Breeding my female - Page 1

I'm going to start off saying that I am a complete amateur with all of this, but I'm doing the best I can at learning.

I'm thinking of breeding my female either late this year or maybe next, but I would like some opinions before I begin taking steps. I haven't had her hips and elbows certified yet, but thats the next step if I decide to proceed. What I'm looking for is complete and honest opinions on her line and if it would be "good" for the breed to have a litter with the "right" male that best compliments her lines.
 

I'm sure I sound like a complete idiot and I apologize, I would rather continue a successful line as opposed to doing harm. Bella has incredible drive, eager to learn and at times is quite stubborn.

Anyway, any thoughts about breeding this particular GSD would be very helpful to me and I appreciate it.

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/german_shepherd_dog/dog.html?id=2159188-bella-starke-frauen

Where are you located??  Nice pedigree if the female lives up to it then why not??  Does she have any issues or physical problems and do you know how her siblings are doing healthwise???  Don't listen to the you must title her first crowd as they will be crying soon.  

I'm in SW Indiana. She's in perfect health and the few siblings I know of (2 different litters) are doing well and haven't heard of any issues. I began to train her for SCH, but I don't have the time anymore with work. Lots of mandatory OT. I wish I did have the time or I would most def title her..

Yes, bubba, I´m crying... 

The probability, that this female is okay temperament wise, may be higher than the probability out of a female bred out of backyard dogs.
But that´s it - not more, not less.
Even in a litter out of the best parents you will find pups that are NOT breedworthy - a pedigree is able to show a tendency, but it´s not able to show REALTY.

And, let´s be honest, a lot of breeders who are not participating in any kind of dog sport ( for me this means : some kind of obedience, tracking, and bitework involved ) don´t even know what they are talking about, when they mention hardness, drives, and courage of their dogs 

A lot of people wear rose-colored glasses, and a lot of people simply are kennel-blind.

JElliot, you may have a real good female, go out and let people have the possibility to see her during training, maybe trialing.
If she is a good one, there is nothing to loose, if she is not as good as you expect her to be, be glad, that you become aware of this BEFORE breeding and not afterwards.

Kind regards

Just read your last post, sorry.

Even with not that much time you are able to title a dog, you are not in a hurry, one year, two years, who cares? - and let´s be honest, breeding and raising pups, if made properly, is VERY time consuming.

No matter how hard you try...Breeding is still a Guessing Game...Meaning that you never really know what you're going to get until you get it...Even a repeat breeding can produce something totally different then the first...

You do your best to find out what you might produce...Which is ALWAYS a good idea...

You have a nice female...per her pedigree...What she's like in person can be different...

When you breed you try to compliment each dog...Which usually means to breed opposites...

~Bob~

Susie,

She has some training.. I worked worked with my vet (Who has Mals and titles and does very well at trials) and his input as far as far as bite-work and drive is a favorable one. She had a very full bite on day one, her obedience is basic, but shes quick to respond. As far as courage, loud noises, new people and new animals don't frighten her. Loud noises don't gain much more than a look and some curiosity.

Again, I don' thave anywhere near the knowledge any of you have, I'm still learning every day. But it was a thought in my mind that pops up. I truly wish I had the time to work with her more.

JElliott, glad to hear you did some foundation work with her, but it´s not that easy.
I have seen hundreds of dogs doing well during foundation work, but a lot of them do fall apart as soon as they have to overcome pressure.

That said, almost any dog ( trained well ) is able to bite a sleeve, and any dog is able to sit, down, stay, but not every dog is able to work under pressure.
Working ability is a totality of willingness to work, endurance ( mentally and physically ) and several drives.

As long as your dog doesn´t need to work under pressure you are not able to see the real weaknesses of your dog.
Your female is out of a long line of good dogs, give her the chance to proof her heritage.

I am not a breeder, but, I often wonder and I am wondering now, what would be the reason behind this breeding? I am not one to believe in titles, IF you are an experienced person and can tell what a dog offers, REALISTICALLY, but, since you are not, you have no way to tell what your dog is really like. If you have a litter, lets say its the best litter ever, with your admitted lack of time and experience, who will spend the time with the puppies to make sure they get the exposure and early imprinting they need and MUST have?

6-8 puppies is A LOT of work, I have seen several friends who breed do it and I would never want to try it. Do you have the time, space and resources to raise that litter?

Please dont get me wrong, if you decide to breed or not, its your business and no one else's, I am simply bringing up some things that you may not have thought of.

Breed whatever you want, most people will anyway.  But there should be a 10 year minimum moratorium on breeding.  If you don't have the time to train and really know your dog, you shouldn't be breeding.  If you're new, you don't know enough to even know you don't know enough.  Take 10 years and get to know dogs, then try and make breeding decisions.  I can promise that 9 times out of 10 you'll have better dogs later than the one you have right now and if you don't, then you're doing it all wrong anyway and shouldn't consider breeding again.