Bernese In Heat

BallymoreChris

Hi all, I adopted a Bernese last summer who will be three years old in May.
The previous owner told me she had been through one heat cycle and is currently going through her second.

I wanted to bread from her at least once and am looking for dog to cover her.
Where is the best place to find a stud dog and what can I expect to pay etc.

My bitch is IKC reg'ed

ty

BallymoreChris

also where is the best source for general information on breeding?

andreac

Firstly, has she had all the breed health tests carried out? Are they of a satisfactory results and good enough to breed with? If these tests havent been carried out then do not even consider breeding.

Secondly, you wouldnt start looking for a stud dog when shes in season, you would be looking for the correct dog months in advance. Just because she is IKC reg, doesnt mean she is good enough to breed from.
Why did the owner rehome her and why do you want to breed from her at least once? Are you keeping any of her puppies or just breeding to sell them all?

You can contact the Bernese club of ireland who will give you some advice on the breed and all the health issues and tests that are required before you breed. Also, any reputable breeder will not let your bitch near their stud dog unless these tests have been carried out, eg Hip and elbow scoring, heart tests etc.

You would be looking close to €1000 i would imagine for a well bred/champion stud dog.

Nody

Why do you want to breed from her? Have you the papers to back up her sires and dames? Have she been proven in the ring? Have you done the genetic and health test related to the bred (that's Degenerative Myelopathy, Elbow Dysplasia, Eye - Cataracts, Eye - Ectropion, Eye - Entropion, Eye - PRA, Hip Dysplasia, Hypothyroid, OCD of the shoulder, Patellar Luxation, Sub Aortic Stenosis and von Willebrand Disease) to make sure she's suitable to breed from?

BallymoreChris

andreac wrote: »

Firstly, has she had all the breed health tests carried out? Are they of a satisfactory results and good enough to breed with? If these tests havent been carried out then do not even consider breeding.

Secondly, you wouldnt start looking for a stud dog when shes in season, you would be looking for the correct dog months in advance. Just because she is IKC reg, doesnt mean she is good enough to breed from.
Why did the owner rehome her and why do you want to breed from her at least once? Are you keeping any of her puppies or just breeding to sell them all?

You can contact the Bernese club of ireland who will give you some advice on the breed and all the health issues and tests that are required before you breed. Also, any reputable breeder will not let your bitch near their stud dog unless these tests have been carried out, eg Hip and elbow scoring, heart tests etc.

You would be looking close to €1000 i would imagine for a well bred/champion stud dog.

Nody wrote: »

Why do you want to breed from her? Have you the papers to back up her sires and dames? Have she been proven in the ring? Have you done the genetic and health test related to the bred (that's Degenerative Myelopathy, Elbow Dysplasia, Eye - Cataracts, Eye - Ectropion, Eye - Entropion, Eye - PRA, Hip Dysplasia, Hypothyroid, OCD of the shoulder, Patellar Luxation, Sub Aortic Stenosis and von Willebrand Disease) to make sure she's suitable to breed from?

No health tests done at all.

I had intended to look for a stud dog in advance but she came into heat - missed the boat this time by the sound of things.

Pervious owner had a good reason to re-home the dog which had nothing to do with the dog herself. I was looking for a pup and was made aware of this situation so took her.

We have a very large area and want to keep two maybe three dogs.

Have the papers with her sires & dames.

Never been shown.(presume thats what you mean by "proven in the ring")

Nody

BallymoreChris wrote: »

No health tests done at all.

So step 1; get the tests done (and they will cost a couple of hundred at least). Nothing else matters until that point esp. such as hip dysplasia is very common in the breed (and very expensive to fix while talking a recovery time that can easily be 6+ weeks with 2+ weeks of minimal movement). No serious stud will even look your way without good health scores completed. Oh and if you ever consider to getting insurance get it before you do the health checks (as anything you've found out before you take out the insurance is not eligible).

We have a very large area and want to keep two maybe three dogs.

And if the litter is 10? Don't say friends will take them because that tends to fall through.

Never been shown.(presume thats what you mean by "proven in the ring")

Yes; this is another common requirement from stud dogs to give a reason to breed your bitch to get future show dogs (but health tests is more important; this simply limits your pool of quality show level studs).

Latatian

Siblings can be difficult when you keep both of them- they need a lot more than just double the work because they can bond to each other and not to you.

I'd do the health tests as a priority- a dog won't get put down because its parent wasn't showed, but it might get put down in serious pain because of a genetic problem that was unnecessary.