Sorry! Didn’t notice the original post date. Glad this is coming together for you. Congratulations!
[QUOTE=Marshfield;7943237]
One of the coordinators for your National Specialty brings her dogs in to see me. I saw the dinner menu and it looks good.[/QUOTE]
I know! One of her puppy owners and I have rented a house. It should be a great time! We’re so excited that a national event is going to be so close to us (finally!) Will you be at that show too?
I agree completely - that is next week, and I’ll be a nervous wreck until then. No one knows I set the appointment up, just in case. Just you guys! 
[QUOTE=Houndhill;7943393] It sounds like you have a good idea of what to do, and what not to do, despite pressure. I think the stud dog owner is equally responsible for every life you create, and you should not do it unless you are excited about what you will create together, and feel you are equally responsible for every puppy.
That said, I hope you will end up with a puppy from your male that you desire![/QUOTE]
Thanks to you and DoubleClick for that reassurance. I expect to be pressured (again) heavily…argh. :no: I have a very nice dog with some very desirable characteristics (smallish and very cobby), so naturally, when a good match for this bitch is described - my dog IS a perfect match. But, she gives us nothing in return. If the dogs in the litter end up looking like her, I’d be really disappointed. Which makes me think that I have to say no. Even though I keep being told “yes, but don’t forget what is behind her.”…Ummm…but somehow it didn’t get passed on to her?
I’m not a breeder, I don’t know how likely it will be that my dog will pass on the better breed traits and “correct” her conformational issues. (My gut feeling says - don’t count on it).
With regard to my preferred breeding - If I got a carbon copy of either my dog or the bitch - I’d be ecstatic. If the breeding improved them both a tiny bit - I’d have a national specialty winner on my hands. And breeding to the so-so bitch before this one? Why would I do that now (if ever).
if this is a hunting breed, and you haven’t gotten any hunting titles yet, I wouldn’t breed until you have that in hand. Ability to perform is far more important than getting titles in the conformation ring. Why not actually prove this dog is REALLY worth breeding? Who wants a hunting dog that can’t hunt? no one.
I think all dogs should be titled on both ends before breeding. I’d also insist the bitches are double-titled as well. If you’re going to make more dogs, might as well make the best ones you can.
[QUOTE=wendy;7944589]
if this is a hunting breed, and you haven’t gotten any hunting titles yet, I wouldn’t breed until you have that in hand. Ability to perform is far more important than getting titles in the conformation ring. Why not actually prove this dog is REALLY worth breeding? Who wants a hunting dog that can’t hunt? no one.
I think all dogs should be titled on both ends before breeding. I’d also insist the bitches are double-titled as well. If you’re going to make more dogs, might as well make the best ones you can.[/QUOTE]
Well, if I thought you really wanted to know, I’d tell you about the quality of these dogs as hunters, and I’d go into more detail about both dogs’ field experience and other titles. Both dog and bitch are more than capable in the field, and the bitch has more performance titles than I can count.
Being able to put a JH after a dog’s name isn’t any huge accomplishment or indication of hunting ability. Getting the SH will take longer, and is on the agenda. The only thing holding my dog back is MY time and money…it would be my favorite thing to do if I had more time…but we’ll get there. I see no reason to wait to breed my dog because I haven’t had time to test him yet.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10703855_10204756719016407_1718961618721076767_n.jpg?oh=964b871a08c4df988d62b6db25095f61&oe=55272337&gda=1430319137_1447f45177c345a7801df8392cd03bc7
However, not everyone shares your sentiment. In an ideal world ALL dogs will be titled at both ends, or really work every day. But in the real world most dogs don’t. Not everyone considers that the only quality worth passing on. (In fact, I know some really nasty hunting dogs, so their working ability isn’t the only important consideration.)
[QUOTE=wendy;7944589]
I think all dogs should be titled on both ends before breeding. I’d also insist the bitches are double-titled as well. If you’re going to make more dogs, might as well make the best ones you can.[/QUOTE]
This can get prohibitive both in terms of time and money. If you’re in a breed where handlers are common, you can easily spend thousands to put a dog out there. And more importantly to me, I’d have to put five pounds on an agility dog over peak agility weight to show in breed. And pull out of months of agility training. I’m not willing to compromise agility time to chase a breed title. Typically I breed performance titled girls to males with conformation titles.
No one knows I set the appointment up, just in case. Just you guys!
That’s smart. I let the bitches’ owner (a quasi-mentor-ish person to me) know we had the appointment so it was doubly hard when the news was bad.
I am very excited for you and hope it all works out.
[
I agree completely - that is next week, and I’ll be a nervous wreck until then. No one knows I set the appointment up, just in case. Just you guys!
Mums the word!!
So I talked with the tech yesterday to just get an idea of what to expect. They will try to collect him but she wanted me to know that it might not work from just scent alone, and not to be concerned. If they have a bitch at the clinic they may be able to use her for a teaser, but if not we’ll do the overall exam, get a tour of the facility, find out what my goals are, etc. and then set up additional appointment(s) depending on what I want.
For a collection to freeze, they definitely want a real teaser bitch, even if they can collect without one, because they get a better collection. So that will need to be coordinated, but since we have plenty of time it’s ok.
I mentioned some of the other concerns like “what to do if the dog won’t breed when it’s time” and she said “that’s what we’re here for - to help you”. Sigh. I feel better.
G
[QUOTE=S1969;7945899]
For a collection to freeze, they definitely want a real teaser bitch, even if they can collect without one, because they get a better collection. So that will need to be coordinated, but since we have plenty of time it’s ok.
I mentioned some of the other concerns like “what to do if the dog won’t breed when it’s time” and she said “that’s what we’re here for - to help you”. Sigh. I feel better.[/QUOTE]
S1969, you have some intact bitches, don’t you, that you could maybe use when they come in.
My repro vet has a billing item called “Working Girl”. If you bring in a bitch in heat and allow her to be used as a teaser, you get a little fee off your own bill. I’ve allowed a bitch to act as a teaser for a greyhound, unfortunately he didn’t like her very much.
Our most memorable teaser bitch was a very sweet English Bulldog, who my Irish Wolfhound found very attractive, but he was alarmed by her snorting and the odd noises she made. He got used to the breathing though.
Once they have been there a couple of times, they become easier and easier to collect, like stallions going to the breeding shed. You can see them thinking “Best Road Trip Ever”!!! And they are very fond of the repro vet when they see her at shows. She has many devoted friends among the male dog community.
You might want to keep in mind when you breed this bitch that you want to establish a routine, as far as where you do it, even the clothes you wear, so that your male becomes conditioned to it.
No, I don’t have an intact bitch - they asked that also. I love the “working girl” idea - that’s hilarious. My breeder has two intact Papillons and she would let me use them for sure. But they indicated that they might have someone in the clinic at some point and we can schedule the collection around that (so, possibly they also have “working girls” at the clinic).
I’ll bet the repro vet is a very popular person with the boys. That’s hilarious. Actually, that’s one reason that I don’t want to have him collected at a show. I don’t want any confusion about what his “job” is at a dog show. LOL.
Sorry! I posted this before I realized the date was Dec '13. This seems relevant to what OP and GraceLikeRain discussed on the first page. Ruffly Speaking Blog discusses breeding a football field of dogs to diversify the gene pool.
Thanks Bicoastal for posting this blog. I read it occasionally, and this one was very thought-provoking.
The problem with encouraging more breeding in my breed (Irish Wolfhounds) is that suitable homes for a giant hunting sighthound are just in limited supply. I would love to be in a position to do more breedings that I feel might be interesting or worthy, but it is really difficult to place all the puppies in suitable homes. I talk to so many prospective owners who think they want a puppy, but who are not great homes for an Irish Wolfhound, and would be better advised to seek a different breed.
But I am also very concerned about our very small gene pool and what it means for the future of the breed. I am conscious of the coefficient of inbreeding for every breeding I do, though even IWs with a low COI are actually pretty closely related.
Great trip to the repro vet - they were able to collect, even without a real girl and he has great numbers and great motility, especially considering that he has not been collected before. Everything else was really good, and we had a chance to just discuss my plans, and their services, etc.
Next step will be to schedule a collection for freezing - for my own peace of mind and insurance just in case…or maybe for my own breeding project some day. They will have “working girls” available if we need one; or I can ask my breeder about her Papillions. The vet thought that with his numbers, a bitch of any breed will be fine, but did note that some dogs prefer their own breed, and had some cute stories about that. So, I can ask around among my friends, although the closest intact bitch that I know is the one we want to breed to - and she is not due to come into season anytime soon.
Anyway, thanks for holding my hand and helping me get this far. Obviously we still have a long way to go. Bicoastal - thanks for the link; I started to read it but ran out of time so I will go back to it. I’m interested in reading about breeding issues in general, so this will be good. And, the vet also does breeding info seminars and hopefully I’ll get to some of those as well - just to expand my own knowledge so I’ll be able to have educated answers to future inquiries.
