Breeding hunting dogs

M

mixedbag

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I finally got that once in a lifetime dog.She's AKC springer spaniel,and just a great hunting dog and family pet.Her ability is all natural as I did very little in her training.I just train her with scented dummies hidden,and come season she's putting them up or catching them herself.
Anyway,I need to breed her and want to find a stud with hunting ability.Do any of you guys know where I should look for this or any websites.She's due to come in heat in the next month and she's 2 1/2 years old now.
 
I'd like one of her pups.I know what I'm getting with one of her pups.Picking one from a litter is always a gamble
 
I'd look around for a local breeder associations or club of some type to contact for leads, there is more to breeding than people think and someone in the know would probably be able to help you determine the best stud for your needs.
 
If she's coming into heat in a month, you won't have much time to assess the male before the breeding. Might hold off until you find "the one." YMMV
 
Have you had all health screenings done that are appropriate for the breed? What qualities are you trying to attain from the litter? Do your due diligence in breeding your dog, if that is your ultimate desire, so you don't lessen the genetic qualities of the breed.

Personally, it would seem to me you would be better served and more likely to get a quality dog by simply going back to the breeder from which you got your current dog.

I'd like one of her pups.I know what I'm getting with one of her pups.Picking one from a litter is always a gamble
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Creating a litter is a gamble. Unless you know the lineage and history from the stud, you really don't know what you are getting with one of her pups.
 
I raise springers here in Idaho - tried to load a pic - couldn't figure it out...
 
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JLS said:
Have you had all health screenings done that are appropriate for the breed? What qualities are you trying to attain from the litter? Do your due diligence in breeding your dog, if that is your ultimate desire, so you don't lessen the genetic qualities of the breed.

Personally, it would seem to me you would be better served and more likely to get a quality dog by simply going back to the breeder from which you got your current dog.
Creating a litter is a gamble. Unless you know the lineage and history from the stud, you really don't know what you are getting with one of her pups.
Click to expand...



What qualities are you trying to attain..... genetically lessen.... blah blah blah.......I am absolutely amazed when ever someone writes such crap. Your dogs vet is the best place to go when someone is considering having a litter of pups. Your vet can answer all your questions without bias of the blah blah blah.
Our Vet was instrumental in helping us plan and have our litters (health certs, heat cycles, ultra sounds, etc). Speaking from experience, in the last 6 years we have had 4 litters with our male lab and female lab and also studded out our male for 3 other litters. Working with our vet, the American Kennel Club and and new pup owners was wonderful. The experiences for our family have been absolute life lessons. Both my sons (ages 14 and 16 now) grew up with duties and tasks associated with the litters. All of the litters were great experiences and we learned something new with each one. A litter of pups is work for sure but for us it was time well spent. Looking through our puppy records we have had pups go to people in 10 states: Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, Missouri, Ohio, Illinois, Minnesota, North Dakota, Michigan and Wyoming.
After our last litter though the vet recommended we spay our female so we followed his advice and did. None the less looking back we would absolutely do it all over again. We had a great time raising lab pups and got to meet some great people looking to add a lab pup to their family.
 
Kevin W said:
What qualities are you trying to attain..... genetically lessen.... blah blah blah.......I am absolutely amazed when ever someone writes such crap. Your dogs vet is the best place to go when someone is considering having a litter of pups. Your vet can answer all your questions without bias of the blah blah blah.
Our Vet was instrumental in helping us plan and have our litters (health certs, heat cycles, ultra sounds, etc). Speaking from experience, in the last 6 years we have had 4 litters with our male lab and female lab and also studded out our male for 3 other litters. Working with our vet, the American Kennel Club and and new pup owners was wonderful. The experiences for our family have been absolute life lessons. Both my sons (ages 14 and 16 now) grew up with duties and tasks associated with the litters. All of the litters were great experiences and we learned something new with each one. A litter of pups is work for sure but for us it was time well spent. Looking through our puppy records we have had pups go to people in 10 states: Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, Missouri, Ohio, Illinois, Minnesota, North Dakota, Michigan and Wyoming.
After our last litter though the vet recommended we spay our female so we followed his advice and did. None the less looking back we would absolutely do it all over again. We had a great time raising lab pups and got to meet some great people looking to add a lab pup to their family.
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Blah, blah, blah I wouldn't buy a dog from somebody with your approach. mtmuley
 
Kevin W said:
What qualities are you trying to attain..... genetically lessen.... blah blah blah.......I am absolutely amazed when ever someone writes such crap. Your dogs vet is the best place to go when someone is considering having a litter of pups. Your vet can answer all your questions without bias of the blah blah blah..
Click to expand...

Yeah let your veterinarian pick the breeding. Great way to turn out high grade hunting dogs. I wonder why all the top breeders don't try it?

You and people like you are precisely why labs have been destroyed as a breed. Luckily a few breeders still know how to do it.
 
Kevin W said:
What qualities are you trying to attain..... genetically lessen.... blah blah blah.......I am absolutely amazed when ever someone writes such crap. Your dogs vet is the best place to go when someone is considering having a litter of pups. Your vet can answer all your questions without bias of the blah blah blah.
Our Vet was instrumental in helping us plan and have our litters (health certs, heat cycles, ultra sounds, etc). Speaking from experience, in the last 6 years we have had 4 litters with our male lab and female lab and also studded out our male for 3 other litters. Working with our vet, the American Kennel Club and and new pup owners was wonderful. The experiences for our family have been absolute life lessons. Both my sons (ages 14 and 16 now) grew up with duties and tasks associated with the litters. All of the litters were great experiences and we learned something new with each one. A litter of pups is work for sure but for us it was time well spent. Looking through our puppy records we have had pups go to people in 10 states: Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, Missouri, Ohio, Illinois, Minnesota, North Dakota, Michigan and Wyoming.
After our last litter though the vet recommended we spay our female so we followed his advice and did. None the less looking back we would absolutely do it all over again. We had a great time raising lab pups and got to meet some great people looking to add a lab pup to their family.
Click to expand...

Hmmm, not really sure what your problem is. You actually reinforced part of what I was saying when you talked about going through your vet for the health testing.

Also, if you don't have goals with what qualities you're looking for, how are you choosing the stud/bitch? They have a pretty head? They are chocolate color? If YOU don't have concern about genetic issues and watering down the breed, fine. Buyer beware. Just be aware that EVERY year people buy a dog from a "great litter" that was bred by people who didn't do health tests and/or didn't have any thought about what qualities they wanted in the dog.

I've seen dogs with bad joints, I've seen dogs come up blind, I've seen them not hunt worth a shit. I have no desire to invest my time and money into a hunting companion that is not physically and/or mentally sound, or doesn't have a strong and focused lineage for the hunting I want it to do.

I'm thrilled for you that it was a good experience for your family, and hopefully all of the pup owners. That said, if my concern over this stuff offends you, then I would suggest that's a "you" problem.
 
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I've never had labs, I'm a Rottweiler owner. I've had dogs from backyard breeders, and from professional, long established breeders. Night and day difference. Not saying a few good dogs aren't bred accidentally, but I will go with a breeder with records every time. mtmuley
 
I find this thread rather insightful. Being a single guy I've been contemplating getting a good dog. I had a yellow lab we had to put down at the age of 14 when her back legs went limp. We tried to train her for hunting but it didn't work. Good house dog though. I dont do much bird hunting, but my buddies keep trying to get me into it. I've decided I want more than just a house dog, so that's going to take some time on my end learning how to properly train before the training takes place. Ideally id like a dog that can track and retrieve. Kinda leaning towards the German shorthaired.

Definitely going through a breeder after reading this.
 
I'm going to look into breeders and talk with my vet.I definitely want a good hunting male for breeding.I got alot of good imfo from this and if I have to wait another heat cycle to find a great stud then I will.
My dog came from an Amish breeder and my dogs mom died giving birth.I want to make sure that won't happen with my dog.
 
Actually vets do the x rays for hips and elbows to be sent in to the OFA for grading and for eye testing we saw veterinarians at the Iowa University when we got ours certified. Your dogs vet is no different than your doctor, who's better to assess if your female is ok to try for a litter? Just once again amazed that people consider themselves such experts on a subject they have never en devoured. Carry on breeding pro, carry on!!!!!
 
You seem quite sensitive about this issue. I doubt any further discussion would be productive, given your first post. Best of luck in your endeavors.
 
Kevin W said:
Actually vets do the x rays for hips and elbows to be sent in to the OFA for grading and for eye testing we saw veterinarians at the Iowa University when we got ours certified. Your dogs vet is no different than your doctor, who's better to assess if your female is ok to try for a litter? Just once again amazed that people consider themselves such experts on a subject they have never en devoured. Carry on breeding pro, carry on!!!!!
Click to expand...

Based on this post, I think your point in your first post didn't come across.

If your point was that you need to go through all the necessary health screening before breeding, I agree.

Backyard dog breedings have had an incredibly negative affect on the lab. Hips, Eyes, elbows, EIC, CNM. It's sad the number of screenings they have to go through before breeding. And it's why a litter with those carts is expensive. But I would never buy a pup that doesn't have parents with those test, and no one should breed them without those tests.

To the OP. If you would like to breed your dog, go for it. But get your health clearances, and make the sire have them as well. And understand the cost that will come with that.
 
icebreaker12 said:
Based on this post, I think your point in your first post didn't come across.

If your point was that you need to go through all the necessary health screening before breeding, I agree.

Backyard dog breedings have had an incredibly negative affect on the lab. Hips, Eyes, elbows, EIC, CNM. It's sad the number of screenings they have to go through before breeding. And it's why a litter with those carts is expensive. But I would never buy a pup that doesn't have parents with those test, and no one should breed them without those tests.

To the OP. If you would like to breed your dog, go for it. But get your health clearances, and make the sire have them as well. And understand the cost that will come with that.
Click to expand...

My point is for a first time (or anytime) dog breeder that one can use their vet a resource. From the health screenings to the breeding to the puppies dew claws and first shots, your vet can be a resource. Your vet can supervise a male and female breeding naturally or extract from the male and inseminate the female with a set cycle of insemination's. Then during the pregnancy give check ups and when delivery time comes be there or on call should any issues arise. Then after the pups are born the vet does the dew claws and three sets of shots for each pup all recorded in a vet record to go home with the new owner along with the pup. Truly a professional service and for the guy who wants a pup out of his female but has never done any dog breeding a viable option worth looking into. Just because someone isn't a "professional" or "established" dog breeder doesn't mean they shouldn't have a litter of pups for their own reasons.
 
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