To Breed or not to breed
To breed or not to breed.
For some responsible owners, this is a question that has been brought to the table at least once.
Stray dog, by Lauren Kay
Going through the experience of a mother giving birth to their puppies is amazing. For a female dog, although it’s bloody, noisy and messy, you as her owner get to see an expertise of the mother, even if she’s a first-timer, that will make you amazed of what Nature can operate. If all the puppies come in good health, you end up enjoying a bunch of lovely creatures that crawl looking for their mother and in no time, beautiful little puppies that will fill your days with smiles and amusement. Puppies are lovely, end of discussion.
There are always two sides to a story, however. If you have a dog and you still haven’t spayed her or him, you still have the option to get your pooch to “experience parenthood”. But… do you really want to/need to/should do this? Think it through. There are several facts you have to take in consideration before taking “the step”.
Sad picture of an abandoned dog by Margarita Kolsor
First of all, are all dogs meant to have offspring? Nature’s answer: No. When food or good conditions are in short supply, females become less fertile, getting even to the point of not even having their heat season. Some individuals also come naturally infertile or sterile due to genetic mandate. That’s the way Nature controls that “if it’s not a good moment, and no secure future for the offspring, no one would come because it’ll jeopardise even current individuals”. Even bacteria follow this very basic principle.
Humans don’t.
And, as dogs have had the “blessing” of being the furry human partners for excellence, they get to go along with our anti-Nature rules.
This is how we have the responsibility to take care of dogs and ensure the best future for them, yet we don’t make the best choices for our friends.
If you aren’t a breeder, you simply shouldn’t breed your dog. It’s a simple as that. I always bring Germany’s example, which is in such a great control of this situation, they even can help dogs from other countries as rescues: people that live in Germany need to apply for a license to breed their dogs. Otherwise, they need to sterilise them. Why? Because there are several things breeders need to take care of, and even them are not always in position to ensuring the best future for a puppy.
Image: Raychan
Let’s start with the list. And take the opportunity of checking each one of the points to see whether you’re able to ensure these are covered:
1. Genetic back ground checks need to be performed in parents-to-be to ensure no behavioural or physical problems are present and therefore susceptible to be passed through the offspring. We’re talking here about dysplasia, epilepsy, cancer, blindness and a thousand more complications that will jeopardise puppies’ lives, but also aggressiveness and other psychological issues that can be inherited.
2. Taking care of a pregnant dog can be complicated and expensive, as you may want your dog to go through this as best as she can, ensuring that being a mother will not leave bone or other health conditions on your furry friend. The same as with women, they need to take a special food regime and be closely monitored, just in case.
All this can be just for nothing, and no one can prevent your dog to get a false pregnancy. Yes, it happens more often that it should. And even when you will end up without the puppies, you still will have all the complications.
3. Delivery may happen not when or where you expected it to happen. I’m just saying this in case the “experience” is something you really want to have, please bear in mind, this usually happens in the middle of the night, and the mother can choose the most unexpected place.
4. During childbirth, there can be complications with either the mother or the puppies. You need to be prepared for these too, es expensive or life-threatening as they can be to any of the dogs involved.
Once born, vaccinations and deparasitation need to take place. Best case scenario, you’ll need to pay for all puppies’ treatment, otherwise everyone will be in danger.
5. When the mother stops breastfeeding, you will need to buy food for the little ones until you have found them a “suitable” home. No one can guarantee for how long this will be, even if your friends and family have told you before they want “a cute little puppy just like your dog”. Please don’t count on them. A lot of last-minute change of mind and “it was only a comment” happen when it comes to acquire such a responsibility.
6. When in a favorable environment, female dogs can have A LOT of puppies. I mean a lot. The bigger the breed, the more puppies you are likely to have. Multiply expenses times that many puppies.
But if that’s till not enough, statistically, less than 4% of dogs worldwide live their entire lives with the same owner/home. Yes, it’s as sad as that. That means your puppies have a chance to be re-homed so many times and who knows with who, you may want to re-think the idea.
Even if you have looked seriously at the people you’re giving your puppies to, you will never be able to ensure they’ll be taken care of the way they should. And I’m not talking only about giving them enough and good food, medical attention and a proper life. People can be really short of patience and cruel to other beings, and especially when you’re not a cute little thing anymore and have acquired undesirable manners because no one took the time to teach you anything.
Chances that the puppy you brought to this world is rejected increases 90% if they are not a pure-bred, on top of that.
Some female dogs become very aggressive when pregnant and even after everything has passed they experience a change in their demeanour that will not be the same as before again.
For male dogs, once they have “experienced” sex, it’s even worse. They will get more aggressive, territorial and interested in females, and if there is one in heat around, and I mean even a neighbour, they will be uncontrollable. Really, uncontrollable. Male dogs around a female in heat don’t eat, don’t sleep, don’t focus in absolutely anything else than the female. This is actually the only way thieves control male dogs, even the best trained ones, when they want to robber. Never underestimate the power of hormones. Your male pooch may even start peeing in places he used to respect, so no house-manners anymore.
Now, if you have read all this and still think you can manage all this single-handed, well, no one really stops you from doing it, as you are your dog’s guardian. Just please, think about it… They trust you with their lives. You are his or her best friend, and you have the responsibility of assuring them the best possible one. That will have to be extended to their offspring. So if you are not a professional breeder, and even if you are, I beg you to please, think of these many dogs that now live in shelters, the ones that will be put down because no one wanted them anymore or because of behavioural issues, and the ones that lead a life that no living being should, due to human cruelty. Prove yourself different, more evolved, and a better human being. Thank you, dearly.
Take care and love your dog.
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