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The Dog Breeder's Handbook is the definitive guide to starting and running an ethical and profitable dog breeding business. Over 200+ pages of practicality.
- Advice from the Breeder: Considerations Before Breeding
- 2 - Breed to Improve
- 3 - Understand the Commitment
- 4 - Choose A Suitable Mate
- 5 - Know Your Genetics
- A Guide To Breeding Your Dog 6 - Finalize Stud Contract
- 7 - Perform Pre-Breeding Health Checks
- 8 - Mating
- Accustom your Bitch to the Whelping Box
- 4 Keys to Good Litter Hygiene
- Caring for your bitch after whelping
- Care for Orphaned Puppies
- 13 - Register Your Litter Soon after Whelping
- 14 - Wean Puppies from Their Mother
- 15 - Sending Your Pups to Their New Homes
- Commit Yourself to the Puppies for Life
- 16 - Encourage New Owners to Register Their Puppy with the AKC
- AKC Veterinary Network Certificate Program Helps Start Puppies on Lifelong Healthcare Plan
By Mary M. Rodgers Looking for a Book on Breeding? The AKC Library can help you find it. By Theresa Shea, editor
The motto of the responsible breeder of purebred dogs is "Breed to Improve." Every dog is the best dog in the world to its owner. Responsible breeders, however, know to avoid "kennel blindness" -- in other words, they take a step back and honestly evaluate the good and bad points of their dogs before making the decision to breed. The goal of bree...
Raising puppies is a full-time job. During the first couple of weeks the dam normally takes care of the puppies' needs, but complications, such as a dam with no milk or an orphaned litter, may arise. It is the breeder's responsibility to provide a safe, warm, dry place for the puppies and proper food and water for the bitch. Puppies are even more...
The first thing to consider when choosing a mating pair is to ensure that both the sire (dog) and dam (bitch) are AKC registered. If both dam and sire are AKC registered, then the litter can be registered with the AKC. When selecting a breeding partner (most likely a sire for your dam), there is a simple principle to bear in mind: mate animals th...
To be an effective breeder, you should have a basic understanding of the science of genetics. Everything about your prospective puppies’ health, soundness, looks, and temperament will be determined by the genes passed on by their parents, and by their parents before them. Therefore, the selection of a mating pair should not be made solely on the ba...
You have performed all necessary health checks, genetic screenings, and selected the perfect mate for your bitch. Now it's time to work out the details of the mating. It is an excellent idea to work out a contract with the owner of the stud dog before breeding takes place. The agreement concerning stud fees should be in writing and clearly state ...
Good puppies start long before breeding ever takes place. Both parents need long-term care - what dog people call conditioning - to produce the best offspring. This means regular veterinary care, screening for genetic problems, pre-breeding tests, and regular exercise and good nutrition. Bitches should not be overweight and should have good muscle ...
Natural Breeding. Responsible breeders generally do not breed a bitch at the first heat to avoid imposing the stress of pregnancy and lactation on a young, growing animal. It is also customary to avoid breeding a bitch on consecutive heats to allow sufficient time for recuperation between pregnancies. Most dogs are first bred between the 10th and...
It is a good idea to build a whelping box well in advance so the bitch has time to become accustomed to it. Unless you have already accustomed her to a whelping box, she may choose your closet or another inappropriate place for a delivery room. An ideal whelping environment is warm, dry, quiet, draft-free, and away from all other dogs when possib...
By Loretta Marchese 10 - Puppies are Born! Most bitches give birth easily without the need of human help. Each puppy emerges in its own placental membrane, or sac, which must be removed before the puppy can breathe. The mother usually takes care of this by tearing off (and sometimes eating) the membrane and then severs the umbilical cord. After d...
Some bitches eat very little for the first day or two after whelping. Then their appetite and need for all nutrients rises sharply and peaks in about three weeks. During this entire period, adequate calcium, phosphorous, and vitamin D must be fed to avoid the onset of eclampsia. Optimal amounts of these nutrients are already present in a high-quali...
Newborn puppies must be hand fed if their mother is either unable or unwilling to nurse them. Cow's milk is a poor substitute for bitch's milk, which is more concentrated and has twice the level of protein, almost double the calories, and more than twice the calcium and phosphorous content. For feeding puppies, a commercial puppy formula is recomme...
One of your most important tasks as a breeder is to ensure that your litter is registered with the AKC. Registering the puppies creates a record of their place in the history of your breeding program and in the development of the breed. It also opens the doors for the puppies' new owners to the wide array of services, information, and events provid...
There are many rules of thought about weaning your puppies. Experienced breeders tend to use methods that work best for them and their respective breed. It is recommended that you contact your veterinarian to discuss a feeding regimen for your litter. Most puppies begin the weaning process at about two to four weeks of age. Some breeders recomme...
By this time you have learned everything you can about your breed, and you know all the pros and cons of ownership. It's important to share this information - including the negative aspects - with prospective puppy owners. You should be ready to explain why a dog requiring a lot of coat care or training may not be the best match for a workaholic, o...
For breeders, responsibility doesn't end when their puppies leave with new owners. Responsible breeders make sure their puppies' new families know they can turn to them with any questions or problems that arise throughout the puppies' lives. As a breeder, you will be gratified by phone calls and letters describing your puppies' first teeth, birth...
Getting All Your Puppies Registered! Before you send your puppies to their new homes, be sure to inform new owners of their best source (besides yourself!) for information on sharing a long, fulfilling, active life with their new pet - the American Kennel Club. The AKC is dedicated to providing service and support to the owners of purebred dogs...
By Penny Leigh, AKC Internal Consultant and breeder of Flat-Coated Retrievers and Bearded Collies
- 467KB
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Apr 7, 2015 · And for you to save time from researching, we have gathered the definitive list of the best dog breeding books that should already be on your bookshelf, Kindle, or iPad. 1. The Dog Breeder’s Handbook. Your definitive ebook to start, run, market, and grow your dog breeding business from day one.
list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) and ends with one or two cases to test your understanding. References are provided in each chapter. Appendices include a list of hereditary disorders by breed, a glossary, information on where to access references, descriptions of the management
The American Kennel Club is dedicated to responsible breeding practices and dog ownership. With this comes research, articles, and advice for all breeders.
Breeder’s Proverb. When starting a breeding program, there is an important block that requires a lot of reading and understanding before even have your own opinion -- it is the chunky block of the different styles and methods of breeding dogs.
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Learn about the AKC's key points of responsible dog breeding, best dog breeding practices, tips for dog breeding and whelping, and more.
