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1st Time Breeder...

12K views 75 replies 38 participants last post by  CharlieBear80 
#1 ·
Hello All,

I am a first time breeder and happy to take on the wonderful adventure of whelping puppies. I own both the male and female. I have a lot of questions so I registered for this site hoping to get some helpful information. I am excited to be a member to this golden retriever community!
 
#4 ·
Welcome!

Have both of your dogs gotten the recommended minimal health clearances? OFA hips; OFA elbows; yearly eye CERFs; and cardiologist tested hearts?

How is their breeding going to enhance the breed?

Do your dogs have any titles? If not why? Do you dogs pass CCA?

You should find a mentor.
 
#5 ·
Thank you for the response! Posting a few pictures! Yes, they both have their health checks. No titles or dog shows, they will enhance the breed with their demeanor because they are such amazing family dogs. They interact with our 9 month old daughter every day and any family would be lucky to have an addition like them!
Picture 1- Our female, Skylar, as a puppy. The fur on the top of her back has turned a light red color.
Pic 2- Our male, Ace. He has such a wonderful smile!
Pic 3- This is my family of dogs, except for Skylar.
Pic 4- Skylar playing with my daughter, Jocelyn.
 

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#20 ·
... Yes, they both have their health checks. ...
Health checks are not the same as health clearances. Are you saying that you have had both dogs' hearts cleared by a cardiologist, both dogs' hip and elbows Xrayed and sent to OFA and both eyes have been checked and cleared in the past year? How old is your female?

I'm also curious about who is going to be caring for your infant daughter when your puppies are being whelped and for the first couple weeks of their lives? We have breeders here who sleep on a cot with their litters in order to be right there to avoid having one crushed accidentally by the mother etc. It is a full time commitment

Do you have homes lined up for all these puppies to make sure none of them end up in a shelter at some point? My contract with both my dogs' breeders state that they will take back their puppy at any time and will be support for the lifetime of the dog. A pretty major commitment but a huge safety net for the dog should I ever have an emergency or catastrophe that would make me unable to give my dogs the safe home they deserve.
 
#7 ·
@Amanda - they are lovely. Ace is gorgeous.

Again, make sure you have clearances on both goldens (GRCA - code of ethics). And make sure both dogs have clearances behind them. Looking for pups as I was the last 2-3 years, navigating the OFA website - I expected to see all clearances going a few generations back.

And get in touch with local clubs in your area. I would be freaked out about going this alone without an experienced breeder helping me out - especially considering the dangers for the moms.
 
#8 ·
Welcome to the forum! :) I am glad to hear your dogs have such good temperaments, that's the first thing I take into account when breeding. Unfortunately we live in an imperfect world where health issues are a huge problem. Many of which are genetic, and may not necessarily affect the parents even though they will affect the offspring. Hip dysplasia is one of the more known issues. If the parents aren't properly screened through OFA (my person preference as the results are accessible to the general public) or PennHip. HD is an often crippling and heartbreaking disease than can be drastically reduced by screening the parents (and grandparents, great grandparents up to at least three generations). Elbow dysplasia is also a common genetic disorder in golden retrievers. This also can have the incidence be greatly reduced by proper screening or the parents and all dogs in the pedigree for at least three gens. Full hip and elbow clearances can not be obtained until 2 years of age (there are prelims, but they aren't going to be as accurate since they pup is still growing and developing). Eye disorders and heart abnormalities (particularly SAS) can also be genetic and VERY serious. OFA heart clearances done by a cardiologist and eyes checked yearly can help prevent offspring from being effected. That's just the bare minimum. I'm sure you know all this, but thought I would point it out anyways. Are you expecting puppies? :)
 
#10 ·
Also don't forget that socializing a litter of puppies is a TON of work. The vast majority of people who breed drastically underestimate the importance of socialization. I am a firm believer that at least 90% of behavior problems experienced during a dogs first year are because of not being properly socialized and not enough exercise. Plus you as the breeder will have a lasting impression on the pup and will have be the one to do all of the training for the first eight weeks (or more). My pups leave my home knowing their names, sit, come (as reliably as an eight week old can), they don't bite people, and many if not most are potty trained. Are you prepared to be potty training 6-12 puppies at the same time? Sorry if I came across as harsh or demanding, I've just seen way to many dogs end up in shelters because of bad breeders despite good intentions.
 
#13 ·
Please consider reaching out to and possibly joining the Rio Grande Valley Golden Retriever Club.
It sounds like you could use the education, support and guidance these folks could offer. Being a reputable breeder is a huge undertaking with a boat load of responsibility to go along with it. Please reach out learn, experience, grow and participate in the Golden community. The breed could always more reputable breeders and as seen on our choosing a breeder section we already have too many breeders who are not reaching the bar for the bare minimum. Here is a great resource for puppy buyers Golden Retriever puppies:Golden Retriever Club of America (GRCA)ACQUIRING A GOLDEN RETRIEVER: Choosing A Reputable Breeder. I would really like to see you succeed as a "serious hobby breeder".
 
#14 ·
Thank you for all the responses! Yes, we are expecting puppies on July 26th, so I will post pics once they arrive :). I have a corgy in addition to my two goldens and a 9 month old daughter, so the puppies will be socialized with them, as well as other family members. I was motivated to breed them because of my males temperament. He is SUCH a great dog and we wanted to share that with others, so after searching a long time, we bought a female to breed with him. Lucky for us, her temperament is just as good as his! When I bought my female, she was mostly potty trained and could also sit on command. This is one of the big questions that I hoped to get info on in joining this site. What are some recommendations for potty training at such a young age?
 
#18 ·
I've linked to Four Lakes thread on their recent litter so you can see their set up. http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/golden-retriever-puppy-up-1-year/174498-abby-x-tito-pups-28.html
Notice the box with shavings in the back corner. This is very helpful in potty training and puppy potty pads also help. Anytime they're not in their "corner" and playing in the house watch them like a hawk. The first sign that they have to go scoop them up and take them outside immediately. I think doing BioSensor with the pups helps with potty training tremendously. You can read about it here BioSensor Article. Anytime the pups are playing on the yard praise like crazy when one of the pups "goes" on the grass, make sure you tell them "good go potty" (or whatever word you want). It's just like normal potty training, just times how ever many pups you have, and then doubled! :) It's fun though and the work is worth the effort to me.
 
#15 · (Edited)
Welcome to the forum. Do you have another reputable breeder mentoring you? Have you competed with your dogs in confirmation or obedience? Are you breeding to improve the breed? Are you breeding according to the GRCA standard. Have you performed clearances on eyes, heart, hips and elbows? What is the pedigree of your dogs. Do you co-own them with an established breeder. The reason why I asked is because I want to make sure you are not putting the cart before the horse. Most reputable breeders I know usually don't even think of breeding until they have confirmation and/or obedience. I think it's great that you wish to improve the breed based on temperament, but you need to make sure the dogs you breed are of sound health with a proven lineage where inherited diseases have been migitated.
 
#16 ·
I recently had the opportunity to help my breeder-mentor whelp a litter of puppies. That thread is here: http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...-breeder-puppy/191954-i-got-doggie-doula.html

After being awake for 36 hours straight, I got to come home and take a nap while she had to remain awake, nursing along a little girl puppy who was struggling. Wow, it was so much work! Worth every second, but so much work, and incredibly stressful. Our breeder recommended I read Canine Reproduction by Phyllis Holst. I do not have a litter on the way, but aspire to maybe breed a litter someday, we'll see. I have a lot of learning to do before I reach that point. Meanwhile, I'm attending seminars, getting involved in my local breed club, competing with my dog, and learning as much as I possibly can about the breed standard, form and function, movement, structure, conditioning, etc. I am the kind of person who plans for the worst case scenario, since Murphy's Law always seems to bite me in the butt, so I want to know what happens when a puppy gets stuck, what happens when one is stillborn, what happens when one is struggling to survive in its first hours, what happens when progress grinds to a screeching halt and you have to load up the bitch in labor and new babies and head to the vet in the middle of the night (all of which, I might add, happened during my recent whelping experience).

Do you have a vet who is experienced (experienced meaning there are many other reputable breeders in your area who have used this vet and can recommend his or her services) in canine reproduction and can be on-call during the whelping of the litter (as in, not the answering service, but personal cell phone in the middle of the night??) A backup vet wouldn't be a bad idea either, just in case. Do you have someone who can help with the whelping, in the event that you have to make a trip to the vet, where you may be hanging out for awhile, assuming your husband will stay home with your kid?

This forum is full of passionate people who will be willing to offer you lots and lots of advice. Most have way more experience than I do, but I thought I'd share that story to offer some things I'd be thinking about at this point if I were you. Good luck! :)
 
#17 ·
Informed buyers seeking Golden's will insist on pups from parents with clear health certificates as a very minimum! Because of the Internet most buyers are well informed, if they are not well informed/educated buyers, I assume you would not want them to have one of your pups. Also, most legitimate buyers who would provide good homes want a pedigree with good longevity, good health generations and some performance history in the line. Good breeders make little money, but do it to enhance the line...you should be prepared to address these questions...good luck
 
#23 ·
People on this forum tend to pounce.

The dog is bred, the puppies are going to be born, no amount of asking is going to change anything for this litter.

But people will make the OP defensive and leave the forum so they don't learn or understand what they should be doing before breeding.

On another thread, someone else said they have a litter on the way. So someone asks for names so they can see pedigree. IMO, What they really mean is I want to check the clearances.
 
#22 ·
As an example of health clearances, my goldens receive the following before they are considered for breeding.

1) Hips - OFFA & PennHip
2) Elbows - OFFA
3) Heart - board certified cardiologist
4) Eyes - CERF and now OFFA
5) PRCD-PRA - a DNA test

and a few of the more recent DNA tests:
GR-PRA1
Ichthyosis

My dogs are trained and shown in Rally, Obedience and Agility. One of my dogs is also trained and shown in Hunt Tests. My male & female of breeding age have their CCAs.
I mention the above to illustrate what is being discussed in this thread.

Good luck with your litter :) may the whelping be smooth, the puppies healthy and the future homes be wonderful.
 
#24 ·
My feeling is that no matter how you feel about what the OP is doing, on this or any post, if they have come here, even after the fact, for information then they should be given as much information as we have in a polite and respectful manner. I have said it before on other posts, if we are rude and nasty and scare them away we are missing an opportunity to educate and share our experiences and help someone learn. An opportunity lost won't help any dog.
 
#25 ·
I agree with Tayla's mom. Now is the time for us to welcome the OP and kindly help educate them in whatever areas of breeding they need help with or want help with. The pups will be born, regardless.

Op - please don't get scared off. We really are a nice bunch of ppl. We just have a standard of breeding, that most newbies do not know. I hope you stick around and learn what you can and share what you will.

Congrats, again, on the impending bundles of joy.


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#26 ·
I don't see anything in this thread that should scare off the OP. If hip, elbow, heart and eye clearances have not been done on the sire and dam of this litter they can be done prior to the pups being born and/or going to their new homes. The dam can get her heart and eye clearances now and have her hips and elbows xrayed after the puppies are whelped, if not done previously. The sire can have all his clearances done prior to the puppies even being born if they weren't done prior to breeding. At a minimum that will give the puppies' new owners some level of information on any potential hereditary health issues.

I would also encourage you to contact your local golden retriever club. Having a mentor is huge. A local breeder would also be able to provide guidance that an internet forum is just, honestly, not capable of doing in terms of whelping and raising a litter.
 
#30 ·
All, our breed and most others are plagued by certain types of cancer, hip problems,etc. this is due to breeders who know not what they do or puppy mills....therefore over reactions to posts like this are perfectly normal......unless you are a person that has not lost a Golden to one of these diseases. If we offend people, to bad...bad breeding offends me...if they did everything right, no harm done.....! If not they need to know it!
 
#31 ·
My point and the point of others is that it's done. There are puppies on the way. It is in our best interests to keep people coming here for information. This is not the only post that has turned or has the potential to turn new people away lately. People can and should get their points across without being nasty. It does no one any good. And I'm sure we have all had Goldens die of cancer and other issues that have come from both perfect breeding and BYB. I'm sorry but cancer doesn't discriminate.
 
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