Breeding

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QuobAsti

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In the future my partner and I are looking at breeding from our working ESS.
So i thought well ahead of time to get learning, if anyone can impart their knowledge on breeding in general it would be greatly appreciated.
Can anyone recommend any books which cover in detail breeding from the start to when puppies are due to leave for their new homes.
Also any information covering tail docking and possibly dew claw removal.
 
The Book of the Bitch is a must read.
Please make sure both sire and dam have all the relevant health tests for the breed (not a vet check) for example hip and elbow x-rays and make the decision accordingly.
Personally speaking a working qualification/proof of ability or a show grade where relevant is important also to prove the breeding animal is a good example of their breed.
 
OP you asked for info on docking so I included a link to quite a balanced, informative, and ultimately pro-docking link.

Personally I would not engage in a sport (or, realistically in the majority of cases now, fashion-masquerading-as-potential-sporting-opportunity) that required the removal of the end of a dog's spine. So, I also suggested a reality check - ie consider that we're talking about cutting the tails off puppies here.
 
GF Thank you for clarifying, we are all entitled to our opinions.

I should have been more specific when asking, it was not so much people's views but the age, process with vets / puppies for tail docking & dew claw removal.
 
Which are in the link - for those with barbarous intent to inform themselves with. I'm entitled to an opinion; you to mutilate puppies - and I was genuinely trying to help you do that :-)
 
Some information is provided on another link.
All our dogs are working in the shooting field, and we will be keeping a puppy back for ourselves, all puppies will be going to working homes.
I would rather dock as a puppy than carry out an amputation on a fully grown and formed dog, plus the damage that can occur from not docking is awful.
Agree to disagree, we both have our own views for our own reasons. :-)

I would be interested to hear any other recommendations on books from others, or indeed those who work or breed working dogs.
 
You really don't need any other book than Book of the Bitch in my opinion to cover everything to do with breeding. It is the bible of dog breeders everywhere. As CC says all health tests relevant to the breed need to be carried out before breeding too.
I am not sure what the procedure for docking/dew claws is nowadays , you would be best asking your vet I would think. I know when we used to have to remove rear dew claws it was done at around 3 days old, ditto the only time I have ever had a pup docked, which was a Jrt.
 
It may be worth calling around now to find a vet that will actually perform docking - only a couple of the vets at our place will do it and we've had people travelling over an hour just for that as their local vets won't. BVA/BSAVA position is very much against and to an extent the RCVS as well.

As far as procedure it has to be done before five days of age and a piece of evidence from a prescribed list will have to be produced (the majority provide a gun licence, occasionally a letter from a gamekeeper/landowner). Rear dew claws can be done at the same time, I don't believe there's any need to remove fronts (or for that matter to dock tails but that's my opinion!) The puppies will have to be microchipped by 12 weeks of age, superseding the usual 8 weeks.

The breed club will be the best source of information for health testing requirements.
 
As BC says, make sure you know a vet that will, and that won't be on holiday at the crucial time.
Hopefully your bitch is a cracking worker and you will have people wanting to put their name down for a pup. Good luck and I hope it goes well.
 
I would 100% recommend removing front dew claws, having had a series of greyhounds and lurchers that have torn theirs off! Personally I wouldn't dream of leaving them on.....
 
Lévrier;13669738 said:
I would 100% recommend removing front dew claws, having had a series of greyhounds and lurchers that have torn theirs off! Personally I wouldn't dream of leaving them on.....
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I think it must depend on breed. I have never known a gsd who has had front dew claws off and never known of a problem . I have heard of collies ripping them sometimes .
 
MurphysMinder said:
I think it must depend on breed. I have never known a gsd who has had front dew claws off and never known of a problem . I have heard of collies ripping them sometimes .
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My shepherd and our collies have occasionally ripped them off when running at speed through heather but not regularly enough for me to consider them a hindrance.
 
both of my dogs have their dew claws on, and all my previous dogs-they use them. personally I don't hold with removing something important on the basis they 'might' injure it or it 'might' become diseased in some way.
 
MotherOfChickens said:
both of my dogs have their dew claws on, and all my previous dogs-they use them. personally I don't hold with removing something important on the basis they 'might' injure it or it 'might' become diseased in some way.
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Leave them on. My lurcher had to have hers off after constantly tearing them off herself but generally I think on is best for anything not cornering at high speeds. Tails are another matter, having seen what Tawny went through before hers was amputated I would say take them off with a deep cover working breed.
 
Lévrier;13669789 said:
Oh dear.... well I didn't expect anyone to agree, good job really on this forum :D :D Experience says it all as far as I am concerned
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You will have those long dogs though! Skews your reasoning!!
 
QuobAsti said:
……..

I would be interested to hear …. from …. those who work or breed working dogs.
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If you intend selling the balance of the pups to working homes, few will want them with full tails.

Have you considered the intended sire of the pups? 'Known' sires from 'known' lines may well have a bearing on what you're likely to produce but that of course will depend upon how the dam is bred and how she views life, her ability and her level of trainability.

Alec.
 
Bear, a springer, has ripped/snapped a front dew claw more than once. It grew back at an odd angle recently so I've clipped it short and let an eye, he seems to have snapped it off again. He had sedation when he was in clear discomfort, almost £150. I'd thoroughly recommend taking off dew claws and I definitely wouldn't ever buy a springer with a full tail again.

Some light reading: https://www.petforums.co.uk/threads/thinking-about-breeding-from-your-bitch.9237/
 
Start by doing the necessary genetic testing - it's the cheapest bit of the health tests. Fuco and PRA, Animal Health Trust do the test and will provide a kit to take the cheek swab. If those are ok have eyes tested and hips/elbows scored. If all is still well look for a proven working dog with at least some health testing to use.

Not all vet will dock so find one now - and make sure you can meet the criteria for the paperwork!

The Book of the Bitch is a great guide once all the above is in place
 
Thank you for all the responses since my last post

We already have a stud dog in mind (FTCH) and have spoken with the owner who has also seen our bitches lines
She is a fab little worker, beating, picking up and out doing field trails.

On discussion last night we have decided to leave the due claws.
We had enquired with our vets about tail docking previously and they said there is one vet who will do it but is selective.
We will be able to provide / meet the criteria for the tail docking, but i will also be trying to find another vets that will do docking as a back up plan.
 
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