sign of illness.
Keeps their dog competitive in shows such as conformation, agility, diving, flyball etc.
Breeds on demand and/or has the puppies reserved before he/she breeds.
Takes the time that is nesecarry to be sure that his/her dogs match up personality-wise before breeding.
Has their dogs checked atleast twice a year.
Makes sure that their dogs are socialized with other dogs and people.
Are responsible owners as well as breeders (takes dogs for walks, keeps them on a healthy diet etc).

Are you willing to do all of these?