Requirements Before Breeding

During breeding, some female dogs tend to be uncooperative. Therefore, it is usually necessary to assist your young stud. If you are there helping him and praising him, whether or not your help is actually needed, he will expect and accept this as a matter of course when a difficult female dog comes along.

Supplies that you may need for breeding include K-Y jelly and a length of gauze with which to muzzle the female should it be necessary to keep her from biting you or the stud. Some females put up a fight while others are calm. It is therefore best to be prepared.

It is wise for both parties to have the terms of the transaction clearly understood before the breeding starts. At the time of the breeding, the stud fee is expected to be paid promptly. A return service is normally offered in case the female misses or fails to produce one live puppy. The owner of the stud dog usually sets the conditions of the service and there are no standard rules covering this. The stud fee is paid for the act, not the result. If the female fails to conceive, it is customary for the owner to offer a free return service; but this is a courtesy and not to be considered a mandatory, especially in the case of a proven stud. Stud dog owners are always anxious to see their clients get good value and to see winning young stock in the ring by their dog.

If the return service has been provided and the female dog has missed a second time, that is considered to be the end of the matter and the owner would be expected to pay a further fee if it is felt that the female should be given a third chance with the stud dog. The owner of a stud dog and his visiting females is quite a task, and a stud fee has usually been well earned when one service has been achieved.

One live puppy is considered as an accepted litter. It is ideal to have a printed breeding certificate to which the owner of the stud dog and the owner of the female dog both sign. This should list in detail the conditions of the breeding as well as the dates of the mating. On some occasion, arrangements other than a stud fee in cash are made for a breeding, such as the owner of the stud taking a pick from the litter puppy in lieu of money. This should be clearly specified on the breeding certificate along with the terms of the age at which the stud's owner will select the puppy, whether it is to be a boy or a girl, or whether it is to be the pick of the entire litter.