Breeding!!!

[louise1967]

Just a bit of advise for anyone thinking of breeding from their bitch.

I own a Black Labrador bitch Jess who is 2 1/2 yrs old and very well behaved but very hyper and I wanted to have her spayed but my partner wanted a litter from her before it was done to mature her. Reluctantly I went along with this, she was put with a golden labrador gun dog and as she is a long legged athletic looking lab, we knew the pups would look amazing.

Anyway everything went ok, Jess was hyper all through the pregnancy and the birth went well, we had 8 pups, 4 of each sex, 5 black & 3 golden, the second pup to be born the golden boy was a bit touch and go and almost died, but we saved him. Anyway Jess was maternal for 24hrs then lost interest, just went back to her hyper self wanting to play football and go running all the time, she only feeds the pups under supervision by us, as soon as we walk away she just gets up and leaves the pups screaming, if they fall out of the kennel or get distressed she has no concern for them. We have brought Jess's mum and brother to see the pups and the father of the pups has been to see them and she wasnt bothered at all by them going into the kennel, just if any of them would play football with her.

My message would be, it doesnt mature all dogs having babies and its a very expensive thing to do, we have paid out for a scan, hip score, kennell club registration, wormers, food and puppy milk, vet after care for the poorly pup and if anyone is in it to make a quick buck its not worth it, its a lot of hard work, very mucky and heartbreaking when you get attached to all the pups.

One of our pups we have just found out is blind now so we have paid for some expensive tests which is on going.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Wow, what a hard way to learn a lesson....thanks for posting this, it is very honest of you, and will serve as a warning to others!
There is a related thread below, I suggest you post it there, too.
Good luck with the litter, I hope you find homes for them all.

 

[Janah]

I'm so sorry your bitch is not very maternal. Unfortunately you don't know until pups are born when it is too late.

Having bred one litter from my labrador bitch, (who was a fantastic mum), I know what hard work it is and how expensive.

Her litter was planned down to the last detail, health tests, choosing most suitable mate etc.

I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it except the actual whelping, which was nervewracking to say the least. However I'm not sure I want to do it again, it might not be so easy next time.

Breeding is not for the faint hearted and is to be entered into only with a great deal of forethought, as so much can and does go wrong, including losing the bitch.

Jane

 

[louise1967]

Im glad to hear your bitch was a good mum. I woke this morning to the pups crying all hanging out of the pen and mum on the otherside pretending she can't hear them, they are 4 1/2 wks old now, so are on solids. She can't wait for them to re-homed. I will be heart broken when they go, even though most are going to people we know, and I want to keep two because I have grown close to the two smallest ones, so my partner & I are rowing, as we were supposed to be just keeping one.

 

[Dizzykizzy]

Hi Dusty, we are in a similar situation, our Wire haired pointer bitch was not massively maternal and didn't stay with her pups after the first couple of days. That said she has done them very well, ours are nearly 5 weeks and we are weaning them off her now, she is down to 3 feeds a day and we give her them in batches as she can't cope with them all at once.
I never tried to make ours go in with them after about the first week and like yours, she would much rather come down the field with us to do the neds.
I agree with you, it is expensive, very time consuming, mucky, noisy etc but the hardest thing for us has been the emotional cost. We haven't lost any of ours but it doesn't mean we haven't been worried sick about them.
My hubby and I have had a few rows too, not really over the pups but just as stress levels are so high...it really is difficult to think straight when there are 12 babies screaming at the same time!
I agree breeding is not for the faint hearted and I very much doubt whether we will ever do it again.
I don't think breeding matures a dog and no offence, but I don't think it is a good reason to breed!!
Hope it all works out well with the blind one, poor little soul.

 

[louise1967]

12 babies!!! My god I thought 8 was bad. No wonder your bitch doesnt want to be a stay at home mum. Our bitch is 2 1/2 and I keep thinking she was too young, but my partners mum bred her on their farm and her mum was her age and an excellent mum, I think it just depends on the individual dog. Jess's mum, the puppies grandmother is more maternal to our pups.

We put our pups on beta puppy soaked at 3 weeks and now like yours at 5 weeks are thriving, and are on mince meat now aswell, they have the occasional milk meal with either puppy formula or goats milk. Jess for the last week we have just made go in the kennel for 15 minutes before we go to bed, and occasionally bring the two smallest pups in on her whilst she is sat with us in front of the tv, but if we leave her she will get up and leave them.

We have 3 reserved and with the two that I want, we only have 3 left to home. Let me know how yours are getting on as they are all the same age.

 

[Janah]

Just a thought, sorry if I sound insulting, but have you kept the puppies nails trimmed?

I found they needed doing several times a week and they are like pins. My girl I'm proud to say only had a few minor scratches on her milk bar.

Jane