So my DSiL wants to breed from her labrador bitch...

[PacificDogwood]

My DB's family acquired a lab puppy about 16 months ago - gorgeous chocolate girl who is now grown-up in size but still a bit puppy daft in nature, as you would expect
My DSiL was involved in dog rescues in the past, her previous dog was one from a Spanish Rescue who took in Spanish street dogs.

I am shocked that she is now talking about wanting a litter from her pet. She's got it all worked out in her head: we'd take a put, my parents and her parents (all people in their 80s) would take a pup each and she'd find good homes for the rest…

No.
I don't want a. a lab, b. a pup bred for no valid reason other than her gratification and c. I cannot understand that she would want to knowing what I assumed she did about superfluous puppies etc…

There's nothing I can do, is there?
I have alread very firmly said that I have NO interest in any potential puppy of theirs.

Is she prepared to loose the bitch, the pups and be left with a bill of over £1000? It's rare, but it does happen more often to one off breeders than professionals.

Christ she can't expect people in their 80s to take on puppies. I'm not even 40 and wouldn't have the energy.

She's living in lala land.

Yes, she is living in lala land - in more respects than this.
It's madness.

I think she's 'inspired' by a friend who had puppies from their Rhodesian Ridgeback - 12 of them and yes, they were very very adorable and the family had lots of attention because of them.
I don't think she has thought about vet's fees, things going wrong, or even things going round and needing to look after them day and night, never mind finding homes.
Would she take them back if a placement did not work out? Of course she would not…..

Relatives of mine are planning a litter from their spaniel bitch. I don't get it. They don't show, they don't (properly) work her, they want to keep a puppy but what about the rest?! Crazy. It's not to make money either. I think they just fancy it

I think you are being hard on her. When you have a gorgeous dog, I can understand why you would want to replicate it. it probably won't happen anyway.

Is she on Facebook? Look up the group orphaned puppies. I was added to the group (albeit I never have and never will breed - I just have lots of contacts). I had to leave the group as I was in tears every time that I read that a bitch had died in whelp. Even experienced breeders can suffer this experience.

No vet expenses incurred during mating, pregnancy or birth will be covered by pet insurance. An emergency c-section can cost well over £1000.

Your sister could potentially lose her bitch, the puppies or both. Things can go very wrong, very quickly even with an experienced breeder who has done everything right. They at least have the advantage of experience and can get veterinary intervention before it's too late.

She will need to take time off work before the birth and for several weeks afterwards to supervise the puppies. Labs can be clumsy mothers and it's very easy for a small puppy to be accidentally suffocated or crushed.

Not all bitches are natural mothers. The bitch may be overly protective and become aggressive, get stressed and kill the puppies or simply not be remotely interested in mothering them.

Is the bitch health tested? At the very least she should have her hips, elbows and eyes done. With no health tests, and nothing to suggest the bitch is of breeding quality (i.e. success at shows or field trials, or working aptitude), the only stud dogs she'll be able to find to use are those owned by either the clueless or unscrupulous.

Your sister should have a good read of the Champdogs Breeding section, especially this thread and this one and this one and this one.

I've joined a few 'pets for sale/free' groups on facebook. Just out of curiosity. The amount of people selling puppies is heartbreaking. So many little mongrel puppies born for no other reason than their owners fancied a litter. They're mostly small breeds. Complete mongrels. Going for hundreds. I feel like posting a link to the Dogs Trust but I don't think they would notice. Sometimes there's a post asking for a pup or young dog 'for the kids' as long as it's cheap. Really? What are the chances of you being either completely bloody ignorant or a front for dog fighting? I just despair. I'm going to have to hide their posts, I can't bear to see them.

Oh, DSiL is most definitely of the clueless rather than unscrupulous variety - it just surprised me as she had volunteered for an European wide rescue in the past.

You have all raised the kind of points that I have in my head, but I am not quite sure how to bring them up with her without causing huge offence.
She does not live int he UK - my DB rolls his eyes and I think is hoping that this silly idea will just go away…. I am not convinced that it will.

The whole thing is a disaster waiting to happen.

Loathesome, thank you for your links to that forum: those kind of stories may just get her to. Stop. And. Think.
Before her bitch is pregnant.