LEANS N SLOBBERS

You are interested in becoming a Great Dane Breeder. Where do you begin?

Before You Breed:

A checklist to breeding your dog:

True stories of dog breeding: (A MUST READ)

Breeding Realities:

The Difference between Responsible breeders and BYB's:

Becoming a responsible breeder

Breeding better dogs

Canine Inherited Disorder Database

Dog owners guide to genetic diseases

So you want to use your dog as a stud?......

Thoughts on breeding

What is a reputable breeder

The Ethical breeder

My take on breeding:

This is a controversial subject. With good reason. Every year, dane rescues are left to clean up the messes that BYB's and other irresponsible breeders create.

This poses the question - how to we educate BYB's?

I have never bred an animal in my life, nor do I care to. I think breeding should be left to the experts - and even experts can make mistakes.

What makes one think it's a good idea to breed?

1) Money - people think they will suddenly become rich when they breed a litter of pups. This may be the case if it is done incorrectly -Hey, I've got a dane, you've got a dane, let's breed them. This is done with no thought on the outcome of the puppies - health, temperament, conformation, etc.

Yes, if done this way, I suppose you may make a few bucks. But keep trying your luck - one day, you're going to get stuck with a bitch who won't nurse, or a litter that needs to be delivered via C-section, or worse, your bitch has complications and dies. Where's the dream of fortune now?

2) They love their dane so much, they want more just like it.

Oh please, there are 1,000's of danes sitting in shelters and rescues or being PTS daily because of this reason. It's selfish that we as humans can keep producing animals out of such blind thoughtlessness.

3) Lack of education - some people breed THINKING they are doing the breed a favor when they really don't understand they are causing more problems. So you love your dane, so your friend loves your dane, and wants a pup...what happens in two years when these pups are 130 pound wrecking balls, and suddenly no one wants them anymore. Do you take them back?

What happens when these pups are diagnosed with wobblers, hip displaysia, von willebrands, blindness, etc because you didn't take the time and expense to health test before you bred? Do you do the responsible thing and take them back or do you turn a shoulder and let rescue clean up your mistakes. Do you tell the buyer who calls you distraught that their dane just dropped dead from Cardiomyopathy at age 4 that you just didn't think health testing mattered?

PLEASE, think before you breed. It's such an important decision and it affects the lives of danes and rescues and anyone who loves danes.

What Makes A Great Breeder?

To me, a great breeder does most if not all of these things:

Health tests - hips, heart, eyes, thyroid, von willebrands, etc. Health testing is extremely important to me.

Participates in activities with their danes - doesn't necessarily have to be conformation - but if not, I like to know that they are knowledgable about conformation and only breed to the standard. I like to see titles on their breeding stock - conformation is super, but can also be obedience, agility, therapy dog...

Breeds from dogs with only the best temperaments - CGC dogs. Temperament Tested dogs.

Breeds responsibly - doesn't settle for the next best stud if they can't use the one they wanted. A responsible breeding is one where the sire and dam compliment each other's faults and is meant to improve upon them with the next generation.

Offers lifetime breeder support - a responsible breeder will always be there for you should you experience a problem with your pup. Think a BYB does that? Call them and tell them you found out your pup has Hip Dysplasia....see how quick they stop accepting your calls.

Breeds by the standard. The GDCA has a breeders code of ethics as well as a color code. I would run quickly from breeders who say they don't believe in it or blantantly disregard it.

Responsible breeders believe in quality, not quantity. They rarely have puppies, and when they do, the pups have usually long been spoken for. That's why you don't see responsible breeders advertising in newspapers.