Is it worth breeding our non KC registered beagle?

[SweetCheeksLovesSweetTalk]

DH wants to breed our bitch. I'm not convinced its such a good idea (I'm sure I will have to deal with all the hassle)

I've pointed out to dh that she isnt KC registered and we have no papers to say she is even a pedigree.

Do you think I have a point?

Yes, you have a very good point. Far too many people breed from their bitches without thinking it through properly. Looking after a litter of puppies is very time consuming, can be expensive and you may well find yourself left with rather more dogs than you wanted. Why does your DH want to breed from her?

I hate to say iy lego, but I suspect money is his motivation.

It will be doing all the hard work I suspect, as he is at work all day. I can imagine my day of running around after a 2yr old, a litter of puppies and then going to work in the evening.

I've already said to him that I think their are far too many unwanted dogs without breeding more. I'm not sure if I could just hand the puppies over to just anyone either.

This has BAD IDEA written all over it - time to do some serious talking me thinks

It is not a good idea. There are loads of unwanted dogs in the world.

My mother breeds pedigree dogs for show and is very very selective about which bitches and dogs are mated and is also very very selective about which dogs she sells and to whom.

She sells to people who do not want to show them and just wants a pet but she always gives an absolute guaranteee that if anyone finds they cannot handle the dog or look afer it they can just bring it back and she wil always give it a home.

She does not give them the money back but she uses the money she got to look after the dog until she can find a home.

Breeding a dog is something you should only do after lots of careful consideration and with lots of advice and support from a vet or another reputable breeder.

It is definately not to be undertaken lightly and personally I think you have to be an experienced dog owner first. I also suspect that you will find it difficult to sell pedigree puppies if you have no papers for the mother. How can you prove she is pedigree?

Absolutely not. There's no reason to do so. There are enough unwanted dogs in the world and being a breeder is a huge responsibility, a good breeder will be willing to take back the pups at any time in their lives, have the dog tested for eye problems, hip dysplasia etc.

And just because a dog has KC Reg papers doesn;t mean that it is suitable for breeding, there are many poor specimens out there with a variety of health problems, that are KC registered.

So absolutely not. Breeding healthy puppies is a huge responsibility but I think everyone else has already said.

Also, if as you suspect your DP is financially motivated to do it, please, please bear in mind the enormous costs involved in doing it properly. The vets fees can be terrifying, especially if something goes wrong (which it easily can, even for very experienced breeders).

I speak as an experienced breeder who has very nearly lost her very precious dog while in whelp. In brief, she had desperate trouble while in labour and had to have an emergency caesarian and hysterectomy at the vets.

Caring for her afterwards meant I slept on the kitchen floor by her bed for well over a week to make sure she didn't die in the night and couldn't leave her unattended during the day. In addition there was the heartbreaking loss of stillborn pups, and another who died during the third night.

I will never, ever forget the hysterical, terrified Mummy dog trying to help her pup survive having just survived emergency surgery herself. It broke, and still breaks, my heart.

As well as all of that, there was the large 4 figure bill for emergency treatment from the vet to factor in on top of all the regular increased food bills, immunizations and stuff.

It is not a money spinner. As well as being a huge responsibility it also brings some very real risks.

Sorry if my post is a bit much though.

Sorry I disappeared - have been at work (as a vet!) more than usual this week. There are lots of sensible comments on here. Daisy's example is extreme but it can certainly happen and, as she says, would cost a lot of money. If your DH's motivation is financial, it is a bad one. Have you managed to change his mind?

Yes I have Lego - Thank god.

I got Dh to read Daisys post and told him under no circumstnces was I putting my dog at risk. I also told him if something similar happened he would he have to live with me and I would be devasted.

I also wrote down a list of basic costs: cost of a stud dog, food, providing a suitable bedding area, vets fees etc. I think that shocked him.

In the end he said it probably wasnt worth the hassle, so thats the end of that.

Thank you Mners - invaluable advice

Excellent decision. I would strongly advise that you get her spayed ASAP.

That is good advice lego, would prevent any further disscussions about it