doxie breeding

[Timber]

<IMG SRC="http://dachsie.org/ubb/cwmsmilies/cwm18.gif" border=0>I would like to breed doxies someday, maybe. Does anyone know what I can do to get prepared? I just <IMG SRC="http://dachsie.org/ubb/cwmsmilies/cwm20.gif" border=0> these little guys! Thanks! <IMG SRC="http://dachsie.org/ubb/cwmsmilies/cwm39.gif" border=0>

<font color="#00FFFF" font size="1">[This message has been edited by Timber (edited August 12, 2000).]</font>

[Penny's Aunt]

The best thing you can do is learn all you can. If you could help out in a dachsie breeding/show kennel, you would learn stuff you'll never find in books. (Be aware that all breeders are nuts to a certain extent, so find one that doesn't mind if you ask endless questions.)

Learn the difference between good & bad features, & how to tell the difference between a bad, good, & superlative dogs. Study genetics, so you can learn how to deal with less-than-perfect traits, & what to avoid doing to produce health problems.

Learn what dogs need in the way of nutrition. Learn what happens when a dog becomes pregnant, & what signs of whelping are normal & which are danger signs. Learn about showing, & understand that politics & "favors" are part of the game. Learn the other facets of dachshunds, like Earthdog trials.

But most of all, learn about yourself. Any dog you produce has its very life in your hands, from whether or not it survives its birth, to what kind of home & future it will have. You are God to the dogs you produce, & don't ever forget it.

The best breeders have the following qualities:

They breed to improve the quality of the breed, not to make money.

They breed to produce strong, healthy, mentally stable dogs with minimal health problems, & don't breed dogs that have histories or families with things like back problems, seizures, aggression, etc.

They make a special point of socializing their pups so they are well on their way to being familiar with all kinds of people & other animals. They raise their pups in the kitchen or dining room where the pups become familiar with real-world sounds & movements like dishwashers, vacuum cleaners, brooms, TVs, etc., not outside in a barn or garage. Their adult dogs are part of their lives, not just a source of income as puppy-producing machines.

They investigate the homes their puppies are going to, & ask lots of hard questions of propective owners, not just "Cash or check?"

They instruct new owners to return any dog to them if conditions arise where the new owner can no longer keep the dog, & they will find a new home for the dog.

They are involved somehow in Dachshund Rescue, either as foster homes, humane society checks, transportation, checking out prospective new homes, fighting puppy mills, organizing money-making fundraisers, producing newsletters, etc. Some are busy, but contribute big money to rescue programs.

Responsible breeders are concerned with the whole dog, not just its body.