If you own a bitch, sooner or later someone is bound to ask you if you are going to breed from her or tell you that she should have a litter “for her own good”.

Breeding is not something to be undertaken lightly, certainly not for the bitch’s good, not good experience for the children and definitely not a scheme to make you some money.

Things to consider before breeding:

• 
  Is your bitch over 2 yrs old?
• Does she have an exemplary nature?
• Is she a good example of the breed?
• Is your bitch KC Reg?
• Are there any breeding endorsements on her registration?
• Has she been scored under the KC/BVA Hip Scheme?
• Does she have a current clear eye certificate?

 

That’s for the dog, now for you:

• Do you have sufficient space for your bitch to whelp in peace?
• Do you have enough space for 8 or more puppies to play – maybe up to 4 months?
• Do you have the time to devote to Mum while she’s whelping and the new pups for at least 8 weeks
• Do you have the experience to know if things are progressing well in your bitch’s pregnancy?
• Can you afford to pay out £1000 + if your bitch needs a Caesarian?
• Are you prepared for the fact that you could be presented with dead or deformed puppies?
• Are you sure you can find suitable, experienced homes for your puppies (remember, friends & family who would “love to have a puppy” usually have very good reasons for not having one when the time arrives)
• Are you willing to take back any or all of your pups at any stage in their lives for whatever reason?
• Do you have sufficient knowledge and experience to be able to pick out a suitable stud dog to use?

 

Everybody has to start somewhere and the very best way to have your first litter is under the mentorship of an experienced breeder – hopefully your own bitch’s breeder who can suggest stud dogs, will know whether a dog is suitable or too closely related and should be aware of the weak or strong points behind your bitch. If it is not possible to seek guidance from her breeder, you may well find other breeders willing to share their experience with you. It is also best to have the help of more experienced breeders because it is often very difficult to sell Buhund puppies to the right homes without word of mouth recommendation. It is almost impossible to sell Buhunds by adverts in local papers etc.

 

Much of the above also applies if you are the owner of a male Buhund, although while a good bitch will have her pick of the best males, a good male has to wait for the bitch owner to ask to use him at stud. He must also have a good hip score and a current clear eye certificate. If you are asked to allow your dog to be used at stud, don’t give your consent unless you are willing to take as much responsibility for the resulting puppies as the breeder. You should also make sure that an experienced person is present when the mating takes place. It is not just a case of putting a dog and bitch together & letting them get on with it. At best, no mating will take place, at worst the dog, the bitch or both of them could be seriously injured without a knowledgeable person being present.

Brother & sister (photo M.Fryatt)

 

Main Points:

Buhunds are not a commercial breed

Only health tested Buhunds should be bred from

Only typical examples with good temperaments should be bred from

Breeding is a big commitment, requiring time, space, money and hard work.

You will be expected to take back any puppy you have bred at any stage in its life should it become necessary.