Breeding my Labrador Questions

HI all,

I am new to this site so i'd like to just say hi to everyone! : )

I wish to breed my female Labrador. I would like some advice on the best time in her life to breed her and where I can get informaiton on this please? and also what precautions I have to take.

I only wish to breed her once and I have never had a female dog before so I am a bit of a novice.

Any advice would be welcome.

Thank you very much. x

I'm sure someone with good experience will be along soon to help you because I have never bred dogs but have a read of this article, its very good and may help you.

http://www.dogweb.co.uk/dog-articles.php?t=12589

Sorry no advice on the breeding but lots of experienced people on here who will be along later to offer help and advice.

Welcome to DW !

Quick Q .. why are you breeding your lab ? Does she show or work ?

HI,

I would just like to thats all. I know some people have very strong views about it but I would just like to. She doesnt show or work. she is just a family dog.

x

I don't know anything about Labs, but I do know they need to be hip scored and PRA tested, also I 'think' heart tested, just had a quick look on the internet and all these tests are mentioned.

Can't you go back to the breeder of your girl for help?

It's not easy work being a breeder, Labs can have big litters, do you have the time 24/7 for 8 weeks to care for both mum and pups, if, god forbid, something happened to mum would you be able to cope hand feeding a litter of say 8 pups every 2 hours day and night for the first 4 weeks of their lives?

Would you also have the room to take back any pups, should it not work out with their new owners? or if any health problems cropped up would you be able to refund all the money to the new owners and take them all back?

We have recently had a litter of cocker pups, that cost us in excess of £2000 BEFORE the pups we born, that figure didn't include feeding mum or pups or the cost of the c-section she needed.

I don't wish to sound harsh, but it really can be a heartbreaking experience too, physically and emotionally draining.

Hi Woofwoof, the stark facts are that there are over 40,000 (yes 40 thousand) Labrador puppies registered each year with the Kennel Club, and probably as many again that are not registered (with the Kennel Club). So as there are so many, there is little or no need for anyone to be breeding just for the experience. As Crazycockers has said, breeding a litter is an enormous task to undertake, and costs thousands of pounds before any sales.

It isn't true to say that a bitch needs to have a litter for her wellbeing, in fact it's probably the most dangerous episode in her life, she may easily have fatal complications, and then you are left wondering why you put her, and yourself through it.

My advice is to leave it to the experts, and love your lovely girl for years to come. If it's another dog you want, buy one, it's much much cheaper.

Dawn R.

Please have a look at this link to see what is involved in the responsible breeding of Labradors.

http://www.freewebs.com/exelbylabradors/breedingyourlabrador.htm

Please also bear in mind that approx. 40,000 Labs are registered with the Kennel Club each year and probably about the same figure unregistered. That's a lot of pups looking for good homes each year.

Please also bear in mind that if you choose to go ahead and breed without obtaining the relevant health clearances and one (or more) pups goes on to develop a hereditary condition that can be tested for, you can be sued by the buyers as dogs fall under the same sale of goods act that a TV or fridge does...breeding can be expensive in a lot of ways.

edit - posted at the same time as Nursey

You should read the article that Foxy posted above:

Then come back and tell us why you should consider breeding.

"I would just like to thats all" is not a good enough reason in the majority of our members views.

You should also consider talking to Labrador Rescue of which there are 40 branches in the Kennel Club Breed Rescue Directory. Ask those volunteers how hard they work trying to find good homes. Then ask yourself - could you find possibly 8 or 9 excellent homes because excellent is what every dog deserves. Just because someone is willing to pay a large amount for a dog does not mean they will look after it, all the Labradors which go through rescue were someones puppies once.

Once you have sold a puppy you have no say in the welfare of that dog, how would you feel if one of your lovely pet bitches babies finished up being abused or passed from pillar to post? This is the real world we live in - the only home I will guarantee is mine - you couldn't guarantee that your pups would all be as lucky as my dogs are.

Are you in a position to take back one or perhaps more of the puppies you breed at any time in their life? Or would you prefer they become another statistic to Labrador Rescue/Welfare? What if you were asked to take back a boisterous, perhaps destructive 2 or 3 year old - could you/would you do it? I feel I can ask these questions because I have a beautiful 8 month old Labrador pup in rescue right now, he was someones puppy and he needs a home.

All questions worth thinking about before you go ahead and have all the testing done before you breed.

All very good advice, please please don't breed your dog just becasue you can. There are so many needy dogs out there, perhaps you could give one of them a home instead.

We got our Lab from Dogs Trust and he's been an absolute smasher.

If you do breed, it'll cost you alot more than you think to do it right and you may well loose your beloved pooch in the process. :-(

I can only agree with everything that has been said in here:-( Wholeheartedly too!:-(

HI,

Thanks for all your posts however one person in particular (who quoted me saying 'I just want to') said that is not a good enough reason! Who are you to tell me whether my reason is good enough. We all have opinions its how you bring them across to other people. You dont have to do it nastily as opinions are just that. Remember admin, an opinion isnt always right!

For all the other people, thanks you for replying and I do think I need to seriously consider doing it now! Your right, I dont want to be another stat in the figures of unwanted dogs, I will seriously re-consider!

Thanks guys! x

an opinion isn't always right its just an opinion and on an open forum members will post there views ;-) ....its good that you have things to consider now and the thread has given you food for thought

Frankly, I think you are a wind-up

And yes of course it was an opinion, albeit one based on talking with people much more knowledgable than myself, and by seeing what goes on around me. That is, all those dogs in homes and shelters (and many put to sleep) because of such irresponsible attitudes!

If my opinions upset 10 people and 2 of them decide not to breed in such circumstances, then I can live with that.

Whether you are a troll or not, makes little difference to this message getting across to anyone who might read it

Here Here, I second that.

I still am not entirely sure why you want to breed :?

We bred from our lab to get a puppy for ourselves (ended up keeping two ) and we made almost no money out of it. The cost of keeping and feeding the puppies for 8 + weeks alone is the cost of a couple of puppies! And add ontop of that the cost of registering, vaccinating, microchipping, the stud fee, caesarian if needed, any medical treatment mum and pups may need you're easily going to spend £1000 or more. And if you only get one or two puppies you will have made a loss...

So unless you're doing it to keep a puppy yourself i'd advise against it. You could always rescue one (not everyone wants to do this if they want a pedigree, registered dog of course) or go to a breeder.

I would definately research it more. If you're a 'novice' dog keeper then i'd say you're not ready to breed them.. Lab puppies are a LOT of hard work, and as someone said, you would have to be willing to take back any, or all, puppies you have sold so its a big responsibility.

I would suggest doing lots of research and enjoy your dog as a pet for a few years before thinking about whether you want to breed or not

I would not call myself an experienced advice giver on breeding as i've never done it.

But, as i work part time for the RSPCA and also part time for Irish setter rescue, i have seen enough and heard enough stories to put me off for life.

I feel that i'd be a very stupid person if i said i didn't agree with all the advice on this thread.

Sorry but its a bad idea - 'just because you want to'.

What happens when your dog has a large litter and you can't sell them all?
I own 2 irish setters and they have huge litters - my girl was one of 15 puppies!

so if i bred my 2 setters and my girl had 15 pups that would be 17 dogs i'd have to feed, clean up after, toilet train at least 15 of them etc etc

I think your mad.

Hi,
I agree with alot of what's been said,alot of it very good advice.I also think alot of people that are considering breeding ought to work for rescue for a while.

correct!

unless of course you can garantee to take back and look after every single puppy you've bred when the other people decide that actually they don't want it anymore!!!!

sorry if i appear to be rude but this just annoys me - only 2 weeks ago i myself rescued an irish setter from a 'free to a good home' ad in a local paper - you should of seen the state of him when he got here, broke my heart.