Check out these articles on dog breeding issues and related topics.

• Being responsible in breeding pets - most dogs are created by people who breed just once. Most dogs killed in shelters come from "just once" breeders. The problem isn't the breeding. The problem is that caring isn't enough, it takes knowledge.

• How to get started as a dog breeder - what kind of breeder do you want to be - and what does it take to be that kind of breeder? The term "backyard breeder" has nothing to do with backyards - it is just a shortcut name for a careless or clueless breeder. That would be someone without the knowledge or concern to breed for good health and permanent placement. Can you do better?

• Thinking About Breeding Your Wonderful Dog? - you have a great dog and you love your dog. You have people wanting puppies. You want another just like your own dog. Now are you ready to learn what it takes to do what is best for the dogs?

• Dog Breeder's Worksheet - Preparing for Breeding Your Favorite Pet Dog - this is not a worksheet that tells you what you should do. It is a worksheet to help you think about your options and the reasons for your choices.

• Thoughts on Responsible Breeding - here I outline my opinion on responsible breeding. I wrote it mostly because it never even occurred to me that one could do these things. Once I learned that people actually do those things I began to understand that all breeding wasn't bad. You can breed and do right by dogs.

• Breeder's Codes of Ethics Links - simply a collection of links to the codes of ethics for almost every USA breed and even beyond. Many of the codes of ethics have become more specific and detailed in the years since I began this collection.

• Breed health issues - a collection of links to sites that do more than simply list potential health issues. The purpose of this collection is to provide resources where you can get more specific information on breed related health issues.

• A quick note on inbreeding - is inbreeding bad?

• What age can I breed my dog?

• Brucellosis - don't even think about breeding if you don't know about brucellosis.

• What is an AKC Purebred? - what does AKC registration tell you about the quality of the dog?

• Checklist for the Responsible Breeder - enough of generalities. If you are looking for specific steps to take in your journey to responsible breeding here are more thoughts than anyone can accomplish in a lifetime.

• Reading your puppy guarantee - if you are breeding you also need to think like a buyer.

• California's Puppy Lemon Law - better know the law before you breed. This law may only cover California but other states and countries have similar laws. What about yours?

• Lousy Puppy Ads on Usenet - what you write in a puppy advertisement reveals much about what you know about breeding. If the very best thing you can think of to put in an advertisement is the color and sex of the puppies you haven't done a good job of breeding.

• Dog Breeders - what is a backyard breeder? Is a professional breeder better than a hobby breeder? are all puppy mill breeders raising dogs in filthy conditions? What do all these terms mean?

• Breeding and Genetics Resources - get good books and videos to understand the how to breed for good health, how to safely mate and whelp, understanding risks before you take them.

• What is a hobby breeder - a guest article describing the steps a hobby breeder takes in breeding and placement.

• If They Can Do it Why Can't We? - a guest article describing attendence at the 18th Spring Educational Seminar and Meeting of the Missouri Pet Breeders Association

• Breeding and the Fallacy of Demonizing the Breeder - responsible breeding is the goal, but no breeding means the end to our relationships with our pets. We need smarter breeding, not no breeding.

• Use this guide to obtain a quality puppy from a responsible breeder - a guest article presenting a comparison between a good breeder and a casual breeder (backyard breeder).

Genetics and Breeding Books

From Dogwise

Structure In Action - The Makings Of A Durable Dog by Pat Hastings with Wendy E. Wallace, DVM cVA and Erin Rouse
Control Of Canine Genetic Diseases by George Padgett
Canine Reproduction And Whelping - A Dog Breeder's Guide by Myra Savant-Harris
Canine Reproduction by Phyllis Holst
Genetics And The Social Behavior Of The Dog by John Paul Scott & John L. Fuller
Dogsteps - What To Look For In A Dog Dvd by Rachel Page Elliott

More breeding books and videos.

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Note: The opinions and descriptions expressed above are those of the author and are not necessarily endorsed by any other organization.

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Copyright © 1998-2003, Diane Blackman
Created: May 11, 1999
Updated April 1, 2014