Dog Breeding Fundamentals

Before you start dog breeding as a business or past time, you should first know about its fundamentals.

When you decide to do something, you should set your goals. This is also true with dog breeding. First on the list is good temperament; the dogs you breed should have good temperament so that future owners will not hesitate to care for them. As a breeder, it is your responsibility to lookout for unexpected changes in the behavior of the dogs like shyness, fear, excessive activities, and negative response to leave their common environment. Such characteristics are easily passed to their puppies. Genetics is a very important factor when breeding dogs and you should ensure that good temperament is passed on to the puppies. Try to check if the ancestral genes of the dogs possess good temperament.

Many breeders tend to put a male and a female dog in a certain room in the hope that the dogs will mate eventually. This is wrong. You must be certain that the female dog is already sexually matured so that she can be impregnated. The heat period will often start from the 6-month to one year. Still, this is not the perfect time for breeding. You need to wait until the female dog reaches two years or so because this is the best time for the female to carry a pup.

Good breed of pups can be realized if you’ve chosen the perfect parents. The male and female dogs should not possess any inborn or inherited faults. Get to know the dog breed by discovering more about their ancestors. You must ensure that the mother dog does not possess negative characteristics such as savageness and shyness. The male dog determines the sex of the puppies because he possesses the sex chromosomes. As a breeder, you should also ensure that the male does not have any reproductive difficulties. Such defects are hard to correct; if the male does not have enough sperm, the female will not be impregnated.

Before you start dog breeding, you should be well informed about the ancestry of the dogs you’re handling. You should determine the mixed, recessive, and dominant characteristics of the dogs. Dog breeding is a rewarding activity; you can increase the number of your pets through breeding and you can also earn money if you decide to embark on a business venture. You should be prepared mentally and physically. Why? Well, dog breeding requires breeders to conduct a lot of research. You will need to spend a lot of time researching because if you’re not well informed, you’re not going to be a good breeder.

Dog breeding has its advantages. You can raise many pups which you can take care at home or you can also share them with your relatives and friends. Puppies make excellent gifts, right? If you want, you can also sell the puppies. Good natured and intelligent pups are saleable and since most households have pet dogs, you will mot find it hard to get a buyer.

Now that you know the fundamentals of dog breeding, you should find out more about the different dog breeding methods such as line breeding, cross breeding, and out breeding. Take your time in reading books and other information materials. Don’t forget to consult the expert breeders in your area as well as the local vet; these people can help you.