Breeding With Your Pet

Every species of animal has its own mating rituals. When choosing to breed, it’s essential to learn as much as possible about the type of animal you plan to breed, and to understand the physical reproductive system of that animal.

For example, it’s important to know that a female dog comes into heat only twice a year and is only fertile for around 10 days of her 5 week heat cycle. On the other hand, a female cat will come into heat often, and usually remains in heat until she is bred.

Before deciding to breed your pet, you need to ask whether you should breed it in the first place. Your first consideration should be your pet’s health.

• Is she old enough to be bred?
• Does she have any health conditions that would make carrying a litter of puppies or kittens dangerous?

Even in the best of circumstances, breeding is risky. Without veterinary intervention many animals die when giving birth. You may be faced with the high costs of a caesarean section or treatment of the babies after they are born.

Additionally, just because you breed two animals together does not mean that they will successfully reproduce. Even if they do succeed, there is no guarantee how many offspring there will be, or if those offspring will be healthy.

Breeding is very expensive. If you’re not financially prepared to manage emergency care, it’s better to avoid it. If you’re certain that you wish to breed your pet, you’ll need to find an appropriate stud to breed her to. Many stud owners will not breed to just any animal, and may require your pet to go through a series of tests before accepting her for breeding.

Once your pet is bred, you’ll need to carefully maintain her through her pregnancy. Some types of animals need extra nutrients, others need minimal extra care. Be sure to research the needs of your particular breed and species so that you’ll supply your female with what she needs.

When the babies are finally due to arrive it’s essential that you’re available during the labour.

Many deaths of mothers and babies can be prevented if you are there to attend to your pet through her labour. Additionally, you may find it necessary to assist with the care of the newborns for days after they are born.

Breeding animals is a huge commitment. If you decide to venture into breeding, take care to research everything you possibly can about your animal’s breed and species before your first attempt.