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The doghouse

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Original poster

My puppy is in her first season

199 replies

SwimmingThroughSickLullabies · 15/03/2012 16:36

She is 9 months old. Is it quite late for a first season? I was expecting it at about 6 months.

I will be breeding her with my other dog but not on her first season.

How long do you think it will be till her next season?

This is the first time breeding. I'm going to try it once and if it works out quite well I'll continue.

OP posts:
D0oinMeCleanin · 15/03/2012 22:37

Family planning also not irrelevent. Many dogs come into rescue because they sniffed the baby/didn't siff the baby/knocked the toddler over etc. also there is no point giving you a dog unsuitable with younger children if you are planning on have further children.

In the two rescues I work with planning children would not be a problem but they would want to know how you feel about dogs and babies and what precautions you would take to keep one safe from the other.

IAmBooyhoo · 15/03/2012 22:37

alot of dogs left with rescues when new babies arrive so that is a very important question to ask.

IAmBooyhoo · 15/03/2012 22:40

xpost dooin

"Yes I am considering breeding my dog. "

then you are considering becoming a BYB. just because you dont actually keep the dogs in your back yard doesn't mean you aren't one.

midori1999 · 15/03/2012 22:41

Jack Russels aren't recognised by the KC, so they can't be KC registered.

I'm not sure what sort of breeder lets the new puppy owner be there when their bitch is whelping or to 'cut the cord'. This sounds like something a child would make up to me. There's risk of infection, contamination, stress to the bitch which could in turn cause inertia which could then risk her life... Plus, most breeders these days recognise that allowing the bitch to deal with the cords, sacs etc is beneficial where possible.

Heswall · 15/03/2012 22:41

I would work on probability of the best outcome and it strikes me that a dog is better of taking a chance on a home that may not be ideal than being put to sleep or spending years in a kennel environment, especially given that somebody who has decided they want a dog is going to get one from somewhere.

Original poster
SwimmingThroughSickLullabies · 15/03/2012 22:42

Its what you're attaching the term to booyhoo

OP posts:
midori1999 · 15/03/2012 22:43

I agree the questions asked are important ones and things I ask. However, I think that in my situation it is possible to befriend potential owners and 'interrogate' them in a friendly fashion rather than asking to fill in an application form so that it simply seems like a friendly conversation. However, most new owners have told me that they expected to be 'questioned' and I like this as it shows they have done their research, in the same way I like to be quizzed about where the bitch will whelp, where the puppies will be kept etc etc.

D0oinMeCleanin · 15/03/2012 22:43

Why would you propose to change things to make it worse for the dogs? If you're going to propose change then change breeding. Stop all BYB and advertising of puppies on the net, in free papers etc.

NoMoreMarbles · 15/03/2012 22:44

exactly heswall, exactly! we were getting a dog to join our family whether the family was of 3 or growing etc that would not make us worse owners. that is clearly what others on the other side of the fence in this argument discussion simply dont see obviouslyHmm

it also kind of knocks all here who are talking about irresponsible breeding etc off their moral high horse when they spend most of their posts calling people who dont agree with them idiots and t&^Ts etc...uncalled for...honestlyHmm not a single person here has argued against rescues being a good idea or said puppy farming is fantastic etc etc but the point that heswall and i make is a valid one and it is useful to look at both sides of the argument...

BeerTricksPott3r · 15/03/2012 22:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Flatbread · 15/03/2012 22:46

Swim,

You talk about the hassle. If you are doing it make a bit of money, I am not sure it is worth the hassle.

For our dog, we are spending £50 more a week to feed her and supplement the pups. Over 8 weeks that is £400. When she was pregnant, it was roughly £25 more for the last month of her pregnancy (she got really picky and would only eat free range rotisserie chicken and sardines Hmm )

So that is £500 just on extra food and supplements. Add in the cost of whelping box, more blankets, washing twice a day so pups do not get used to wee smells where there sleep). Then the cost of microchipping and initial vaccinations.

I don't know how many pups you will have, but you will probably walk a way with £300 to £400 overall. Seems awfully hard work and a lot of hassle for not much return.

Original poster
SwimmingThroughSickLullabies · 15/03/2012 22:47

I knew the breeder well and I told her I wanted one when she had her puppies.

By chance I happened to be there when they were born the breeder was helping and discussoing it with me. The mother was struggling to chew through the cord and the breeder said she would have to cut it. She asked me if I wanted to do it??? I was nervous but she talked me through it.
The scissors were sterile my hands were clean.

Clearly there was no problem as the puppy survived, he's my dog, and so did the mother. Perfectly well!!

I'm 32 so not a child so didn't make it up Confused

OP posts:
AnEcumenicalMatter · 15/03/2012 22:48

Swimming, in your post at 21:06, are you responding to the question about your dogs being KC registered and saying that you intend to register them? Am I reading that correctly? Because if I am then quite honestly, anyone with so little knowledge of their breed really shouldn't even be contemplating breeding.

JRTs are not a KC recognised breed. They are a type of terrier rather than a breed as such. If you were told by the breeders of your dogs that their parents were KC registered then they lied. Or as someone said above, they saw you coming.

Neuter your dogs and enjoy them for the lovely pets they undoubtedly are.

IAmBooyhoo · 15/03/2012 22:52

"whether the family was of 3 or growing etc that would not make us worse owners."

it isn't rocket science to see that every new member/big change within a family affects the family dynamic. affects, people's working patterns, moods, tiredness levels, patience levels, free time etc etc. how can you not see why these questions are important when rehoming a dog? the dog is a family member and is affected by all these changes, but they can't tell you they are feeling jealous or left out. that's why so many dogs are brought to rescue when new babies arrive.

NoMoreMarbles · 15/03/2012 22:53

i would have thought that a dog who was rehomed due to being boisterous with toddlers would have this info mentioned in the rehoming pack? no?

i started looking for a dog with a 3 yo DD so i would not have considered a dog who may or may not have been boisterous or accused of attacking a child and if this information was not given to potential owners then that would hardly be the owners fault if that were the reason the dog was rescued in the first place. And if DH and i were looking for a dog to join our family, why on earth would divorce be on the cards?

i was prepared to answer questions...of course i was[hmm[ it was the sheer volume and intimate nature of the questions i objected to.

AnEcumenicalMatter · 15/03/2012 22:53

Sorry, missed Midori's post where she'd already pointed that out.

Stand by my point that such a blatant lack of basic knowledge about your own breed is a good indication that the dogs would be better off neutered.

Original poster
SwimmingThroughSickLullabies · 15/03/2012 22:54

Yes An Clearly I was confused. Or they lied. Perhaps the breeder of the bitch not the dog. I still speak to her.

Like I have said I will weigh up the pros and cons and make my decision then.

OP posts:
IAmBooyhoo · 15/03/2012 22:55

"I knew the breeder well and I told her I wanted one when she had her puppies."

so the breeder didn't have a waiting list before she put the bitch in pup? i thought these dogs were in high demand. how come she was able to keep one for you?

BeerTricksPott3r · 15/03/2012 22:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
SwimmingThroughSickLullabies · 15/03/2012 22:57

Its not a basic lack of knowledge its just that I'm not interested in KC registering mine so it never occurred to me.

Clearly it doesn't matter that they're not KC registered because they are still selling??Hmm

I think it matters more how the breed behave etc

OP posts:
IAmBooyhoo · 15/03/2012 22:58

i didn't say anything about dogs that were boisterous with toddlers.

someone objected to the question about whether they were planning any/any more children. new babies affect a family dynamic and dogs that wouldn't cope well with that wouldn't be suitable. that is why the question needs to asked.

D0oinMeCleanin · 15/03/2012 22:59

Yes, but they'd need to know about your feelings of dogs around babies. How you would manage to cope with walking a dog whilst heavily pregnant. How would you manage with a buggy and dog walking? What if the dog chewed the babies toys?

And wrt the relationship some dogs don't do well in a 'loud' house, so if you and your DH have screaming rows then there's no point giving you a dog who'd become sick because of all the noise as well as the divorce issue.

Just because you think that this is all common sense, doesn't mean everyone does. I have heard tales of dogs going to rescue because they ignored the baby and therefore must not like it or because they clashed with colour of the new sofa. An alarming amount of people are stupid and a larger amount of people sadly see dogs as possesions to be bought and sold at the drop of a hat. Rescues need to know whether you are one of these people.

NoMoreMarbles · 15/03/2012 23:00

beer yes we asked ourselves the questions...it is good sense to do so but for all of those questions and more to be asked to us etc i was not prepared to tell a stranger my 5 year plan because who the hell knows what they will be doing in 5 years? not a single person in the whole entire world can guarantee that their family dynamic will not change between now and the end of the dogs life so that question really is not the most relevant one to ask...

Original poster
SwimmingThroughSickLullabies · 15/03/2012 23:01

because she's my friend.

OP posts:
midori1999 · 15/03/2012 23:03

So you think the breeder of your dog may be a liar, have no idea about KC status or whether they can be or even are registered with the KC (and if they are Jack Russels they are not) and you think you got them from a decent breeder?

Honestly, you aren't at someone's house by chance when their bitch is having puppies. It's not something that she suddenyl does while your having a cup of tea. There is no way a responsible breeder would allow a third party, no matter how good a friend, to be present whilst their bitch was in labour or whelping, unless, possibly, if they were another experienced breeder. There are just too many risks involved, it's not a spectator sport. I don't actually know of any reputable breeder that even lets new owners in the same room s the puppies until at least 3-4 weeks due to the risk of infection or contamination, let alone at the whelping.