Using a Pet Dog as a Stud Dog

[bellasmum]

I have been approached by people to use my Parsons terrier as a stud dog. He has a fantastic temperment and is very trainable and I would like to know peoples experiences on temperment changes after 'doing it' and whether they think its a good idea or not!!

 

[Faithkat]

I used to breed and show Cavaliers. The whole point of breeding is to improve the breed type and, as such, only the best examples are bred from. They will have been vet checked to ensure that they are not suffering from and, more importantly, carrying anything debilitating. If you want to use your dog, you would be well advised to have him checked for any hereditary conditions and be very fussy about the bitch too (including insisting on her being swabbed prior to mating to ensure she's not going to infect your dog!) All my stud dogs lived in the house and none of them changed temperament after being used at stud. However, I would think long and hard about it as the resulting puppies are your responsibility as much as the bitch's owner and there are far too many puppies out there already. Tempting though it may be, a "fantastic temperament" and trainability are NOT the reasons to breed! I worked for a vet for a while and have seen quite a few young dogs put down because of conditions like hip dysplasia etc which are crippling but they all had lovely temperaments!!!

 

[bellasmum]

Thanks, he is wanted to mate with Jack Russell terriers, my trainer (dog does agility and flyball) seems quite against it and says it will change him, im not in it to make money, just thought it was nice to be asked!! He is a lovely dog and vet says of excellent conformation, but never thought of the things you are just said!! Thanks for the input!

 

[GinaB]

I wouldn't, he'll lose his pedigree. Only mate with same breed if he is a pedigree

 

[Maesfen]

Excellent reply from Forester - as usual! Only thing I can think of to add is if your dog is allowed to run free (as in live on a farm or similar) where he is not as a rule confined, do be prepared for him going AWOL if there is a bitch in season in the vicinity!

We know a lab from two miles away who can time it to the very day when a local collie is ready for him! Only trouble is he doesn't just come the once, he has a habit of upsetting all the dogs in the neighbourhood!

 

[Faithkat]

I've never found that using a dog at stud changed their temperament for the worse and, in one case I know of, it actually changed for the better (frustrated dog perhaps???!!). He wasn't mine, by the way, but belonged to a friend. He was a randy little s*d but a stunning dog so we used him and it completely changed him, he stopped trying to rape anything remotely female and he was only used the once!!

 

[k9h]

If he's a pedigree he won't loose his pedigree status its just the puppies will be cross bred.

 

[milor]

yep - good advice from Forrester - please be aware also that a dog that has been used is very likely to scent mark around your house - not being picky but how does your vet know that he is of good conformation etc -? - the only way of being certain that he is worth breeding from is to take him along to be judged against the best of his breed ( at Champ shows) if he does some good winning , passes all his health tests etc then he MAY be worth using at stud otherwise DON'T DO IT - there are plenty of poorly bred dogs already out there

 

[jackie36]

i was resently approached by the owner of a lovely english mastiff, and asked if id let my dog mate with her bitch, i personaly told her to get stuffed, as i own a great dane, and cant think of 1 good reason to breed cross breed pups.

xx

 

[bellasmum]

Thanks for all your advice, I think its gonna be no!! I totally agree about too many dogs around – very difficult as go racing and pointing and everyone wants him! But will follow the general rule here and my trainers advice and forget it! Thanks muchly xx

 

[prose]

[ QUOTE ]
i was resently approached by the owner of a lovely english mastiff, and asked if id let my dog mate with her bitch, i personaly told her to get stuffed, as i own a great dane, and cant think of 1 good reason to breed cross breed pups.

xx

[/ QUOTE ]

Brilliant! I've been approached many times about my dog being used for pups. Her father is a champion but she has some minor breed "faults" (back too long, eyes too light in colour), and though her temperament is excellent, I would only breed to better the breed. In any case, she is spayed, thank goodness.

 

[Tia]

[ QUOTE ]
and cant think of 1 good reason to breed cross breed pups.


[/ QUOTE ]

Well I can - that is how new breeds are developed. If no-one had ever bred crossbreeds then we would not have the variety we have today.

Just because people choose to cross breed it doesn't necessarily go hand in hand with breeding from rubbish dogs - for example; collie X Springers have been crossbred for decades and are an established crossbreed nowadays. Numerous small breeds have also been doing this for some time and have come up with quite nice dogs.

I am always intrigued as to why some people demand that no-one should crossbreed dogs and yet most folks do not own a purebred horse, or cat, and the amount of crossbreeding of humans doesn't seem to be an issue in today's society.

I own 2 purebred dogs and 1 crossbred dog by the way so am giving a reasonably unbiased view.

 

[milor]

"collie X Springers have been crossbred for decades and are an established crossbreed nowadays. "



....established by who ? - yes new breeds were originally developed by crossing two (or more) established breeds BUT this was always done with a definite outcome in mind and meticulous pedigree records were kept along with ruthless culling of any offpring that did not conform to the 'blue print' for the new breed. it took many many generations before it could be accepted that the resulting dogs would breed pure and many years before a new breed could be accepted on the rare breed register before finally making it onto the general breed register. A recent example is the Parson Jack Russell - devotees of the breed wanted to bring back the original Jack Russell Terrier and by using a very limited gene pool consisting of dogs that showed the desired charcteristics and recording the parantage and results of each mating, they eventually established the Parson.

The fact is that most 'breeders' who deliberately cross breed do so with £ signs in their eyes - there is a HUGE market for designer crosses of toy breeds ( such as Maltipoos ( Maltese x Poodle, Puggles ( Pug x Beagle etc) and the resulting pups can go for more than a pure pedigree However no real records are kept and no true health testing is done so the results of these crosses can vary wildly and will not reproduce to 'type'. The Guide Dogs for the Blind have abandoned their experiment with Labradoodles ( Labradors x Poodles) as contrary to what they expected the dogs they produced from this experiment DID shed their coats and folk WERE allergic to them - they also couuld have no idea of the resulting appearance or temperament of the pups and some were just too hyper to work as Guide Dogs. they have now gone back to using pedigree Golden Retrievers, and Labradors only ( well with a few GSD and BSD thrown in

)

Yes there are lots of cross breeds about but they are not 'established' , have no records, do not breed true, are impossible to know the health status of and whose temperament and appearance will ALWAYS be a gamble !

 

[tink23]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
and cant think of 1 good reason to breed cross breed pups.


[/ QUOTE ]

I can also think of a good reason its called a LURCHER!!