# Reading for potential breeder



## Coastie01 (Mar 17, 2011)

Hey all! I am considering becoming a responsible breeder. I am thinking 10 year plan here, so in the mean time what should i be reading/doing to prepare for this. I would love to have a smallish breeding kennel with 2 maybe 3 litters per year so i that i can focus on really developing the pups before sending them to their homes. I understand the responsibilities of only breeding dogs/bitches that conform to the breed standard and are titled so as i put earlier in the post what should i be doing to prepare for this? Thanks I would love to hear from our breeders on here and not to single anyone out but if Chris wants to respond i really respect your dogs/kennel.


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## fuzzybunny (Apr 29, 2011)

Great question. I myself have a 10 year plan and would like to breed as well. I'd love to hear from knowledgeable sources that could help me prepare.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

Go out and learn about the breed. Read everything you can get your hands on. Go watch trials, shows, talk to breeders, talk to handlers and owners, especially the old-timers. Get hands on experience raising your own puppy (or puppies), training, working, titling or dealing with the heartbreak of that dog not working out. The more you learn and experience the better choices you will make when you do finally start breeding. And, always remain humble. You will never know as much as you think you do. 

Wanted to add that all the reading in the world won't totally prepare you without the actual hands on experience.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Join a training club, and a breed club. Get to know the people and the dogs. Almost all of my books are pre-1990, I am sure there are probably better ones out there, but they are not easy to find. 

I still drag out the strickland/moses book The German Shepherd Today at times. 

There is another, the German Shepherd a genetic history, I think that has good descriptions of a lot of dogs as well as good information on how diseases like hemophia are passed.

I tend to read/collect books by various trainers as well.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

In the first year or two you could volunteer for rescue. You get to see lots of things - meet lots of dogs, learn about screening, you could even foster a litter.


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## jaggirl47 (Jul 18, 2009)

Sue, The German Shepherd, a genetic history is excellent! Very, very good read. One of our club members has that book and whenever we are at her training facility, I always have to scan through it.


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

As far as reading goes, some must haves would include:
Canine Reproduction and Whelping by Myra Savant-Harris
GSD: A Genetic History by Malcolm Willis
GSD in Word and Picture by Stephanitz

But reading alone won't get you even close.  

Best thing to do is everything in Lisa C's post. Serving as a whelp helper, even with a different breed, via volunteering with rescue or mentoring under an experienced breeder, can certainly be beneficial in terms of the hands on part of breeding and whelping itself. But when it comes to learning about the breed in order to make good breeding decisions, that requires working dogs, seeing dogs, talking to people about dogs, etc...


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## fuzzybunny (Apr 29, 2011)

Thanks for the excellent suggestions!


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## BlackthornGSD (Feb 25, 2010)

There's some good books about breeding dogs, gestation, and whelping. That's definitely useful and important info to have. I don't know that I'd recommend a specific book--I'd probably try to find one with the most up-to-date info on canine reproduction.


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## Coastie01 (Mar 17, 2011)

Thanks everyone for your response. I really appreciate it. Keep em coming if anyone has anything else.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

What is your purpose in breeding? 
Do you want pleasant pups to place into homes? or are there goals that go beyond that. 
This is such a huge question I don't even know where to begin. In my opinion a breeder should be a stewart of the breed, looking out for its well being. That means you should have a firm grasp of the history , issues, lines , significant sires and dams , have experience working or showing dogs so that you recognize good temperament, and drive and conformation. 
There are things that you have to experience first hand that no book can provide for you. 
A good idea is to get yourself as involved as you possibly can in some venue, whether it be show or schutzhund to learn from people , get instant feedback , see examples of progeny.
At this moment can you name one dog that represents an ideal and verbalize why you made that selection.
This is to support you - to get you on the right track.

Carmen
Carmspack Working German Shepherd Dogs


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## Coastie01 (Mar 17, 2011)

My purpose behind breeding would be producing quality shepherds that embody the true breed of German Shepherd. I have been involved in Police K9 training for a while, about 7 years, and I would like to produce SchH3 quality dogs. I really have a love fro this breed and would like to see it carried on in a responsible manner.


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## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

jaggirl47 said:


> Sue, The German Shepherd, a genetic history is excellent! Very, very good read. One of our club members has that book and whenever we are at her training facility, I always have to scan through it.


I looked for it on amazon and there is an american showline in the cover, for someone who is not interested on those... is still a book I should put on my wish list?


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

so you have some good experience already then-- that's good.

I would recommend Sue Barwigs Amazon.com: The German Shepherd Book, First Edition (9789995498252): Susan Barwig, Brenda Abbott: Books encyclopedic book . I would recommend at least the first book in the Malcolm Willis three book series Amazon.com: The German Shepherd Dog: A Genetic History (9780876051757): Malcolm B. Willis: Books

Unfortunately in both books and in all books available there is vitually nothing about DDR or Czech dogs , nor , working lines . 
Information gathering requires networking, publications like Schutzhund USA , the Werner Dalm books both written in German only . Web sites are excellent sources as for information as is this one discussing Dalm's successes and his books , and comparing SV BSZS hip results (of significant studs) to DDR DDR versus SV (Engl.) . 

Old publications such as The German Shepherd Quarterly (earlier editions) had very good articles if you can get back copies or find them on ebay .

Forums , lists , are good places to tap into the knowledge bank.

Carmen
Carmspack Working German Shepherd Dogs


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## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

Sometimes you'll have better luck finding older books (pre 50's 60's) if you search for Alsatians rather than GSDs.


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

catu said:


> i looked for it on amazon and there is an american showline in the cover, for someone who is not interested on those... Is still a book i should put on my wish list?


 
yes


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## GSDBESTK9 (Mar 26, 2002)

JeanKBBMMMAAN said:


> In the first year or two you could volunteer for rescue. You get to see lots of things - meet lots of dogs, learn about screening, you could even foster a litter.


:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Catu said:


> I looked for it on amazon and there is an american showline in the cover, for someone who is not interested on those... is still a book I should put on my wish list?



No way!!! American showlines will contaminate everything, even words on a page. 

Good grief!!! The idea of suggesting a book that has a (very nice) American showline dog on the cover!!! 

Everyone knows that American showlines have genetic problems and diseases that other lines are free and clear of. 

Really though, the descriptions in the books have German Showline dogs possibly before the Great Divide, but the genetics info crosses party lines. Democrats, Republicans, and even those crazy Independents can gain useful information from the book. 

The GSD in word and picture is mostly American and German Showline as well, but has useful breeding and whelping information. 

I better go and burn my schutzhund and SAR books now, since I am not interested in those working line dogs.


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## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

I still think it is a valid question


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## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

[LEFT said:


> selzer[/LEFT];2133727]No way!!! American showlines will contaminate everything, even words on a page.
> 
> Good grief!!! The idea of suggesting a book that has a (very nice) American showline dog on the cover!!!
> 
> ...


Sorry, I wanted to edit and it got deleted

 I still think it is a valid question, you like it or not.

I ask in a northamerican forum about a book sold in USA, wrote by and USA writer and with an American showline in the front cover... it is a valid question to ask if the book is only about the history of the breed in USA before thinking about spending 74 US dollars on it. The truth is there are almost no American showlines outside north America and if planning on doing an book order... one about them is not my top priority, as I'm sure Schutzhund books is not in yours, even though you may one some. I wouldn't have asked if the book didn't sound interesting on the first place.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

There are probably other books on GSD genetics from different countries. I do not know them. Generally when the book is written by the American writers they do go back to the German lines. This is no different, they have a lot of German info and dogs in them -- both books.

One of the British books I have discusses English, Australian, New Zealand, American and German dogs. But it does not have much on genetics.

I saw a peek at a more current book with color photos of current German Showline dogs that I am dying to get my hands on, but that would probably not have any interest to you. I am sure there are some working line books out there. 

Sorry, but I took your comment of the American lines as kind of a dismissing or dissing of them.


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