Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2009 5:42 pm Post subject: 'I want to offer my labrador at Stud...' - Info
Wrote this for a thread on LF, recenetly tweeked it and added it to my website and thought, in the light of several 'I wish to stud my labrador' posts recently, I'd give it its own thread.
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At sometime in nearly every male, decently bred, labradors life, the owner thinks... "Do you know, we should breed from this dog".
I handle outside dogs at stud and also my own stud dogs. Whilst the impression is that one throws two dogs into a garden and nature takes over sadly nothing could be further from the truth. There are legal and ethical responsibilities these days to handling a stud dog. I would add the fact that you do not 'have a stud dog' you 'offer a stud SERVICE'. That service is not just putting dog A with bitch B and leaving them to mate. 90% of dogs won't. They are domesticated and do not have the natural instincts of days gone by.
Your stud service is that you know lots about bitch reproduction and so can tell THEM when to bring her to your dog. You will need to know what to look for and feel for (including sometimes internals on the bitches which come to you) to know she is ready for mating before allowing your dog to mate her. Most dogs cannot penetrate without hand manipulation into the right place. Bitches do not stand rock steady and infact some are VERY aggressive about being mated.
Would you know if that aggression was because she wasn't ready for mating or if she was just being a difficult old bag?
Holding down a bitch, not ready for mating, can result in injury to her, and certainly to your stud dog.
Do you know what a slip mating is? Its when the dog mates the bitch, and ejaculates into her but hasn't 'tied' her and therefore, ejaculates and steps off, with his bits extended and post seminal fluid raining down on everyone that should have been going into the bitch during the tie. Are you aware how to handle this? How long to wait before trying again to make the mating worth while as he has 'come' once? How dissappointed most bitch owners are with a slip mating? Do you know how to explian the facts of bitches concieving from slip matings (they can but bitch owners don't believe you most of the time and can give you a hard time about it...)
What if those people had driven 100 miles to your dog and you stand there with him jumping on and off, on and off and nothing happening? Do you understand the mechanics of the way dogs mate and tie. How to turn your dog so they are back to back with a bitch thrashing, snarling and yelling as it is uncomfortable? Do you know about advising about care of the inseason bitch, about what to recommend they do after the mating with her? About feeding and care of the inwhelp bitch? They often won't - YOU provide the service for a fee, or a puppy back, so YOU need to know for their sake. Do you know how to break a tie between two dogs in an emergency? (and it doesn't involve throwing a bucket of water over them....)
What if you dog cannot put his penis back in its sheath? Do you know your legal position if the bitch develops or picks up and infection shortly after mating? What the Kennel Club expect of you as regards paperwork? The inland revenues standpoint on taking money on a regular basis and putting it in your bank account?
What if there are problems with the puppies? Cleft palletes, disabilities? Swimmers (do you know what a swimmer is?) etc etc etc...
I know I sound a HORRIBLE woman, but its not a friendly arrangement. People pay to use your dog and want pups. Healthy pups. A no nonsense servcing from your dog, two ties 48 hours apart, and a litter of 10 pups all who are better than their parents. An easy pregnancy, advice all the way down the line, the paperwork all present and correct and perfection in the offspring for the rest of their days. Bitch owners are and SHOULD BE demanding. They are paying money for something and should get what they pay for to the very bestof your ability. Even if money doesn't change hands no bitch wants a botched inexperienced dog leaping on and off her every day for 10 days whilst you chaps learn by hit and miss how to mate dogs. It will turn any bitch into a snapping snarling wreak.
A bitch needs to come bang on when she is ready, be mated swiftly with as little fuss as possible, with the dog manipulated into her FAST, she needs supporting, and the turn when they tie to be clean, no fuss and as painless as possible for her. Its not easy....
Sadly nature doesn't kick in often these days. Mismatings between Jack Russells and Great Danes which people cite when saying 'it must be easy mating dogs if THAT can happen' are fairy tales. Almost certainly mismatings are distressing, painful, long winded and hellish for the bitch, and with his bits locked into a fighting snarling bitch, pretty damn awful for the dog. hence the stud SERVICE needing to be offered and carried out.
Hope this helps.
Di
Last edited by Diana on Sun Jan 18, 2009 6:28 pm; edited 1 time in total
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The boys!
Read: Wylanbriar Dog Blog on the website: Updated! 1st February 12´!
I have a feeling I'm going to regret this, but no, I don't know what a swimmer is - can you enlighten me please? Just because I'm nosey, I have no intention of offering my dog at stud, even if he had a pedigree, which he hasn't!
Thank you Jules, I could not be happier about that. Thank you....
Liz: A 'swimmer' -: Its a puppy that, at around 3 - 4 weeks when everyone else is up on their legs and starting to shoftie about in a reasonably stable manner, is still laying and either making no attempt to rise, or is attempting and their legs simply sliding out at all corners - like Bambi on ice in the Walt Disney film? Does that give you the picture...?
Some manage to rise and take weight at the front. Some at the rear, but not all four legs.
Some its because they are from a very small litter or a singlet pup and their body weight is just too great for their under developed tendons and muscles at that point. The 'Weeble' effect of too much of mums good milk and no fighting to have to get to the milk bar in the previous weeks and days... Some it is a medical condition where they do genuinely have underdeveloped tendons and ligaments and muscles unable to deal with them at that stage. Some it is the start of being clinically affected with CNM.
Generally other than the start of CNM, it is overcome in the next couple of weeks for most pups by reducing intake a little, changing the bedding surface to give more grip and sometimes binding their legs for short periods to give them a 'prop' once they are 'up'.
Di
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The boys!
Read: Wylanbriar Dog Blog on the website: Updated! 1st February 12´!
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can you enlighten me please? Just because I'm nosey, I have no intention of offering my dog at stud, even if he had a pedigree, which he hasn't!
