to bread or not yo bread?

PamHelenLaw

New member
I've done some research on breading newfs but it would still be my first time breading and i'm kinda scared. i don't want to mess up and chose the wrong male or put her at risk because i'm so young.
right now shes a little over five months and is absolutely beautiful. i got her from the best breeder i could find and i intend to get her hips certified before i bread her. still i'm worried if i should even try.
so i guess what i'm asking is should i bread her or just get her fixed? shes quite over hyper and I've heard fixing a dog can calm them down and balance them out a little. i also heard fixing them decreases their chance of getting breast cancer. what are some pros and cons of breading v.s fixing a dog?
 
Last edited:

Sound Bay Newfs

Active member
This is a decision you should be making with your breeder after she has been in the show ring and see how she is maturing at about 2 yrs of age. All her health clearances would have to be done. Your breeder would be able to pick a sire too after matching pedigrees. What kind of registration do you have? But first you have to evaluate why you want to breed her. We breed to improve the breed. It is very expensive and extremely time consuming. Can you stay home for 10 wks to take care of the pups?
 

ardeagold

New member
I echo the others...do your research and speak to her breeder about the pros and cons of breeding Newfs.

Before breeding...you must make sure she has all her clearances (heart from a cardio Vet, cystinuria via DNA, hips and elbows via xrays...which you can't do until 24 mos, patellas by the vet who does the xrays, eyes by an opthamologist and thyroid for a baseline. ) AND the male must have those clearances too.

THEN study the pedigrees of your girl and the male, and check on all clearances backwards through their lines, to see how everyone did, health wise. You really only want to breed healthy dogs from healthy lines. These tests show who in the lines have had genetic issues and all I stated are known genetic issues in Newfs. They can pass those down to the puppies. You need to know so you can determine who the best male would be for her...provided SHE passes all clearances.

Start showing her in conformation to see if she meets the breed standard...and if you can, get her into working events (water dog trials and draft tests).

Once you do that...then you'll know if she's fit to breed!!!
 
Last edited:

wrknnwf

Active member
I think it's a wonderful ambition for a 16 year old to want to become a responsible breeder someday. We need young people who will carry on the tradition of improving the breed we love so much.

Since this is your first Newf and since you would never want to breed her before she is two, and after you've done a lot of homework, I suggest that you spend this time showing your pup in conformation and working on obedience. It's difficult for young puppies to win over adults in the conformation ring, but the experience is so valuable. And working on obedience will set you up for working events later. You will learn what makes a good breeding/working dog and you will get to see if your puppy grows into a good representative of the breed.

And two years is a good time to spay her if she isn't the quality you had hoped for. I'm sure you understand that most Newfs would not be well suited for breeding. The only way to find out is to follow the steps that everyone above has outlined for you.

Also, I think you should get in contact with the closest Newf clubs and become involved in their events if possible. The more you learn about working events, obedience and conformation, the better breeder you will be in the future. You will meet lots of people who can help you, and hopefully, there will be breeders in the club who live fairly close and can take you under their wings. No one is kidding when they say that breeding is difficult, expensive, and sometimes heartbreaking, so you will also have time to really consider if this is the path you want to take. Clubs will have members who can help point out your puppy's strengths and her flaws (every dog has them). Don't forget that just because a puppy doesn't make the grade for breeding, it doesn't mean he or she isn't a fine working dog and a loving companion. That's the greatest thing about being a Newf owner...there are so many things you can do with your dog, that both of you will enjoy. So not having a dog that could be bred is just a minor setback. And one nice thing about spaying your girl is that you can still show in obedience and working events, so you don't really miss out on much.

I wish you all the luck in the world. Enjoy your puppy, work hard, learn everything you can, and you just may be one of the great Newfoundland breeders or trainers one day. Either way, you will have known the love of a Newf and that's what it's really all about.
 
Last edited:

BLCOLE

Active member
A question I have is, do you have experience taking care of an "intact" female dog? My understanding is that some female Newfs can be a handful when "that time" arrives.

One of the reasons the females of ANY breed that we have owned have been spayed...
 

NewfieMama

New member
What the others said. Are you really 16? Watch, learn, ask questions, enjoy your dog. I went to high school in Hamilton (near Rockpprt) and what a nice place to have a Newf! Highly recommend learning some water work with her as well as conformation and obedience.

Good luck and I hope to hear great things about you in 20 years or so. :)

Be careful with bread - can cause pancreatitis. ;)
 

Lisa@Caeles Hills

New member
I thought I wanted to breed Newfs, so I did a "trial run" with my first male. I showed him to his Championship Title, got all of his health clearances by having his hips, elbows, and patellas exrayed, had a Cardiologist examine his heart, then sent to OFA which he cleared all with Normal and Good. I spent around $5000.00 doing this (not including the cost of the dog). After a couple years in the show ring, I REALLY got interested in Newfs, decided NOT to breed my beautiful Champion (he really has nothing to ADD to the breed!) and got another beautiful male from a top breeder to show. I love to show, and hopefully will just be keeping a couple of show studs. I have seen what it takes to have the bitch, and how much care and expense the puppies take, and since I'm getting older, I'll leave that to experts!! :) I highly recommend, since you are yet young, that you start out by showing your bitch. Its amazing how much you learn from the best breeders, and just by looking at the other dogs and asking questions! I STILL after 7 years of showing, cannot find all the faults on a dog, and am still learning. I would never in a million years feel myself qualified to breed, without my mentor right there telling me each and every variable. So... are YOU willing to step up and be a really good breeder, and only doing it to help, and better the breed, and for no other reason?? If so, I commend you, and hope that all you meet in our breed step up and take you under their wing :) If you can, try to go to the Newfoundland Nationals in Michigan next April and bring your girl. You will have a blast, learn alot, and meet alot of people who will help you every step of the way.
 

PamHelenLaw

New member
thank you so much everyone. yeah i'm only 16 but i'm determined. i've only had my newf a few months but i've fallen in love with the bread! we've had lots of other dogs but i've never had one as loving as my little girl, and i want to continue to spread the wonderful love newfs have to give(also improving the bread to its best).
i already know it's at least at 2 year wait and a lot of work and money.
thank you for the tips, but how do you become a member of a club like NCA or any other? and how do you get started in showing a dog?
 

Sound Bay Newfs

Active member
thank you so much everyone. yeah i'm only 16 but i'm determined. i've only had my newf a few months but i've fallen in love with the bread! we've had lots of other dogs but i've never had one as loving as my little girl, and i want to continue to spread the wonderful love newfs have to give(also improving the bread to its best).
i already know it's at least at 2 year wait and a lot of work and money.
thank you for the tips, but how do you become a member of a club like NCA or any other? and how do you get started in showing a dog?
Here is the link to the NCA site...

http://www.ncanewfs.org/index.shtml#.UIGB6658bTo

There you will find info on membership, regional clubs you can join, etc.

Your Regional club would be the New England club...

http://www.newfclubne.org/

If you got your pup from a show breeder, then they should be the ones to help you get started with showing your pup. Otherwise, those at the Regional club can help you too and help you determine if your dog should be in the show ring.
 

marylouz

New member
Pam - if you contact your Regional Club (NCNE) you can get connected with a number of great breeders- the best thing that you can do is learn from them- offer to help "puppy-watch" my daughter has helped breeders when they have a big litter that needs bottle feeding to supplement, or when they need an extra person to take the 1AM-4 AM shift by the whelping box - you will learn a lot just from being there, and you should definitely ask lots of questions. As far as getting started showing your girl- connect with the MidCoast Kennel Club - http://midcoastkennelclub.tripod.com/ and see if they have some handling classes for beginners- both you and your girl will benefit from this, and you will meet lots of other dog fanciers who can help you on your journey.
 

YorkvilleNewfie

New member
Another thing to consider would be "Am I prepared for the worst?" Pups die, litters are resorbed, and sadly, bitches are lost. A long-time, very reputable breeder, that's also very successful in the show ring and at working events that's a member here (Ginny - TurfTide Newfs) very nearly lost her beautiful Addy very recently, while she was in labor with what is now her final litter. I would speak with her, and other breeders about losses. Are you willing to watch a puppy/puppies lose their fight for life? To watch your beloved girl succumb to a complication? Everyone that wants to breed should think long and hard about the worst case scenarios that can and do happen. My own girl is the sole survivor of her litter and every litter afterward was lost until her dam had to be spayed and retired with only one "successful" birth under her belt (the girl in my profile pic), and at a great emotional and financial cost to her breeder....

In fact, the name I gave her says it all; Pequena Milagro. Spanish for "little miracle". Mila for short.
 
Last edited:

Capri

New member
And one thing is also $$$. Do you have your parents on your side, always there to support you?
 

YorkvilleNewfie

New member
And another thing...I love my girl very much too, but love alone simply doesn't make her a good candidate for breeding. She has very many fine qualities and has garnered some positive, unsolicited comments in the past from people whose opinions I respect very highly, but Mila toes out in the front. She also ruptured her cruciate ligament at 14 months requiring $4000 in surgical and post-surgical care. She came from a dam that wasn't a successful breeder and she was born with a too-timid nature. In my opinion, there are far too many people breeding these guys as it is. And too many of those breeders are not doing the breed a great service. The numbers ending up in rescue increases year, after year after year. For evidence of this, please click on this link and scroll to the very bottom of the page: http://scnc-newfclub.org/Rescue-092112.htm

That is just ONE regional Newf rescue. One. I would suggest to really and truly examine your heart and motivations behind wanting to do this. I would also highly recommend speaking with people involved in Newf rescue for their perspective, not just other breeders.

I would also suggest getting involved in the breed. Join your regional and national newf club. Get your girl in showing and working events. Try so very many, many things before trying your hand at breeding.
 
Last edited:

ajcooksey

New member
And another thing...I love my girl very much too, but love alone simply doesn't make her a good candidate for breeding. She has very many fine qualities and has garnered some positive, unsolicited comments in the past from people whose opinions I respect very highly, but Mila toes out in the front. She also ruptured her cruciate ligament at 14 months requiring $4000 in surgical and post-surgical care. In my opinion, there are far too many people breeding these guys as it is. And too many of those breeders are not doing the breed a great service. The numbers ending up in rescue increases year, after year after year. For evidence of this, please click on this link and scroll to the very bottom of the page: http://scnc-newfclub.org/Rescue-092112.htm

That is just ONE regional Newf rescue. One. I would suggest to really and truly examine your heart and motivations behind wanting to do this. I would also highly recommend speaking with people involved in Newf rescue for their perspective, not just other breeders.

I would also suggest getting involved in the breed. Join your regional and national newf club. Get your girl in showing and working events. Try so very many, many things before trying your hand at breeding.
I completely agree and I would never trust myself to breeding I will leave that to the experts who are doing everything in their power to better the breed.
 

nsmarlis

New member
Sweetheart, I think you should learn to spell first. And yes, I know I'm being a bitch. But really... :banghead:
 
Top