Breeding - first time

[Jonty]

Folks,  I'd like to have a litter from my cocker bitch.  I've never had any involvement in breeding before so any help is gratefully received.  I'm only after a single litter to keep one pup from (mum to be is a lovely temperament) and then sell on any other pups to good homes just for a fee that would make people think about buying a dog rather than to make a load of money out of.  I think my main queries would be about finding a stud dog - how you go about paying? Is it after a mating/proof of pregnancy/birth of pups? Also is it normal to pay a fee or offer first choice of a puppy etc?  

My bitch from very good working stock and I'd be getting all pups docked - so maybe a clue as to how much the average vet costs are for a litter would be good too.

thanks in advance

[scutt]

COSTS WILL INCLUDE

KENNEL CLUB REG if the bitch is reg. (not mandatory ) but most buyers want this.

Stud fees depending on the sire.

VETS , docking ,chip, maybe first jabs. flea treatment.( assuming all goes well with the birth) check with your vet that they will dock pups cos if not you don't have long after the pups are born   

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PUPPY food.

Lots of time and effort looking after your litter.😊

 

 

Edited October 25, 2018 by scutt

[Mickeydredd]

Worming every couple of weeks too, whelping box, heat lamps, bedding

Unless the stud dog owner fancies a pup from the combined lines then it is generally a fee.  If a proven stud dog then fee is payable upon a tied mating, if no litter produced then generally a free mating next time bitch is in season 'should' be offered.  With an unproven stud dog, you need to negotiate payment on a pregnancy I'd say.

Potential vet bills if anything goes wrong with the bitch giving birth.

Time is the key factor.

[Lloyd90]

Lots of lads I know who bred recently lost money - two had complications and lost a lot (a few thousand). 

One of them had emergency Caesarian and lost all the pups and his bitch just pulled through. 

Honestly unless your dog is an absolute world beater one of a kind it’d just be better to buy a pup in. 

I think a lot of people buy into the romanticised idea (myself included) of having a bitch and how nice it would be to keep the line going. Glad I later decided against it. I loved the dog to bits fabulous temperament but nothing you couldn’t get from buying a pup in. 

These days you can keep a dog from the line by going back to the kennel you had yours off if they’re running successful lines. 

[al4x]

I had a littler from my Gwp in similar circumstances.  Great experience and the pup we kept is a bit of a star.  Cockers are simpler as there are loads of stud dogs about.  First thing is get any of the recommended health checks done for your bitch.  If that goes ok then start looking for a stud dog, if registered the kennel club have a few tools to help with checking how related they are and also checks registered against dogs in the lines history.  Once you have a stud then you wait till the deed can be done, make sure the bitch is well wormed and you need to do this far more than usual through the pregnancy.

whelping mine was easy but you never know with a first litter.  Once you have pups the first month is easy the second month hell and you will be glad when they go! I ended up making money and it was a really good experience but it is hard work 

[JRDS]

Unless you have somewhere proper to house the pups then I wouldn't bother as has been said the last 4 weeks are serious hard work.  I have bred 3 litters of Cockers and after getting rid of my Kennels I wouldn't have another litter as it would mean them being in the house.