How do you become a dog breeder?

Getting Started as a Responsible Breeder

The AKC welcomes responsible breeders to the world of purebred dogs. Breeding involves art, science and total devotion. It will show you the best in the human-canine bond ... and the result of absolute commitment by responsible breeders. What are the hallmarks of a truly responsible breeder?

A Responsible Breeder is Always a Student

Responsible breeders seek to improve their breeds with every litter. To reach this goal, they must devote hours to continually learning as much as they can about their breeds, including health and genetic concerns, temperament, appearance and type. They also need to know about general dog behavior, training and health care. In short, they become canine experts.

How can you acquire this expertise?

Become involved with Dog Clubs

Each AKC-recognized breed has a national club (or "parent" club), and there are thousands of local clubs devoted to individual breeds. (Local clubs are also called "specialty" clubs.) There are thousands of other clubs across the country, including all-breed clubs and clubs devoted to obedience, tracking or performance events. Most clubs sponsor educational programs and events that will help you increase your knowledge. For lists of parent clubs and specialty clubs in your area, please visit our club search page.

Attend Dog Events

Dog shows, obedience trials and performance events provide the opportunity to observe purebreds in action. You can learn about different lines by viewing real dogs and studying the pedigrees of those you like. Many people competing at dog shows are experienced breeders. Others are interested in the sport as a hobby. Attending shows can give you the chance to meet and learn from these experts.

Read, Read, Read!

There are many books, magazines and websites available about every aspect of the dog experience. There are books devoted to individual breeds, groups of breeds, breeding and whelping, genetics, behavior and training and many more topics. The AKC publishes books such as The Complete Dog Book and Dog Care and Training, along with numerous videos.

The AKC Gazette, which is published monthly, features breed-specific columns and articles on topics ranging from judging and evaluating breeding stock to training issues. Most parent clubs produce periodic publications, as do many local clubs.

Responsible breeders are familiar with AKC rules and regulations concerning the sale and registration of AKC-registrable dogs. Before you breed your dog, you should contact the AKC to verify that you have all the correct paperwork, understand how to register a litter, and are able to provide proper documentation to your buyers. To request AKC rules and regulations or order AKC publications, contact AKC Customer Service.

A Responsible Breeder Nurtures the Puppies

Preparing for puppies means building a proper nursery. A whelping box must be dry, very warm and draft-free. It should be big enough for the dam to be able to move about freely with sides that will safely contain the puppies.

The dam normally takes care of the puppies' needs the first few weeks of their lives. Of course, you should be prepared for unusual but serious situations, such as a dam with no milk or an orphaned litter. You will also need to provide additional food and water for the dam while she is nursing the puppies.

Once the puppies are weaned, they become much more active and require lots more work. You will need to oversee feeding to ensure each puppy gets adequate food. You will need to keep the towels or shredded newspaper lining the whelping box clean. The puppies will need their first round of shots, they may need grooming and they will definitely need plenty of playtime and opportunities for getting used to being around people. You may even want to start working with them on basic obedience commands to ease their transition to their new homes.

refer

http://classic.akc.org/breeders/resp_breeding/Arti...

First you get a good quality purebred from a responsible breeder that you've found by going to some dog shows and talking to people there. This person will become your breed mentor (assuming you've chosen wisely).

Then you show the dog you've gotten hopefully to its championship and also hopefully you've gotten at least one performance title such as basic obedience (CD, Companion Dog) or, if appropriate, a title such as HT (Herding Tested) for herding breeds. This first dog is highly unlikely to be a breeding prospect. This is the dog you would learn the ropes of the show world and become known with. Most likely this first dog would be a male. IF it does earn a championship or has excellent qualities your mentor MAY use him as a stud at least once. And possibly offer you one of the pick bi*ch puppies. This young puppy may or may not turn out as expected. Puppies are always an unknown but it will be a show prospect.

If the puppy lives up to it's potential she may eventually become your foundation b*tch. Then you spend years learning all the time and carefully selecting future prospects keeping the best ones and selling others to show and pet homes. If you're a responsible breeder you take the time and spend the money for all genetic testing appropriate for your chosen breed; you have all breeding stock tested and vet checked; you have spay/neuter contracts; feed the best food you can; and are prepared for the inevitable times of heart break when you lose an entire litter or a beloved b*tch.

The right motivation is number one. Why does someone want to breed?

I got in to breeding by first getting involved with obedience work. I fell in love with the Miniature Schnauzer breed but didn't like what I saw being produced in my area. They were hyper and barked all the time. They didn't look at all like the ones I was seeing in the show ring. I started going to conformation dog shows, as many as I could to see the breed and meet breeders and talk about this very attractive breed. I found several breeders willing to spend time showing me how to groom, show, and how to understand what I was looking at when I saw a dog I liked. I got the AKC booklet on showing, read the rules, and took some conformation classes. My breeding program was set up to breed healthy puppies free of the kidney and bladder stone problems so inherent in the breed back in the 70s. I tracked my pups, was verycareful who I sold them to, and can proudly say that I never saw a genetic health problem happen in any pup that came from my kennel.

One of the breeders called me and offered me a beautiful black and silver puppy which I had shipped to me. She was the beginning of my kennel and for 20 years I was very involved in showing and breeding black and silver and black Miniature Schnauzers. From there I went on to Shetland Sheepdogs because I got more interested in obedience than conformation. Shelties seemed lots easier to work with and the rest is history.

You would find a breed mentor in your chosen Breed of dog and study with them for a few years .

You would then Look at reputable breeders and get a Show prospect Puppy .You would work along side your Breed mentor ,when getting this puppy and she will be able to guide you through the showing process.

You would then show your dog .you would attend various shows and your dog would work its way up and get its championships and Titles.

Once this has been achieved it shows your dog is a good Standard of the Breed.

Again your breed mentor will be able to go throng all the testing that is required which would be temperament health and Genetic testing.

This will be costly but its required to be able to Breed .

if all this is successful then along side your breed mentor you may be able to start breeding ,But its a lengthy process .

Your breed mentor is your guide through everything .

Don't breed. There are millions of dogs that need homes. But if you aren't going to breed, get a male and a female together, of course both sexually mature. Make sure the female is in heat, and don't force anything, let nature work.

You need to get some trainings

I think you can just start breeding whenever. You don't need to be specially qualified for it!