Should you breed your dog?
We all love our dogs SO much, it can make sense to think about breeding. Here are some things to think about if you're considering breeding your dog.
1) Do you have “full rights” to your dog?
Many purebred dogs are sold on limited registration or non-breeding contracts. Going against a written contract could result in hefty fines or loss of ownership of your dog. If you have full rights, then hopefully those came with a strong mentor in the breed :).
2) Does your dog meet the breed standard?
As lovers of this breed, it behooves us to preserve the work that came before us and breed to the written standard. No doubt your dog is gorgeous - but are they breed standard? The best way to confirm this is to pursue a Championship with a recognized kennel club (Canadian Kennel Club, American Kennel Club, or United Kennel Club in North America). A championship is NOT the be all and end all, but it should be a basic confirmation of meeting the standard.
The cost to show to a championship can be all over the map depending on distance to shows, competition, etc. Budget at least $1,000 but don’t be surprised if it is more.
For example, one weekend at a show can involve: Entry fees x 3 ($120), Fuel + Lodging ($400) - and could result in zero points. Add in handler fees if you decide not to show yourself and add at last $300 to that estimate for 1 weekend.
In addition to a championship, having a mentor is so important if you are considering breeding. A great mentor will be both kind and honest. It is SO EASY to be “kennel blind”. We love our dogs SO MUCH and OF COURSE we think they are the best! Everyone should think their dog is the best. But if you are thinking about breeding, it is important that you are breeding only those dogs that will preserve the history of our beloved breed
BUT WAIT: What if I am breeding “just” pets?
First, there is no such thing as “just” a pet. Being a beloved pet is one of the most important jobs a dog can have. However, breeding to standard still matters even if your goals aren’t to produce the next top winning show dog. The Dalmatian standard addresses structure and conformation. The form of our beautiful athletes prescribes their function. Being built soundly means they can run and play and keep up on our adventures for the next 14 years.
3) Does your dog have a stable temperament?
Again, we all love our dogs and think they are the best. Whether we ARE hoping to produce the next show dog, the next top performance dog, or “just” pets, a stable temperament is a must. No doubt your dog is lovely at home, but can they handle crowds? Loud noises? Other dogs?
I would love to see ALL dogs being bred have some objective demonstration of a stable temperament. Maybe a novice obedience title that shows a dog can be handled by a judge and stay in a line up of other dogs? Maybe a specific temperament test? The more the better!
Budget around $1,000 for this at a minimum, which will include some training classes and trial entries.
4) Have you completed the appropriate health testing?
Dalmatians require relatively few tests to achieve their Canine Health Information Center (CHIC) number. This number substantiates that all the recommended tests have been done. important - this doesn’t mean that the results are good, just that the tests are done - buyer beware and go and LOOK at the results if you are evaluating a potential pairing. Depending on where you live, you are likely going to need to invest about $2,000 in this testing.
Beyond the basics of health testing - are there any other issues that you could be passing on? I am extremely disappointed when I see people breeding dogs with issues like allergies that many experts believe have a genetic component.
This is also where a DEEP DIVE into pedigrees is important. We have issues in our breed that can not (yet) be tested for, but are serious. Do you know the history of issues like Copper Storage Disease and Epilepsy behind your dog? Do you know the same history for pairings you are considering? Choosing a male because it is near you is very often not the best choice from a health perspective.
This is where your mentor(s) comes in again! This sort of wealth of knowledge is simply impossible for someone newer to the breed. Ask your mentor about potential pairings - they can give feedback on how the pairing might impact conformation, spotting, and what health risks might be lurking in each pedigree. NO PEDIGREE is free from these issues because we can’t test for them (yet). This also relies on all breeders being honest and transparent - which sadly doesn’t always happen.
Importantly - investing in health testing for YOUR dog is great, but doesn’t give you the full picture. Health testing is about generations of data. If you don’t have that data behind your dog - you don’t know what might be in their pedigree that could cause issues.
Bringing puppies into the world is such a big responsibility, in so many ways - and one of those ways is doing everything we can to ensure the healthiest possible puppies. All the testing and planning in the world won’t guarantee pups that’ll be healthy their whole lives - but it sure improves their chances. No breeder wants to be responsible for breeding a pup that devastates their new family by tragically dying young or having a crippling issue.
If you have been through all of the above - and it is all green lights….let’s dive into the actual breeding and whelping portion!
1) Pregnancy and whelping comes with risks. Despite the best medical care and preparation, it is absolutely possible to lose some or all of the puppies and/or the dam. One of the first pieces of advice I received about breeding was “don’t breed if you aren’t willing to lose your dam”. What a heartbreaking thought! But also a realistic one. MOST pregnancies and whelpings proceed smoothly. But sometimes they don’t - and can end in total tragedy.
If you were thinking it might be nice to let your family experience a whelping - you also need to consider that this could be a disaster where you lose your beloved family pet.
Pregnancy and whelping also comes with A LOT of expenses! Are you prepared for an emergency c-section that could easily be $5,000 (or more) depending on where you live.
Even without an emergency - there are a lot of costs that add up.
Progesterone test leading up to breeding to confirm appropriate timing: $750
Stud fee: $1,500
Appropriate nutrition throughout pregnancy: $250
Whelping supplies: $1000
Appropriate pre-natal deworming: $50
Puppy food: $250
Puppy vet checks + deworming + microchips: $1,000
Puppy first vaccines: $1,000
BAER testing $1,000
Cleaning supplies etc.: $250
2) Whelping and neonatal care is a TON of work!
You and your dog are partners in this. You need to be there in case Dam or pups need help. Expect loss of sleep, time off work (lost wages), and so much worry. Pups are so fragile and so much can go wrong. If the Dam gets ill or dies - you are left caring for the pups - which includes feeding and stimulating them to potty every 2 hours, round the clock.
Even when everything goes smoothly, it is so much work, time, effort, worry….and also so rewarding!
3) Finding great homes involves A LOT! To me, this is the hardest, scariest, and ultimately most rewarding part of bringing puppies into the world. Watching puppies living their best lives with wonderful families has been so beautiful and meaningful.
Everyone who's been "in dogs" for any amount of time has heard HORROR stories of people who sounded like a great home but then neglected or abused a pup. These stories keep me up at night.
Not as frightening, but still crucial, is ensuring the right pup is in the right home. Matching a high octane pup to a family seeking a calm pet isn't setting either side up for success. I have the utmost faith in the ability of the wonderful homes on my list to rise to any challenge, but the best recipe for success is to have the right fit from the start.
Most engaged prospective homes who've done their research are seeking dogs that have been proven in the show ring (demonstrating appropriate conformation which is important for a long, healthy, active life) and additionally some objective demonstration of stable temperaments (obedience titles, therapy dog certification etc), who's sire and dam have had all the appropriate and recommended health testing, and choosing careful pairings.
The prospective owners who are NOT looking for "everything" in a potential puppy are not ones I would likely feel confident placing a puppy with. Spend any time on breed Facebook pages and you will see people who are looking to rehome their dog for a variety of reasons. I want homes that are as committed to my puppies as I am.
I have found that for every 10 people I speak with, 1 ends up on my list. For the other 9, perhaps I didn’t feel they were the right fit, or timing didn’t suit them, etc. It takes a really significant amount of time to connect with people and narrow down a solid list.
4) Being an accountable breeder means being able to support your homes for the life of the pups you produce, including taking them back at any time, for any reason. Do you have the space and time to accommodate a new dog with no notice? Can you afford to feed and vet a new addition until you find them an appropriate new home?
Ultimately…
Breeding is about more than two Dalmatians, more than 2 registered Dalmatians with full ownership/no non-breeding restrictions, more than 2 Dalmatians with no restrictions who have appropriate health testing... etc. If you really love this breed and want to preserve it, a pairing is about finding dogs who's conformation compliments each other, where you're not doubling up on health risks, with great hearing results for generations, and stable, proven temperaments. Breeding (properly) is certainly NOT a good way to make money, (it can be a very effective way to lose money!) and involves so much risk and so many challenges.
