Guest Anonymous Posted April 18, 2002 Share Posted April 18, 2002 My family owns two dogs, a two year old lab and a six year old German Shepherd. We decided that we wanted to breed these two and get lab/shepherd mixes and I wanted some feed back. I understand the consequences of breeding mutts, the possibility of them being given to shelters or "neglective" owners. We've talked it over and we've decided that if none of the puppies were given away, we'd keep them all and take them to the vet, socialize them, train them, and so on. We live out in the country with a couple of acres of land for them all to run in. even given the circumstances, would it be acceptable to breed them? we're not going to breed them anytime soon, and still considering the bad with the good. we've got six of our neighbors and friends who already want a puppy from our dogs and all of them hve agreed to give the puppy back to us in the event that they come to be unable to take care of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shannon_C Posted April 18, 2002 Share Posted April 18, 2002 I wouldn't reccomend breeding from two different breeds, even though you say you could provide a home for all the puppies, which could be something like 10 to 15 pups, they would need a considerable amount of undivided attention spent with each one, including the mother for at least the first four weeks of life (ie until the pups are weaned) and are also prepared for the subsequent demands that a litter of boisterous six to eight-week old pups makes upon you. Would you be able to afford the costly vet fees which invariably occur, and to worm the pups as well as the mother and father at the appropriate times, fleaing them once there old enough, the equally costly feeding of both mother and offspring. Even though your friends say that they would like a pup, and have already made there mind up that if it was impossible to keep, they would return it. But saying this if your friends really want one, then the pup should stay with them for the rest of its life. Dogs bond very quickly to there family and if a sudden change is made, that could damage the dog. Have you had a word with your vet about breeding your dogs, if he is a good vet...he will tell you the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shannon_C Posted April 18, 2002 Share Posted April 18, 2002 re/ breeding! How old is your female ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 Well, I know you will be "blasted" for this so I'm going to leave it alone & let someone else do the blasting. I am going to assume that both dogs are in excellent health & have great temperments or you wouldn't even consider this. Truthfully I love "mutts" (I have 2, both "fixed") and your pups would probably be lovely. Here's the "but"...there are oodles of simply wonderful "mutt" puppies needing good homes, please, please, please consider adoption. I just adopted a wonderful GSD/Retriever? mix. The owner had brought them to the shelter (3 lovely girls, 8 weeks old), leftovers from a litter they "couldn't get rid of". They had only 4 days to be adopted or killed. If there were a shortage of available pups I would probably be the first to tell you "go for it" but literally thousands are euthanized & abandoned every day. We are a nation of doggie concentration camps. You sound like a family who provide a wonderful, loving home for your pets & there is a massive shortage of these...don't you just know that you could provide a sooo much better life for a few of these? When you adopt and you look at your beautiful baby's face & realize that YOU personally changed his/her world it is an incredible feeling, you benefit as much as the dog does if not more. Please think about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 Are both dogs current on all shots (parvo, rabies, and etc)? Have they been tested for heartworms and on preventitives? Do either have hip dysplasia or show signs of it? Hip Dysplasia runs in bigger breeds and can be passed along to puppies. Many other things are passed along from the parents to the puppies that are debilitating and life treating.Some things just happen. What if the female has to have a c-section or dies during birth?(Is having puppies worth losing your female over)What if mom does not have milk? Have you ever fed 10-12 puppies every 3 hours on the dot? If you get a chance search out the virtual breeding site it is very interesting. Are you going to have a spay/neuter contract for the puppies you find homes for so that they are not producing more puppies? Working with a local shelter there are numerous puppies of these exact two breeds available. Call and see if your shelter has one. Give one homeless dog all those acres to run on!:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 I dont agree with breeding mutts or any unpapered dogs but, of course the decision is yours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 I have only owned "mutts" and have found them to be gentle loving creatures. It is also been said that they suffer less health problems than purebreds because there is no interbreeding and fewer gentic defects. When breeding I don't think it is a question of what breed you have but rather if you can handle all the pups. It will be your moral and social responsibility to provide them with loving homes. We let our female have a litter (unexpectedly) and found it to be a very educational and loving experience. We found reliable owners for 5 of the 6 and kept the last puppy, it was a wonderful choice we will never regret. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 19, 2002 Share Posted April 19, 2002 Thanks for all the replies and you've all helped me to make the decision not to breed and get both dogs neutered/spayed. I've come to relize that both dogs would be just as happy with an adopted dog as they would have been with their puppies. So, instead of breeding we're going to go to the local shelter next weekend and adopt a dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 20, 2002 Share Posted April 20, 2002 I'm SO happy :smile:. You are going to make some homeless dog soooooo happy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 20, 2002 Share Posted April 20, 2002 You couldn't have made a better decision! It breaks my heart to know how many unlucky pups are out there just waiting for homes, while we continue to breed intentionally or by mistake. Giving a shelter pet a new lease on life is something you should be proud of! And thank you, for your new pups sake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shannon_C Posted April 21, 2002 Share Posted April 21, 2002 I am so glad that you have made the right decision to get both your dogs spayed/neutered. I wish many others would do the same. A dog from a rescue could not have been a better choice as so many are unwanted! GOOD LUCK with your new baby, on whatever breed you decide to have! Shannon Bullmastiff Owner, Researcher/Adviser of the Breed. Lover of all Animals! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 21, 2002 Share Posted April 21, 2002 Good Luck and enjoy your new friend. To breed or not to breed is always a tough question! You will make some dog very happy!!!:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 22, 2002 Share Posted April 22, 2002 Hey! I just wanted to post again so you all would know what kind of dog I got. Instead of waiting until next weekend, we went yesterday (april 21) and adopted a golden retriver puppy. She's doing great with the older dogs and the female (the lab) has taken to her very well, babying her and generally acting as a mother for the puppy. I think I did make the right decision and that's thanks to all of you who posted! :smile:(and both the older dogs are scheduled to be neutered/spayed in two weeks and the puppy as soon as she's old enough) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 22, 2002 Share Posted April 22, 2002 What GREAT news! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 23, 2002 Share Posted April 23, 2002 Wonderful news and it sounds as if everyone is doing great!!! Wish you the best of luck and your dogs! :smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 23, 2002 Share Posted April 23, 2002 Oh thats Great News. I am really pleased for you....sure she will live a happy life with your family, you sound like decent people to own pets. Most would just look away regardless of what we have said about breeding, but you seem to realise and understand the big committement to breeding so i will let you go now and have fun with your new bundle of joy! ALL THE BEST! Shannon Bullmastiff Owner, Researcher/Adviser of the breed. Lover of all Animals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 25, 2002 Share Posted April 25, 2002 PLEASE do not even think about breeding these two dogs! Did you know that over 500 animals an HOUR are destroyed because there is no home for them? Bringing more puppies into this world will just mean that many fewer homes for those already born..and that many more that have to be destroyed. If you want to get this mix, go to your humane society or get on the Pet Finders web site run by the ASPCA. Also......PLEASE get your animals spay/neuter...it is the only responsible thing to do. It is best fro the pets too...less likely to roam, have certain types of cancers etc. As to "good homes"...I do cruelty investigations...it would break your heart to see what happens to animals in homes that were supposedly "good"....too often they end up in labs. This is a man in our area who goes around and presents himself as wanting a puppy for his family...in reality, he is what is called a buncher...getting and selling animals to labs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 25, 2002 Share Posted April 25, 2002 Something I did not see mentioned here is the top reason why I am glad you decided not to breed - both of the breeds you mentioned have very similar hereditary defect problems which increases the likelihood the pups you produce could have those problems unless you cleared the parents (and the grandparents) of being carriers or affected dogs. Hip displasia for one particular issue is prevalent in both breeds. I remember my sister's lab/shep mix (adopted from a shelter) had the worst hips her vet had ever seen - that poor dog was on pain meds for life (there was no surgery then so it was death or meds) because someone bred two dogs to make pups... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 19, 2002 Share Posted June 19, 2002 :x [/b] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 19, 2002 Share Posted June 19, 2002 Remeber there are no stupid dogs just stupid owners..We are all at fault for what we put our dogs through,and the sad thing is no matter what we do to them they will do anything for us just to make us happy even if it means losing there life to save ours because they love us so much..I love my dogs and I would never ever do anything to hurt them no matter what..I would take my life to make sure they live..God bless all those dogs that had to and still are suffering because of all the owners that do not care about them and treat them like breeding machine..Remeber when it is your time you will have to answer to God because of what you are doing and have done not anybody elese,he loves animals as much as he loves humans because he created everything in this world and he will want to know why you treated his creations so mean..And you better have a good answer.. :evil: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiff Posted June 19, 2002 Share Posted June 19, 2002 I have seen this trend, everyone who wants to breed their dogs and has a question is a GUEST, not a registered user, and they trow this question just to see everyone tell them not to breed, but I may be wrong, what does everyone else think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiff Posted June 20, 2002 Share Posted June 20, 2002 So, none of you share my opinion or think differently? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 20, 2002 Share Posted June 20, 2002 Ok, can you tell me what difference it makes if Mr. Jones asks a question or a guest asks a question? Is one question more important than the other? Will the answers be different for Mr. Jones vs the guest if it is the same question? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiff Posted June 20, 2002 Share Posted June 20, 2002 The answer won't be different, what's different is that none of us registered users will do backyard breeding, also, who are you? what is your name? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 20, 2002 Share Posted June 20, 2002 Sashagirl...I love my guest status cuz I can't remember all these stupid passwords. Have you noticed recently I posted and forgot to enter my own name and had to post a followup. The brain cells are just disappearing and I don't think there are enough left to remember passwords. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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