3 Bitches? Opinions Please

[becks]

being new to the breeding side, I think I woul bring in a bitch and then I can use my knowledge and mentors to chose a suitable stud for her from Aus, simply so it can all be that bit more hands on about chosing a suitable stud to match the bitch; it is a lot harder to look at studs when they are in a different country and you are just going by photos or video.

The other thing with a bitch, you can have a few tries with different sires or even do a dual sire mating, so I think your options are more open then just importing semen from one dog

I have imported a male and 2 bitches and all has gone OK with them - the first bitch was a little overawd about being part of my pack and is much happier now she lives elsewhere

Just want to clarify that Im not importing a dog. As much as i would love to. What I was saying (and I think I didn't explain real well) was that I want to import LUA semen, use it over an aussie bitch and hopefully end up with a LUA bitch to start my kennel with. All of that would be up to chance, as a LUA/HUA mating would result in a 50:50 LUA/HUA split and then the male/female issue. As such, it would be a few years away yet!

yes, that is why I suggested you bring in a bitch instead, then you can cut out that first generation of risk and start off with a LUA foundation bitch who you can breed to the best available male.

[BJean]

this

having said that, most breeders have more than a bitch or two. Breed plays a big part and those more expereinced with Dally's should be able to tell you more about managing a pack of them

and this

Any time you have more than one or two dogs you get into a space where you often need to 'manage' dogs a bit differently as pack dynamics come into play a bit more readily and complexly (is that a word? Well you know what I mean lol!) this means knowing your dogs and being aware of how they interact and being proactive in how you manage that. Entire dogs do add another level as you have the influence of hormones. Truth is, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. what is important is that you are prepared to manage the relationships that develop. Being able to separate dogs is something that breeders generally need to be able to do. Puppies from adults, bitches in season or in whelp, dogs from bitches, adults that don't get on, young from old. There are lots of situations where separation becomes a good management tool. You may do fine and be able to have them all together most of the time. Right now I can do that (though do have separate runs for them when I am out - as a rule I leave no more than two adults together when unsupervised ) in the past I had bitches who couldn't be together and crates and baby gates as well as separate runs were helpful. It was stressful at times and you do have to develop a good routine and safety protocols but you can work it when it becomes a necessity. A good setup and system is paramount. Truth is, no one will tell you if your bitches will get on. You may never have a problem. But it is good you are thinking about it so you are prepared and can manage it if you do.

WRT what to import first:

import what is in your heart to import.

why? because lives change and you may never have progeny from what you import.

Also I dont think AI and cesarians are the best way to start the breeding life of a bitch. Frozen import semen is not a stud dog until it exists as puppies on the ground that you bred. Import semen is a gamble.

Breeding can get so technical of what matches here and what doesn't and then when it comes to import all and sundry have an opinion, makes it so complicated you can lose track of the why. You're not changing the world or a breed, you are doing what you think is best in one instance. I wouldn't have said this a few years ago, but dont take the breeding import thing so seriously. The breed is not on your shoulders, only your dogs and your happiness. Import and breed what you like. Good luck :)

ps: At a show yesterday, the CC line up for Dalmations caught my eye.

And I thought, don't they look magnificent! :) and then later a shihtzu was paraded for BIG (I think). Another fantastic pedigree tribute to dogs. Anyway point is, I'm sure there was lots of technical analysis and opinions behind their exhibition and creation, but it is the quiet marvels, the appreciation of a breed that keeps it going. As a breeder, you may *think* you can control this or have more of an important role than you do. but you don't. The breed is always in the hands and eyes of others.

Edited January 1, 2013 by lilli

[dotdashdot]

Unfortunately importing a dog just isn't an option at this point in time. I would love to, and Im aware that it gives you more options but there are a group of us who chatted about this (and who've imported semen before) and this is what's going ahead.

Down the track, one of us may import a dog, to add to the LUA gene pool but at this stage, just trying to get the gene established in the Australian population is our first goal and I guess we've just got to take the risks associated with importing semen.

[Rebanne]

Unfortunately importing a dog just isn't an option at this point in time. I would love to, and Im aware that it gives you more options but there are a group of us who chatted about this (and who've imported semen before) and this is what's going ahead.

Down the track, one of us may import a dog, to add to the LUA gene pool but at this stage, just trying to get the gene established in the Australian population is our first goal and I guess we've just got to take the risks associated with importing semen.

There are risks with importing a dog too. There was a thread a short while ago in the Breeders forum about dogs being bought out who proved sterile even though they had pups/were tested in their home country. Not good to lose money either way but $5000 on dud FS is cheaper then $15000 for a dud dog. OS breeders often send more then one breeding unit over anyway in case of a miss, it's something you can negotiate at the time.

[dotdashdot]

Unfortunately importing a dog just isn't an option at this point in time. I would love to, and Im aware that it gives you more options but there are a group of us who chatted about this (and who've imported semen before) and this is what's going ahead.

Down the track, one of us may import a dog, to add to the LUA gene pool but at this stage, just trying to get the gene established in the Australian population is our first goal and I guess we've just got to take the risks associated with importing semen.

There are risks with importing a dog too. There was a thread a short while ago in the Breeders forum about dogs being bought out who proved sterile even though they had pups/were tested in their home country. Not good to lose money either way but $5000 on dud FS is cheaper then $15000 for a dud dog. OS breeders often send more then one breeding unit over anyway in case of a miss, it's something you can negotiate at the time.

And I had read that thread too. I believe that it would be best if we had more than one unit sent over, and I think that's what will happen.

[lilyandjazz]

I have 3 entire sheltie bitches who never have a cross word between them and live together and do everything together.

Fingers crossed everything works out for you.