Studding your dog out

As a stud dog owner the most important goal, above all else, should be to improve the breed.

As a stud dog owner your dog should have the following qualities and you shouldn’t, ethically offer you dog at stud if you cannot satisfy ALL of the following:-

Fertility

You may want to have their fertility tested if they are not already proven.  Proven means that the stud has sired a litter of puppies.  It would be most disappointing, if the dam comes into season just once a year to cover with a dog that has not been proven without knowing the risks – i.e. fertility levels in the stud are not high enough and she does not fall pregnant.  They have a year to wait until you try again.

Appropriate temperament

Dogs have different dispositions and personalities and when choosing two dogs to mate together, both should have a good temperament. The temperament of the potential parents will be a good guide to predicting the temperament of any potential puppies. If a dog shows any suspect temperament, such as aggression, then it should not be bred from.

Health tested

Fully health tested according to the breed for example and not limited to, hips and elbows  and eye scores for Labrador Retrievers as these both have an inherited element.  Know your breed and research which health and DNA tests are appropriate.

Good general health

This goes without saying

Free of defects

For an example an overshot jaw or cryptorchidism.

Proven

If appropriate, has proven themselves in the show ring, working trials, agility etc.  If you want those particular traits to shine through.

Registered

Registered with The Kennel Club, American Kennel Club if appropriate

Free from endorsements

Does not carry any Kennel Club endorsements precluding the registration of any progeny

Responsibilities of the stud dog owner in respect of the bitch

You are not only morally responsible for checking your dog but also the bitch as you will need to satisfy yourselves in respect of the potential match. 

• Is she old enough to breed
• Has she got the appropriate health test and screening scheme results?
• Is the bitch Kennel Club registered with no endorsements?
• Have you checked how related the dogs are using the inbreeding coefficient calculators?
• Has the bitch been bred from before? If so, how many times and were there any complications
• Is she generally healthy?
• Is there any history of health concerns in her pedigree?
• How have previous matings gone?
• Is the owner happy with your stud contract?

The Furrypeeps puppy  app allows you to log the details of the sire (dog) and dam (bitch) so that at the click of a button you can retrieve information.  The app also tracks the whelping process with a full puppy suite.