Are You Thinking About Breeding Your Labrador Retrievers
Many Labrador owners will at some time or another considered breeding their Lab Retrievers, but there are many things to consider before taking the plunge into canine breeding. There are various reason why owners would want to breed their Labs. One of the main reasons is to produce a litter for themselves or their family, the second is to be able to sell the pups commercially.
No matter what the reasons are for wanting to breed Lab Retrievers, you must understand that not all the litters likely to be produced will be healthy and happy. If you are a first time breeder who owns a female dog, the pregnancy will be a time of joy, or dreadful disaster. To ensure a successful experience for you and your Lab, it is vital you bring together the best pairing of dogs possible. The pair need to have a good temperament, be in top physical shape as well as disease free. It is also vital you check each dog’s lineage to eradicate the prospect of inherited problems and disease such as hip dysplasia.
Labradors usually end up living with a family so it is crucial they have the temperament to live in the family with both children and adults. So the breeding pair must be of the right temperament. It is as important as their health.
Another essential point to consider when breeding Labrador Retrievers is to check the pedigrees of each of the breeding pair to ensure the dogs are not too closely related. The implications of using closely related dogs are poor health in the puppies, questionable temperament and a weakening of the bloodline.
The breeding pair should be given time to become accustomed to each other before being allowed to breed. This will give time for any health and temperament concerns to become apparent. It is also advisable that the breeding pair are over two years-of-age. The breeding of Lab retrievers should not be taken lightly. Bringing the breeding pair together is only the first step. The hard work really begins when the bitch is confirmed as pregnant.
Taking care of the bitch during pregnancy can take a lot of work as can the whelping process. After the mum has produced her litter taking care of the puppies, and finding good homes for the puppies is a time-consuming and potentially expensive undertaking.
On a final point, you should not underestimate the importance of finding good owners for the pups. You will not let them go to just anyone So if you are unsure that potential owners can offer the pups a caring and loving environment, be prepared to turn them down.
Posted: April 28th, 2009 under Dogs.
Comments: 1
Comments
Comment from alokshrivastava
Time: March 5, 2010, 1:22 am
as i am having female lab. an this is the first time when she came into heat so we (i and my wife) are worried as this is the first time when we taken the lab dog. My female lab age is about 10 months. Can we go for mate with another dog or we wait for next heat.
Secondly, she is not taking food properly as she is taking previously this is due to first time heat or any other reason.
your early comment we need. thanks
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