where do i even start? - Page 1

I want to breed my GSD female and this is what i always run into:

1) "Why would you want to breed a dog when there are so many in shelters?!"
-I worked at a shelter and i am well aware of this. i worked my ass off every day to get them good homes. i've seen it all first hand the good and the bad. Also if people just stopped breeding pure bred dogs then the breed can not carry on. Where did you get YOUR purebred? uh?? I've known people with purebreds are are all against anything but adoption and yet they got theres at a PETSTORE no less!!! In fact i still pass on information of dogs needing rescues to those i know. If i didn't have four kids 6 and under i would be helping with our local pet rescue transport.

2) "Your dog doesn't have any titles and isn't a show dog then you shouldn't breed!"
-She comes from a wonderfull kennel that breeds for health, temperment, soundness and loyalty. She is a lovely dog and would make a wonderful mother. i believe she could produce some great pups. She is strong, healthy, loyal, wonderful temperment and a GREAT dog. Are titles all it is about anymore? what happened to breeding to better the breed?

3) Breeding in time comsuming, costs money and bad things can happen!
-I understand theses risks. I bred my two shih tzus. I understand it wasn't right for me to breed with out papers and i didn't want to become a "backyard breeder" who just cranked out puppies. So i made a decision to do it correctly if i was gonna breed at all. I wanna do it right. Is there something so horrible about that? i've raised countless kittens on bottles (i know not exactly puppies, but try and tell me that getting up every four hours to bottle feed a litter and going to school at the same time is a walk in the park compared to raising puppies on a bottle) and i helped a friend's boxer labor more then once. I understand the process, know most signs of something that is wrong and how to care for mother and pup. i fully understand the undertaking of such a commitment and i am not a child. why is it that all "experianced breeders" that i've ever encountered treat "newbies" like they are children no matter their age?

4) "My studs only breed to 'approved females'."
- Yet when i ask what makes them "approved" i get no answer.

please understand this:

I'm not trying to take over the world with dogs. I'm not going to go crazy and breed her every time she goes into heat. All i really want to do is learn more about the breed. I want to get into Obidence (building on what i have already learned) Agility and things like that. There isn't a breeder in my area...at least none that i can find any closer then 3 hours from me...I'm not going to be jumping on the bandwagon just because everyone around me breeds GSDs so i might as well too. I want to be able to provide those in my area with good quality dogs. I am not out to make a fortune. Believe me i know the good breeders don't do it for the money. they do it because they love the breed and are dedicated to up keeping and even improving the quality of their breed.

But my biggest problem i run into is so much negitivity. How am i to learn when no one is willing to teach? Don't we all want what is best? this kind of treatment to those that want to do it right is what causes backyard breeding...breeding poor animals just to make some cash, with no care of their health or anything.

Won't someone, anyone take me under their wing? Everyone needs a mentor when they want to do things correctly. I am willing to learn. I love my two GSDs as if they were my kids (lol and i have four and counting of those!) But where do i start? I have no one in my immediate area to turn to.

Everyone that is an "experianced breeder" had to start somewhere. Share your story with me...share your ideas...i am an open book...a sponge if you will ;-) Prove to me that not everyone is the same.

I started by getting a dog and training and titeling it. So I could make my best to provide people with healthy, loyal pet dogs, stable trustworthy SAR dogs, strong street dogs and nice shepherds that even though they are not perfect, they are still bred in the name of betterment of the breed.

Thank you! I have my female who will two in November. I am going to get her OFA certified. She isn't in any classes. When i got her i was a stay at home mom and was planning to send time working with her...but the now-ex-hubby asked for a divorce when she was only 3 months old. Sadly i didn't get to spend the time with her like i planned....but life is stable now. (thank goodness!) Do you think 2 yrs is too old to start any traing for titles? or should I start fresh? I neutred my male. He had allergys, was way too tall and lanky...not an ideal of the breed at all, so i didn't feel like his genes where good to pass on. He is my big, lanky, boney baby!

A good breeder is one who breeds dogs that are good for the purpose intended. And some do quite well financially, others may be happy breaking even or just not going in the hole too deep.

My only advice would be to first get involved in whatever activity you want to pursue with the GSD, see if you really enjoy it and have any success. Otherwise, no matter how it's sugar coated, it's just breeding for the pet market.

jmo,
Rik

You've come to the wrong forum. 

I guess my advice could be to find a job for your girl that she was bred to do.  That is many and you should be able to title her if she can excel at something she was bred to do.  That would be my interest with the breed.

 Also, get her health certificates HD/ED, DM, cardio and at least check and cerf her eyes.  Then  you know you have at least those MAJOR health risks taken care of for her puppies, and if you do find a stud dog you like be sure he has his health clearances also.  Very, Very important to your puppies and the breed.  BOL  Nan

Two years is not too late to start training and working toward some sort of title. It's a great age to be training.

"this kind of treatment to those that want to do it right is what causes backyard breeding."

Sorry I do not agree with this. To those who want to do what's right, DO WHAT'S RIGHT. You bought a working dog. And thus in order for others to take you seriously, then thats what it takes to do it, work your dog. The problems I see is when you get a working dog, have no idea if the dog can even work, and breed it to another dog that doesn't work either, you create puppies that deter from the breeds original purpose. It weakens the gene pool and makes what we all think is a great breed , just mediocre.

What really saddens me is people who import dogs and breed them to whatever and all the hard work that the kennel did to make the name of the dog, goes down the drain. There are more than one sport a working dog can do. Obedience, tracking, agility, herding, schutzhund, scent work etc etc. Find what your dog is good at and pursue. If you find your dog doesn't like any of those things, then imo she isn't breed quality and surely doesn't need to add to the over gluttened gene pool. You don't learn about a breed by producing puppies. You learn about a breed by working it and seeing what that breed offers the world. Breeding is AFTER all that time, money, sweat and tears you and your dog gave to get to the point where breeding may be an option.

I can only speak for myself but I trained and showed dogs for 10+ years before I bred my first litter. There is no skipping ahead if you want someone to take you serious. What city are you in and maybe someone can refer a mentor to you so you can see just what your gal is made of.

Barb

I bought her for the intention of immediately training her. As it went I was dealt a CRAPPY turn in my life. I didn't ask for my husband to lie to me. after years of trying to fix our marriage and better he and I were finally in the good path for about a year. He and I combined decided to have another child. I was a stay at home mom and things were going great. When I was two months pregnant he asks for a divorce. Just leaving me with no job, no health insurance, a new pregnancy and two small boys, a new puppy, a house and all his debt. I didn't ASK for it to happen to me. Believe me!! It was not part of my life plan when I got Leila as a puppy. She and I got the short end of the stick. But he is out of my life. My kids are healthy and happy. I have a new husband (been a friend of mine for 11yrs) and life is stable. I'm sorry if I am not perfect. I have had a lot of bad shit happen to me that I will it go into on here. Just so you know why she isn't trained right now...but she isnt a wild child with no manners either.

If you can look in the mirror and say that you've had nothing bad happen to you and you are just so awesome, then good for you! But you are one lucky person. Because I know I can't do that. What I do know is I know what kind of dog I bought, I intended on working her, I did a lot of research before buying and I want to do things right.

If you are going to be negitive then you can keep your mean words to yourself. Keith.

I asked for advice and I am taking it all in. I'm not jumping out and knocking her up with the first male I see. I appreciate all advice. If I was reckless I wouldn't be on here asking opinions. Would I? Keep the positive critisim coming...

You are in the right place to get good advice. 

Here is my advise to get what you need from this forum:
1.  Have a thick skin.  Many times the comments are not kind.  If you can tune those out 99.9% of the time, you will find what you are looking for.
2.  Everyone on this forum has a passion for this breed.   No matter how they respond to you (good, bad, nice, or mean), they are truly looking for the best for the dog.
3.  Read everything from everyone.   Sometimes the "between the lines" is the advice worth keeping.  

Here is my minimal experience advise on breeding:
1.  Do all the health check on your bitch first.  Don't skimp in this area.  This will not only tell you if she is a good for breeding, but it will also tell you what she can physically handle as for a working dog.
2.  Find a club that can evaluate her for herding instinct; schitzhund; tracking; etc.  This will help tell you what your bitch brings to the table for the breed.
3.  Once you have above, start working your dog in this area.  If you are intending to become a breeder; these are what gets the GSD world to know your dog and if they want some of your line.
4.  Be extreamly choosy about the stud.  Be prepared for the stud's owner to be equally as choosy.  If they are not, THIS IS A WARNING FLAG.
5.  As for a mentor, read through this forum.  You'll figure out who really knows their stuff and would be a good mentor (need both sides).  Once you have this, ask them if you can lean on them a bit for mentoring.  Most everyone on here can be brutally honest.  This is what you want in a mentor.  Someone who will tell you like it is and not someone who is trying to live in a unrealistic world.
6.  If you are just breeding for pets or house dogs, please really think about this.  There are plenty of those out there without a home.  Many are excellent, full blooded, GSDs.  Ask some of the rescue people on here for help.  I have also learned that some breeders "retire" their dogs after 7 years.  These are a great option for in home dogs; this is actually what I am considering for my next GSD in 5 + years.

Good luck