Advice About Becoming A Registered Breeder?

[haylz]

Hi,

I’ve always loved British Bulldogs and am interested in breeding them in the future. I’ve done a fair bit of research but still have lots of questions. I understand that to become a registered breeder you must become a member of your states dog council (dogsnsw). Register for a prefix and then make sure to buy quality dogs from a reputable breeder. One question I have is do you always start breeding with puppies or can you start with more mature dogs, who have perhaps even had a litter before?

I understand that breeding is a very expensive hobby particularly with Bulldogs. I’m only going into because I’ve always loved dogs and I genuinely want to improve the breed by breeding healthy bulldogs, with a good temperament that meet the breed standard. I am a stay at home mum and so have a lot of time to dedicate to the dogs and puppies.

I feel like this topic would be more suited to the breeders community but you can’t post there until you actually are a breeder but I would love any tips and advice from people that are breeding. Anything you wish you’d known when you started out? I also have more specific questions if there is anyone that breeds British Bulldogs specifically? Also when you approach a breeder to purchase a puppy, I get the impression that most of them don’t want to sell to you unless you have experience and an established breeding program but everyone has to have started somewhere right?

Thanks

[Dogsfevr]

The first to realize is there are already plenty of good breeders out there breeding for the betterment of the breed so you need to decide what will make you better than them.

When we registered our prefix we had shown our dogs for many years before breeding was even considered infact it was the last thought on our mind as there was so much to learn & we wanted to learn all about our breed.line & so much more before we even considered bringing pups into the world

Do you plan to just breed them or show aswell?

Breeding isn't a hobby its a serious commitment that comes with many ups & downs & understanding all the legal aspects that come with selling pups.

Breeders are very careful & i would imagine the good Bulldog breeders are even more careful due to the fact so many people want to breed them "just Because" .It doesn't do the breed any favours just having litters & people buying pups expect more than just a prefix especially in the world of Bulldogs .

It isn't about starting somewhere as such ,when a breeder sells you a main registered pup they also have expectations & being a breeder has many responsibilities & that is something you will learn,not every pup should be breed from .Good ethical breeders already now the hardship in this breed & fully understand what they need to do to head forward but like every breed the bad eggs give the breed a bad rap so breeders take care with what they sell & what people want to do with there pups

[cassie]

Welcome haylz, you ought to be congratulated for wanting to go about things the right way You sound like a sincere and responsible person with the breed's best interests at heart.

Have you owned BBs before? My suggestion would be to find yourself a great mentor (your own breeder perhaps, if you own them) within the breed who can help guide you. It's a good idea to get involved in the show ring, as you can learn so much just by observing. Not just about your own breed but about dogs in general.

You may find it easier to source a show potential male initially, and you can show breeders you are serious by campaigning him. Once you are "known" in the breed it might then be easier to find your foundation bitch.

I've only scratched the surface! I'm sure you will get so much more great advice here. Good luck!

Edited July 29, 2013 by cassie

[haylz]

Thanks for the advice so far. When I say hobby, I didn't mean it in a taking it lightly way, I meant it in a I know there's no money in it way. I am interested in showing too. No I haven't been able to own one before, for the last 13 years I've had one dog and unfortunately she didn't get on with any other pets. I guess my ideal would be too purchase a puppy or two, then show then while learning more about the breed and later down the track breed from them. Although you're probably right that people won't necessarily trust me with a breed quality dog.

[cassie]

Start with one puppy, two at once can be a nightmare, especially if you're only used to having one dog. If you haven't owned the breed before I don't think a reputable breeder will be willing to part with a quality female, like I said before you'd probably have a better chance obtaining a show potential male first. Do your time in the breed, show and prove you are serious. (I'm talking several years.) Your first dog may turn out to be no good (happens a lot) and is not suitable for breeding. Just something you have to deal with! Don't breed just anything to get started.

I don't mean to sound rude at all, but if you haven't lived with the breed before are you even sure you like them enough to breed them? There's so many breeds I LOVE but could never live with. And bulldogs are certainly not an easy to breed kind of dog.

[cassie]

Just want to say - I am not a breeder. I'm sort of in the same boat as you actually. I currently have a male pup of my chosen breed and am showing him. I have made lots of contacts in my breed and have owned them now for six years. I consider myself a complete novice but am learning and studying and researching all the time. I adore my breed. I am in two minds as to whether I am cut out for breeding or not - one day in the far away future. At the moment I'm leaning towards no.

[haylz]

I see, I have spent a lot of time around them before so am fairly confident but I could always change my mind, that's why it's something I'm looking at doing in the future as opposed to immediately. Really? last time(which was 13 years ago haha) I bought a dog, I regretted not getting two so much and I know heaps of people with more than one dog that get on really well and enjoy having the companionship with each other. I haven't taken it rudely at all, it's all very interesting and I'm sure lots of people have very different but still very valid views.

[Zereuloh]

I see, I have spent a lot of time around them before so am fairly confident but I could always change my mind, that's why it's something I'm looking at doing in the future as opposed to immediately. Really? last time(which was 13 years ago haha) I bought a dog, I regretted not getting two so much and I know heaps of people with more than one dog that get on really well and enjoy having the companionship with each other. I haven't taken it rudely at all, it's all very interesting and I'm sure lots of people have very different but still very valid views.

One of the potential problems with getting two puppies at the same time is rivalry between the two (especially if they're male litter mates), and the other issue that they'll bond with each other and not you. Most breeders I've come across certainly won't sell two puppies to one person at the same time. Its often better to space them out by one or two years.

Edited July 29, 2013 by Zereuloh

[haylz]

Okay now that I think about it, most people I know have dogs that are different ages and I wouldn't want two from the same litter anyway. I still would like to get two puppies though just space it out a bit.

[cassie]

I have two dogs and I love having two. I just wouldn't get two puppies at the same time, same litter or not.

[persephone]

..and ,if you have two puppies , and neither of them are good enough to be part of any decent breeding program , that would be very disappointing . There is no guarantee of a pup being suitable , unfortunately ,

[Christina]

Your last sentence says the hardest part. Getting a prefix & registering is the easy part.

Unfortunately when starting out the people you don't want puppies from are the ones most willing to sell to you & the other way around.

Another option is to try & lease a bitch from a breeder that is interested in a litter from the girl but has too many dogs to keep her. However this can be a minefield of disasters & you must get all the advice possible on the terms of the lease, if they are reasonable, does it cover everything & is everything in writing.

However it would give you a good idea of what it is like to breed a litter & all that is involved before you take the final step. Bulldogs are not the easiest dogs to breed by any means. Also it can often happen that the best bred dog with all the champions in its pedigree may not be the best breeder. Some just aren't. I have found this so much with my siamese & balinese cats especially. My view is that if an animal does not get pregnant easily & does not give birth easily then I do not breed from it again. However many breeders may disagree with that.

Your heart is in the right place & you obviously want to do things properly so good luck.

Some people start off just lucky & it all goes well. Others have a harder time despite going about it all the right way. Hope you are lucky.

[Salukifan]

Read Read Read. Everything you can find on your breed of choice and breeding.

Visit a few dog shows.

Join your State breed club if you have one.

Buy a Main Register DOG of the lines you are interested in, show him and get to know the ropes of the purebred fancy and breeders of your breed. Wait a couple of years and then try for a female - the best you can buy to be your foundation bitch. When the time comes to mate her, follow the advice of her breeder and any other mentor you have and mate her to the best, most compatible dog you can find. My guess is you won't own him.

Serving an "apprenticeship" in your breed lets people get to know you. It takes a fair bit of trust to sell a really good bitch into a future breeders home and going in cold you are unlikely to get what you want. My guess is a few years in, what you want is going to be fairly different to what you thought you did initially anyway.

And stay here. There are a wealth of information and contacts to be made here and there are breeders here who joined as pet dog owners who have now produced their own litters.

Edited July 29, 2013 by Haredown Whippets

[Podengo]

Read Read Read. Everything you can find on your breed of choice and breeding.

Visit a few dog shows.

Join your State breed club if you have one.

Buy a Main Register DOG of the lines you are interested in, show him and get to know the ropes of the purebred fancy and breeders of your breed. Wait a couple of years and then try for a female - the best you can buy to be your foundation bitch. When the time comes to mate her, follow the advice of her breeder and any other mentor you have and mate her to the best, most compatible dog you can find. My guess is you won't own him.

Serving an "apprenticeship" in your breed lets people get to know you. It takes a fair bit of trust to sell a really good bitch into a future breeders home and going in cold you are unlikely to get what you want. My guess is a few years in, what you want is going to be fairly different to what you thought you did initially anyway.

And stay here. There are a wealth of information and contacts to be made here and there are breeders here who joined as pet dog owners who have now produced their own litters.

All great advice

[haylz]

Very helpful advice! Thanks a lot :) .

[Dogsfevr]

You say you want 2 are look looking at same sex??

What will be your plan with a male/female & in season??

If you buy 2 would they be your breeding pair & when you breed are you planning to keep to breed on with?

What are you council restrictions on numbers & breeding permits??

These are all things you need to work with first as well.

I would suggest you forgot about breeding as such until you have actually ventured into the world of truly understanding the breed .

Being around them & then understanding then enough to breed sound dogs for the betterment is very different.

I have been involved with my heart breeds for over 20 yrs now & yet to breed them because there are already awesome breeders out there doing an amazing job & i support them by owning & showing there efforts & when i do decide to breed them i will have a wealth of knowledge to support me.

Join the Bulldog club in your state ,go & attend shows & understand the breed standard back to front & inside out & the only way to do this is to see dogs regularly & have good mentors that will tell you what makes each dog good & what its faults are & what lines to avoid ,embrace .

A BB will tell you about the 24 hr commitment with raising a litter for the first few weeks learn all about the bad side espicailly if you have kids & want them involved they also need to understand the things that can go wrong including losing there pet whilst whelping .

We get emails weekly from people saying we want a litter so the kids can experience pups but often no one has considered the worse case scenario on kids aswell if it goes wrong .Puppy raising isn't always that joyful experience people think * many foret that your social life goes out the window when pups are on the ground .

So my suggestion is after hearing about all the what can go wrong & you still feel you wish to head down the path do so with good mentors & make sure you do do right by the breed.As you would be aware they are on a special list in the UK which has been a nightmare for the breed & breeders here are very careful to avoid the same path & sadly BB are one of the worst breed for scammers & people breeding them due to the high prices they can fetch & the breed then suffers .

[haylz]

I was actually planning on getting two females, that way I wouldn’t have to worry about any accidental matting’s and if I did decide to breed them I would look for the best quality studs I could find. My council requires you to register dogs and provide proof that you are a registered breeder.

This is something I want to do, not something I’m doing for my kids although I definitely want them to grow up with dogs in the house. They are far to young to understand breeding/death/sickness or anything similar.

I will join the British Bulldog club of NSW and I see they have a show in September so I’ll definitely go to that and have a chat to some breeders. I also think I might email some of the bulldog breeders listed on this site just to have a chat. I definitely need to spend time learning more about the breed but hopefully I won’t need 20 years. I’m sure that the more I learn the more I will realise I still need to learn but I don’t think that we’ll stop me as there’s so many things I won’t fully understand till I start. Even wonderful breeders were once first timer’s just starting out.

I do understand things go wrong, I understand Bulldogs particularly can have lots of problems; they pretty much always need c-sections and are often not attentive mothers. I don’t think I am naïve as to what to expect, even just owning a pet dog can be hard, they can get sick and eventually pass away. There are sad and hard parts but in the end I think the rewards out way the drawbacks. Also I understand puppies are a 24 hour commitment but I also have a supportive partner who loves bulldogs too so it’s not like all responsibilities fall upon myself.

I hope I don’t sound defensive; I’m just trying to answer your questions and address concerns. This is something I still have to do a lot of research into but not a decision I’ve made on a whim. It’s something I’m passionate about and have been considering for a number of years. I’m just finally getting to the point in my life where I’m financially capable and have the right home environment :).

[persephone]

Haylz ..

have a read of some of these posts - about having bitches together :)

LINK

LINK

[dotdashdot]

I've recently headed down this path myself - this is my story -

I've always been interested in Dalmatians, but never had one until 2 years ago when my husband and I found a little girl on DOL after her show home had fallen through (we shared a birthday, I saw that as a sign and went ahead with her). Prior to this, I did 6 months hard core research on dallies and had made contact with a breeder (different to the breeder of my girl). I had no intention to show or breed, I just wanted a little spotty friend.

Then I got her. I loved her and I thought, if she was destined for a show home anyway, I could show her and learn the ropes. The breeder agreed to me showing her (we are a few states apart). So I went along to a show, made my first contact with another dally shower and then....I let the original breeder I had made contact with that I had a different puppy (the litter was delayed for several reasons) and we started a dialogue and she's now one of my greatest friends and my breed mentor.

Long story short - my girl is desexed through no fault of her own. I just felt that it wasn't fair to her to keep her entire if I wasn't 100% ready to breed. I show her in neuter classes and I now know the breed and different lines very well, have several contacts in the breed, and know EXACTLY where my breeding goals lay.

I'm getting my foundation dog or bitch next year, depending on how many nice bitches are in the litter of my breed mentor (I'm finally getting one of her puppies!) so overall the journey to start my kennel will have taken about 4 years.

I already have a prefix, I wanted a certain name before anyone else may have but I missed out on it anyway but I have a prefix to my name which is one less thing to think about down the track.

So, my story is slightly less orthodox with starting with a bitch that a breeder happily let me show as I wished, but this is not her first breed and I got the slight feeling that she didn't care what I did.

My breed mentor though is invaluable, with her help, I taught myself how to show my dog, sending her tons of emails and photos.

Sorry for the novel!

[kelpiecuddles]

Hi Haylz. I am also not a breeder but it's something I might consider in the future but thought you might be interested in the path I am following. I currently have a basset hound and a kelpie, my basset is from excellent lines but was purchased 5 years ago as a pet rather than a show prospect, as such she is desexed and i have no intention of showing her but she has made my mind up that this is a breed I do love. Currently I have been in discussions with a registered breeder and have arranged to take on one of her older neutered girls, she is currently being shown in neuter clas, doing well and I will take over showing her as her new owner. This will make both my bassets around the five year old mark currently. By the time Angelica is getting too old to be in the show scene any more I should hopefully be getting myself a bit more well known around the show circuit, getting to know a few of the breeders and showing that I am serious about the breed and commited to it long term. I'm going to keep an eye on the dogs around me while i am showing and get to know the lines and decide which ones I like and for what reasons. By the time my girls are getting quite elderly I will have started discussing with my chosen breeders what i am after and why and put my name on waiting lists. Then by the time my old girls are sadly no longer with me my pups should be heading towards an age where I can plan my first mating.

Hope that helps some, sounds a little bit confused probably but I hope my theory is pretty good anyway. :)