Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Bonny on January 26, 2008 at 3:12pm

I am not an experienced breeder, but I do have an opinion on this that I've come to after doing some research, since I considered this as well.

From what I've heard, proper breeding is time-consuming, expensive, and risky. You need to have your dogs tested for certain genetic conditions prior to breeding, and when pups are born they need a good bit of supervision at first (or a lot, depending on how the birth went). One breeder had her dog die in birth and bottle-fed 8 puppies for several days before she was able to find a surrogate mother.

I really support the breeding of high-quality animals. If you don't think your dogs would do well in a confirmation class, I would recommend not breeding them. There are lots of average corgi puppies out there, and many won't find good homes. Don't forget, there is an abundance of puppies, and shelters are full of unwanted dogs.

I think there is certainly a place for pet quality dogs, and don't want to be a snob about breeding and selling puppies, but I also think its very important to maintain the integrity of the breed. I would suggest not breeding until you have had more experience in the areas you are interested in.

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Permalink Reply by Charlie on January 26, 2008 at 3:38pm

If I wanted to breed Corgis, I would start with a show-quality dog who came from reputable breeder. Reputable breeders "sort" their puppies between pet-quality and show-quality dogs. Show quality dogs are the best representatives of the breed, and are ideally the only dogs who should be bred. Even a lot of show prospects aren't going to make it to titled champions, but I would use the breeders advice to get the dog into shows to try to get its championship title. OFA and CERF testing would be necessary to ensure that the dog did not have genetic hip or eye problems. If the dog became a titled champion in conformation, did not have any genetic defects, and had a sound temperament, then I would breed.

Charlie is a pet quality dog, and even if I didn't have a spay/neuter contract, I would not breed him. Breeding him would do nothing to maintain or improve the overall quality and integrity of the Corgi breed. You mentioned that your pups came from a man who runs his kennel like a puppy mill, so I would expect that your dogs are pet quality and, like my Charlie, would not improve the breed standard by reproducing.

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Permalink Reply by Lauren on January 26, 2008 at 3:59pm

well what i was also trying to ask is even if they dont look the best...which i think they do (mothers prospective)...and they excell in a sport like agility...would that count for anything...isnt that why people breed mixed breeds? or am i lookig at this totally wrong? if they have great personalitys, easaily trainable, and excell at sport...then why not?

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Permalink Reply by Charlie on January 26, 2008 at 5:13pm

I also plan to get Charlie into agility or flyball just for fun. If he were to become the best agility dog the world has ever seen, I still would not breed him. He has flaws that are not within the standard, so breeding him would not make "better" Corgis. Breeding should be done to improve breed quality. Too many dog breeds have already been ruined by overbreeding.

When you turn 15, volunteer one hour a week with your local animal shelter. You'll decide pretty quickly why not to breed your personable, trainable, athletic dogs. For every puppy that finds a home, three puppies get put to sleep in shelters. That's puppies. It doesn't include the additional adult dogs that don't find homes and get put to sleep. Two million dogs die each year. It's heartbreaking. There simply are too many dogs and not enough homes. Why would you want to add to the problem?

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Permalink Reply by Sam on January 26, 2008 at 9:30pm

This is a subject near and dear to my heart. As most now know I am very involved in rescue and I must say the largest percentage of dogs that come through our program are from impulsive pet shop purchases and folks that breed indescriminately. There are many reasons to choose not to breed dogs. With the female going through seasons can cause great hormonal surges which in some lead to behaviorial issues. It can be quite messy in ones home. Accidental breedings can easily take place. The incidence of mammary tumors increases greatly with intact females. C-sections are not uncommon in this breed which is a great expense as well as often forces one to learn to care for new born pups.
Intact males also can pose some problems that may be difficult to live with. It is not unusual for boys to also have hormonal surges as they reach sexual maturity. This often leads to marking behavior in ones home. This also is often a cause toward aggression toward other male dogs unless managed by a knowledgeable person.
Others have shared what most reputable breeders do prior to selecting breeding stock. I can assure you there are many corgis in our country that are homeless due to behaviors, expense, inappropriate placement and a myriad of other reasons.
If you are truly interested in learning about breeding may I suggest that you become involved in your regional corgi club and further educate yourself. Find a mentor breeder that will help you learn the ropes regarding the corgi standard, structure, movement, proper temperaments and the qualities they seek for successful breedings. Learn about the inherent health issues regarding the corgi breed and how to properly screen for them. Learn the heart aches many experience when planning litters including sexually transmitted diseases, premature birth, c-sections, failure to thrive puppies and those that may be born with congenital defects. Learn the changes that your female may experience with regard to health and temperament. Learn the possible costs involved with follow up veterinary care of a litter of pups. This often includes tail docking, dew claw removal, vaccinations and deworming. Most states have a certain age that pups must be to be sold. Most states require a health certificate.
Know too that reputable breeders agree to take back their dog at any time should the purchaser not be able to care for them. Reputable breeders guarantee their dogs to be free of genetic diseases and offer refunds or replacement pups should this problem arise. Reputable breeders have a vast knowledge of the breed, their typical characteristics and place their pups in suitable homes. They offer advice regarding proper feeding, house training, obedience training and general care for their dog.
Yes, this is an incredible dedication but one that should be considered long before breeding dogs. I hope you use this information wisely.

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Permalink Reply by John Wolff on May 3, 2008 at 3:32am

Yes, yes, yes. We got both of our corgis from the same very serious breeder(s), and we've been rewarded with two animals with excellent personalities and health. Select your breeder very carefully. If they're good, they will select you very carefully, too.

I'd say do-it-yourself dog breeding makes about as much sense as do-it-yourself brain surgery. I like to do things myself, but I always end up with a product made by someone who was learning on the job, and his first attempt at that. Why not leave it to the experts?

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Permalink Reply by Kaydee's Corgis (Kim) on January 28, 2008 at 7:24am

Hi Lauren-
I would like to encourage you to join your local Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club and find a mentor there who would help you get started in Junior Showmanship, (doesn't matter if your dogs are not show quality) Agility and Obedience. I would be more than happy to help you find a club in your area. There you will find people willing to teach you the proper ETHICS of breeding dogs.
"SAM" had some great points for you to ponder...please take them into consideration.
Kim

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Permalink Reply by Carmen on January 28, 2008 at 11:43am

Take into account what everyone has written here.

Breeding is a hard thing to do. Remember how much you loved your puppies when you got them? Try selling puppies just like those. It can be very hard. Trunks's breeder told me that she probably won't breed her females again, because she felt like she was selling her kids. Trunks's litter was her first litter to raise. She is a wonderful breeder who spent years researching her breeding program.

Not neutering your pet can lead to behavioral and medical problems. Females can develop cancer in mammary glands and uterus. Intact male dogs will run away to find breeding females. I just want to implore you to research before making this decision. Research all the costs for the delivery, plus the costs of raising the pups including shots, etc. Also, ask how much a c-section costs for a corgi. Smaller dogs sometimes have problems birthing that will lead to a c-section or even death.

Breeding without proper research leads to pet overpopulations. Please research this before making a decision to breed. You can still do many events with a neutered/spayed pet. I don't want to start repeating others suggestions. I just really feel that you should not breed without a lot of research first.

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Permalink Reply by Marjorie on May 10, 2008 at 2:36pm

Breeding animals is a big responsiblity. So much to consider and plan for. What I really liked about my breeder was how organized and informative she was. She has a large area for play, worked hard at socializing her animals with adults, children and other pets, and helped me understand exactly what I was getting into. My puppy had shots, dewormers and a health garantee when I brought him home. If you do decide to breed, just be sure you want to bring a high level of commitment to the dogs and people whose lives you will affect.

That said, I've always spayed and neutered my dogs, because breeding is way too much of a responsibility for me. And since I am not going to breed my dogs, I reap the health and behavior advantages of spaying and neutering.

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Permalink Reply by Julie on May 12, 2008 at 11:28pm

Without even reading what others have responded with, I'm just going to run my mouth and tell you what I think. :)

Why do you REALLY want to breed your dogs? There are SO many other unwanted dogs out there. Why contribute to more if you really do not have a good, absolute reason why you are breeding your dog? Do you even know if your current dogs are good at agility, herding, obedience, etc? How are their temperaments? Do you know their bloodlines/pedigrees before them? All of this needs to be considered.

Breeding puppies is not as easy as it's probably sounds to you. It's a lot of work and energy to take care of a bitch and her puppies. I STRONGLY suggest thinking about it and doing an incredibly amount of researching before you breed your dogs.

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