A curious Question - breeding EBT's

[Scranny_Ann]

Just curious really ...

A friend of OH has recently bred her EBT bitch, she's had pups, just over a week ago..

Saw friend of OH and she said she's 'knackered' as she's up all all hours with pups as mother EBT is harnessed up (as in tied up) to avoid her rolling on/killing pups (????)

I frowned at this!! Obviously, i've only ever had spaniels and litters i have had have been left to be natural, unless they have required extra help.

Apparently English Bull Terriers are terrible mothers, will roll on their pups, don't feed well etc?

OH friend is getting up at all hours to stimulate toilet (as in what bitch would normally do by licking), attach pups to feed etc??

Is this normal for the breed??

Just curious really as seems, well, extreme and not at all natural!!

 

[conkers]

I don't know about the rolling on the pups part but a friend breeds EBT's and they aren't the easiest. A lot have to have caesarians and then have to have help raising the pups.

Personally, think that the breed standard has gone too far and needs to be reviewed if pups can't be birthed naturally.

 

[echodomino]

Wouldn't pig rails be better to stop her rolling on them?
I don't have any experience breeding EBTs so can't really comment. I think there is someone on here who breeds them so hopefully she'll see this thread and be able to help.

 

[EAST KENT]

One for me I think! Have bred these dogs for forty years now,and it has taken me this long to learn the rigt way,most bullie folk look at me as mad..but this is what I do..! At first ,way back,I did as all the others do..separate mother and litter ,keeping the puppies warm and mother in a cage ..and plugging the puppies onto feed every two to three hours.By ten days they could last for five hours in the night,so my life improved.
This method does indeed get 100% survival rate,and believe it or not the bitches do adjust..but initially are very distressed,naturally.
Now some bull terrier mums are pretty impossible admittedly,but over the years I realised that sometimes over interference creates this.
One of my mini bull terriers was five days early..as a result she whelped alone in a kennel with dogs either side of her;by the time I discovered her the seven puppies were all fat and polished.SO,this time I put a doughnut bed in the puppy room with a vet bed over the top,and moved Evie and her babies ..puppies in my sweater and Evie bedside me..and left her to it! Soon I noticed that she only became slightly agitated when I was present..so kept away.
After that I have done the same,we whelp them in a proper box,and then either use a huge doughnut bed with a duvet in it ..or a folded duvet in the big whelping box.Either way you remove the "squash" factor,the bitch is not agitated as I am not interfering .
In other words I allow their natural instincts to rule.
All animals if reared by a good mother..be it foster or real..copy their own experience with their own babies,so by allowing the natural way my mums are super and I don`t lose sleep either..result!
This year I have had three bull terrier litters,and not one night of sleep lost.
It is a shame that most breeders cannot be brave enough to do this,as a result their dogs lose their natural mothering ability completely..in fact some breeders don`t even have a whelping bed for their bitches,going the un-natural route without ever even giving their girls a chance to enjoy motherhood.Even sadder is the fact that if a bitch has a litter reared the "interfered" route,then her subsequent litters cannot be tried the natural way,as her instinct has been squashed and she won`t have a clue.
As far as my fellow breeders though my method is "eccentric"..sad is`nt it? By their interference they actually create a family of dogs incapable of natural motherhood, mine are wonderful,but it has taken many years of watching other breeds and giving my own a chance to achieve this.

 

[MurphysMinder]

Thats really interesting EK, and I so agree that sometimes we interefere far too much. My mum had a GSD bitch who was a really stressy mother, she squashed 2 pups in her first litter, didn't want to feed them and generally got in a state. For her second litter she was allowed to whelp in a box with a lid, almost like a burrow, and was checked on the absolute minimum. She reared the whole litter and mum and babes were contented throughout.

 

[suzysparkle]

That sounds very extreme. However, I know nothing about the breed. The lady who owns my yard has EBT's and she has definately bred them before so I will ask her. I seem to recall her saying they can be tricky and need a lot of supervision. We had our first litter at the end of last year and I have to say I barely did anything. She only had 2 (LARGE) pups and they are nearly 6 months now. They are both great (we kept them of course). That said, Huskies usually take to it just fine.

Great to hear your views EK. It's a pity more people didn't think the same. I read so many horrible stories of people interfering not only with the pups but also with the mating. It's good to be there 'just in case' but, at a distance!!

 

[EAST KENT]

Oh Lordy..matings are definitely a whole different story!They are absolutely NOT as other dogs.If I say it is like trying to connect two out of control trains,with no sense of direction but loads of enthusiasm..get it? Three men and a boy required at least..most of us sigh and feel faint ,resorting to AI. They really are extraordinary dogs almost determined to become extinct.