Should I let my dog have babies?

[jenny mosley]

Hiya,

I have to agree with VHunter on this one.

Best of luck in what you decide

Jenny x

 

[Kittensgotclaws]

Hi there, here is my 2 cents.....If you are serious about breeding then draw up a contract to state that if the persons taking on their new puppy cant cope with it or keep it anymore then they have to return the puppy to you, If you suspect any mistreatment of the puppy you reserve the right to take that puppy back, alsowhen vetting new owners ask them for their vets details, phone numbers and addresses that way you can talk to the vets to see what their history is and always advise possible owners to read up on the breed of dog they intend to buy. I hope i helped, i too have faced this dilema with my Siberian Husky and i have decided that i couldn't bare it if anything happened to Nova or any of her babies so she is going to the vets on the 12th March to be spayed. Having a litter or not having a litter makes no difference to a dogs behaviour, i've known plenty of people who's dogs have had litters and they are just the same as ever, but as with everything everyone has a difference of opinion. Good luck in what you decide. Jo.xx

 

[soriminah]

My other big concern would be for your dog as Nicks mentioned about complications - if something happened to your dog while pregnant or in labour.

Every dog and cat my family has owned has been a stray or unwanted - they have come to live with us, we've never gone out our way to purchase an animal. I currently have 2 dogs and a ringneck parrot.

One dog and parrot given to me being unwanted, the other dog a stray who followed me home and stayed when she was less than 12 months old. She's now about 8. She was so poorly looked after I'm surprised she survived - she was so infested with ticks they were in clumps of up to six together - it took me months to get rid of them all.

I just think there are lots of animals out there who need good loving homes already.

 

['chelle]

Hi everyone, I just want to update you........

Spoke to my other half last night. I started by saying that I have lots of doubts, mostly about the welfare of my dog, I dont want her to become ill through this, and I dont know if we would be doing the right thing being responsible for the production of new pups that may end up in homes that dont look after them. We started to weight up the pro's and the cons of doing this, and the cons far outweighed the pro's.

So, the decision is made, we are not going to mate her, and will arrange for her to be spayed. I want to thank you all for your advice, because a lot of you have made points that I hadnt thought of, and I think that without you we probably would have done this and found out the consequences to the cost of our dogs health and her pups. You really have made a difference in helping us to reach our decision so thankyou all:hug:.

So, just another question - whens the best time to get her spayed? She's in season at the moment with her second season, the vets have said they will do it 2 months after the season ends, but I know everyone has different views on letting them mature first then doing it, or doing it as young as possible. Any advice anyone??

 

[VHunter]

Fabulous decision!

Where I am (In Canada) they are usually done any time after they reach 6mths of age. Although, in bigger dogs, they can sometimes do it sooner (don't know why).
Why not call different vets in your area and see what they all say?

good luck and give you poochie some smoochies from me
:hug:

 

[marie111]

Theres no hard and fast rule about speying, different vets will recommend different times, if yur vet says 2 months then get her booked in.
You won't regret this, so pleased you came to this decision, i foster dogs for a rescue charity and it doesn't matter about contracts, making sure they only go to good homes etc, there is still the potential they will end up in the wrong hands through no fault of their own.

 

['chelle]

I completely agree, you can never 100% guarantee that a pup will be fostered to a good home, although I do still think there is a legitimate reason for breeding within the right circumstances.

Not everyone wants a rescue dog. Personally I would have loved to take a rescue dog, but at the time we had two fairly young children and two cats. We knew that there was a significant chance of a re-homed dog being nervous and not being good around children or cats, so we decided to get a pup so that we could begin immediate training and socialisation. In any other circumstances I would have a rescue dog any time, but for us that wasnt an option, so I cant completely dismiss anyone who decides to breed.

Having said that though, when we went to the breeder for our dog, you could tell he was very wary of morons who want a german shepherd to stick in the back garden as a guard dog, he was asking all sorts of questions about our family, where the dog would sleep, why have we chosen that breed etc. For all his questions though, he didnt actually check anything. Our dog is one of the lucky ones, shes completely a family dog and a big softy, but I wonder how many of her siblings are sat freezing in someones back yard right now??

 

[soriminah]

I had my dog - who followed me home - spayed while she was in season because I didn't want her to fall pregnant. There was a bull mastif at a caravan park a few blocks away that broke his chain to find her so their smell obviously travels quite a distance. She was locked inside the house so he couldn't get to her overnight but I didn't fancy coming home to find the door knocked down and her knocked up.

 

[Susie H]

There was a bull mastif at a caravan park a few blocks away that broke his chain to find her so their smell obviously travels quite a distance. She was locked inside the house so he couldn't get to her overnight but I didn't fancy coming home to find the door knocked down and her knocked up.

Are you ready for this............up to 10 miles, now thats a fella who really follows his nose:green:

 

['chelle]

10 miles??? Whoa!! This is our dogs second season and we havent been bothered once by a male dog. We were even half tempted to say we'll start taking her for a walk late at night because its awful to see her cooped up, but if it really travels so far I think we'll stick with the back yard and avoid any chances!

 

[Missy G]

Weve gotta bitch,who had her first season last September,I got my hubby to put up a new secure fence when she was due as I was so worried about the male dog next door.

I had nightmares before hand the two of them scratching their way through this new fence to get at each other when she came into season,...but I dont know why I worried the pair of them acted no different to normal.

Im not sure I believe in all that lark about all the male dogs will be waiting at the front door for a go,but heh Im not gonna say too much shes due her next one any time now, maybe this one might be worse!!

Well done for making the decision,my vet told me its best to spay them 3 months after a season, when everything has settled back down, but then everybody seems to have different opions to this.I wish I could of had her done when she was about 3 months old,it would be a damn sight cheaper then than the size she is now...lol...xx

 

[wardo]

just wanted to say I agree with the comments made.
I Had a litter of border collies in December and I have to say it was the most rewarding but hardest thing I have ever done in my life. I had a litter off my dog for many reasons and none of those were to settle her down. she her self is very well bred and has an amazing temperament. I have also had people waiting along time for the pups so knew there would never be a problem with homing them. I know a lot of breeders but nothing, and i mean nothing can prepare you for the mess puppy's make!! not to mention the time they take up. A great deal of thought has to be put in to which stud to use? do the temperament of the dogs compliment each other? is your dog health checked? do you have the time? money? are you prepared for your dog been ill? the list is endless but the most important do you have homes? I strongly believe that only dogs that are of sound health and temperament should be breeding. That all said I adore my litter of pups and I am so proud watching them grow up.

on the subject of walking dogs in season.... Don't do it!! I know of dogs that have mated through cages and broken in to houses. There is not just the effect on your dog to think about. I had to have a dog castrated after he had been around a dog in season. he howled for weeks and would not eat!
I know its hard, try keeping a border collie in for 3 weeks but its just not worth it. what I do is try to work her in remote places for the first week before she is ready to mate, after this point she is under lock and key! lol

what is lovely to see is that you are thinking so much before jumping in and doing it.

 

[Nicks83]

I would go on your veterinary surgeons recommendation on when to have her spayed, personally i would say if your mind is made up and your vet is advising 2 months after her season then book her in for then. 2-3 months after her season is ususally what most vets advise for spaying.