Curious about breeding

[Foxygurl05]

Hello! I am thinking about breeding my chihuahua when she gets old enough. Does anyone have any chihuahua breeding advice or helpful websites? I've looked on the net but everything I have found looks so negative because they talk about how expensive it is and how lots of chihuahuas have complications and need c-sections. My chi may not be done growing, but right now she is 7.4 lbs, so she's not tiny. Plus, I don't even know if she is breeding quality. The vet said she is healthy but I didn't ask her about breeding. Any advice or tips would be really appreciated!! Thanx

[Rusty-Buck]

I have never bred dogs, but I know that especially when the female is that small you need to get a male about the same size. She's pretty big compared to some other chihuahuas. I don't know of any sites but Rusty's breeders: www.thepawpalace.com you can probably email the breeder with Chihuahua breeding questions. What do you want to breed for? How old is the dog?

[Foxygurl05]

My dog is only 5 mos right now, so I know i have a long while before she is even ready to be bred, but I just wanted to do my research early because if it is def not a good idea to breed her, I want to get her fixed before she goes into heat for the first time. I want to breed her because I think she is a beautiful dog and I think she would have really pretty puppies, but I have read that it is immoral to breed dogs for any other reason than to better the breed. If she is breeding quality, I would like to better the breed, but if she is not, I want to do the right thing and get her fixed.

[CayceV]

Did you get your dog from a breeder? If so I would talk to the breeder about whether or not she is show quality. If she is, maybe look into doing some conformation shows with her. I personally wouldn't breed unless she passes all the health tests (eyes, hips, elbows, etc) and a championship in conformation never hurts I wouldn't breed her unless she is truly going to better the breed. There are a lot of dogs out there already who need homes so breeding a dog because they're "pretty" probably isn't the best idea.

I apologize if that came across as rude as I did NOT mean it to be! I understand where you're coming from as I'm new to the "do I breed, do I not breed" thing. I have an 11 month old Golden Retriever b!tch who I am planning on breeding if, and only if, she passes her health tests and maybe acquires a championship or two. If she doesn't pass her tests she will be spayed.

Best of luck to you! BTW we need pics of your lil girl

[lou3]

The best way to find out if your dog is breeding quality is to enter her in some big dog shows. If she wins a lot then she is breeding quality if she doesnt or only wins occasionally then she isnt. Also remember to have all her health checks done nearer the time, hip scores, elbow scores, eye tests etc, (can get a bit expensive) make sure you read up on when you need to worm and vaccinate the bitch in order to have healthy pups and make sure you have a spare room you can turn into a whelping room for her. Be prepared breeding is an expensive business and with little dogs like chihuahuas that only have a couple of puppies at a time you will lose money if you have done everything right.
Also when breeding any animal you MUST be prepared to lose both the mother and the babies during labour, its not what any breeder wants but it does happen. If you are prepared to take that risk then all good - but the risk is higher with tiny dogs like CHihuahuas. You MUST also be able to hand-raise puppies (inc getting up every two hours during the night to feed them) should the worst happen and your bitch die during labour leaving you with newborn puppies to look after.
Also make sure your budget leaves a good chunk of money aside for a c-section which little dogs are at very high risk for. It can be expensive but if you cant afford to have one done then your dog may die if she gets into trouble during labour.

[rutylr]

http://www.chihuahuaclubofamerica.com/

Chihuahua breeding



There is more to Chihuahua breeding than

meets the eye. You don't just let a couple of

Chis play around in the back yard!



Chihuahua breeding involves tracking each

animal's heritage. Breeders are interested

in the traits of each dog's ancestors. They

want to know which dominant and recessive

traits are present in each lineage and how far removed each trait lies. For instance, long hair in Chihuahuas is a recessive trait. That means that there are certain traits that will never show up unless the genetic material from both parents has this recessive gene present. Short hair dominates long hair, so you know that any long-haired Chi is a very special dog!
There are also traits that are not desirable. Chihuahua breeders are very careful to watch for an especially short nose, which may cause more wheezing and snoring than normal. Additionally, their prominent eyes can be affected by dryness, a problem which needs to be addressed if the moisture of regular tears is insufficient. If these or other traits are present in an animal, it becomes part of their genetic record. Since Chihuahua breeding is a science, meticulous records must be kept.



To assist breeders in proper Chihuahua breeding, several organizations have developed databases of information about purebred animals, Chihuahuas included. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) has several goals, among which are: "to collate and disseminate information concerning orthopedic and genetic diseases of animals" and "to advise, encourage and establish control programs to lower the incidence of orthopedic and genetic diseases."



Another registry is provided for eyes. The Canine Eye Registration Foundation (C.E.R.F.) has a registry "dedicated to the elimination of heritable eye disease in purebred dogs through registration and research." Any Chihuahua breeding program that does not offer certification through these programs is best avoided.



No good Chihuahua breeder mates his animals just to get pets to sell. Chihuahua breeding is done to improve the breed and for no other reason. The local puppy mill should not be confused with a breeder. They will have their dogs certified by a vet. Chihuahua breeding should include patella registration as that is one area with which the delicate Chi has problems. It may take a fairly expensive operation to correct this in your Chi, and you certainly would not wish to breed a dog with heritable troubles in this area.



Check with your local vet and American Kennel Club branch to be sure you've found a reputable Chihuahua breeding source before you pay good money for your new fur friend.

[barnjess]

Its good that you are finging out all you can you have been given great advice, but if she is 5 months you have almost run out of time!

[Foxygurl05]

Thank you everyone for the good advice. I definately have a lot to look into as far as her lineage and background goes. I'm not all together sure these will be obtainable becasue I just got her from my Aunt who leaves her chis in the back yard and lets them mate everytime her girl goes into heat. They give the pups away for free, so I doubt they do all the vet checks and everything. And Foxy was badly infested with fleas, ticks and worms when I got her because they leave the pups in the backyard too. So, in the end I will probably just get her fixed and just concentrate on giving her a long healthy and happy life!!!! I really appreciate all the quick responses and the willingness to help! You guys are great! I tried to attach some pics but it won't let me because I alredy put the same ones in a dif thread. If you want to see them it's in the Hi There thread under introductions. Sorry!

[barnjess]

It does sound like you should get her spayed, you should only breed from a dog that you know what the background is, eg temperment and health, the chances are she doesnt even know who the sire is! And I know she is your aunt but I would have harsh words with her what she is doing is very wrong and she is adding to the rescue homes

[rottiegirl]

I would talk to your breeder if he/she is a good breeder he/she will guide you.