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Looking for a potential breed partner

jimbod77

New Member
My boy Winston is an American Mastiff / Dogue de Bordeaux.... He is 16 Months old approximately 8 / 8.5 stone. He is an absolute credit to either breed with daily duties from waking the girls for school to bringing Dad's shoes on command and when he needs to go outside. He is Loving , Nosey and real protective. He is there at a moment's notice when I fool around with the girls and they're squealing with excitement and shouting away, although even after the usual "it's OK" reassurance he's not very far away with a rather beady eye cast in my direction and I get a sort of "I'm here AND I'm watching you" look.....I'm looking for help/advice into breeding him...I am UK London based. Any help would be appreciated.... Thanks in advance..jay and Winston
 

tmricciuto

Well-Known Member
Good luck on your search. I'm not sure you will find anyone on the board to breed with as most will not breed their full bred dog with a mixed breed. I actually believe if they did it could affect any AKC standings the bitch has, but I'm not sure of that completely.
 

Joao M

Well-Known Member
jimbod
I see this is your first post. Welcome
Since you ask for advice, may I ask first why you want to breed your dog? Do you want a puppy from it or is there any other reason you wish to share ?

p.s.: tmricciuto,
I noticed the OP is based in London, UK.
 

jimbod77

New Member
I have a few which I consider good reasons to want to breed him. He is a good all round dog and he's a dog I can see belonging to a family or a single person so it's really his temperament that I wish to pass on. He's four different dogs in a way if you can understand this........myself and him we rough around the floor play rough games and he will sit and watch football with me having a big cuddle. With my wife he will follow her like a little baby and want lots of cuddles...my eldest daughter is 8 and he will be real cheeky snd watch her colouring and thennsteal her pencils and run away....As for my youngest shes 6 and he will sit behind her while shes colouring and sneak alongside while getting carpet burn on his chin and he will just lay there......everybody also uses Winston as a pillow / tablet stand / hot water bottle. He is just the most cuddly stupid loveable thing and to be honest if people thought more like this maybe our furry companions wouldnt have such a bad name........As for a puppy I may consider that but only if I could find a deserving family home to GIVE the puppy too. Not sell it...I'm not interested in money or another dog.... Winston is LARGE enough !!! Pics soon to be uploaded....thanks for your reply........ Jay
jimbodI see this is your first post. WelcomeSince you ask for advice, may I ask first why you want to breed your dog? Do you want a puppy from it or is there any other reason you wish to share ?p.s.: tmricciuto, I noticed the OP is based in London, UK.
 

Hiraeth

Well-Known Member
Thanks for asking about this before just going out and doing it. It's a pretty important decision.

First of all, as the owner of the male involved in breed, YOU would have no say over where the puppies go. You'd be able to ask for a puppy as a stud fee, but that would be it. The owner of the bitch usually has the right to determine to whom the puppies are sold.

Also, your dog is very young to breed. Has he been health tested? How do you know he doesn't have any latent health issues that he could potentially pass onto his offspring? He should be at least two years of age, hip tested, cardiac tested and have an eye exam before he's bred. That testing will potentially cost you several thousand dollars to complete. Being responsible about breeding dogs is expensive. Are you willing to accept those costs?

Most importantly - your dog is your dog because of the way he has been raised and the life he has lived. There is no guarantee whatsoever that ANY of his puppies will turn out like him. There was a recent case of a couple spending $100,000 in order to clone their beloved dog that they lost. The clone ended up being nothing like the original dog and they ended up rehoming it.

Unless you're going to health test and breed for a purpose other than 'so that other people can have great dogs', please reconsider. There are plenty of great dogs. They're sitting in shelters right now, waiting for people to come adopt them. None of us needs to add to the population of homeless dogs by producing more just for the sake of breeding.
 

DennasMom

Well-Known Member
There was a recent case of a couple spending $100,000 in order to clone their beloved dog that they lost. The clone ended up being nothing like the original dog and they ended up rehoming it.

Oh, that would suck!
Another reason to love the dog you're with, as long as he's with you.

I agree, it sounds like you have a great dog, and a lot of that is due to YOU and not just genetics. Mixed breeds can be a mixed blessing... traits in one generation don't always get handed to the next.

Hopefully your health tests all go well, and you'll find someone interested in a match. But I also hope you'd be OK with honoring your dog for being one-of-a-kind. :)
 

Oscar'sMom

Well-Known Member
This is a terrible idea from the start. Dogs should be bred only if they have a reason to be bred beyond just being great. My dog is great and I wouldn't breed him because it's irresponsible. So many things can go wrong. You should do something with your dog - maybe therapy work or something...anything to give a reason to carry on his legacy beyond being a great companion. Be glad you have such a great pup and enjoy it.
 

Bob Felts

Well-Known Member
This is a terrible idea from the start. Dogs should be bred only if they have a reason to be bred beyond just being great. My dog is great and I wouldn't breed him because it's irresponsible. So many things can go wrong. You should do something with your dog - maybe therapy work or something...anything to give a reason to carry on his legacy beyond being a great companion. Be glad you have such a great pup and enjoy it.
Sorry if you feel ganged-up upon. However, I agree with the above. Breed only if the offspring will improve or contribute to the breed considerably. Males should not breed before 2 years of age, to allow latent flaws to surface. Full medical boards need to be taken for health defects. You should (in my opinion) breed champion stock. Only. My boy is a great, wonderful, dog. Registered etc. I plan on having him neutered between 18 and 24 months. Lots of great dogs out there. Not all need to sire a litter.

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Joao M

Well-Known Member
Hi Jay
I will not tell you what to do (in the end it´s your decision) but will ask you to consider what has been posted by the US members
I know you are in the UK and things may be a little different there (for example I don´t know how breeding agreements work in your country; if you have lots or few dogs in shelters, etc) but I believe some of the reasons posted apply worlwide:
- your dog is too young to be bred;
- it should be tested for the large breeds typical problems before breeding;
- mixed breed dogs are difficult to place and you will not be able to controll all the placements (only the ones you will keep you as per the agreement with the bitch owner)
;- you will have no guarantee that the fantastic characteristics your dog has will pass to its offspring (its not guaranteed with pure bred and a uually a gamble with mixed breed)
;

Consider all this "food for thoughts" and reach a good decision.
 

season

Well-Known Member
Agree with all. Your dog is not a purebred. No reputable breeder would even consider it. They respect the bloodlines too much. As they should. Although it may be a great dog but that's no reason to breed it.


Carpe Diem
 

Oscar'sMom

Well-Known Member
Looking back at older posts...you didn't know what type of dog Winston was when you first got him. Did you do a DNA test ? If you weren't sure the mix he was at the time then you definitely don't know anything about his parents. Another reason why this isn't a good idea.
 

karennj

Well-Known Member
People who wants mix breeds go to a shelter. People who want pure bred go to a breeder. The only exception to the rule that I have seen are breeders who are trying to get a mix breed recognized by the kennel club and have generations of dogs that have consistent traits, temperament, confirmation, etc. A reputable breeder will not breed their bitch with a mix breed. They are breeding to better the breed and are breeding to the standard. What you will end up with is a hobby breeder or what we in the states call a back yard breeder. The bitch has a lot of influence on the pups as she spends the critical first few weeks with them. The temperament of your boy could have little to do with what the pups end up like. I was just reading something about fear aggression and it was observed that pups raised with fear aggressive dogs even though they were sired by stable bitches ended up being fear aggressive. So part of it is nature but part of it is nurture as well. You could find a bitch that has perfect temperament but still have issues. It is not uncommon for temperament or health issues to jump generations or vary within a line. Your boy may be the perfect dog but his siblings may be aggressive. Breeding programs are well thought out with only the best temperament and closest to the standard dogs continuing to breed. I am guessing you don't know the parents of your dog or about his siblings so you really have no idea what is typical in his lines. Your dog may be great but his lines may not. Do you know if there are any instances of bloat or cancer in your dogs pedigree? This is something you have to know and you should not be breeding if you don't. If you want to breed you should be giving those pups the best chance of a healthy future which means breeding for longevity (you need to know your pedigree) and health testing (it is expensive if you do it right). You have no idea if your dog will have major health issues in 2 years. I know you don't want to make money on this but are you ok losing money? Heath testing will cost you much more than a stud fee from a hobby breeder. Then the bitch is most likely not going to be health tested. Just enjoy your dog, no need to breed him.
 

Th0r

Well-Known Member
I agree with not breeding your dog. The American Mastiff is barely a breed by itself. The outcome may not be what you expect.
However I don't agree with only Champion stock should be bred. As humans, we have already almost destroyed the breeds we love by breeding for temperament and looks. The more you focus on breeding for one or two traits, the more it diminishes other traits that was what made the breed desirable in the first place.
If anything, the working breeds should be reintroduced back into the champion show dog bloodlines.
This is just my opinion!


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Bob Felts

Well-Known Member
However I don't agree with only Champion stock should be bred. As humans, we have already almost destroyed the breeds we love by breeding for temperament and looks. The more you focus on breeding for one or two traits, the more it diminishes other traits that was what made the breed desirable in the first place. If anything, the working breeds should be reintroduced back into the champion show dog bloodlines. This is just my opinion! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I concede your point on this...