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Breeding Using Younger Dogs

Breeder Talk
  • NemoN

    I'm in the process of meeting several breeders so I can hopefully bring home a cute little female basenji this winter. So I've got lots of questions but this one stands out for me given what I've read on the forum so far.

    Two of the three breeders I've talked two are using sires (one is using a puppy from their own kennel, the other is using another breeder's male) that are few months shy of a year old. My understanding is that you can't officially do all of the health testing (e.g. hips) when they are that young. So do you look off of their pedigrees to try and make a judgement from that in this instance? Give my lack of experience in this area, is this commonplace or atypical? Why breed off of such a young dog? I'm meeting one of the breeders this Thursday so I plan to ask her some questions around this. But I'd like to get some other impressions on this so I can make the best informed decision.

    Thanks much,
    Clay

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  • L

    Well I am not a breeder of course, but IMO the only reason to use SUCH a young dog is to make puppies that you can sell. I don't see a reason at all to breed that young. Even if the sire or dam is SOOO amazing in temperament and conformation, you still have some health tests that can't quite be run yet. I would think a good responsible breeder would be more than willing to wait a few more years and really get a handle on if this dog will be what they want to breed.

    To you

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  • NemoN

    In these cases, I would say they are definitely not BYBs.

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  • S

    They are not byb?
    Are they show folks?
    Many show dogs don't even finish until they are over a yr as the dogs body isn't fully formed.
    What is the background of these people?
    not asking names but what testing have they had done on the Adult b's they are breeding?
    Again, not being critical, but this sure doesn't sound right to me.
    A kennel name will be something YOU can check out of the sites that Pat and Lisa share for health issue.

    Sharron Hurlbut

    BRAT, basenji rescue

    Evergreen basenji club

    Seattle Purebred Dog Rescue

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  • NemoN

    @sharronhurlbut:

    They are not byb?
    Are they show folks?

    They are show folks. If I'm reading the results right, at least one of the dogs placed at Nationals.

    This is why I am asking the question primarly, because I know these breeders are very active in the basenji community and have been mentioned several times on this forum. I don't want to give the impression that I am trying to call them "irresponsible breeders", I'm just asking out curiosity so I can be informed when I talk with them and decide to make a decision about which breeder to get my dog from.

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  • mauigirlM

    Are all of the 3 options in the BCOA? Because that would rule out one in WI you ought to run from….fast.

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  • S

    Being someone who shows is just a part of it..
    Sigh.
    I wish Pat would speak up.
    I do rescue but go to a lot of dog shows.
    I know folks that myself and others consider BYB who show.
    Heavens, this sounds like I am slamming show breeders and its not the case.
    Quality breeders are the ones who will get the health of our dogs to where it should be.
    Non quality breeders do it for $$$ or ego, or who knows…
    Seems now a days, you pay the same for each puppy, so its wonderful your checking to see you get the very best dog you can.
    I know BCOA breeders who I wouldn't recommend.
    But that is a place to start.
    Check out Sally Wallis site re the sire/dams health.
    That will give you a clue as to what these folks have done in the past, and will do in the future.
    More homework is better.

    Sharron Hurlbut

    BRAT, basenji rescue

    Evergreen basenji club

    Seattle Purebred Dog Rescue

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  • NemoN

    The are all listed in BCOA. Again, definitely not a puppymill or BYB.

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  • NemoN

    I've looked through the pedigrees too and I am not concerned there either with regards to the histories of the breeders. I feel (as a novice) I've checked every resource I know of, but I'm asking here because I don't think the answer to this question is that obvious to me or necessarily straightforward. I know what the general feeling on this forum would likely be, but I don't want to make assumptions.

    I really appreciate all of the responses, it's part of my homework.

    Thanks,
    Clay

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  • tanzaT

    @Nemo:

    I'm in the process of meeting several breeders so I can hopefully bring home a cute little female basenji this winter. So I've got lots of questions but this one stands out for me given what I've read on the forum so far.

    Two of the three breeders I've talked two are using sires (one is using a puppy from their own kennel, the other is using another breeder's male) that are few months shy of a year old. My understanding is that you can't officially do all of the health testing (e.g. hips) when they are that young. So do you look off of their pedigrees to try and make a judgement from that in this instance? Give my lack of experience in this area, is this commonplace or atypical? Why breed off of such a young dog? I'm meeting one of the breeders this Thursday so I plan to ask her some questions around this. But I'd like to get some other impressions on this so I can make the best informed decision.

    Thanks much,
    Clay

    First, there are breeders out there that many of us would consider "pure of profit" breeders… they might show sometimes... but they really do not finish many dogs, nor do the really health test...

    There is really no good reason to use a dog that young. As you correctly assumed, to young for Hips to be done (you can get prelims, but they would also be on the OFA site) and it is not common place, at least not usually... a breeder "might" have a really good reason.... and "if" the hips are at least prelim'ed (and elbows too), Fanconi test done, Thyroid, current eye exam... the next thing I would look at is how old are the Sire and Dam, Grand sire/Grand dam of that dog. If they have good age on them, at least you have a starting point for health. What you find many times is that the dog being used is 1yr or younger, Sire and Dam of that dog are 2 or 3yrs old, the grand sire/dam of that dog is 4 or 5yrs old. This doesn't give you a very good idea of a long health life of that particular pedigree.... IMO.... and IMO it is not worth it to rely on their pedigree for health...

    And you can take that kennel name and search OFA site for that breeders dogs.... but remember, just because they have test a "couple" you need to know how many pups they are producing over all... and then how many are they testing.

    Pat Fragassi

    Tanza Basenjis

    www.tanzabasenjis.net

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  • tanzaT

    And while it is great that they are a member of BCOA, this doesn't give everyone a "green" light that they are a good or responsible breeder.

    Pat Fragassi

    Tanza Basenjis

    www.tanzabasenjis.net

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  • S

    Thanks Pat.

    Sharron Hurlbut

    BRAT, basenji rescue

    Evergreen basenji club

    Seattle Purebred Dog Rescue

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  • myranM

    Visited the Klassics kennel page and she is using a dog well under a year this season and she certainly isn´t an unknown breeder.Not to critize but isn´t that a bit too young?

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  • S

    What health testing have they done?
    It sure does sound too young to me.
    I have to share what I heard years ago ring side. Yes at a AKC basenji show.
    Don't know who said it, but it shocked me even then.
    They said, yes, show and breed them young, before any of the "troubles" show up.
    I will leave that to you all to figure out what they meant.

    Sharron Hurlbut

    BRAT, basenji rescue

    Evergreen basenji club

    Seattle Purebred Dog Rescue

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  • tanzaT

    @myran:

    Visited the Klassics kennel page and she is using a dog well under a year this season and she certainly isn´t an unknown breeder.Not to critize but isn´t that a bit too young?

    It is young, but as I said, if it were me and I was looking to use a very young male (not that I am planning on doing that) but here are the things I would consider….

    1. Prelim hips and elbows
    2. Eye Exam
    3. Fanconi - (this particular dog is from two Clear parents, so it is not quite as important, however for me, I think it should be done)
    4. Thyroid
    5. Age of the parents....
    In this case the sire of this particular dog was born in 1997 and is still living, Dam of this particular dog was born in 2000, obviously living
    Grandsire of the dog still living born in 1995, Grand dam of this dog born 1992 and died in 2006 at at 14, Grandsire on the bottom side born in 1898, died at 14, and Grand dam born 1997 and still living.
    So, that give a very good long life for this particular dog's pedigree which would for me play into using a dog of this age

    Pat Fragassi

    Tanza Basenjis

    www.tanzabasenjis.net

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  • NemoN

    @tanza:

    It is young, but as I said, if it were me and I was looking to use a very young male (not that I am planning on doing that) but here are the things I would consider….

    1. Prelim hips and elbows
    2. Eye Exam
    3. Fanconi - (this particular dog is from two Clear parents, so it is not quite as important, however for me, I think it should be done)
    4. Thyroid
    5. Age of the parents....
    In this case the sire of this particular dog was born in 1997 and is still living, Dam of this particular dog was born in 2000, obviously living
    Grandsire of the dog still living born in 1995, Grand dam of this dog born 1992 and died in 2006 at at 14, Grandsire on the bottom side born in 1898, died at 14, and Grand dam born 1997 and still living.
    So, that give a very good long life for this particular dog's pedigree which would for me play into using a dog of this age

    Thanks, this helps me understand more specifically what to look for in this situation. (particularly #5, I was already looking at 1-4 thanks to previous forum comments).

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  • lvossL

    I know many breeders who are well known in the breed and who have been breeding for a long time, who will breed very young dogs. I have also seen this practice produce dogs that have health issues. The common justifications that I have heard, "This is the last litter the bitch is going to have so if I want this breeding I have to do it now" and "I know my line and xyz isn't a problem so it's okay"

    I would really look closely at the vertical pedigree data on a young dog that is being considered, use Sally's reverse pedigree function and look at what the parents have produced in any older sibs or cousins. This is a little time consuming to have to go back and forth between Sally's database and the OFA one but can really show some trends you might be surprised by.

    Also be aware that there are known breeders with show winners, who are BCOA members who have bred dogs that are known to be dysplastic, meaning you can look them up in the OFA database and see they had them x-rayed, knew the results and bred anyways. There are breeders who have bred dogs who have tested as Fanconi Carriers by marker test to untested or worse. So just because they are well known in the breed does not mean they meet the criteria for responsible.

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  • NemoN

    Thanks again for the input.

    Is there a way to see if a dog is still alive that I am missing? The pedigree site doesn't tell you and it wasn't obvious on the AKC or OFA site either. The breeder of the younger dog doesn't have a website that I can tell.

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  • NemoN

    To answer my own question, I guess the breeder or owner would have to go to the effort to report this. Maybe that is unlikely.

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  • lvossL

    It is not really that easy to verify whether a dog is still living or not without talking to the owner or breeder. Many of us who do showing or performance are familiar with each other and keep track of that information for well known dogs.

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