Advice needed for Neutering/Stud

[blindluck]

I have a well bred 7 month old GSP that I am thinking about having neutered. I would like to let him keep keep his balls and put him out to stud, but have no experience with the business. The problem I have right now is that I would not want someone to have a bunch of unwanted puppies or contribute to a puppy mill. That stuff makes me sick to my stomach. I do not have extra room for more puppies. Please advise. Thanks for any info!

[nofishfisherman]

Can you give us an idea of why you want to breed him? Are you hoping he'll make you some money? Just the experience of it? Sounds like you don't want one of his pups.

The one question you need to keep in mind when thinking of breeding your dog is whether or not breeding your dog will improve the overall GSP breed.

First before you even think of breeding him you'll want to make sure to have him tested for all the typical genetic issues (hips, eyes, etc). If he passes all that stuff then you can actually start thinking about him. If he fails then you won't want to breed him regardless.

If you really want to breed him and you want to do it responsibly maybe get in touch with repuitable GSP breeders in the area. Talk to them about what they are looking for in a stud dog and see if they think your boy might be a good fit. I'm sure they'll ask for proof of health certifications plus proof of past breedings so they can see what kind of bloodlines he has. Also they'll probably like to see him earn some hunt titles.

I know the breeder I've used for my vizsla really won't look to breed or stud a dog that doesn't have all of those things.

I'm sure you can find some other GSP owner that might want to breed their female but I personally wouldn't go that route. Make sure that you are creating a good pairing and that your dog and the chosen female both are top notch dogs.

[gspman]

7 months old is a little young to determine if you have a dog worth breeding to or not. Well bred doesn't mean a lot unless the dog can perform up to the standard of his pedigree. Having said that, if you think he's a decent enough dog then it's your choice. One thing to remember is that one person's "good" dog can be a piece of junk to another person with a different idea of what a good dog is.

These are the things I'd look at (your list may be different): Does it pass the health checks for hips, eyes, etc., is the dog built right conformationally (and I don't mean the show dog standard) to do its job, does it have good endurance, can it take the early season heat, does it have a good temperament, is it trainable, is the dog fully broke - can it or did it take the training pressure to get it fully broke, has it been tested or trialed (I prefer trialed), does it produce when hunting wild birds, does it have a good nose and stand off its birds when pointing, does it run fast and smooth, is it animated when running and stylish and intense on point (it needs to look really good running and pointing for me), does it have a natural retrieve (less important to me).

I used to go along with the train of thought that the breeding must improve the breed but now am more along the line of just will the dog produce decent enough offspring if it is bred to the right dog. One person's definition of improving the breed is way different than another person's and that's especially true amongst gsp folk.

[blindluck]

Thank you both for your input. Great stuff to think about. This is my first non-rescue dog and have been feeling a little bit pressured to neuter at an early age. The only reason I would want to breed is for one of his pups down the line. Just never had the option before.

[Farmboy1]

Both guys make great points. The only thing I could add is if you are really interested in breeding, you will have about $1,500 in vet bills to go through certifications, and there is no guarantee that you want to breed after these are completed. When most "backyard breeders" find these costs, they run and run fast.

If I were in your shoes, go to a reputable breeder of GSPs. Bring your pedigree and see if they will help you decipher it. Most professional breeders know these lines very well and can tell you an approximation what this dog should be able to do, no guarantee. They can also tell you any health problems from a line.

An example: I have Vizslas as well, and there are a couple of lines that have shown epilepsy in them. My breeder said I cannot breed her unless he verifies the stud so he can be for certain that one of these lines does not get into his lines.

[FCspringer]

I would say just go get the dog nuetered. If your in the position you are, you really have no idea if your helping your breed at all. You can get a good GSP a dime a dozen these days so why bother unless you know what your doing. If your serious, get involved in a club that works the dogs and find out if the dog should be bred by people in the know.

[Spike76]

I made the mistake years ago to breed a few females and he never forgot it. He would take off and find a female in heat, miles away. Every dog since has been taken care of early in life so they don't know what their missing. You can always find another good dog. Good luck and lots of fun.