Breeding Dogs Responsibly

You’ve bred a litter of beautiful puppies and waved them on their way to their new homes. You thought that was the end of if? WRONG! The well-known phrase ‘a puppy is for life’ means the breeder’s life as well as the owner’s.

Keep Detailed Records

Keep detailed records of where your puppy has gone to live. Within the paperwork you supply with the puppy ensure that the new owner signs to say that he will keep in touch at all times. If at any time in the puppy’s life he can no longer take care of it he must ask for your help with re-homing. If the dog is still young you should take it back and find a good home however, not all of us have the facilities to house full sized dogs as they may not get on with our own dogs so advice and personal contact with the owner should be undertaken.

Advice - Can You Give it?

Are you confident that you will be able to advise one of your puppy owners if they have problems with the new addition to their home? If there is a medical problem then you should refer them to their vet. However, feeding and housetraining should be well within your capabilities as should finding a good training club and help with the show career.

Be Prepared and Informative

Compile a booklet of information for all your new puppy owners. List foods, training tips, grooming advice and where to take them for their health checks and assessments.

Also enclose advertisement clippings from canine publications so that the owners know where to purchase bedding and grooming equipment.

Dog Shows

Be a shoulder to cry on if the puppy does not win his first show and be part of the support team that cheers him on at his first win. Send congratulation cards and remember the puppy’s birthday. If your puppy's owner wins a best puppy award you be the one to notify the breed note writers in the weekly canine press. The owners will be chuffed to see their baby’s name in print.

Advertising

Advertise your puppies well and you should find good homes for them.

Homes with Children

Be wary of selling your puppies to homes with young children, especially if you have a large boisterous breed. It’s always the dog’s fault and never the child’s when the puppy is returned at the age of one year and totally out of control. People with youngsters do not have the time to train dogs as well as children.

Keep in Touch with the Owners

Keeping in touch means never seeing one of your lovely litter ends up in rescue. It’s too late then as it’s unlikely the rescue society will return the puppy to you and goodness knows where it will end up. We all hear horror stories of the big dog homes re-homing the same dog umpteen times!

It’s your choice where the puppies go to live and you should take responsibility for them. Many lifelong friendships have been made between owners and breeders.

When someone buys a puppy from you, they buy a piece of you as well!