Hi!

[robin1]

Hey everyone! My name’s Robin. I have one dog, a goldendoodle called Molly (I’m not a fan of doodles but my parents decided to get one). She’s going to be 3 in May and at the moment we’re working on loose leash training and recall. My parents also want to breed her next year, but I’m trying to convince them not to because although we’d treat the puppies well, it would still be backyard breeding.

Anyway, I’m looking forward to meeting people and their dogs on here. See you around :]

 

[robin1]

*I mentioned I’m not a fan of doodles because of the backyard breeding and insane prices that go into them, they’re nice dogs.

 

[JudyN]

Welcome to the forum - I'm quite partial to doodles, but I agree, they're usually bred, and bought, for all the wrong reasons. Breeding from a goldendoodle would be a really bad idea, because you really have no idea what you'll get - you could get a pup with the best of both breeds, or the worst... Other members, I'm sure, will tell you more about just how difficult it is to rear a litter of puppies successfully!

 

[robin1]

Welcome to the forum - I'm quite partial to doodles, but I agree, they're usually bred, and bought, for all the wrong reasons. Breeding from a goldendoodle would be a really bad idea, because you really have no idea what you'll get - you could get a pup with the best of both breeds, or the worst... Other members, I'm sure, will tell you more about just how difficult it is to rear a litter of puppies successfully!

Thanks!

Yeah, I really don’t want her to be bred because of those reasons. It’s mainly my mum that wants to breed her.

 

[Summer Morse]

Thanks!

Yeah, I really don’t want her to be bred because of those reasons. It’s mainly my mum that wants to breed her.

Hi Robin please don’t breed your dog just enjoy her. There are so many dogs that need homes. The vet bills if anything goes wrong will outweigh the money your mum will make on puppy’s. Hope you can talk her round

 

[JoanneF]

Perhaps it would help form a moreconvincing argument if we knew why your mum wants to breed her?

 

[RGC]

There has been a glut and a half of dogs looking for loving homes from people who bought puppies on a whim during the pandemic and then decided that dog ownership wasn’t for them. We’ve always had rescued dogs (whippets) whether they had been abandoned, ‘confiscated’ for inhumane treatment as studs or having served their use having had a litter of puppies. This may sound hard but many of us have seen and coped with the misery caused by whimsical and/or designer breeding. Hope a correct and considerate decision is eventually made.

 

[robin1]

Hi Robin please don’t breed your dog just enjoy her. There are so many dogs that need homes. The vet bills if anything goes wrong will outweigh the money your mum will make on puppy’s. Hope you can talk her round

Yeah, I’m trying to convince my mum to not breed her; she’s not doing it for the money, just the enjoyment but I’m still against it and think we should look into adopting a dog instead.

 

[robin1]

Perhaps it would help form a moreconvincing argument if we knew why your mum wants to breed her?

Yeah I get that! She’s wanted to have a dog with a litter of puppies since she was a child, and she wants to do it for the enjoyment of it. She bought a female dog for the specific reason of wanting to breed, and I’m still trying to convince her to spay Molly and not breed her.

 

[robin1]

There has been a glut and a half of dogs looking for loving homes from people who bought puppies on a whim during the pandemic and then decided that dog ownership wasn’t for them. We’ve always had rescued dogs (whippets) whether they had been abandoned, ‘confiscated’ for inhumane treatment as studs or having served their use having had a litter of puppies. This may sound hard but many of us have seen and coped with the misery caused by whimsical and/or designer breeding. Hope a correct and considerate decision is eventually made.

Yeah, the numbers of young dogs surrendered to the Dog’s Trust has almost doubled (or something along those lines) since people have bought puppies for ridiculous prices and then realising they don’t have the time for them.

I used to live in Chile, where there were many, many stray dogs wandering around, and the majority of them were due to unspayed, designer dogs breeding.

I really hope I can turn mum around to make her realise that breeding Molly isn’t a good idea.

 

[JudyN]

Just a thought: rescues often take in dogs who turn out to be pregnant, and if they can, will find a foster home that can care for the bitch, attend to her through the birth, and raise the pups till they can go to new homes. This is a way in which your mum would get to raise a litter of pups, but without the ethical issues.

She would, however, need to do a lot of research on the pregnancy and birth, and raising the pups - done properly, so that the mum and pups have the best chance of making great pets, it really is a full-time job. And she would also have to persuade the rescue that she has the necessary knowledge and committment.

 

[robin1]

Just a thought: rescues often take in dogs who turn out to be pregnant, and if they can, will find a foster home that can care for the bitch, attend to her through the birth, and raise the pups till they can go to new homes. This is a way in which your mum would get to raise a litter of pups, but without the ethical issues.

She would, however, need to do a lot of research on the pregnancy and birth, and raising the pups - done properly, so that the mum and pups have the best chance of making great pets, it really is a full-time job. And she would also have to persuade the rescue that she has the necessary knowledge and committment.

That could definitely be an option; I’ll talk to her about that, thank you!

 

[JoanneF]

She’s wanted to have a dog with a litter of puppies since she was a child

Sadly, it isn't the same sort of experience for the dog, who has to go through the mating, the pregnancy, the birth, the feeding etc and then the puppies being removed.

But if she is going to go ahead, she should be aware of several things. First, before breeding, she should have both sire and dam tested for the conditions they potentially could pass on. For a golden retriever, that would be eyes, hips to score below 12.8 and elbows to score 0; for a poodle it would be hips at 11.6 so I guess for a mix you would go with the lower. Second, both sire and dam should have exemplary temperaments. A lot of behaviour is inherited. Third, she will be responsible for the puppies for their whole lives, and will be obliged to take them back for any reason at any time.

 

[Hemlock]

I like JudyN's idea for a way of giving your Mum the puppy experience without the complete responsibility - which, as others have said, is huge. Though I bet if she does raise a litter, she'll fall in love with one of the whelps.....

It's far more work than most people anticipate - your life is not your own until that bittersweet moment when the pups leave for their new homes. So at least she'd be spared the finding of GOOD homes - really difficult, because people can be ingenious liars - and the lifetime responsibility as JoannaF says, of taking one or more back if it doesn't work out, if she fosters for a Rescue.

 

[JoanneF]

I've also just seen a TV report that more dogs than ever are in rescue - due to a combination of lockdown purchases, people now having more work commitments/less time, and the increased cost of living.

 

[robin1]

Sadly, it isn't the same sort of experience for the dog, who has to go through the mating, the pregnancy, the birth, the feeding etc and then the puppies being removed.

But if she is going to go ahead, she should be aware of several things. First, before breeding, she should have both sire and dam tested for the conditions they potentially could pass on. For a golden retriever, that would be eyes, hips to score below 12.8 and elbows to score 0; for a poodle it would be hips at 11.6 so I guess for a mix you would go with the lower. Second, both sire and dam should have exemplary temperaments. A lot of behaviour is inherited. Third, she will be responsible for the puppies for their whole lives, and will be obliged to take them back for any reason at any time.

Yeah absolutely. I’m going to put together a few articles and reasons why she shouldn’t breed Molly, as I really don’t think it’s a good idea. If she goes ahead anyway, I’ll ask her to test Molly first. Thank you!

 

[robin1]

I like JudyN's idea for a way of giving your Mum the puppy experience without the complete responsibility - which, as others have said, is huge. Though I bet if she does raise a litter, she'll fall in love with one of the whelps.....

It's far more work than most people anticipate - your life is not your own until that bittersweet moment when the pups leave for their new homes. So at least she'd be spared the finding of GOOD homes - really difficult, because people can be ingenious liars - and the lifetime responsibility as JoannaF says, of taking one or more back if it doesn't work out, if she fosters for a Rescue.

Yeah definitely; I think it’s a good idea, I’ll bring it up with her