please help me to reassure husband - Page 1

So, here's the thing, He loves our animals but is not an "animal person".  He indulges them and isn't really savvy about breeding requirements, etc..  To put it bluntly-he knows even less than me.  I told him I don't want to breed because I have been advised our girl's pedigree isn't stellar, conformation may not be great (I can't stack so that one's iffy from pics), but mostly I couldn't sleep worrying about the pups. It would be like putting your kid in foster care and not knowing about the care they receive. Or if they are sold from original owners. Just a million possiblilities that would torture me.

So, he agreed to the spay but is seeming to waiver because he thinks she is so great, he thinks her pedigree is better than it is (as did I until recently), she would be a great mom, et c.. Please don't jump on him because of this, he just hasn't taken the time to inform himself because the dogs are basically my thing. I think he may think I'm mistaken in this decision and it's permant if I am. It's scheduled for Tues..

Please can I get comments on the experienced breeders here. One person has given me advice in some of this and that seemed to help allay his fears somewhat.  But, I would sure appreciate more comment that would put this to rest.  If it helps, here is her parents Indira vom Zellwaldrand and Packo von Fuermelder.

Thanks,

Dawg

Uh, ok, not is the fostercare kids were sold by original owners but, you know, the pups.

Also, make that comments from experienced breeders not comments on experienced breeders.

dawg

allabout, I'm in the same boat as you right now. Have a male and female I was thinking about breeding, but would worry about the fate of the pups like my own kids. Saw a gut wrenching picture last night of a dog that starved to death tied to a tree. (The people moved and just left it there to die, tied to a tree.) I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I had been the one who bred/sold that puppy. I will provide the link if you want, but it isn't pretty. Might help you stick with your decision to have your female spayed. Sue

Remind hubby that dog breeding isn't 100% safe, whelping isn't foolproof, there's so much risk there just for your own girl. The possibility of losing your dog or losing the puppies is a very real one. ANY thing can happen. And you know every fool who wants to make a buck will let pups be born out in the freezing weather with no supervision or assistance are the ones that won't have one problem *sigh* Murphy's law I guess :) Also, most people don't know the breeding/whelping history behind the parents of their dogs. That's a warning sign right there that many folks overlook or didn't ask or didn't know about. I do believe there is a genetic component in breeding problems. Not to mention the flooded market of GSDs - you'd be shortchanging those pups' futures right off the bat if the pedigree behind them isn't good enough on paper for them to be marketable among the working and show people (even for a pet quality pup). The kind of people who'd buy out of the newspaper probably aren't going to give a rat's behind about the lineage behind this pup, health clearances on the parents, titles, temperment or any proof of them being breedworthy - they just want a pup for the right price. And if you're lucky enough to find decent buyers, then you have to worry about them leaving...worrying about the type of training and rearing those pups will receive, the nutrition they'll get, hopefully they won't be kept fat like walking coffee tables, etc. A good breeder/owner/person never stops thinking about the pups they put out there in the world. And then the icing on the cake is not knowing your dogs' lines inside and out - the health or temperment problems you can't easily uncover, surprises that pop out in the puppies, sometimes the breeding just doesn't click and you can have all sorts of stuff happen. Genetics can have a really sick sense of humor! It takes a tough person to be a breeder, tough and also extremely insightful and sensitive.

If you have GSD rescues near you, take him to have a good hard look at what ends up where. I would also show him some of the rescue sites on the net, some have a lot of dogs with very sad tales.

sorry, this may be inappropriate, but when i glanced at the New Topic column, this is how i read it........ Please help me to reassure husband...keep your eye on the ball!!! just made me chuckle

Allabut, I can help you with this one. I have been a German shepard expert for many years. My great grandfather died in the second world war by falling out of the guard tower - he and his shepard. What do people want in a dog? Papers? Can you TRAIN papers? NO. It's like picking a spouse - moderate attractiveness, will stick close to home, willing to work and will not bite unless bitten first. My job is breeding. This is what I do. It has allowed me to quit my job at Dunder Mifflin and I am raking in a solid 19 GRAND a year (tax free). Last year, I bred my German shepard (IPO3, SCH3, RBB4) with my sister's first spouse's Sheba Inu - I would show you pictures, but I've since been banned from ImageStation since the last "incident" with the trash "compactor". I also have a whippet/rotty mix if you're interested in breeding your shepard. Good luck.

I'm still looking for that panda, rpaulson. Ya got any?

If all persuasions fail, then suggest you warn him that he is going to be looking after the puppies.. It is hell lot of work and I am sure once he has gone through it once, he wouldn't want to do it again.

Remind him of the cost. Call your vet, get cost of the PROPER way to raise a litter and the cost involved, put it all on paper for him. Let's just assume the average litter is 6 pups. And lord forbid if any unexpected complications come up!!! Then you have the feed bills, then registrations, then advertising of said litter... once it is all in black and white in front of him, he might just change his mind!