# thinking about breeding my dog and just wondering what i need to consider



## jmwellbaum (Sep 25, 2012)

OK so Jake(my gsd) is about 3 years old now and hes hands down the best dog i ever had. great temperament no family history of hip dysplasia. i had to really search to find a pup with no hip problems in the family line. hes white and about 85 pounds bout 27 1/2 inches from the front feet to the top of his shoulders( i think this is the correct way to measure the height correct me if im wrong) any ways i don't have his papers on hand or id take a pic and post em up. 

guess the question is what all do i need to consider before studding him out. i know i need to get the hip screenings done but other than that im not real sure. im a college student so moneys a little hard to come by so its taken me a while to be able to save enough money (didn't help that the neighbors daughter bought a pit that she cant control and i had to beef up my fence so that it wouldn't be able to get at my dog) to do all these things. i also want to make sure the female he ends up breeding with is a good healthy dog. its sad how many health issues effect this great breed because people just want to make a easy buck and i don't want to contribute to that. so what should set off red flags. i appreciate any input.

I didn't get Jake to be a money maker i got him to be a pet and alarm clock as i wear hearing aids (hes very good at this and has NO snooze haha) and i know he could produce excellent pups if mated to a good female. he is completely unaggressive except when he hasn't met someone and they walk in without me meeting them at the door(this has happened once and to this day he still doesn't trust that friend). very smart and does well with moms jack russell even though that dog is evil. he makes the jrt mind when he can lol. brought him home at 6wks old and had him sitting and shaking the first day couldn't believe it. anyways thanks for any input or suggestions and forgive me for making this so long.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

...


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

what makes your dog breed worthy?

you're a broke college student with no knowledge
of breeding.

i would say don't do it.


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## PatchonGSD (Jun 27, 2012)

Neither you or your dog are ready for breeding. I'm sure your dog is great but the world is full of real breeders who are already breeding great dogs. Please dont do it.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

He sounds like a great dog but with a breed this popular, studs are a dime a dozen. I'm not trying to put you down or him down, it's just a reality. I have a 4 year old male GSD who has hip and elbow ratings, show ratings and titles (UKC champion working on Grand), Schutzhund title and other titles in half a dozen other performance events, trains with two different clubs and competes in dog sports once a month, and will be doing a breed survey in November and no one will breed to him. I'm not trying to say my dog is better than your dog I'm just saying that even with lots of titles, conformation championship, OFA health clearances, etc you don't get people that will do a breeding. With many other top studs and proven producers to choose from, it's difficult to attract top quality bitches. You'd probably have to lease or buy one for yourself. If you really want to get into breeding, you need to start with good quality *females*. If you want to go the male route than you need something to prove your male is worthy for breeding among all the other males that have titles and show ratings and have already produced nice offspring. How do you plan to attract good quality females to your stud? What sets him apart from other studs that have proven themselves by working or on the competition field?


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Just enjoy him as the great pet he is and realize you will be able to find another just as good when the time comes.

Figure that anybody who has a female worth breeding to is going to want a male with some sort of accomplishments, certifications, titles on top of the various health screenings and OFA clearances for hips and elbows. 

Most vets would probably do light anesthesia for an OFA x-ray set so pre-anesthetic blood screening for that and the x-rays should set you back a few hundred plus whatever OFA charges. And there are other optional tests you can do through OFA if health really IS a concern Canine Health Information Center: CHIC Information


Figure $50-60 for an STD test before each breeding for both dogs and the issues if the female is not quite ready and hurts the male or vice versa and you could have some real vet bills. 

Usually I think the female gets sent to the male for a few days and you need a real secure facility so that other dogs don't break in and breed the female / fight but sometimes you work something else out. LOL they can even breed through chain link fences.

Then there is the question about understanding the pedigree and genetics. Remember how that really nice family produced weird cousin Eddy? Sometimes the nicest couple can produce a horrible mess and good breeders understand the history behind their dogs and have a better shot at predicting the outcome and avoiding this kind of thing.

Just some things to consider.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

I am so glad you came here to check!
Many kids out on their own just do what they please, without a lot of thought, so am so glad you are thinking this through 

The folks who have posted have given great advice. 
Enjoy your pooch and leave the breeding to the professionals :thumbup:


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Is your dogs breeder supportive of your need to breed? If so, get all the health checks, and other criteria in check and talk w/ your breeder on a good pedigree match. Because you have white lines, I'm sure the genetics are a bit bottle-necked. Make sure you are doing it right, if this is what you choose to do and have a mentor to guide you. 
If you do this right, you won't be making money off of this, so if that is the motive I'd really be certain you can afford the health tests and campaigning involved in studding out your dog. If you do it wrong, well....the cost involved will be the puppies welfare~which you'll not have to be burdened with except your conscience.


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## jmwellbaum (Sep 25, 2012)

he is akc. i filled out some paperwork today to get the 3gen pedigree just got to mail it in. i saw the papers for the father and mother when i bought jake. the father was white (120 pounds) so was the grandfather on that side (dont remember weight) so i don't think they could be shown. mothers father was a champion but i believe that was the only show dog. mother was 90 pounds before pregnancy) but i do remember there were no hip issues on either side or any heart conditions etc. i chose to get a puppy from this litter because while i didn't intend to show him i wanted a healthy dog with a great personality and the parents were both on site and impressed me. he is smaller than either of his parent i believe due to the fact that i learned a hard lesson about bad vets. he got parvo at 6 months which i believe stunted his growth seeing as he hasnt gotten any taller just more muscle. just 2 weeks before the vet had supposedly gave him a "parvo vaccine" i definitely spread the word that he nearly killed my dog. heck ive stopped in the parking lot before and told people who had their puppies outside my experience with the guy and advised them to go see the vet who saved my dogs life.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Parvo vaccines aren't a magic shield, even vaccinated dogs can get parvo. The body fights it off better when they've had vaccines, though. 

At 6mos. he should have been done with his vaccines though...when did you get him?

Also 27" is plenty tall for a male GSD.


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## jmwellbaum (Sep 25, 2012)

i guess there really is alot i gotta learn bout this sorta thing. i guess i wasnt expecting to make a litter of show dogs just good healthy pets cause jake did have good healthy lines unlike most affordable lines. the lady had paper work showing both family lines and they were healthy dogs but not really show dogs. they were family dogs she owned the mother and father which were puppies from other gsds that she knew who had belonged to various relatives and friends. sry im kinda going off a 3 year old memory lol so i dont really remember the specific details. guess its good i did try to get opinions on this.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

> guess its good i did try to get opinions on this.


Yes, and in a more mature fashion than most!


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## jmwellbaum (Sep 25, 2012)

had him from 6 weeks. the other puppy shots were done right. the vet like i said was bad. jake was my first dog (moms jrt came along way before i took notice of these things) and i didnt know what all was involved and the vet took advantage and im lucky that my dog is ok despite my stupidity and naivety. our new vet is awesome and got him back on track and everything is good. hopefully i dont sound like a horrible parent although there for a while i was.


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## wyominggrandma (Jan 2, 2011)

Just curious, does Jakes mom and dad and their parents have OFA clearance? When someone says" no hip problems in his line" is that from actual certifications from OFA or is it just what the breeder of Jake said? Unless OFA has given certifications on the hips of his parents, grandparents and hopefully great grandparents, then its only the word of the breeder that he is clear.... You need to check into that before anything, then have Jakes hips done through OFA.
Breeding is a very expensive project, takes months of planning, then once you find a female, you have to make sure she is all health tested, then hopefully Jake can and will breed her, then you have to make sure the owner of the female knows how to whelp a litter, raise the litter properly, then vaccinate each puppy and to not let them go to their new homes BEFORE 8 weeks at the minimum. You got Jake at 6 weeks, most responsible breeders do not let puppies go before 8 weeks, they need that time to be with their littermates to learn about being a dog.
The cost of raising a litter properly from pregnancy to 8 weeks is very very expensive and that is just normal, if the female has to have a c-section or dies, then who will raise the babies? You will also need to be responsible for litter and where they end up, not just have Jake produce the sperm needed to make babies. 
Keep your boy a well loved pet and don't breed him.


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## jmwellbaum (Sep 25, 2012)

there was documentation on the hips back to his grand parents on both sides idk wether or not it was ofa but she had papers to back up what she told me. she sold him to me early and let me bring him on home although she intended to keep the others for 2 weeks longer. i think she was in need of the money. we have a old jrt in the house and he also had regular contact with other dogs as well and does great. i cant let him play with other dogs in the neighborhood anymore cause the neighbors daughter brought a pit home that she lets roam and has no control over so jake has to stay in the fenced in back yard. cant even walk him on a leash without the pit charging us. he doesnt mind tho he has a pool in the back yard lol.


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## Jag (Jul 27, 2012)

Please read the "what to look for in a responsible breeder". Trust me, breeding is SO much more than just putting two dogs together!! You have to learn about pedigrees, lines, what they are known to produce, etc. I bought a bitch from imported German dogs. They were both Shutz. titled, hips cleared in Germany. Nice dogs, both of them. My bitch had MAJOR issues!! Behavioral issues where she attacked people, dogs... with no warning at all. No bark, no growl...nothing. She ended up having to spend her life at home after failing both my training efforts and professional trainers/ behavioral specialists. I just got a new pup from a breeder who knows all about how to put together dogs to know what to expect in the pups. It was money well spent, and it's a TOTALLY different shepherd than I've ever had. You'll ruin your name really quick if you make this decision to breed. Your dog isn't titled, you don't have the OFA paperwork on the parents of your dog. You need a pedigree that goes back more than 3 generations. Furthermore, white German Shepherds can't be shown (at least that's my understanding). A 'good pet' is NOT a reason to breed. There are hundreds of thousand of 'good pets' sitting in shelters and rescues on any given day. Unless you're going to breed something truly breed worthy, then why do it? Even breeders of top dogs have pups that are suited for 'just pets'. 

Everybody thinks their GSD is special...trust me. If you're interested in breeding, then first you need to learn more about the breed. Get involved now in some sort of sport or something that will give a dog you want to breed a reason to be bred. Get a dog with an excellent pedigree and proof of OFA. Find a breeder who will mentor you.. teach you about breeding. IMO, your breeder sounds like a BYB because she let the pup go before 8 weeks. There's absolutely NO reason to breed a BYB dog. IMO, it would be irresponsible. Thank you for coming here first. You have a lot to learn, so please stick around and soak up all the knowledge you can! To truly be a good breeder, you need to know a LOT. This is a good place to start. Get your boy neutered or at the very least do NOT breed him. German Shepherds have had issues with people breeding dogs who were not really breed worthy, and it's caused issues with the public's perception of the breed. When you breed, it should be for the betterment of the breed. You just can't do that with the dog you have now.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Well, welcome to the forum. Hope you stay and learn everything you can about the breed and then turn around and teach others what YOU know!


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

If he were mine I would just enjoy him and use it as a learning experience. So rarely does one's first dog become a good breeding candidate. Use him to get involved in training, GSD clubs, shows, etc.

Remember bigger is not better. You keep mentioning very large, over-size (tall) dogs and this is not desirable for breeding.

If you are serious about breeding later on I would use your current dog to get involved in the breed and search for a good quality female. You don't want your foundation dog to be one from a breeder that sold the dog early just to make a quick buck. That doesn't really impress or speak to the quality of the lines and carefully planned breeding. Remember it's not just about *your* intentions but the dog's pedigree is very important too. If you buy a breeding dog from people that don't really know what they are doing then that is the best *you* are going to get from your breeding.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

It takes at least 4 weeks for the Parvo vaccine to work, and even then it might not protect the dog. This has nothing to do with the vet. My dog was not immune to Parvo even after several shots and we had to give him one more.
AKC registered means only that someone turned in some paperwork. 
Please look at the breeding section of this forum and educate yourself on what it takes to responsibly breed dogs. It's not just throwing two dogs together.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

So this breeder you got your dog from... she bred oversize dogs, bred a disqualified color, let you take your puppy away from his litter too early, needed the money...

No wonder you think it's okay just to breed dogs on a whim without knowing anything about the breed, proper breeding procedure, proper raising of puppies, etc. The breeder you got your dog from is a typical backyard breeder, knowing nothing, caring for nothing, just wanting to make some money on a litter of puppies.

Well, that's NOT the way to do it right. 

Look at it this way. There are two ways to sell designer hats. One way is to go through the proper channels and deal directly with the designer. You invest money and open up a nice shop where you deal the genuine merchandise. Word gets out and people know and trust you to sell them a quality product.

OTOH, you can buy "designer" hats from eBay, street corners, and the like at a fraction of the price. These hats are not genuine, they are fakes made in Nigeria, but you don't care because all people see is the label, that's what they are paying for. You don't have the money to set up a proper shop, so you get a card table and set up shop on a street corner in a bad part of town. You sell the hats at a "discount" price and tout them as the real thing. It doesn't matter that the hats will fall apart in three weeks, because by that time you'll be gone.

In Germany, no dog called a "German Shepherd" can be bred unless it has passed hip x-rays, a conformation show, and a test for obedience, tracking, and protection. The dog is assigned titles and may only be bred to other dogs with titles. In this way, the appearance, temperament, and working ability of the dogs is preserved.

OTOH, in America, people can get something called a "German Shepherd" that has had no x-rays, no titles, no show rating. They can get one off the street, from the shelter, or from someone's home and breed it with no testing whatsoever. In Germany, such a dog would not be considered a real GSD but a fake knock-off, a fraud. 

These dogs suffer from bad temperament, bad hips, and other health problems. Some of them may be wonderful pets, but there is no guarantee that breeding two "wonderful pets" will make a litter full of wonderful pets, because some things skip a generation and things can come out of the woodpile that have been "hiding" for many generations. No one knows what will come out, because the dogs have not been tested for generations.

I'm sorry to say it, but as wonderful as your boy is, the bloodlines behind your dog are not in need of preservation--there are thousands just like him and none are breedworthy. Neuter your boy, enjoy him, let him be your best buddy. Leave the breeding to the people who know what they are doing.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

jmwellbaum said:


> he is smaller than either of his parent i believe due to the fact that i learned a hard lesson about bad vets. he got parvo at 6 months which i believe stunted his growth seeing as he hasnt gotten any taller just more muscle. just 2 weeks before the vet had supposedly gave him a "parvo vaccine" i definitely spread the word that he nearly killed my dog. heck ive stopped in the parking lot before and told people who had their puppies outside my experience with the guy and advised them to go see the vet who saved my dogs life.


Let me get this straight. 

First of all, your dog, at 85 pounds, is actually correct size.

Secondly, no parvo vaccine is 100% effective, and a lot depends on timing. It takes the vaccine a while to "kick in"; your dog could have been exposed to parvo the day BEFORE the vaccine was given. Dogs can still get parvo even if vaccinated. This has nothing to do with a "bad" vet. The fact that your pup survived parvo is a good indication that he did have some immunity, that he was able to fight it off.

Third, you actually stood outside the parking lot of this veterinary clinic and badmouthed the vet to people going in?? If that's not illegal, it's certainly bad form. There are other ways to go about it if you have a complaint. I would never listen to a crazy person ranting outside the vet's office, in fact I might call the police.

Stay in school and study biology, ethics, and if you have not yet taken Philosophy 101 (Logic and Critical Thinking) please do so. Dog breeding should be done by people who are knowledgable, mature, and ethical in their purpose. Enjoy your dog, see if you can join an obedience club, and train him for AKC obedience events; through him, you can learn from the experience and learn about the breed. If, in a few years, you seriously want to become a breeder, you will realize how much there is to learn and acheive and you will have a head start from working with your own dog.


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