Dog breeding for profit, things you ought to know
If you have the idea that dog breeding is an easy business with easy money to be earn. Think again. It is in fact a difficult task with huge responsibilities. There are many things to attend to during the dog breeding process and it might not even be profitable at all!
In the beginning, you must find both registered and quality parents before you start to breed. There are already an abundance of unwanted mutt dogs in the world. Although there are some more shelters to house the mutts today, many still end up being put down. Only by choosing high-quality parents, you can ensure that your puppies offer the best qualities of the breed and have better chances of finding excellent owners for each litter.
The best way to find good parents is to review their medical histories. Both parents not only must be free of hereditary illnesses, they must also be tested for infectious diseases. Lastly, it is very important for both parents to exhibit good temperament. Having unfriendly and aggressive puppies are definitely not what we are looking for.
Breeding is always risky for both the mother and the father. E. Coli, strep and other bacteria can be common problems when breeding in the country or on a farm. You will need to take extra effort to ensure healthy mother and puppies from these bacteria strains.
Not all of the puppies are sure to survive the birth or time thereafter. Some puppies die during whelping, which can be emotionally difficult. There will always be risk and time whereby the puppies and their mum fall sick and die.
Breeding and whelping the puppies can take time and cost money. A whelping box is needed for the puppies, as well as heat lamps, thermometers, hemostats and other medical items to help the puppies and the mother during this vulnerable time. You will need to practice using these instruments before your new puppies arrive.
After giving birth to the puppies, the mother will look out and care for them for another three weeks. The mother will bathe and feed them, generally keeping them out of trouble. The new puppies, however, will need a safe and private place to stay during this time so that the mom feels that her babies are protected. She will also need access to go outside whenever she wishes to avoid accidents. If she is housetrained and on a schedule, it may be disrupted during this time and sometimes, she will just need time away from the puppies.
You will need a lot of fresh newspaper or similar material to keep the puppies and the area clean. The material will need to be changed frequently in order to keep the area safe from bacteria and other messes.
Puppies need to stay warm at all times. Hypothermia is the leading cause of puppy mortality, so heat lamps with an automatic thermostat are important equipments during the upbringing of the puppies. You will need to keep the puppies around 75 – 80F although the mother may get uncomfortable and move farther away from the heat.
Most breeds will be continually attended by their mother, but they often whine and bark at night. They will sleep an hour, get up to go the bathroom and then want to play. They will settle down, but you might be cleaning while they are sleeping and not get any rest for yourself. Normally, this habit will start to occur in the second to third week up to the eighth or ninth week. If you ignore them all night, you will have a large mess on your hands in the morning and a higher risk of infection in the puppies.
You will need to bring the puppies in to be in to get their shots and be checked by the vet. Then you will need to find the puppies good homes. You must be ready to experience some form of emotional loss when your puppies left for their new house and owner. It’s a bittersweet time for puppy and owner.
