Should we have puppies?

[BitterAndTwistedChoreDodger]

OK, before the flaming, I know there are loads of dogs who need homes etc etc.

A bit of background. We were given our lovely Weimeraner by MIL who wanted, in exchange ( not formally, but in a kind of 'well you can thank me by'... way) the pick of the litter if we bred from her.

PIL are very established breeders (not of wei's)and that's what DH has grown up with.

OK, MIL died last week, and DH now wants a litter out of our lovely girl. On the one hand, I can see his view that

1. It's what MIL wanted
2. We want our next dog to be related to the one we have, and
3. She has a fantastic pedigree and an amazing temperment and I don't want her line to die out.

So are we being mental?

No you probably shouldn't. And that there are so many unwanted animals out there already is a legitimate concern and not something to be dismissed.

See this thread please on the same topic. There's some good advice there.

Also see this link for more information of what it involves. For example your responsibility to the pups continues throughout their lives or should do if you're a responsible breeder. It may mean accepting them back as adult dogs if their owners are no longer able or willing to care for them.

The expense of vet bills if the pregnancy doesn't go to plan and the expense of testing the pups and perhaps your bitch for health issues is also considerable.

Why not go back to her breeder for another dof if you want one that's not related to yours?

There's no guarantee the pups will have her good temperament.

Anyway please do read those links.

The line isn't your responsibility, it is the responsibility of the breeder who founded that line. If they have put breeding restrictions on your bitch (and any good breeders do) then it will also be up to them whether you breed from her or not.

'Excellent' pedigree means just about nothing really. Almost every Joe Bloggs pet dog has an 'excellent' pedigree with upteen Sh. Ch's in it. The dog (or bitch in this case) must be proven itself. Or at the very least have been assessed by a couple of independant and knowledgable people in the breed (eg. judges) outside of the ring. Out of the girls I currently have here, the one with the least Sh. Ch. in her pedigree is actually the best.

If you do want to breed, and your girl is from a reputable breeder, then contact them first of all. If she isn't from a reputable breeder, I wouldn't even consider breeding from her.

Breeding is very, very hard work and can be soul destroying. It can also be very expensive. You need to ensure you have enough cash for emergencies and also be prepared to face the fact that if one or more of your pups are born with a congenital problem it might mean it costs you thousands. A friend had a pup that was born with a non hereditary congenital problem that cost her approx. £3000 in treatment. It also meant she had to keep two puppies from that litter instead of just the one she intended.

IMO you need to sleep with a litter for at least the first two weeks, maybe longer, (I sleep with them until Mum no longer wants to do overnight feeds and then Mum and I go upstairs at night) and that is if everything goes to plan. You can't leave a litter alone at all as they are prone to gettin themselves into trouble and will also learn to live in their own filth if not kept clean. Plus, you should be making an effort to toilet train and socialise them, which is time consuming.

I also replied on the other thread kindly linked above and what I said there would also apply here. If you do want to breed and decide to go ahead, there is definitely a right way to do it and that is very important for both your bitch, you and DH (people are now taking to court breeders who do not properly health test) and dogs in general.

How old is your bitch, is she health tested yet?