Loving My Animals

Bringing a new puppy into your home can be exciting for your entire family. Once your new, purebred puppy has grown up, you'll have the opportunity to breed your dog. However, many first-time, potential pet breeders aren't sure if they should attempt it or not. Read on to learn more about the pros and cons of breeding and what you can do to make it easier.

The Potential

Breeding can be a fun family experience, as well as quite profitable for the owner. The exact price of your dog's pups will differ, depending on breed and what dog you breeded your new pet with. For example, a teacup yorker puppy may be more or less expensive than another breed, depending on popularity. However, many pet owners choose to breed their pets not only to defer the original adoption cost of their own dog, but to have an extra stream of income.

What Your Intact Dog Will Experience

Pet owners tend to get their dogs neutered and spayed in order to avoid having unwanted puppies, but there are plenty of other benefits to having a pet intact.

If you choose to keep your dog intact, the exact experiences they will have and could have depends upon their gender. Female dogs that go into heat experience menstrual discharge that can get messy if you're not prepared for it. Many female dogs need to wear diapers during this time to prevent messes from being made.

Male dogs can become a bit more territorial while a female is in heat in their presence. In addition, both genders have a higher risk of developing cancer later on in life. However, you can help to avoid this by having your dog fixed once they're no longer at a breeding age.

Precautions

The best way to make sure that the pups your dog gives birth to are healthy, strong, and able to be sold is to adopt from a reputable breeder. Your breeder should be able to prove your dog's heritage, provide a clean bill of health, and notify you of any potential breeding hazards, like having two dogs mate who both carry the same recessive gene that could cause health issues for the puppies they bear.

In addition, consider talking to your breeder to find out more about the breeding process. Your breeder does this all the time, so they have tons of advice they can give you. You may even be able to get help finding a suitable mate for your dog, when the time comes.

Dog breeding is fun and potentially profitable, if you know what to expect. Ultimately, it's up to you as a pet owner to decide whether or not to let your dog mate. With these tips in your pocket, you can be sure that either choice you make will be safe for your dog and their future puppies.