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rec.pets.dogs: Breeding, Whelping, and Rearing Puppies FAQ |
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Last-modified: 07 Nov 1997
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There are nearly 100 FAQ's available for this group. For a complete
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This article is Copyright 1997 by the Author(s) listed below.
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It may NOT reside at another website (use links, please) other
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Breeding, Whelping, and Rearing Puppies
Author
Liza Lee Miller, lizalee@stanford.edu
Originally written: April 1996
Updated: April 2, 1997
Copyright 1996 by Liza Lee Miller. All rights reserved. You may
download and print a copy of this file for your personal use. Further
distribution must be with the explicit permission of the author.
Before breeding a bitch or even planning to breed a bitch, please
consult a veterinarian. The information contained in this FAQ should
in no way be construed as a substitute for veterinary care and advice.
Further, you should make an effort to find a veterinarian who is
familiar with canine whelping issues. Because so many people are being
responsible and spaying their bitches, fewer veterinarians are
comfortable with whelping puppies. Surprisingly, emergency clinic
veterinarians are more likely to be familiar with whelping issues.
This is no doubt because of the well-known maxim that, given a
preference, dogs will whelp at 2 am when the regular vet clinics are
closed. Again, please consult a veterinarian before doing any
breedings. As with people, pre-natal care is important in bitches.
_________________________________________________________________
Table of Contents
* Introduction
* Preparing the Bitch
* Choosing a Stud Dog
* Paperwork
* Breeding Timeline
* Pregnancy Timeline
* Preparing Your Whelping Kit
* Whelping the Litter
* Raising Puppies Timeline
* Finding And Dealing With Puppy Buyers
* Health Guarantees
* Financial Considerations
* Resources
_________________________________________________________________
Introduction
Breeding a litter of puppies is a task to be taken very, very
seriously. You are producing life of your own volition for a wide
variety of reasons. Some of those reasons will be good ones, some will
not. But this decision should be thought through very, very carefully.
Before reading further, please read the Breeding Your Dog FAQ. Also,
this document should be taken only as a starting point. If after
reading this document, you still want to breed your bitch, I strongly
suggest that you get and read at least some of the books listed in the
resource section.
Further, I recommend you consult with your bitch's breeder for
guidance in this matter. Dogs should be bred for one reason and one
reason only: To improve the breed. If you are reading this with the
intention of breeding to make a quick buck, educate the children, or
to fulfill your bitch's feminine needs, please don't breed your dog!
Seriously, as you'll learn as you read on, done properly, breeding is
rarely a money-maker; more likely a money drain! Children can become
educated much more fully than you intended when something goes wrong
in a breeding. Losing the bitch and all her puppies is probably not
the lesson you intended but it happens all to frequently. And, of
course, as to the last one, most bitches really want to be your
beloved companion 24 hours a day, so if you really want to make your
dog happy, spay her and spend more time with her! But, if you are
determined to go on, then please read this FAQ thoroughly. It covers
the responsible breeding of dogs to produce quality puppies and give
them the best start in life.
If you have a dog that is pregnant right now, please do not use this
FAQ as your sole source of information. Look for a qualified
veterinarian in your area to assist you with whelping the puppies.
The information in this FAQ has been obtained by my own experience,
research through the literature and by talking to knowledgeable
breeders. Many thanks go to Vicki Blodgett and Terri Herigstad for
being so willing to share their hard won expertise. Also, I'd like to
thank Cindy Tittle Moore for her support of my first solo FAQ project.
_________________________________________________________________
Preparing the Bitch
_What do I need to do before I breed my bitch?_
This is really two questions. What should I do before I decide to
breed my bitch and, then, once that decision is made, what do I do
next.
_Okay, what do I do before I decide to breed my bitch?_
Before you breed a dog, you need to decide whether or not that dog
is an appropriate candidate for breeding. First of all, no bitch
should be bred before the age of 2. They are just not physically
mature enough yet. Let them grow up and develop before they go
through the physical strain of breeding, carrying, and whelping
puppies. This shouldn't be a problem however, because you'll be
plenty busy during those two years. Your dog will be in preparation
for breeding for the first two years of her life. Everything you do
for her, including providing quality nutrition and health care,
obedience training, showing, working, and loving will make her a
better mother and help her to produce a healthier litter.
_I can see why nutrition and health care are important concerns, but
how do those other things make her a better brood bitch?_
They are all important in different ways. The most important is
probably the last one. Pregnancy, delivery, and puppy raising are
very stressful on a dog and knowing that you love her really does
make her job easier. For one thing, she'll trust you to help with
the puppies, rather than feeling that she needs to defend them. The
obedience training comes into play in the strangest ways. Sometimes
a female will get overly anxious when her new puppies start crying:
being able to put her on a down stay so that she is giving them
ready access to what they want (food!) will give you great peace of
mind. These are just a few examples of why all this preparation is
important.
_Okay, but what about showing and working, how can those have any
effect on her qualities as a brood bitch?_
There are two reasons why a brood bitch should "get out of the
house." First of all, she'll be a happier dog if she has activities
in her life and gets to go places with you and do fun things. If
she's happier, she'll be a better mother. It's that simple.
Secondly, you need to have some way of knowing that your bitch is
worthy of breeding. That sounds very judgmental, but I'll remind
you that we are discussing responsible breeding here. That means
that we are breeding to better the breed. The best way to ensure
that you are improving the breed is to only breed quality animals
to other quality animals with an eye to minimizing faults and
strengthening good qualities. We'll discuss more on choosing a stud
dog later, however, you also need to choose your brood bitch. If
you are starting out with your first dog, you'll need to look long
and hard at her and decide if she's worthy of breeding. This has
nothing to do with how much you love her -- obviously you do --
this has to do with bettering the breed. This can be a difficult
decision to make when your heart is involved. Hearts tend to fuzz
up our vision so that faults are minimized and good qualities are
enhanced. This is where the idea of showing and testing our animals
originated. These events give us a better idea of whether or not
our dogs are worthy of breeding. But, keep in mind, everyone has
their own standards and they won't all agree. Some people won't
breed a bitch until she's a Champion in the show ring. Some people
don't consider a bitch worthy of breeding until she's got her
Master Hunter title or her Utility Dog title. You have to make
these decisions yourself, keeping in mind the idea of bettering the
breed. At the minimum, you should have her evaluated by another,
more knowledgeable pair of eyes. Her breeder would be an ideal
choice, however, that's not always possible. Any experienced
breeder in your particular breed should be able to help you
evaluate your bitch honestly and without the rosy glow of love
changing your perspective.
_Okay, I'm satisfied that she's a quality bitch, worthy of breeding,
what's the next step?_
Hold on there! Not so fast! This is a long process, remember? There
is another reason you need to wait until your bitch is over two
years of age. Health Checks! You'll need to have various health
checks done in order to determine whether or not your dog should be
bred. The necessary health checks vary from breed to breed and you
should consult a good book on your breed or a knowledgeable breeder
to determine what tests you'll need to have done.
The most common tests are:
_Hip X-rays_: Have a veterinarian x-ray your dog's hips and submit
those x-rays to the OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) for
evaluation. If your dog's hips are rated Fair, Good, or Excellent,
your dog is normal and can be bred. If they are rated dysplastic,
please discuss this diagnosis with your vet and spay your bitch as
soon as possible. Hip Dysplasia is an often painful joint disorder
that can be treated in various ways. It is hereditary and no dog
that is dysplastic should be bred.
_Elbow X-rays_: Recently, the dog community has become aware that
elbows are also at risk of becoming dysplastic. Most responsible
breeders are also having elbow x-rays done and evaluated by the
OFA.
_Eyes_: In many breeds, a disease called PRA (Progressive Retinal
Atrophy) is a serious problem. A board-certified veterinary
ophthalmologist can examine your pets eyes and ensure that they are
normal. This test must be done on an annual basis. Since PRA is a
progressive disease, a dog can be fine one year and show symptoms
the next. Eye examinations can then be sent on to CERF (Canine Eye
Registry Foundation) for certification which must be renewed
annually. There are other eye diseases (such as cataracts) common
to different breeds as well; you will need to research to find out
what is applicable for your breed.
_Brucellosis_: This is a canine venereal disease that can be
transmitted in other ways as well. Even virgin dogs or bitches
should be tested prior to breeding. Most stud dog owners require
recent brucellosis tests before allowing breeding to occur. They
will generally have tested their dogs within the last six months.
If they haven't tested their dogs in the last six months, ask that
they do so before breeding to your bitch!
You should require all of the above testing from the stud dog owner
as well as providing it to them. More on choosing a stud dog,
below.
_________________________________________________________________
Choosing a Stud Dog
Choosing a sire for your litter is as important a decision as choosing
your bitch was originally. You need to spend some time and effort on
this decision. This is a good time to get some expert advice. If at
all possible, you should consult with your bitch's breeder and ask
them to spend some time with you going over the various options so
that you understand why one dog would be better for your bitch than
another. If your breeder or another expert isn't available to spend
some time with you, then you'll need to do the research on your own so
you can make a knowledgeable decision.
The first thing you'll want to do is take the information you've
gathered over the years about your bitch and analyze her strengths and
weaknesses. Does she have a weak top line but a nice front? How is her
rear angulation? What about her coat texture? Her temperament? You can
see know why getting your dog out and showing and/or working her can
be helpful in this process. If you don't know what's wrong with your
bitch, you don't know what you want to fix in a future generation.
And, that's really what you are trying to do -- improve the breed by
improving on your bitch. So be brutally honest with yourself. You know
you love your bitch, that's not in question here, but if you can't be
honest about her flaws, then you can't fix them in a future
generation. You'll want to focus on one, maybe two, problems that
you'd like to see improved and look for a stud dog who is strong in
those areas without being too weak in some other area. It can become a
delicate balancing act -- of course, with no guarantee of success.
There are two main theories in breeding that you'll want to
understand. The first one is probably the simplest: breeding like to
like. This means that you take the overall look of the bitch and find
a stud dog that physically compliments her look. The theory is that if
you breed like to like, you'll get like.
The second way to approach a breeding is more complicated. It's called
line breeding. It involves analyzing the pedigrees of your bitch and
the potential stud dogs to choose a good match. There are several ways
to approach line breeding. First of all, you need to understand
several terms.
_Line breeding_ is similar to breeding like to like only instead of
collecting physical similarities, you are collecting the genes of a
particular dog. _Inbreeding_ is an extremely close line breeding. When
you are starting out in breeding, you want to keep away from
inbreeding as it is risky unless you are very sure of the pedigrees
involved. The last type of pedigree-breeding is an outcross. An
outcross breeding will have a pedigree where there are no, or at least
very few, dogs in common. This often happens when you are breeding
like to like. Most breeders practice some form of line breeding,
generally focusing on one of the important studs in their breed.
Of course, you want to make sure that the dog you are concentrating on
is worthy of the honor. If you line breed on a mediocre dog -- or a
dog with a particular health problem -- you'll get what you asked for.
This type of breeding is particularly tricky and you want to make sure
that you have carefully researched the dogs in your bitch's pedigree
so that you know where you'd want to go with the line breeding.
In practice, you'll probably want to employ a combination of these two
techniques. You'll want to find a pedigree that is complimentary to
your bitch and a dog that is physically compatible as well. Again,
this is a really good time to seek the advice of knowledgeable
breeders. Choosing a stud dog is also a really good reason to become
active in the breed's activities while your bitch is young. This will
allow you to be familiar with various stud dogs before you bitch comes
in season.
Once you've narrowed your choices down to two or three likely
candidates, you'll want to call the stud dog owners and interview them
about their dogs. Most stud dog owners will be honest with you about
what their dogs are producing, their strengths and weaknesses, and
what you can expect. If they aren't forthcoming about the problems as
well as the benefits of their dogs, you should probably steer clear of
them.
At some point in the process, you'll have to make a decision about
which dog will be best for your litter. No one can make this decision
for you but if you've done your homework and been honest with yourself
about your bitch, then you'll probably find a compatible dog. Then you
are ready to enter the genetic crap shoot and see what you get.
Because we know so little about the complicated genetics behind our
dogs, you really are making a shot in the dark. Even the most
experienced breeder makes mistakes -- this is why you want to be very
careful and thorough in your research.
Once your decision is made, you'll want to notify the stud dog owner
about when you expect your bitch to come in season so that they can
make their own plans. You will probably want to get your bitch to the
stud dog within the first week of her season so that she has time to
adapt to her new surroundings before being bred.
_________________________________________________________________
Paperwork
Keep the following information on file for each bitch/litter you
produce:
Heat Record
1. Name of bitch
2. Litter Number (way to differentiate between litters at your
kennel)
3. Date of onset
4. Interval
5. Smear date and results
6. Progesterone Test date and results
7. Breeding dates and comments on breeding
8. Palpitation dates and results
9. Ultrasound date and results
10. X-ray date and results
11. Notes on pregnancy
12. Track weight gain weekly
13. Track temperature from day 58-65, 3 times daily
14. Date and time whelping began
15. Date and time whelping ended
16. Notes on whelping
Litter Record (as required by the AKC)
1. Breed
2. Registered name and AKC number of dam
3. Registered name and AKC number of sire
4. Sire's owner's name
5. Date mated
6. Date litter whelped
7. Number of male puppies born
8. Number of female puppies born
9. AKC Litter Number
10. Sex, Color/Markings, Puppy ID number, Date Sold, Date Died, Name
and address of person to whom sold, Dates when following paperwork
was supplied: registration application or certificate and bill of
sale; name and AKC number of puppy.
Additional Litter Information
1. Time each puppy was born
2. Ribbon color or other identifying mark
3. Color of puppy
4. Sex
5. Weight at birth
6. Length at birth
7. A description of any problems
8. Whelping date
9. Sire and Dam
10. Time whelping started and ended
11. Notes on whelping
Puppy Record
1. Ribbon color
2. Call Name
3. Registered Name
4. Sex
5. Color
6. AKC Litter #
7. AKC Registration #
8. Date of Birth
9. Sire and Dam
10. Weight at Birth and when sold
11. Vaccinations Given (Date and Type)
12. Owner (include address and telephone numbers)
13. Date sold
14. Conditions of sale
15. Price
16. Notes on Development and Temperament
17. On the back of this form, track the weight of the puppies daily
until they are three weeks old and then weekly thereafter.
Litter Registration Application
Contact AKC and request this form. Once puppies are whelped, complete
this form and have stud dog owner sign the form. Send the completed
form with appropriate fee to AKC. It's nice to send a self- addressed
stamped envelope with the application to the stud dog owner so they
can mail it on to the AKC without delay. Litter registration
applications must be received by the AKC within six months of date of
whelping in order to register puppies with the AKC. However, you
should submit this form as soon as the puppies are whelped so that you
can deliver the correct paperwork to the puppy buyers when they pick
up their puppies.
Puppy Registration Forms
For each puppy listed on the Litter Registration Application, you will
get a registration form to give to the puppy buyers so that they can
register their puppies with the AKC. Technically, the puppy buyer can
name the puppy anything they want. In reality, most breeders insist on
their kennel name being the first word in the dogs name. Additionally,
some breeders have themes for their litters and require the name of
the puppy to fit into that theme. Make any special requirements known
to the buyers well in advance so they can pick out an appropriate name
for their puppy.
_________________________________________________________________
Breeding Timeline
Pre-Season
* Choose your stud dog ahead of time. Let the stud dog owner know
when you expect your bitch to come in season. They'll let you know
about any requirements they have.
* You should choose a backup as well, just in case your first choice
isn't available
* Have your bitch examined by a veterinarian to ensure she is
healthy. Have a brucellosis test done as well.
* As soon as you see first signs of your bitch being in season,
contact the stud dog owner. If your stud dog is out-of-the-area,
you'll want to discuss shipping arrangements at this time so that
you'll be able to make all the necessary arrangements.
* If this is your bitch's first breeding, you'll want to know when
she's ready to be bred. See your veterinarian about smears and/or
progesterone testing. This will help you pinpoint the right time
to get your bitch to the stud dog. This will typically be between
days 10 and 15 but could be much earlier or later.
* You'll also want to schedule a brucellosis test so that the
results will be current for the stud dog owner.
When the bitch is ready
* Contact the stud dog owner and let them know when and how the
bitch will be arriving.
* If you are shipping the bitch, the stud dog owner will pick the
dog up at the airport and will need all the information. You
should send all the paperwork with the bitch. You can just tape an
envelope to the crate.
* If you are delivering the dog yourself, get good directions and
bring all your paperwork.
When the bitch comes home
* Your bitch will stay with the stud dog owner for a week or two.
* When your bitch comes home, you should get some paperwork with her
from the stud dog owner, including a contract, copies of the stud
dog's health clearances, the stud dog's pedigree, and information
on when the bitch was bred.
_________________________________________________________________
Pregnancy Timeline
Week One
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES
+ Fertilization occurs
+ 2 cell embryos are in the oviduct
+ The embryo is fairly resistant to external interference in
development
CHANGES IN THE BITCH
+ Possible morning sickness
+ Possible personality changes
CARE OF THE BITCH
+ Normal feeding
+ Check any and all medications with vet prior to administering
+ No insecticides (i.e., flea treatments)
+ No live vaccines
TO DO LIST
+ Put together pedigree on litter
+ Write contract
+ Contact AKC for litter registration application
+ Start taking puppy reservations
Week Two (Days 8-14)
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES
+ Embryo will be 4 cell at start of week and 64 cell by end of
week
+ Embryo enters the uterus
CHANGES IN THE BITCH
+ Possible morning sickness
CARE OF THE BITCH
+ Continue as with Week One
TO DO LIST
+ Nothing special this week
Week Three (Days 15-21)
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES
+ Day 19 -- Implantation of embryos in uterus
CHANGES IN THE BITCH
+ See above
CARE OF THE BITCH
+ See above
TO DO LIST
+ Nothing special this week
Week Four (Days 22-28)
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES
+ Development of eyes and spinal cords
+ Faces take shape
+ Fetuses grow from 5-10 mm to 14-15 mm
+ Organogenesis begins-- Embryos are at their most susceptible
to defects
+ Days 26 - 32 are the best days to palpitate (i.e.. feel for
the puppies)
CHANGES IN THE BITCH
+ Possible clear vaginal discharge
+ Mammary development begins
CARE OF THE BITCH
+ After Day 26, palpitation may be possible to diagnose
pregnancy
+ Limit strenuous activity (such as working, jumping, long
runs)
+ Add 1/4 cup cottage cheese or a hard boiled egg to food on
alternating days
TO DO LIST
+ Schedule ultrasound or palpitation with vet if desired
Week Five (Days 29-35)
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES
+ Development of toes, whisker buds, and claws
+ Fetuses look like dogs
+ Gender can be determined
+ Eyes (previously open) now close
+ Fetuses grow from 18 mm - 30 mm
+ Organogenesis ends -- embryos are fairly resistant to
interference with development
CHANGES IN THE BITCH
+ Swelling becomes noticeable
+ Loss of "tuck-up"
+ Weight will start to increase
CARE OF THE BITCH
+ Slightly increase amount of food and switch to puppy kibble.
If you feed one meal a day, add an extra meal. If you feed
twice a day, slightly increase one of the meals.
+ Add daily multi-vitamin
+ Palpitation no longer possible due to fluids in uterus
TO DO LIST
+ Nothing special this week
Week Six (Days 36-42)
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES
+ Development of skin pigment
+ Fetuses should weigh around 6 grams and be 45 mm long
+ Fetal heartbeats can be heard with stethoscope
CHANGES IN THE BITCH
+ Nipples darken and enlarge
+ Abdomen continues to enlarge
CARE OF THE BITCH
+ Add cottage cheese or hard boiled egg to food daily
+ Increase the amount of food in the extra meal
+ Bitch should start sleeping in whelping box
TO DO LIST
+ Assemble whelping box
+ By this time you should be fairly sure that the bitch is
pregnant. Notify the people on your puppy list. Let them know
when you expect delivery.
Week Seven (Days 43-49)
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES
+ Growth and development continues
CHANGES IN THE BITCH
+ Abdomen hair will start shedding
+ The bitch will start to look pregnant at this point
CARE OF THE BITCH
+ Slightly increase both meals
TO DO LIST
+ Stop any roughhousing or jumping
+ Radiographs (X-rays) possible to determine number and size of
puppies
Week Eight (Days 50-57)
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES
+ Fetal movement can be detected when bitch is at rest
+ Puppies can safely be born from now on
CHANGES IN THE BITCH
+ Milk may be squeezed from nipples
+ The bitch will be very large.
CARE OF THE BITCH
+ Add moderate lunch
TO DO LIST
+ Gather whelping kit (see below)
+ Prepare phone list for help/support. It should include your
vet's phone number, the emergency clinic's phone number, the
number of any friends who will be offering support during
whelping, and anyone else you might need to contact before,
during, or after whelping (like your office to let them know
you won't be in!)
+ Make sure your car is gassed up and ready for a possible
emergency trip to the vet's office.
Week Nine (Days 58-65)
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES
+ Growth and Development continues
CHANGES IN THE BITCH
+ Nesting behavior may be seen
+ Bitch may become distressed (panting, pacing, acting
uncomfortable)
+ Temperature should be around 100.2-100.8 degrees Farenheit
+ When temperature drops to around 98-99.4 degrees Farenheit,
puppies should be born within 24 hours
+ Appetite may disappear as whelping approaches
CARE OF THE BITCH
+ Start taking temperature three times a day
TO DO LIST
+ Notify vet or emergency clinic when temperature drops so that
they will be ready if you have any problems
+ Keep detailed records on temperature and behavior of bitch
+ Double check that whelping supplies are ready
Post Partum
* Make sure each puppy gets some of the bitch's colostrum (first
milk) within first 24 hours.
* Lochia (vaginal discharge) should be reddish to reddish-brown
(green is okay on first day). If you see black discharge, contact
your vet immediately!
* Within 5-6 hours of last puppy's birth, take bitch and puppies to
vet for check up. The vet will ensure that the bitch hasn't
retained any puppies or placentas and that the puppies are in good
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