I'm Thinking About Breeding My Dog

"I'm thinking about breeding my dog. Can you give me some advice?"

Although a love dogs often culminates in a desire to breed more, not every dog is a candidate for breeding. Share the advice given to one visitor by our resident Dog Expert.

Hi,

I have a female I think is a Collie/mix. The mother is definitely a Collie, and the previous owner said she did not know what kind of dog she bred with. My dog is medium-sized, with very short reddish-blonde hair. She has a long snout like a Collie, but looks kind of like a Pitbull in the face. She has dark areas on pink skin, and one blue eye like her mother. The vet immediately asked if she was part Greyhound, and she does look like that. She is muscular, and when she runs fast she looks like a Greyhound.

I would like to breed her, and I am wondering which would be the right breed of dog to mate her with. She is coming up on her second heat cycle in a few months, and I would like to find a stud dog by then. She is very affectionate, friendly and lovable. She's also a little skittish and scared sometimes, but she's really a beautiful animal.

I would like to produce the best puppies possible. The problem is, other than being a dog lover for life and previous owner of many wonderful large dogs since childhood, I know nothing about breeding. I want the best for her, and I do not want to do anything wrong. She is a wonderful dog, and I want to keep her and possibly one of the puppies.

Any advice or suggestions you have would be appreciated. I just have no idea which dog I should breed her with. I want to produce the prettiest and best tempered puppies possible. What do you think?

~~ Nancy

Expert Reply

Hi Nancy,

I think your best course of action is to take a step back and learn more about dog breeding before you make a firm decision to breed your bitch.

There has been an explosion in pet overpopulation going on for decades, and many fine dogs are sitting in shelters right now. The majority of these pets are mixed breeds. I caution you to consider carefully before you create more dogs that may wind up in the same situation. Many people are more than ready to take on a cute puppy, however, once the reality of training sets in, they become less than enthusiastic. A lot of these dogs wind up in shelters once they are no longer small and cute. Are you willing to keep extra pups that don't find homes? Will you be willing to provide a home for older pups that are returned by their owners? These are things to seriously consider before you decide to breed.

Your dog sounds like a lovely pet, but there are risks involved with breeding. I don't want to scare you unnecessarily, but some bitches do not live through labor when complications arise. Other bitches succumb to post delivery infections. This happened to a purebred bitch I co-owned with a friend, and it was devastating.

I'd like to offer you an alternative to consider. Why not do some more research on purebred Collies, and see if they are the breed for you? You can contact the American Kennel Club to find out about any upcoming dog shows in your area. You may even find a kennel club in your town that can put you in touch with breeders who will mentor you as you learn. Then you can decide if breeding your mixed breed bitch is really the best idea.

If you simply want to breed in order to add another dog to your household, why not consider adopting another needy pup from a shelter? There are many wonderful, loving dogs longing for a home/family of their own, and you sound like you have a lot of love to give. Why not visit a rescue shelter just to have a look? There's no obligation involved, and who knows what you may find?

Thanks for your question, and best wishes~~ Kelly

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