Dog Breeding – Studs

When you talk about dog breeding, the first thing that enters the mind is the female dogs since they are the ones who carry the puppies. But did you know that it is equally important to choose the suitable stud for her?

Good quality studs are hard to find and if you simply settle with the first stud that you come across, you might not be able to produce the best pups. There is extreme competition in the dog breeding industry and if you have a stud, what can you do in order to make your dog impressive and be noticed in the crowd?

You need to ensure that your stud is in excellent condition. Get him a certification which proves that he is free from joint problems. The perfect age for mating is two years just like the female although younger dogs already has a tendency to mate. The eyes should be regularly checked to ensure that your stud does not suffer from eye problems. Abnormalities are quite normal among dogs, especially in specific breeds but in order to be noticed, your dog should be free of any abnormalities as it can be passed on to the pups. There should be no brucellosis, thyroid problems, seizures, and heart problems. Let your dog undergo a temperament test to get a certification.

To increase the popularity of your dog, you should allow more exposure. Take your dog to the field or in dog shows. Let potential buyers see that your dog is in top shape and excellent health. Proven dogs command higher fees as compared to inexperienced or unproven dogs.

If you’re housing studs, you should already expect that the bitches or female dog will be shipped to you. You should have adequate facilities to board females in heat. The mating time can take a week to ensure that the female is impregnated and to prevent mis-mating. There are even times when proven dogs mate more than one female dog. Always keep a spare room to accommodate more than one female dog.

There are times when you need to intervene in the mating. Basset Hounds for example need intervention. If it is the first time for one of the dogs or both, the dogs will hardly understand what they are supposed to do. Don’t leave the dogs unattended because it can be very disastrous. There are also times when the female dog is not impregnated and you need to repeat the whole process the next season. Contracts vary and it depends on the agreement of the parties involved.

The compatibility of the dog pedigree is also important. Once the pups get bad or good points, it will always be attributed to your stud. If you want to earn good reputation, you must also be extra careful in choosing the female dog. By doing so, you can ensure that only good pups are produced.

If you’re dealing with new breeders (owner of the bitch), you should assist them during whelping and in caring for pups; make sure that you provide them the necessary assistance and when they have questions, try to answer properly. The reputation of your dog is at stake here so you need to be patient in dealing with the owners of the bitch.

Disputes may also arise so you need to prepare yourself for it because it can definitely affect your dog’s standing.