# A note about breeding



## serina48723 (Jun 11, 2006)

I have recently been reading post about breeding. I would like to state that not every Chi is capable of doing so. Being a second generation breeder, and watching my daddy deliver our puppies gave me a lot of experience in Chihuahua's. Here are some of the pointers and some no no's about breeding.

1 If your female is not over 5 pounds, but doesn't exceed 6 which is the breed standard, do not breed. Also make sure that the pelvic area is large enough to even birth puppies, even if they meet the size requirement. 

2 If the dog doesn't have their ears up and erect, I wouldn't recommend breeding. 

3 If there are any congenital defects, the dog should definately not be breed.

4 You have to be willing to assist the Chihuahua's if needed in delivery. Chi's are known for c-sections, so sometimes you must step in. On that note I am home all day (I work in the home making sugar glider supplies, hense my website), my dogs are in my home, they are family, and are all born in my bedroom, where I can keep a watchful eye on them.

5 Another reason to be there for delivery: To count placentas and make sure that they are all accounted for. If not you risk a serious infection.

6 One should be knowledgeble about the breed. If not you shouldn't be breeding, or out for a quick buck.

7 One has the right to see the parents, be able to go in the home, look at the living conditions and the puppies if still around. Any breeder that doesn't it out to hide something, at which point WALK AWAY.

8 A good breeder, like myself will admit that we are not perfect, and try our best to produce the best and closest standard for the breed. With that note we look at genetics, disposition of the parents, and if the puppies made by the sire and dam do not make puppies within the standard you must be willing to either fix the dog in question, and/or keep the dog, or adopt it out to a good home. 

9 One has to have a source of heat for the puppies in the first 2 weeks of life, as Chi's can not maintain there own body heat.

10 You must be willing to suppliment if needed, and watch the puppies closely to look for signs of distress, and take immediate action. Though I have never had any luck with bottles, I use a feeding tube. Though I will admit sometimes you can not save them all, I hold each puppy that I know is beyond my control of making it. It is sad, and comes with the territory but I never let a little one die alone.

11 A good breeder should have the ability to separate the dogs that need a break, and not over breed them. I have 1/4 fenced in my yard for my Chi's, as well as 2 doggie doors, I also have a wooden fence that connects to the main fence and cement all around it to prevent escape. On that note if one of my females need a break I swap the dogs back and forth when this happens, so that each dog gets there attention. I also have within the chain link fence with poultry netting so that no accidents can happen.

12 Lennolym flooring is what I have in my house. This way if someone leaves and is questionable I can sanitize my flooring.

13 Though asked several times if I would stud, I do not, for reasons of a false negative of a disease known as Brucellosis. I will not risk some uncurible disease that can contaminate my whole stock and chose not to risk it.

14 Know which stud is mating who. On that note I only have 1 stud, so I know who is sireing my puppies, and 1 male that is fixed that I adopted in.

15 Always have a vet handy in case of an emergency. Have some money aside in case you ever need to use it..

16 Be willing to put your fingers in the canal with sterile equipment if needed. This will let you know early on if a puppy is stuck. If the puppy is just outside the canal they can only be that way for a few minutes, or they will sufficate to death. There is a technique to use if this happens, if you can't get to the vet in time, but I will not state it here. On that note everytime I have used this technique I have been successful. Only an experienced breeder can preform this technique, or you could risk the lives of the little ones, and mother.

17 I feed my dogs well when pregnant, and also give suppliments. But on that note, to lower the risk of c-sections do not table scrap my pregnant ones, but shower them with treats after delivery.

18 This is something that I chose to do, to help my moms. When a puppy is born I have all sterile equipment. I take the sac off, clean the airways, and clap the cord and cut it, hense lowing the risk of ambilical hernias. I have heard of too many horror stories by dogs in pain that tear the thin outter skin and puppies dying because of this. 

19 Screen your customers well. Have them at your home for several occations so they get to know you on a first name basis. Then if they put down a deposit to hold a puppy, and something doesn't feel right you 'GIVE THE DEPOSIT BACK' as you don't want to risk your Chi puppy going to a home that intuition tells you is wrong, just for the buck.

20 Young kids that have never been around these dogs is a no no. They don't know how fragile they are, and about the open molera that Chihuahua's are known for. I have 4 girls, but my girls have all been born and raised around my Chi's and no to sit on the floor with them to socialize them as much as possible. Never let a little one hold your Chi's for fear of dropping them.

21 A good breeder will give you out information about Chihuahua's, there vaccinations, wormings ext. I give everyone a paper that they must read and sign, explaining the soft spot, watching their sugar level, child proofing there home, and other information. I also make them walk out the door with a tube of nutrical.

22 If someone comes to you that has lost a Chi, asking for a specific sex, markings and so forth like the Chi they lost, I choose not to sell. My reason:each Chi is different, and I don't want one of my dogs being compared to the one they lost. This isn't fair to the new Chihuahua, and I don't want for one of my babies to get pushed aside if it doesn't act like the one they lost. Let the person grieve before they jump the gun and buy a new dog on impulse.

23 The most important thing to remember. IF YOU DON'T HAVE A HEART FOR THE BREED, YOU SHOULDN'T BE BREEDING.

I had made the paper because of the way I raise my Chi's in 1998 in Bay City and Saginaw. The paper was there for the pregnancy, and the conception. Because of my family herititage I was chosen, and was honored to do it. I have the plack on the wall to prove it, and am proud of the fact that I am a 3rd generation owner, and second generation breeder. Between childhood through adulthood I have over 26 years experience with these dogs, and after awhile you get to 'tune into what they are thinking' My point that I am trying to make here is think of all the possiblities before you breed.


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## stephybooboo (Apr 2, 2006)

shouldn't all breeding things be restricted to the BREEDING forum?


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## CM Katie (Sep 28, 2005)

Awesome information :thumbup: Really puts into perspective how breeding chihuahuas isn't for amateurs 
Maybe it should be in the breeding section stephybooboo, but I'm sure it will get a lot more attention here. I for one wouldn't have even read this if it weren't in this section.


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## Clek1430 (Mar 7, 2006)

> 17 I feed my dogs well when pregnant, and also give suppliments. But on that note, to lower the risk of c-sections do not table scrap my pregnant ones, but shower them with treats after delivery.


May I ask why about the table scraps?


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## Gracie'smom (Jan 7, 2006)

Katie 18 said:


> Maybe it should be in the breeding section stephybooboo, but I'm sure it will get a lot more attention here. I for one wouldn't have even read this if it weren't in this section.


Same here. And I'm glad to have read it. It's important information.


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## *Chloe* (Feb 6, 2006)

surely this should be in the breeding section so people can refer to it if they wish as wont it get lost here?

pleased to have read it though always good to get a perspective


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## CM Katie (Sep 28, 2005)

Yeah maybe it could be a sticky in the breeding section...very informative.


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## serina48723 (Jun 11, 2006)

I don't give scraps due to an increase risk of c-sections, in case the puppies could get to big. I used to, but had more c-sections due to the puppies being too big. Since I have quit, I have not (knock on wood) had a c-section in almost 3 years. This is just my personal opinion.


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## Clek1430 (Mar 7, 2006)

Ic just wondering I had never heard anything like that before. So you have found there is something in table scraps that make puppies bigger. Do you feed a low protein food to pregnant mothers?


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