Rottweiler rescue groups are non-profit adoption charities that cruise the local animal shelters, humane societies, and SPCAs looking for Rotties they can rescue and place in foster homes to rehabilitate. Or just to keep in a compassionate environment, until a more permanent home can be found.
Frequently, this involves addressing some health issues and fixing behavior problems.
Rottie rescue groups advertise the dogs they’ve rescued to adopters for a small fee. Usually between $80-$120. Which is a lot less than the $800-$1600 [edit: or $3,500-$4,500... depending on who you're buying a puppy from!] you might pay a breeder. I generally recommend that prospective Rottweiler owners ignore the purchase price of a dog, as the real expense of owning this breed (veterinary bills, quality dog food, grooming, pet products) will quickly over-shadow the purchase price.
But it’s always nice to stumble upon a great dog at a bargain price and know that you’re also giving a good life to a Rottweiler that may have been “written off” at one time in his life.
Rescue groups focus on getting homeless dogs into homes– and in my experience, they are some of the most thorough in investigating you, when you apply to adopt a dog. In fact, some of them will give the FBI security clearance people a run for their money, in regard to thoroughness.
Usually, the Rott rescue people are very intimate with both the breed and the individual dog… so they have a good understanding of what type of home the dog should be placed in. (Although there are some rescue volunteers who may be over-zealous in their efforts). It’s best to have your cards stacked in a deck, before you even approach your chosen rescue organization.
Volunteers provide their dogs with a temporary home and usually the rescue organization will foot the bill for any veterinary bills that the dog might require. They also insist that the dog be neutered or spayed before being placed in a home.
It’s a big job, and let’s face it: This breed is not as easy as rescuing Chihuahuas. Rottie lovers who believe every pet has a right to live a full life in a loving home work hard to place the right dog with the right owner. And that’s an especially good reason to investigate your local Rottweiler Rescue.
-Adam
Filed under Adopting A Dog by on Jun 30th, 2010. 
According to Rottweiler history, lore, and breed historians — the Rottweiler is said to be one of the oldest of the herding breeds.
Although one must question whether the dogs back then are really anything more than remotely related to the same dogs we love, today?
While nobody can doubt that these dogs have herding instinct (and even perform in stock dog trials, today!) they are far from a real farmer’s first choice; being too large and heavy to work cattle, sheep or even goats out on the hot and dusty trail for hours and hours. As a stock protection dog, however, they probably thrived.
According to Wiki, the history of these dogs stretches back to the Roman Empire. Driving cattle to market, one route the army traveled was through Württemberg and then to a market town named, “Rottweil”.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) suggests that the Roman droving dogs mixed with local dogs from various towns– and that the offspring of these dogs were looked upon by the butchers in Rottweil who “concentrated in the area and inevitably more dogs were needed to drive the cattle to and from the markets,” and to provide security.Rottweilers were said to have been used by traveling butchers at markets during the middle ages to guard money pouches tied around their necks, according to Britannica.
Later in Rottweiler history, as railroads became the main method for moving stock to market during the 19th century, the breed had declined to the point that there was reportedly only one female to be found in the entire town, by 1900.
DRK (“Deutscher Rottweiler-Klub” — German Rottweiler Club) was formed on January 13, 1907 with 500 dogs, and then the SDRK (“Süddeutscher Rottweiler-Klub” — South German Rottweiler Club) in April of the same year with 3000 dogs.
The former placed a primary emphasis on the dogs’ workability, whereas the later bred for more of a “complete” dog which also factored in conformation. (Physical appearance and structure).
Eventually, they came together and created a new breed club, the: Allgemeiner Deutscher Rottweiler Klub – e.V (ADRK). The ADRK is now considered the primary breed club for the Rottweiler.
The Rottie saw a big rise in popularity as the demand for working dogs increased, as the country found itself going into World War I. Popularity increased abroad, too, and by 1935 the American Kennel Club recognized the breed.
In 1936, these dogs were exhibited in Britain at Crufts.
And the most current stage in Rottweiler history saw their popularity continued to rise amongst dog owners, and by the mid-90′s, peaked, as the most registered breed with the American Kennel Club. Fortunately, the breed’s popularity– while still remaining high– has waned somewhat. Which is thought by most to be a positive for the breed, as there are less puppy mill breeders targeting the Rottweiler and instead are now focusing on other breeds.
-Adam
Filed under Adopting A Puppy by on Jun 30th, 2010.
Rottweiler Facts, from the original FCI-Standard N° 147
ORIGIN: Germany.
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD: 06.04.2000.
UTILIZATION: Companion, service and working dog.
CLASSIFICATION F.C.I.: Group 2 Pinscher and Schnauzer type, Molossian type, Swiss Mountain- and Cattle Dogs.
Section 2.1 Molossian type, Mastiff type. With working trial.
Rottweiler Fact — BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY
The Rottweiler is considered to be one of the oldest dog breeds. Its origin goes back to Roman times. These dogs were kept as herder or driving dogs. They marched over the Alps with the Roman legions, protecting the humans and driving their cattle.
In the region of Rottweil, these dogs met and mixed with the native dogs in a natural crossing. The main task of the Rottweiler now became the driving and guarding of the herds of cattle and the defence of their masters and their property.
This breed acquired its name from the old free city of Rottweil and was known as the “Rottweil butcher’s dog”. The butchers bred this type of dog purely for performance and usefulness. In due course, a first rate watch and driving dog evolved which could also be used as a draught dog.
When, at the beginning of the twentieth century, various breeds were needed for police service, the Rottweiler was amongst those tested. It soon became evident that the breed was highly suitable for the tasks set by police service and therefore they were officially recognized as police dogs in 1910.
Rottweiler breeders aim at a dog of abundant strength, black coated with clearly defined rich tan markings, whose powerful appearance does not lack nobility and which is exceptionally well suited to being a companion, service and working dog.
Rottweiler Fact — GENERAL APPEARANCE
The Rottweiler is a medium to large size, stalwart dog, neither heavy nor light and neither leggy nor weedy. His correctly proportioned, compact and powerful build leads to the conclusion of great strength, agility and endurance.
IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS: The length of the body, measured from the point of the sternum (breast-bone) to the ischiatic tuberosity, should not exceed the height at the withers by, at most, 15 %.
Rottweiler Facts: BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT: Good-natured, placid in basic disposition and fond of children, very devoted, obedient, biddable and eager to work. His appearance is natural and rustic, his behaviour self-assured, steady and fearless. He reacts to his surroundings with great alertness.
Rottweiler Facts about the: HEAD
CRANIAL REGION:
Skull: Of medium length, broad between the ears. Forehead line moderately arched as seen from the side. Occipital bone well developed without being conspicuous.
Stop: Well defined.
FACIAL REGION:
Nose: Well developed, more broad than round with relatively large nostrils, always black.
Muzzle: The foreface should appear neither elongated nor shortened in relation to the cranial region. Straight nasal bridge, broad at base, moderately tapered.
Lips: Black, close fitting, corner of the mouth not visible, gum as dark as possible.
Jaws/Teeth: Upper and lower jaw strong and broad. Strong, complete dentition (42 teeth) with scissor bite, the upper incisors closely overlapping the lower incisors.
Cheeks: Zygomatic arches pronounced.
Eyes: Of medium size, almond-shaped, dark brown in colour. Eyelids close fitting.
Ears: Medium-sized, pendant, triangular, wide apart, set on high. With the ears laid forward close to the head, the skull appears o be broadened.
NECK: Strong, of fair length, well muscled, slightly arched, clean, free from throatiness, without dewlap.
BODY
Back: Straight, strong, firm.
Loins: Short, strong and deep.
Croup: Broad, of medium length, slightly rounded. Neither flat nor falling away.
Chest: Roomy, broad and deep (approximately 50 % of the shoulder height) with well developed forechest and well sprung ribs.
Belly: Flanks not tucked up.
TAIL: In natural condition, level in extension of the upper line; at ease may be hanging.
LIMBS
FOREQUARTERS: Seen from the front, the front legs are straight and not placed too closely to each other. The forearm, seen from the side, stands straight and vertical. The slope of the shoulder blade is about 45 degrees to the horizontal.
Shoulders: Well laid back.
Upper arm: Close fitting to the body.
Forearm: Strongly developed and muscular.
Pasterns: Slightly springy, strong, not steep.
Front feet: Round, tight and well arched; pads hard; nails short, black and strong.
HINDQUARTERS: Seen from behind, legs straight and not too close together. When standing free, obtuse angles are formed between the dog’s upper thigh and the hip bone, the upper thigh and the lower thigh, and the lower thigh and metatarsal.
Upper thigh: Moderately long, broad and strongly muscled.
Lower thigh: Long, strongly and broadly muscled, sinewy.
Hocks: Sturdy, well angulated hocks; not steep.
Hindfeet: Slightly longer than the front feet. Toes strong, arched, as tight as front feet.
Rottweiler Fact– GAIT: The Rottweiler is a trotting dog. In movement the back remains firm and relatively stable. Movement harmonious, steady, full of energy and unrestricted, with good stride.
SKIN: Skin on the head : overall tight fitting. When the dog is alert, the forehead may be slightly wrinkled.
Rottweiler Facts: About The Coat
HAIR: The coat consists of a top coat and an undercoat. The top coat is of medium length, coarse, dense and flat. The undercoat must not show through the top coat. The hair is a little longer on the hindlegs.
COLOUR: Black with clearly defined markings of a rich tan on the cheeks, muzzle, throat, chest and legs, as well as over both eyes and under the base of the tail.
Rottweiler Facts — SIZE AND WEIGHT
Height at withers : For males is 61 – 68 cm.
61 – 62 cm is small 63 – 64 cm medium height.
65 – 66 cm is large – correct height 67 – 68 cm very large.
Weight: 50 kg.
Height at withers: For bitches is 56 – 63 cm.
56 – 57 cm is small 58 – 59 cm medium height.
60 – 61 cm is large – correct height 62 – 63 cm very large.
Weight: Approximately 42 kg.
Rottweiler Facts — FAULTS
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.
- General appearance: Light, weedy, leggy appearance. Light in bone and muscle.
- Head: Hound-type head. Narrow, light, too short, long or coarse head. Flat forehead (lack of stop or too little stop).
- Foreface: Long or pointed muzzle; split nose; Roman nose (convex nasal bridge) or dish-faced (concave nasal bridge); acquiline nose; pale or spotted nose (butterfly nose). – Lips: Pendulous, pink or patchy; corner of lips visible. – Jaws: Narrow lower jaw.
- Bite: Pincer bite.
- Cheeks: Strongly protruding.
- Eyes: Light, deep set. Also too full and round eyes; loose eyelids.
- Ears: Set on too low, heavy, long, slack or turned backwards. Also flying ears or ears not carried symmetricaly.
- Neck: Too long, thin, lacking muscle. Showing dewlap or throaty.
- Body: Too long, too short or too narrow.
- Back: Too long, weak; sway back or roach back.
- Croup: Too sloping, too short, too flat or too long.
- Chest: Flat-ribbed or barrel-shaped. Too narrow behind.
- Tail: Set on too high or too low.
- Forequarters: Narrow or crooked front legs. Steep shoulder placement. Loose or out at elbow. Too long, too short or too straight in upper arm. Weak or steep pastern. Splayed feet. Too flat or too arched toes. Deformed toes. Light coloured nails. – Hindquarters: Flat thighs, hocks too close, cow hocks or barrel hocks. Joints with too little or too much angulation. Dewclaws. – Skin: Wrinkles on head. – Coat: Soft, too short or long. Wavy coat; lack of undercoat. – Colour: Markings of incorrect colour, not clearly defined. Markings which are too spread out.
Rottweiler Fact: ELIMINATING FAULTS
- Behaviour: Anxious, shy, cowardly, gun-shy, vicious, excessively suspicious, nervous animals. – General: Distinct reversal of sexual type, i.e. feminine dogs or masculine bitches. – Teeth: Overshot or undershot bite, wry mouth; lack of one incisive tooth, one canine, one premolar or one molar. – Eyes: Entropion, ectropion, yellow eyes, different coloured eyes. – Tail: Kink tail, ring-tail, with strong lateral deviation. – Hair: Definitely long or wavy coat. – Colour: Dogs which do not show the typical Rottweiler colouring of black with tan markings. White markings.
Rottweiler Fact: Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioral abnormalities shall be disqualified.
Rottweiler Fact: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
Filed under Adopting A Puppy by on Jun 30th, 2010.
Rottweiler health problems… if you’re a Rottweiler owner, sooner or later unfortunately, your dog is most likely going to have one.
It’s hard to believe when you’ve got 100 lbs of dog sitting in your lap, but Rottweilers are actually incredibly delicate. When you’re talking about their health, that is. Unfortunately, there are quite a few Rottweiler health problems.
Since Rotties have a reputation for being indomitable, their owners are often taken by surprise when they find out their fierce, indestructible dogs aren’t as indestructible as they thought!
If you’re the proud new owner of a Rottweiler, congratulations.
Bloat and Gastric Torsion
Gastric torsion is often seen in deep chested dogs like the Rottweiler and almost always rides in on the heels of a severe case of bloat. Dogs with bloat are almost always between four and seven years of age, eat large quantities of kibble, drink water in large amounts after meals and exercise vigorously after eating. Eventually, excess gas and fluid are going to cause the stomach to expand-and possibly rotate. A partial rotation is known as gastric torsion, full rotation is known as gastric volvolus. Both conditions are extremely life threatening.
Symptoms
Rottweilers suffering from gastric torsion and volvolus present with excessive salivation and drooling, extreme restlessness, attempts to vomit and defecate and abdominal pain and distension (bloat). You may also see rapid breathing, pale gums and shock-like symptoms as the twisted stomach strangulates the blood supply to the stomach and spleen.
Treatment
Cataracts
Yes, dogs get cataracts the same way people do. Cataracts are the most common, treatable form of blindness in dogs and the most commonly reported eye disease in Rottweilers. Cataracts usually develop when the dog is about eighteen months old; however, it’s not unusual for cataracts to wait until the dog reaches its fourth, fifth or even sixth birthday to make an appearance.
Cataracts can develop quickly or over a period of several years, as the dog progressively loses its vision until it is completely blind, and may be hereditary or occur as a secondary condition. The good news is, even though they look like they should be painful they’re really not. Rottweilers, unlike people, don’t particularly notice that their field of vision is decreasing. They simply learn to compensate using their other senses.The bad news is, cataracts are bad news. They can be seen along with progressive retinal atrophy, glaucoma, inflammatory uveitis (inflammation in the front of the eye, sometimes seen with systemic autoimmune disorders), diabetes and trauma. If left untreated, cataracts can also cause a serious reactive inflammation inside the eye known as lens induced uveitis (LIU). LIU can lead to glaucoma or a detached retina and can seriously harm your dog’s chances of ever getting their vision back.
Symptoms
It’s hard to miss the development of cataracts. As they develop, your Rottweiler’s eye(s) will go from their usual sparkling brown-to-black to a filmy, cloudy gray, the result of the lens losing its clarity. You may also notice that their vision isn’t as keen as it used to be, they seem to have a hard time finding their food dish and, especially in cases where the cataracts develop quickly, a loss of depth perception.
Treatment
Diabetes
If you thought diabetes was reserved for people, think again. All of our bodies produce insulin in the pancreas. This insulin stops glucose production by the liver and stores the excess glucose from food. Like their masters, Rottweilers can develop diabetes as the result of either a deficiency of insulin or an insensitivity to it. The amount of glucose in the blood climbs until the kidneys can’t dispose of it properly, and you’ve got a problem.
Symptoms
Diabetic Rottweilers have many of the same symptoms people do. They may urinate excessively, consume huge quantities of water, and lose weight despite a normal diet. They may develop cataracts, experience an increase in appetite, suffer from frequent and recurrent infections and develop an intolerance to exercise, something that is extremely noticeable in this otherwise active breed.
If left untreated, diabetes can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) as a result of ketones produced by the liver. Ketones are a by-product formed when the dog’s body can’t break down glucose for energy and starts burning fat instead. Diabetic ketoacidosis presents with the same symptoms of diabetes, as well as sudden blindness, lethargy, vomiting, weakness, dehydration and the smell of acetone on their breath. In time, DKA causes metabolic acidosis (excessive acidity of the blood) and electrolyte abnormalities, leading to poor function of cells, tissues, muscles and organs and death.
Treatment
Flatulence
Oh, sure, keep laughing-until the first time your Rottweiler enjoys a healthy dose of stomach upset and you get to see for yourself how severe gassiness can be! As we said, Rottweilers are very delicate, and in more ways than one. Poor nutrition affects them almost immediately, and flatulence is one of the first road markers it’s going to leave behind.
Symptoms
Foul smelling odors generated from the intestines. May be accompanied by stomach cramping and irritability (and an overwhelming need for a gas mask-on your party, anyway!).
Treatment
Hip Dysplasia
Hip dysplasia affects the ball and socket joint of the hind legs and is associated with abnormal joint structure and laxity (looseness) of the muscles, connective tissue and ligaments that normally support the joint. Eventually, the surfaces of the bones lose contact with each other. This is usually a hereditary condition, closely associated with elbow dysplasia, which causes a similar condition in the elbow.
Dysplasia can show up in puppies as young as five months and eventually leads to the development of osteoarthritis. If left untreated your dog may eventually become immobile. That’s not a good thing when you’re talking about a 100lb Rottweiler!
Symptoms
Hip dysplasia presents as a limp during exercise, difficulty climbing stairs, stiffness and pain in the legs in the morning or after strenuous activity and resistance to any movement that requires full extension of the rear legs. Over time, dogs will lose muscle tone as the condition progresses.
Treatment
Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is often seen in middle aged Rottweilers (between four and ten years old) and is caused by the inability of the thyroid gland to produce various thyroid hormones to regulate the dog’s metabolism. As with most chronic conditions, hypothyroidism in dogs is usually a genetic condition. It’s usually because of autoimmunity; however, it can also be the result of atrophy of the thyroid tissue, infiltration by fat or cancer, the use of certain medications or as secondary to certain diseases.
Symptoms
A Rottweiler with hypothyroidism is going to have a hard time controlling its weight, regardless of how strictly you regulate his diet. This goes hand in hand with a lack of energy, mental slowness (the appearance of being “dim witted”), a thin, dull coat that falls out easily and hyperpigmentation of the skin. Dogs also present with anemia, slow heart rate and a cold intolerance that can lead to refusal to go outside when the temperature’s a balmy 27 degrees.
Treatment
Osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is a well known family of orthopedic diseases of the joint that occur in rapidly growing animals like large breed dogs. Most types of osteochondrosis are the result of a lack of blood supply to the growth cartilage. As a result, there’s an abnormality in the cartilage-to-bone transformation process, and cartilage and bone fragments may break off into the joint space. This is extremely painful for your dog.
Types of osteochondrosis include:
- Osteochondritis dessicans of the elbow or shoulder- Fragmented coronoid process- Ununited anconeal process
Your vet will be able to tell you which your Rottweiler is suffering from and how it differs from other, similar conditions.
Symptoms
Dogs with osteochondrosis are in extreme pain, leading them to become moody and irritable and present with lameness and muscle wasting on the affected side. You may also notice swelling around the joint.
Treatment
Available treatments are designed to inhibit further breakdown of the joint and manage your dog’s pain. Overfeeding contributes heavily to the joint pain and damage of osteochondrosis, so your Rottweiler will probably have to go on a diet.
Osteosarcoma
Rottweilers grow quickly, and as you’ve already seen, this can be bad news for your dog. Osteosarcoma is a bone tumor that develops during this period of rapid growth, usually at or near the growth plates and normally in the limbs. These tumors weaken the bones, making your Rottweiler extremely vulnerable to pathologic fractures that don’t heal. They’re also extremely aggressive; the cancer metastasizes very quickly and spreads to the lungs, at which point it may become untreatable.
Symptoms
Osteosarcoma often isn’t found until the dog actually fractures a bone, at which point it pops up on an x-ray. Other warning signs include pain, limited motion of the limb and tenderness, swelling and redness at the tumor site.
Treatment
Retinal Detachment
The retina is the part of a dog’s eye that gives the brain the information it needs to be able to “translate” what it’s seeing into a complete picture. In retinal detachment the retina separates from the underlying epithelium, usually because of an accumulation of fluid as a result of one disease process or another. It’s important to understand that retinal detachment is a symptom, not a condition.
It’s uncommon for Rottweiler puppies to be born with a detached retina. It can, however, develop in the early months as the result of inherited birth defects like retinal dysplasia. Other causes include high blood pressure, hyperviscosity syndrome, “thick” blood as the result of leukemia, polycythemia and excessive transfusion, and poor clotting, as well as inflammation resulting from infection, autoimmune processes (more commonly seen in Oriental and sled dogs than Rottweilers), retinal degeneration, as a long term complication of surgery, and following the ingestion of antifreeze. Drug reactions, tumors on the retina or choroid, tumors of the optic nerve and trauma can all cause retinal detachment as well.
Symptoms
Symptoms of retinal detachment include reduced vision and/or complete blindness, visible hemorrhage or discoloration in the front of the eye.
Treatment
Retinal Dysplasia
As mentioned earlier, some Rottweiler puppies are born with retinal dysplasia. Dogs with this condition have retinas that are malformed as the result of an inherited condition, a trauma or lingering damage from a viral infection. The malformation results in folds or rosettes along the outer retinal layers, which may not even be noticeable to the dog unless it affects their visual. It’s important to note, however, that retinal dysplasia puts the dog at a high risk for retinal detachment and congenital cataracts.
Symptoms
Many dogs are asymptomatic; owners don’t even know their puppy has retinal dysplasia until they’re examined by an ophthalmologist. Rottweilers who are symptomatic usually present with the same symptoms of blurred or impaired vision seen with cataracts (minus the filmy appearance of the eye).
Treatment
Ruptured Cranial Cruciate Ligament
The cranial cruciate ligament is located in the dog’s knee and acts to stabilize the femur on the tibia. This ligament can rupture as the result of trauma or, more commonly, because of a progressive condition that causes the ligament to break down, making the joint unstable.
Symptoms
A rupture of the cranial cruciate ligament can be excruciatingly painful (no pun intended) for your dog. Rottweilers who have suffered a complete or partial tear are usually hesitant to exercise or bear wait and will act as though they’re in pain when you touch the joint. So if your normally friendly Rottweiler takes a snap at you when you touch his legs, make sure you start looking for damages first! You may also see some swelling and an increased thickness of the joint. The condition usually progresses into arthritis of the joint.
Treatment
Subaortic Stenosis
A subaortic stenosis (SAS) is the single most common congenital heart disease found in large breed dogs. Puppies are born with SAS, a narrowing in the ventricular outflow tract below the aortic valve in the heart. As a result, the left ventricle has to work harder to push the blood through. This causes a murmur, which should be easily detectable by the time your Rottweiler is six months old.
If left untreated, a subaortic stenosis will cause the muscle of the left ventricle to thicken. This interferes with the pumping chamber’s ability to fill, and eventually the heart’s normal electrical rhythm is disrupted. As a result, the dogs succumb to fainting spells and/or sudden death during exercise. Rottweilers affected by this condition suffer from a predisposition to electrical arrhythmia, heart failure and infection of the abnormal aortic valve. Without treatment, most dogs with this condition die within the first three years.
Symptoms
The symptoms of a subaortic stenosis can be extremely subtle, and it’s impossible to diagnose without the proper veterinary expertise. If your Rottweiler’s sire or dam suffered from SAS, there’s an excellent chance yours does too. Have your vet evaluate his heart function as early as possible.
Treatment
There is no “cure” for SAS; however, many vets will prescribe beta blockers to keep the heart from racing and symptoms from manifesting themselves. Surgery to remove the thickening in the ventricle and a balloon valvuloplasty to expand the stenosis have been done in the past; however, these surgical options have approximately the same success rate as the use of beta blockers and usually aren’t recommended.
Filed under Dog Food & Health by on Jun 30th, 2010.
Becoming a dog breeder is never something that you should do lightly, and never something that you should decide upon without many hours of consideration and planning. If you are going to be breeding dogs, then there are some things that you should think carefully about.
Breeding dogs is something that requires a lot of hard work, and something that requires a lifetime commitment on your part. Therefore, if you are going to be breeding dogs, there should be some major aspects of your life that revolve around dogs.
First of all, a love for dogs is a great start, but it should not be the only reason that you think you would be a good dog breeder. A love for dogs is very important, because you are going to be spending many hours of each of your days raising puppies, working with your dogs, and making sure that they are healthy. Loving them is important, yes, but loving them is not the only thing that is important, because just love alone can only get you so far.Besides loving your dogs, you are going to need to be a dog person. This is different from loving dogs. Loving dogs might mean that you enjoy having them, that you keep them around and take them out when needed, and might even let them sleep on the bed once in awhile. Being a dog person is much different.
Being a dog person means that you find dog hair in your soup and don’t mind, and that your dogs usually live more comfortably than you do. If you are a dog person you would never dream of allowing your dogs to be out in the cold weather, and you wouldn’t ever expect them to live in conditions that you wouldn’t live in yourself.
If you are a dog person you read everything that there is to read about your particular dog breed, and you study all of it to find out the things that you should be doing. A dog person might joke that their life revolves around their dogs, and they are probably right.
Therefore, in order to be a good breeder, you have to be these things. You have to be willing to work with your dog breeds and to make sure that you are doing all that you can to provide dogs with good homes. You must be diligent, and ready to work for the common good of the breed.
And, the bottom line when it comes to dog breeding is that you must not be in it at all for the money. The money should never be a motivation for dog breeding, and so if this is your main motivation, it is time for you to step back and look for another hobby.
Breeders who breed for the money are never going to be good breeders. In fact, most breeders, who are doing it correctly, don’t make much money at all, because breeders end up spending the money that they do make on puppies on things for their dogs, shots, and on the breeding process. Therefore, you should always be aware that the money isn’t going to be a major factor in whether or not your dog breeding is successful.
There are some questions that you should ask yourself if you plan on breeding.
Answering these questions is a great way to make sure that you are ready for breeding dogs.
- Why am I doing this?
- Am I trying to make money?
- Am I ready to allow dogs to be a major part of my life?
- Will I let them sleep in my bed with me?
- Do I have a great breeding plan in place?
- Do I have help and support – either from people near me, or from a source like a breeding group?
- Do I know how to find out answers to my questions?
- Is there someone else who can take over my breeding program if something should happen to me?
- Am I ready to deal with pregnant dogs?
- Am I ready to raise puppies by hand?
- Can I be responsible for finding homes for each of the puppies I produce?
- Not only that, but can I be responsible for making sure that the puppies I produce don’t have puppies themselves?
- Am I ready to actually birth puppies?
- Can I handle dealing with sick puppies, or puppies that don’t make it?
- Am I ready for heartache when it comes time to give puppies away, or to deal with puppies that just didn’t survive?
- Will I know how to read my female dog and know when she’s had enough?
- Will I be able to quit if it just isn’t working for me?
- Am I ready for the joy that comes along with dog breeding, as well as the hard times?
The answers to these questions will help you decide if you are ready to become a dog breeder. It is important that you make sure you know the answers before you begin.
Please note: This article is part of a collection of dog-related content that we purchased the rights to. Opinions expressed may or may not agree with those espoused by Master Dog Trainer Adam G. Katz. When in doubt, please refer to the advice given in Adam’s “Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer!” This article is provided for your enjoyment, only. It’s relevance to real world working dog training may be limited.
Filed under Breeding Dogs by on Jun 30th, 2010.
There are several things that you should do when you are looking at finding the right dog breed. It is very important that you find the right breed, because this is going to be the best way for you to be successful at dog breeding.
First of all, when you are looking for the right dog breed, you want to be sure that you find out as much information about the breeds that you are considering as possible. This information will help you make a good decision when it comes to the type of dogs that you want to breed.
The first thing to think about is whether or not you would like to breed purebred dogs. This is something to think carefully about. Some dogs, like golden retrievers and labs, can be bred with dogs that aren’t pedigreed. You might want to do this because you like the type of dog that you have and because you feel that others might like those dogs as well. In this case, you’d be looking for two dogs that you want to breed, but you wouldn’t be as concerned about the pedigrees as you would if you were looking for purebred dogs.
Breeding dogs that aren’t purebreds can be very had to do, however, because you don’t have the right information about the dogs and about what they might be like. Therefore, deciding to breed purebred dogs can actually be better because you will be able to look at their lineages, and make sure that you are breeding a pair that is going to produce good puppies.
You also want to think about the sizes of the dogs that you want to be breeding. You should be looking at a size that is compatible for you. Remember that the best breeders keep their dogs in the house with them – breeding dogs should not be kept outside and should not be kept in kennels or runs. So, you want to decide on a breed that is going to be best for your home life. For instance, if you have a small home, breeding small dogs is probably better. If you have a large home with lots of room for bigger dogs, you can consider breeding bigger dogs.
Once you’ve decided on a breed of dogs, go ahead and do some research so that you can discover all of the fine points about the dog that you have chosen. You want to look at what breeders are currently breeding for with particular type of dog, and you want to see what types of things breeders are attempting to breed out.
Also, you’ll want to think about things like temperament ,and about making sure that the dogs you are breeding have the right temperament. Look to see if the breed is good with children and other animals. And listen in on some of the online discussions about breeding your particular type of dog. You want to make sure that you are getting into a breeding program that fits your needs – and one where the people are going to be ready and willing to help you a long a little bit. This is very important because it will give you a chance to make sure that you are doing the right thing.
Please note: This article is part of a collection of dog-related content that we purchased the rights to. Opinions expressed may or may not agree with those espoused by Master Dog Trainer Adam G. Katz. When in doubt, please refer to the advice given in Adam’s “Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer!” This article is provided for your enjoyment, only. It’s relevance to real world working dog training may be limited.
Filed under Breeding Dogs by on Jun 30th, 2010.
As you begin to breed, you are going to need to have a breeding plan. This might sound ridiculous, but in reality, it is very important. A breeding plan is something that you should have before you even get the dogs that you are planning on breeding.
A breeding plan should be comprised of several different things. First of all, you need to have an idea of the type of dog that you are going to be breeding. This includes the information that you have already learned about the breed that you have chosen.
Next, you will want to have a breeding plan that explores the various ways that the breeding program is going to be set up. Include information about making sure that you have a good questionnaire and a waiting list program, and information about how you plan on screening applications for your puppies to choose good homes.
Your breeding plan should then go into detail about how many dogs you plan on having and where you plan on keeping them. If the idea of putting dogs in your backyard, or having a shed to hold your dogs even crosses your mind, get out of breeding right away. Your dogs should be in your home and should be a part of your family. This is how you produce good puppies.
Your breeding plan should include the ways in which you are going to manage the dogs that you have in your program. It should have information about how many dogs you’ll have in your home, and how those dogs will be trained and maintained.
Then, include information in your breeding plan about roughly how many litters you plan on having with the dogs. Keep in mind that you should not breed a female dog each time she goes into season, which means that you will only have one litter a year, at most, for each female dog that you have in your program. A good breeding outfit will pay attention to this and will not breed females in back to back heat cycles.
Your breeding plan also has to have information about how you intend on keeping your dogs up to date on their shots, and the specific training you want to do with them. Don’t forget to add information about how you plan on socializing your dogs to make sure that they are prime examples of the way that your dogs should be.
You will want to be sure that you provide enough information in your breeding plan so that you can look back on the plan at a later date and answer any questions that you might have about the way that your breeding program should be working.
There are some things that you should include in your breeding plan so that you know you are going to be successful at breeding.
1. The breed of dogs you are going to own
2. The number of dogs you think you would be able to handle
3. Where your dogs will stay, and what type of accommodations you will offer them
4. The vet you will use
5. The amount of money you have to spend on dog care, vet care, and all of the expenses, and where that money will come from.
6. How many years you plan on breeding dogs
7. Whether you plan on continuing your breeding program with dogs that you breed yourself, or whether you plan on bringing in new dogs to continue your program
8. What you will do with dogs when they can no longer breed for you.
9. How you will deal with complications in pregnancy and with puppies that don’t make it.
10. How you will know when you can breed your dogs again
11. How you will know when it is time to stop.
12. Your overall goal for breeding – the types of things that you are looking for in the breed and the types of things that you hope to achieve by breeding the dogs that you have chosen.
If you are able to have a breeding plan that includes these things, you’ll find that you have much more information at your disposal than you thought, and you’ll be able to make a good decision about breeding dogs in general.
Remember, you want to have a breeding plan that you can change as you see fit, and one that is going to allow you to make a good decision about the types of dogs that you are going to be breeding. It is important to have the right type of breeding plan for your needs, and it is very important to make sure that you can follow through with your breeding plan.
Also, your plan should not be set in stone. There might be things that you want to change about your breeding plan as time goes on, and you should be able to easily change these things. It is going to be important for you to be flexible as a dog breeder, so that you can make good decisions about what is right for you and for your dog.
Please note: This article is part of a collection of dog-related content that we purchased the rights to. Opinions expressed may or may not agree with those espoused by Master Dog Trainer Adam G. Katz. When in doubt, please refer to the advice given in Adam’s “Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer!” This article is provided for your enjoyment, only. It’s relevance to real world working dog training may be limited.
Filed under Breeding Dogs by on Jun 30th, 2010.
The standards have been developed for each breed by the people who register them and who have bred them for many years. Therefore, these are the standards that are going to be important to you when it comes to making sure that you have been doing the right things in your program.
If you cannot find UKC or AKC breeding standards for your dogs, you might need to look in other areas for the breeding standards. There should be information from the UKC and AKC for those types of dogs. If you are going to be breeding a type of dog that does not have either UKC or AKC standards, you should look for the associations for that breed that you can find in your home country. The associations will help you find the breeding standards.
Once you have the breeding standards, you need to study them carefully. It is going to be important for you to make sure that you know exactly what types of things that you should be looking for when it comes to the dogs that you will be breeding.
The breed standards will talk about physical attributes that you are going to be looking for, and that are important to the breed. This might include a certain color pattern, and a certain idea about the specific markings that the dogs should have. It also should include the ways in which you are going to be looking at things like ear shape, eye shape, and even colors of eyes and coat length.
The breed standards will also contain ideas about gait – which is to say, how dogs that conform correctly to that breed walk and move their body. This is important for you to watch for you in your own dogs.
Breed standards will have both things that you should be looking for when you are breeding the dogs that you want to keep in the breed, and things that you are looking for when you are breeding that you want to keep out of the breed. You should be looking for all of these things when you focus on the breeding standards, because this will help you make sure that you are breeding correctly.
Get a copy of the breed standards and study it, well before you even bring home your breeding stock. This will help you make sure that you know what you are looking for.
Please note: This article is part of a collection of dog-related content that we purchased the rights to. Opinions expressed may or may not agree with those espoused by Master Dog Trainer Adam G. Katz. When in doubt, please refer to the advice given in Adam’s “Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer!” This article is provided for your enjoyment, only. It’s relevance to real world working dog training may be limited.
Filed under Breeding Dogs by on Jun 30th, 2010.
Your beginning stock is going to be important for you to obtain after you have decided what you would like to breed, and after you have researched the breeding standards that you are going to be looking for.
Armed with a copy of the breeding standards, go to work searching for breeding stock for your own breeding operation. Remember, however, that sometimes you need to alter what you are looking for.
Then, seek out a male and a female to start with. It is never a good idea to start a breeding program by getting more than two puppies. You are going to want to start small, no matter what you want to do in the future. Find a male and a female from two separate breeders, or from the same breeder if you can be certain that they are not related.
Look at the pedigrees of the puppies before you buy them. You are going to want to be sure that there are no common relatives within a certain amount of generations. For some dog breeds that are small and new you might find common relatives as far back as three or four generations, and that might be fine for that breed. However, for breeds that have been around for a long time, you are going to want to be sure that there are no common relatives for many, many generations.
Again, a look at the breed standards will help you figure out what types of pedigrees you should be looking for in your puppies. You should know that ancestors that have championships are going to produce good puppies, for the most part, and you will be able to be confident in knowing that you have gotten a beginning stock that has championship blood lines.
You should be looking at the pedigrees of the puppies before you purchase them. Then, be sure to follow all of that particular breeders regulations about the dogs and make sure that you have been approved to own them. Pay for the puppies, and bring them home.
You now have the beginnings of your breeding stock. Remember, however, that you have just started on a journey that is going to be a very long journey indeed.
It is going to be important that you follow through with your breeding plan and the breeding standards that you have researched so that you can be sure you are providing your puppies with the best home possible.
There are some things that you want to look for in your breeding stock.
1. Temperament.
2. The quality of the dog.
3. The lineage of the dog.
4. Whether or not the dog has been shown. (if you aren’t buying a puppy)
5. If shown, what type of championships the dog has received
6. The mother and father of the dog – their temperament
7. If the mother and father were shown, if you are buying a puppy, and if so, what type of championships they have received
8. Where the puppies are raised for the first 8 weeks of their life
9. What the breeder’s standards are all about, and what the goal of their organization is all about.
10. What type of training the mother and father have had.
11. What type of situation the puppy was born in.
12. What the puppy looks like – their markings and their colors
13. If the puppies ears are straight and their eyes are bright.
14. If the puppy is friendly.
15. If the puppy will allow you to turn him on his back and scratch his belly while you hold him in your arms – this shows a trust for people and a love for affection.
16. What size the puppy is in comparison to his litter mates – you should choose one that is not the biggest nor the smallest.
17. How the puppy acts with his littermates – you should choose a puppy that is good with the other dogs and that loves being with the other dogs. Don’t pick one that doesn’t play with the other puppies.
If you choose your breeding stock based on these things, you should be able to have good breeding stock that you can depend on.
Please note: This article is part of a collection of dog-related content that we purchased the rights to. Opinions expressed may or may not agree with those espoused by Master Dog Trainer Adam G. Katz. When in doubt, please refer to the advice given in Adam’s “Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer!” This article is provided for your enjoyment, only. It’s relevance to real world working dog training may be limited.
Filed under Breeding Dogs by on Jun 29th, 2010.
Now you have your beginning stock, and you are going to be able to start on the breeding journey. But first, you get to do the fun part, which is to raise puppies from the start.
The best breeding stock is going to be dogs that have been hand raised by you from puppy hood. This will allow you to socialize the dogs properly ,and to be sure that they are kept in such a way that you would be proud to have them produce puppies.
Make sure that they are potty trained and that they know all of the basic commands.
The most important thing that you want to do with your breeding stock is to make sure that they are well socialized and that they are hand raised. These are both very important things because they will help you see that you need to have dogs that are well bred and very well socialized. This is going to be your number one goal when it comes to raising dogs.
Dogs that are hand raised are going to be better about the puppies that they produce. They will produce good quality puppies and they will allow you to help in the birthing process as you should. Therefore, you are going to want to be sure that you are hand raising your puppies all the way to adult hood.
With some purebred dogs, temperament is the biggest issue that breeders watch out for and that breed standards talk about. Therefore, something that you are going to want to do for sure is to make sure that you have created a situation in which the dogs are very well socialized. This is especially important if you are breeding a dog that is known to be temperamental. You are going to want to make a difference with your dogs.
Also, keep in mind your breeding standards and your breeding plan. What is important to you about the breed of dogs and what do you want to accomplish?
You should have already decided on a major goal for your operation. Perhaps it might be to produce puppies that have a line that is known for being well socialized, or perhaps it might be to produce a line that is known for being a good quality of show dog.
No matter what your main goal is, raise your puppies with that in mind. The more that you can develop whatever it is that you are looking for within them, the more that you will be able to know you have a good quality breeding program.
Please note: This article is part of a collection of dog-related content that we purchased the rights to. Opinions expressed may or may not agree with those espoused by Master Dog Trainer Adam G. Katz. When in doubt, please refer to the advice given in Adam’s “Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer!” This article is provided for your enjoyment, only. It’s relevance to real world working dog training may be limited.
Filed under Breeding Dogs by on Jun 29th, 2010.
