Pennys turn to visit her new mate

Penny visit to max 

I was very apprehensive about penny's visit to stud dog max. We hadn't had time to meet max prior to the day of mating, but a quick review of some pics a chat with his owner and a look at his pedigee and we knew he would be a great choice. As an experienced stud dog he was a good choice for penny not only due to his lovely nature and colouring so he will produce loving puppies who will be great pets with families, but he is also used to dogs.notches of all kinds who are unpredictable and he doesn't react to them he gets on and does his business typical of an experienced stud. 

We looked for this as penny has become unpredictable around other dogs particularly when she is in heat. This is partly due to having been a mum combined with being the leader of the pack. Owning 3 dogs as we do is a pack and each animal fulfils a role in relation to the others, penny is the leader she is guard dog and protector of the other 2. This makes her a lovely guard dog a great mum to her puppies and loving to her pack but she is early of new dogs. So meeting max when she was  in heat meant I needed to be there for her to calm her and tell her she is ok and I will be on look out for her. So she could let her Guard down and mate with her stud. 

here is penny right after happy and ready to go home.

For safety penny wore a safety muzzle a soft harness over her nose which allows her to pant and breath but not to nip anyone or max. She doesn't mind it to much. 

The meeting when very well penny was a bit snippy at first and was too wary to relax ans stand for max but she soon stood and they was  tied within a few mins of arriving. They was  tied for about 12 mins. Penny calmed down after the first 2 mins just like most girls that is the most uncomfortable bit where they first lock together. Then penny wriggled a bit so I held her steady, soon it was  all over penny was having a little chat with max then decompressed had enough an  headed for the door so before she got all defensive again, we paid Macs owners and made our appointment for the second visit with is included.

http://www.pets4homes.co.uk/classifieds/446933-lhasa-apso-kc-reg-for-stud-brighouse.html

Here is the link to Maxs contacts. 

The Cost Of Breeding

Firstly it is important to remember that there is more than a monetary cost to breeding. When deciding to have puppies you must remember it take a lot of time and effort and for any profit you hope to make its not worth the daily challenges unless you love doing it as well. 

It will take an average of 3 hours a day in the first cleaning puppies, helping them feed, cleaning mum, and cleaning their nest and doing laundry. Completing their health records and daily weighing them to monitor their development.

The weeks that follow your time on the puppies in creases washing them daily and washing mum mixing food for them to begin weaning. Advertising your puppies preparing puppy packs and then moving on to the last 2 weeks you are booking 2 or three viewings per day to find homes for your puppies and checking the new potential owners. This is the most demanding time and if you also work full time like me now is the time to take some holiday! 

By 8weeks it's time to go to the vet as they need their health inspection, getting their microchip implanted and their first of 2injections. This is where you decide weather to keep them for another 2weeks unroll they have had their second injection at 10 weeks or they go to their new homes at 8 weeks from the day after the vets and the new family then takes them back to the vet for the second injection which you have already paid for at the vets as this is typically included in a puppy purchase.

Take a look at some of the money I have spent already in preparation for Molly to get pregnant

• £40 vets inspection clear bill of health and extra flee and worming as these can't be applied during the first stages of pregnancy.
• £55 in materials to build a whelping box.
• £65 whelping kit and sterile surgical supplies for delivery
• £150 for the visit yo the stud dog
• £80 on 200 puppy pads cleaning sprays and rolls of tissue 
• £15 on 2 boxes of wipes for the birth and for the first 2weeks of day washes then I switch to water and channels
• Sound £40 on 14 channels each puppy has 2 on for morning wash and one eve then we launder them over night this is to prevent the spread of any infections. This cost also covered several microfiber towels for drying them and we had lots of towels and blankets for their box you need a minimum of 6 as you change it at least twice a day and you need one to put them on while they are out of the box during cleaning. 3 towels per day then they are washed overnight with the channels.
• £25 dog bedding shampoo and fabric softener and puppy shampoo for their full baths in their last 2weeks which they have every 2-3 days depending on how much wee and poo they walk in!
• £25 0n some reclaimed wood for a puppy pen to contain them once they finish whelping at around 4 weeks.
• £5 printing of records and puppy information sheets for puppy packs

As you can see there are a lot of costs already however you would normally wait till u are sure of pregnancy for some of these however I like to be very prepared as I also work full time. So waiting till week 4 or 5 and I may not have time to get it all done especially as we have built our own whelping box and puppy pen.

Take a look at some of the costs still to come 

• £400 vet Bill for 7 puppies to be vaccinated, microchipped and inspected
• £75 for a scan to confirm pregnancy and estimate number of puppies due
• Registration fees these depend on where you register them these can vary greatly.
• £40 advert in the paper but often you need to advertise in several places
• Dog sitter costs if I can't be there for a feeding time or have Togo away over night I may need a sitter once or twice
• Other unforseen complications ring pregnancy or Labour that might require a vet visit

Over all the sale price of 2 to 3 puppies will recoup your costs but you need to have the funds ready for you breeding season. Depending on the breed of dog, where you live and the size of your litter any money you make could be very minimal. 

As mentioned if your going to breed it has to be for more than money, I breed to provide families with the perfect family pets. I believe the lhasa also is the perfect dog. In breeding I help to continue the survival of this fantastic breed. I also enjoy the day challenges that breeding adds to my day filling my time. I don't have any children and so also enjoy the delivery and nurturing the puppies. My favourite bits are ties between bathing them in a kitchen bowl and blistering and brushing then at 7 weeks old and the moment potential owners walk in and see them for the first time and cry aww as they are so cute. 

On top of this I also writing this blog daily and will also be keeping potential owners up to date on their puppiesprogress with lots of photos.

using a stud dog

Using a stud dog

Yesterday we took Molly for a mating with Scooby a local stud lhasa also u can find his owners on pets for homes website http://www.pedigreestuddogs.co.uk/pedigree-stud-dogs/stud-dog-information.asp?kcname=scooby&DogID=6335&photocount=8

On our visit to Scooby he was very gentle they had already met once before to see if they was a good match. He seemed to remember Molly and was playful right from when we came in the door. His owner Graham had set up an area in the conservatory. And while Scooby got right on with business we had tea and let them try by themselves. They then just needs a little help and success. I got a copy of his family tree to tale home which we had already seem and Checked before arriving and discussed registration of the puppies to dog lovers. And neither Molly or Scooby are kc registered but this is less important to us as they still have their pedigrees. Money exchanged hands while we let them play in the garden and cool off. Molly enjoyed this most playing with her new friend Scooby and running around as she a very agile dog who loves to run and jump and play. It is important to have agreed with the stud powers the items of the arrangement. I look for a stud who is healthy with a pedigree, and successfully, but also an owner that offers 2 ties for money and a free try again when the bitch is in season if the mating fails first time. Scooby only offers 1 mating and was quite expensive for only 1 go but we decided to use him due to his lovely colouring and nature.

scooby and molly having a playtime after the deed was done

Many people might find the idea of going to a strangers house to watch it dogs mate a bit bizzar but it's really a very natural process and feels caring and natural and not strange at all. Scooby was great and his owner to an area is normally set up with a blanket down because there can be a little bit of fluid after a successful mating. We let them get on with it assisting a little to keep then steady and together. At first the bitch will be uncomfortable once tied and may cry out and be snappy so watch for that, it's good to have a safety muzzle ready in case she gets really rough after 4 to 5 minutes she will calm down ans either lay or stand their while they are tied together we. Have a stop watch to hand to time it it should last around 15 minutes and no longer than 40 at which point they may need some help. Often they will naturally turn back to back, the owners job here it to keep them calm and atop any bullying that could result on injury.

During a tie the male and female lock together in nature's way for dogs to get the job done. Here the male enters the female and the penis is swollen the female has muscles onside that then also swell to hold the male in place. He with have small conditions while he then inseminates the female. A successful tie will almost always result in pregnancy although I won't know this for some time. At about 40days pregnant you can get a scan from your vet to estimate the number of puppies due, which is helpful to know on lining up suitable homes for the new puppies. 

breeding molly

Breeding your Lhasa Apso

We are the lucky owners of 2 female Lhasa's penny and molly, this year is mollys turn to have her first litter, penny will also have her 3rd litter.

When choosing to breed you Lhasa it first starts with a health check, take your dam to the vet for a clear bill of heath for breeding, you must then decide if your girl has the temperament to be a good mother and to produce puppies with a good temperament also.
If both of these give the green light you must then ask yourself if you have the energy to raise puppies as this takes a lot of time and commitment, if your ok with this then begin your reading and research and if possible find an existing breeder who you can learn from.

cute as a button

In deciding to breed Molly, it was a difficult decision as she has blue eyes, this is a rare genetic abnormality in dogs and is not considered the breed standard by the kennel club, despite this she is our most intelligent dog, she is also very loving and adorable as her colouring is lovely. see pictures to follow. Also knowing that she will not necessary pass the gene on to her young we have decided to breed her, I personally love that she has human coloured eyes.

molly as a puppy see those rare blue eyes

all grown up

Once you have decide to breed you then have to select a mate, this can be time consuming searching for one with the right temperament and colouring that you desire in your puppies. There are many websites you can trawl to find a stud dog, you will want to take your girl to meet them and see how they get on together.

Then begins the waiting game waiting for your girl to be the right age and in season, during the waiting time you can be getting all your supplies ready for the birth.