Thinking about breeding my "mutt"

[pup-man]

I'm thinking about breeding my "mix" in the future. I have more than plenty of homes for them ... most are friends and relatives and I plan on keeping one.

I'm already in the process of ordering books. I plan on getting "test" done for them. I'm capable of paying any "out of the ordinary" fees or bills I may incur doing this.

Would this make me an irresponsible breeder? I'm obviously not breeding to "better the breed"..... she's a poodle mix. I don't plan on doing anything for a long time though... just wanted to hear everybodys opinions or suggestions about this.

[memyselfandmiah]

I think that bringing any "mutt" (and I love mutt's, that is what I have, and probably all I will ever have) into this world intentionally is definatly going to make you an irresponsible breeder. just my 0.02, though.

[Mach1girl]

PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE-dont do it.

[pup-man]

Can you be more detailed on why not? I'm honestly trying to understand ...... There isn't anything negative that would come out by this. Those who want a puppy from me won't or refuse to adopt a rescue. I don't see a BIG issue if everything is done correctly.. isn't that right?

[Mach1girl]

Because the dog, for one is a "mutt". Nothing personally against MUTTS in general, never had a problem with a mutt, always had probs with pure breeds!!LOl!
But man, seen any shelters lately? Visit one, just so you understand what Im telling you, Its hard to explain, just go visit.
Also, with a mutt, you have no family history. health problems, etc that run in the line. And they do, genetic problems from skin problems to even mental retardation, it all runs down the line. Sometimes dont show up for years!
Placement??Great for you to have homes lined up. But what if uncle Louie has a hear attack or stroke and can no longer care for it??Or if sister pup ends up mauling her child or chewing the fingers off the baby because(No its nto vicious) it doesnt know any better!
There are hundreds of reason, literally. I just had my first and last litter. Im sure you can do a search and find my posts. But I have learned and it will never happen again! And my pups are papered pure bred, from quality lines!
I know you will do whatever, but seriously, I had your frame of mind a long time ago, and boy have I learned!

[Gempress]

I think that the whole "Breeding mutts is automatically irresponsible" is a bit too much of a blanket statement for my taste. Where I'm from, breeding mutts with strong, functional, working traits is fairly common. So I shall look at this practically. Before you consider breeding, take a look at this:

-Are both parents health checked? I don't mean "has all their shots and looked over by the vet". I mean thoroughly screened for hereditary problems, like eye problems, luxating patella, hip dysplasia, etc. Keep in mind that each of these tests costs hundreds of dollars to complete.

-How are their temperaments? Are both parents steady, dependable and confidant? You don't want to breed dogs that have aggression issues, are very shy/nervous, excessively submissive, poor social skills, etc.

-What do the parents have to offer? Are they outstanding working dogs? Great at obedience? What titles have they earned? Or, if they're more of the "lap dog" type, do they have the great temperament and loveable personality desired?

-Can you take the mother for necessary health exams, X-rays, etc., during pregnancy? Can you afford an emergency C-section if necessary (usually $1,000 or more)? If problems come up, be prepared to hand-raise if necessary. Be aware that there are many complications that can occur. Breeding is dangerous for the mother as well as the puppies.

-Breeding puppies costs money, even for those who breed expensive show dogs. Expect to lose money in this venture, not make a profit. You must give the puppies regular check-ups and shots before they ever leave your care. And since your puppies will be mutts, you cannot charge anywhere near as much as purebreds (unless they have specialized working skills).

-Do you have time to teach these puppies? Learning begins long before they leave to new homes. Get them used to strangers, "normal" home noises (like the dishwasher or doorbell), how to handle grooming, and the beginning stages of crate training, leash training and housebreaking.

-From the tone of your posts, these puppies will basically all be going to relatives for companions only. Will you provide spay/neuter contracts? That would be the responsible thing. While these puppies may have guaranteed homes, that doesn't mean any of their puppies will.

-Are you willing to take responsibility for the dog for the duration of its life? That means you will take a puppy back for any reason, at any stage of its life. You brought the puppy into the world; you are responsible for making sure it has the best life possible.

[Giny]

Thought you had a Toy Poodle? It is what you said in your first post.

[Saje]

Why would you want to breed? Why do you think your friends and family would be happier with a pup from you than a pup from a rescue or reputable breeder?

[Fran27]

He's not a troll, he's been posting for a while

I think the main reason not to breed mutts is that there are enough of them in shelters. Even if your friends wouldn't get a shelter dog otherwise, if just one of them gets the idea of breeding the puppy later also, that's more puppies taking the place of a shelter dog. That, plus you never know what kind of genetic problems they might have, and the puppies could have serious problems as they grow up.

There are lots of puppies in shelters also. Why won't your friends and relative adopt a shelter or rescue puppy? If it's because they don't want to pay anything, well frankly I don't think they should get a dog anyway, especially as shelter and rescue fees help other dogs...

[MK&C]

Originally Posted by pup-man

Those who want a puppy from me won't or refuse to adopt a rescue.

Just curious, why do they refuse? No offense, but if you find someone very truly devoted to adopting a friendly, mixed-breed puppy, they would have an open mind about going to get one from a responsible shelter or rescue, because it is easy to find one, and they would understand that breeding isn't easy and isn't something to consider lightly. It sounds as if they might just want a pup because you are planning a litter, but not much else. Please ask yourself, "Do they really want a puppy as a forever companion, and are they really thinking into this?" Once again, please take no offense, I'm just warning you.