Should I Breed My Dog?

Share

Question: I have the most adorable Pomeranian named Patti. She is so cute! My dog chases her tail constantly. I dress her up in pet clothing that I embroider from her own hair. We have tea parties together on Sundays and we are taking a knitting class together on Tuesdays. I want to breed her once, just for fun, but I don’t know how to get started. Should I breed my dog? How do I find a reputable dog breeder?

The first thing you need to do is see a good psychologist to work out why you are so obsessed with your dog. Maybe a professional can help you find some human friends. In conjunction with you seeing a psychologist you need to take your dog to an animal behaviorist to figure out why she is chasing her tail constantly. Tail-chasing is a sign of neurosis in dogs, as is any compulsively repetitive behavior.

After the mental health issues for both of you have been adequately addressed you can then think about breeding your dog. There are several ethical issues to consider.

Mental Health of Dogs

First: Does your dog have good mental health? There are many breeds that have been ruined by irresponsible people breeding mentally unstable dogs. If your dog suffers from any sort of severely neurotic, aggressive or submissive behavior, or seems nervous for no reason, she will definitely pass these traits onto her offspring.

Undesirable Physical Traits

Second: Does your dog have any undesirable physical traits? These are also problems that you don’t want to pass on to the breed. It is important to remember that when you breed a dog you are not only creating puppies in the immediate moment. You are contributing to the future of the breed and that contribution needs to be for the best of the breed, not simply to satisfy your own need for puppies.

Animal Shelter Population

And finally, there are so many homeless dogs in the United States that deserve good homes. These dogs languish in animal shelters waiting for someone to love them; please consider adopting a dog before you bring more puppies into the world. According to The Bill Foundation, about 5 million cats and dogs are euthanized each year in shelters.

Five million.

And not just mutts. Purebred dogs end up in shelters at an alarming rate; a good pedigree does not guarantee a dog’s safety.

After you have given serious consideration to all of these ethical issues I would suggest asking your veterinarian for local resources for breeding Pomeranians. There are breed clubs that will have helpful information; a Google search will turn up one in your area.

Share

More Advice From Pets Adviser

Tags ask Pets Adviser breeding dog breeds mental health pet behaviors Pomeranian submissive behavior tail chasing