To Breed … Or Not To
Few things on earth are more adorable than a pile of puppies. So naturally it can be very tempting to dream about breeding your dog someday to produce more wonderful puppies just like her.
But before you decide to go ahead and breed your dog, the American Kennel Club cautions you to stop and think long and hard. Then think a second and third time, even
longer and harder. We believe the decision to breed dogs should never be made lightly. Unfortunately, however, it’s often made for all the wrong reasons. You don’t need to make this mistake. Carefully consider every consequence of bringing more dogs into this world, and if you do decide to breed, commit yourself to being a responsible dog owner every step of the way.
What does it mean to be a responsible dog owner? It means you will not breed unless you are sure you can produce healthy dogs with sound temperaments, and can see to it that every single puppy is placed in a home where it will receive proper care throughout its life. This may sound easy, but it’s not what happens far too often. If you still need convincing, visit any animal shelter, where the sad sight of homeless dogs should serve to remind you that breeding is a serious responsibility. Even though the majority of dogs in shelters are not purebred, this situation illustrates that too many people are too careless with their dogs. So, as we’ve said, please think twice before deciding to breed.