How to Select a Female Dog for Breeding
Determine what type of dog you want to breed., Judge the dog according to her breed standard., Contact local kennel clubs or breeders., Check the dog’s pedigree., Choose features that complement the sire.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Determine what type of dog you want to breed.
The types of characteristics that you are looking for will depend what breed or purpose you are looking for in the puppies.
Puppies typically inherit temperament, health, and social behaviors from their parents, so it is important to choose a dam carefully.
If you are looking to breed purebreds, you will need to decide if the dog will be a home pet or a working dog.
A working dog will require certain traits, such as athleticism, a keen sense of smell, intelligence, or herding instincts, that a pet will not.
If you are looking to produce hybrid puppies, such as a Cockapoo or Labradoodle, you will need to decide if you want to breed two purebreds, a purebred and a mix, or two mixes.
You may end up with different characteristics depending on your choice.
If you want to train the puppies to be guide or therapy dogs, you may want to look for breeds that are known to be suited for this type of work, such as Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and German Shepherds. -
Step 2: Judge the dog according to her breed standard.
If you are looking for a particular breed of dog, you can research their respective breed standard.
The breed standard is a set of guidelines that describes the physical ideals of that breed.When looking for the breed standard, take in account the dog’s:
General Appearance Size and weight Coat Color Gait Temperament , If you do not already have a female dog or if you are looking to mate a breeding bitch to your stud, a good place to look is with a breed-specific kennel club or local breeders.
Some breed-specific rescue organizations may be able to help you find a dam as well.
If you want to register a purebred litter with a kennel club, you may need to have both parents be registered with that club.
Common kennel clubs include the American Kennel Club, United Kennel Club, and The Kennel Club (UK). , Behavior, temperament, physical traits, and certain disorders can be passed down through multiple generations.
You should make sure that not only the dam is healthy and friendly but that her parents are fit as well.
If the dog is registered with a kennel club, you may be able to find her pedigree by contacting the breeder or club.
Knowing the dog’s pedigree will also allow you to make sure that the sire and dam are not closely related.
If they are, inbreeding can cause genetic defects in the puppies.
Do not mate siblings, parents, aunts, or uncles together.
Mating cousins may or may not produce defects.If you know the breeder of the female dog, you can ask them about the dam’s parents, their temperaments, health issues, and strengths., If you know which sire or stud dog you will be using to father the puppies, you should analyze his features as well.
Choose a female dog that will improve upon the father’s weaknesses while passing on her own strong traits.
The same is also true in reverse.
If the female has any weaknesses, such as a thin coat or a short build, you should look for a sire that has a better version of those qualities.If the stud will be a large breed of dog, such as a Great Dane or Mastiff, do not mate him with a small breed, such as a Norwich Terrier or toy breed.
The mother may not be able to carry a litter of large puppies, and you may need to have a cesarean section to remove the puppies. -
Step 3: Contact local kennel clubs or breeders.
-
Step 4: Check the dog’s pedigree.
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Step 5: Choose features that complement the sire.
Detailed Guide
The types of characteristics that you are looking for will depend what breed or purpose you are looking for in the puppies.
Puppies typically inherit temperament, health, and social behaviors from their parents, so it is important to choose a dam carefully.
If you are looking to breed purebreds, you will need to decide if the dog will be a home pet or a working dog.
A working dog will require certain traits, such as athleticism, a keen sense of smell, intelligence, or herding instincts, that a pet will not.
If you are looking to produce hybrid puppies, such as a Cockapoo or Labradoodle, you will need to decide if you want to breed two purebreds, a purebred and a mix, or two mixes.
You may end up with different characteristics depending on your choice.
If you want to train the puppies to be guide or therapy dogs, you may want to look for breeds that are known to be suited for this type of work, such as Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and German Shepherds.
If you are looking for a particular breed of dog, you can research their respective breed standard.
The breed standard is a set of guidelines that describes the physical ideals of that breed.When looking for the breed standard, take in account the dog’s:
General Appearance Size and weight Coat Color Gait Temperament , If you do not already have a female dog or if you are looking to mate a breeding bitch to your stud, a good place to look is with a breed-specific kennel club or local breeders.
Some breed-specific rescue organizations may be able to help you find a dam as well.
If you want to register a purebred litter with a kennel club, you may need to have both parents be registered with that club.
Common kennel clubs include the American Kennel Club, United Kennel Club, and The Kennel Club (UK). , Behavior, temperament, physical traits, and certain disorders can be passed down through multiple generations.
You should make sure that not only the dam is healthy and friendly but that her parents are fit as well.
If the dog is registered with a kennel club, you may be able to find her pedigree by contacting the breeder or club.
Knowing the dog’s pedigree will also allow you to make sure that the sire and dam are not closely related.
If they are, inbreeding can cause genetic defects in the puppies.
Do not mate siblings, parents, aunts, or uncles together.
Mating cousins may or may not produce defects.If you know the breeder of the female dog, you can ask them about the dam’s parents, their temperaments, health issues, and strengths., If you know which sire or stud dog you will be using to father the puppies, you should analyze his features as well.
Choose a female dog that will improve upon the father’s weaknesses while passing on her own strong traits.
The same is also true in reverse.
If the female has any weaknesses, such as a thin coat or a short build, you should look for a sire that has a better version of those qualities.If the stud will be a large breed of dog, such as a Great Dane or Mastiff, do not mate him with a small breed, such as a Norwich Terrier or toy breed.
The mother may not be able to carry a litter of large puppies, and you may need to have a cesarean section to remove the puppies.
About the Author
Danielle Burns
Brings years of experience writing about pet care and related subjects.
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