Whippet Breeding Advice

Whippet breeding advice: I learned the hard way that dog rearing is better left to committed breeders. Read about the hazards of unconsidered canine reproduction.

When Nanà, our little lurcher, was in heath, everybody knew about it.

At the time we lived in central Rome and the whole neighborhood was following closely the adventures of Nanà and her most persistent suitor, Orazio.

He was a tiny mongrel who inherited all the genes of his most persevering and stubborn ancestors.

Twice a year his only goal in life became mating with our Nanà, who on another hand seemed totally oblivious of the commotion provoked by her estrus.

The wondrous fragrance of love impregnated not only our little bitch but also our car, house and myself. Orazio would follow me anywhere like the best trained heeler.

There was no way to explain to the supermarket attendant that I couldn’t leave the little mongrel outside because he wasn’t mine and he wouldn’t dream of obeying me.

It was hard to sustain the reproving glances of the bystanders who thought Orazio was following our car because we were abandoning him in the street.

My neighbors were partial to Orazio because they saw in him all the virtues of enduring love and often asked me to let the two dogs mate.

But the idea of having to deal with a pack of little Orazios was disturbing.

Finally I learned the trick of tying the lovesick dog to my gate whenever I was going out and releasing him upon my return.

After years of struggles I finally had to spay Nanà for health reasons and we began to savor a carefree life with our pet.

Certainly I could have spared my little lurcher and ourselves a lot of troubles if I only had confronted reality.

I was never going to mate Nana because there was no place for more puppies in an already over-dogged world.

Definitely dog reproduction is better left to the breeders who will mate only superior quality dogs and only whelp puppies that can be placed in good homes.

The best whippet breeding advice I can give anyone is to keep in mind that there are more good dogs than good homes for them.

5 Things you Should Know about Dog Heat

1 When

The estrus cycle (or heat) starts as soon as the female dog (bitch) reaches sexual maturity.

This will happen anytime between 6 and 14 month of age and will continue until death (no menopausal relief), typically twice a year.

2 How

You’ll notice increased urination, bloody vaginal discharge and swelling of the vulva. But the most noticeable sign will be the male dogs that will become obsessively interested in your pooch.

3 Risks

The heat will last 21 days. During this time your bitch will accept to mate with males. She can get pregnant only when in heat and be assured she will in the most unexpected ways.

Keep an eye on the calendar because her most fertile days are between the 11th and the 15th from the beginning of her cycle, regardless from the fact that she might have stopped bleeding.

4 Exercising

During the heat you should exercise your female dog only on a leash, carefully avoid dog parks and any form of canine reunion to avoid causing havoc.

To exercise your bitch, it’s a good idea to drive far away from home to leave no scent trail to your house.

5 Spaying

Spaying your female dog is the sensible choice for your dog wellbeing  and your mental sanity.

Nowadays veterinarians tend to spay females earlier (sometimes even before the first heat) than they used years ago. Talk with your vet about your options.

 

All this said, I think there is nothing prettier than a litter of young puppies.

If at the end of this page about the problems of dog reproduction you are not yet discouraged, if you have considered the responsibility, labor and expenses that dog reproduction involves but you still long for those puppies, well you are obviously a true aficionado and you deserve the litter of puppies of your dreams!

Whippet Breeding Advice from a Breeder

Hare is a detailed and informative article about whippet breeding by Karen Lee of Surreyhill Whippets

She is a long time fancier of the whippet breed and a very experienced dog breeder. Click on the link to open the page.