So you want to breed your pug?

Breeding is something that I don't really enjoy doing. It takes too much time, too much money, and too much heartache. I have had good success breeding and as the years go by I really see my lines and improving. However, it is taken me a long time to make progress, because the act of doing a breeding and raising a litter makes me tired thinking about.

I often get inquiries about looking for a stud because they have a beautiful girl they want to breed, "the puppies would be so cute"....well of course they would be cute, they are pugs right? There is so much more involved than hooking up a boy and a girl and 63 days later you have a litter of 6. This is pugs we are talking about and there is far more involved.

So tell me WHY do you want to breed YOUR companion? Was she shown to her Championship, what does the first 5 generations of her pedigree look like? Has she been seen by an Orthopedic specialist to determine if she is structurally sound or breeding, has she had a thyroid T3 & T4 done to make sure that she is in good health for breeding? Most of all what do you want from this litter? Are you looking to breed to pay off your VISA card? or go on vacation? If so, you have a better chance at playing the lottery and can win far more. Read my cost of breeding post, it is rather eye opening. On average a litter will cost me upwards of $2000, before it is all done. Are you looking to breed as a source of income? (might want to consider another breed) or perhaps you are serious about the pug breed and you are looking to get your feet further deep in the show ring and you are really trying hard to make a difference in your line. If that is the case I would recommend buying a show quality male, show him to his Championship and breed to further your line. By that time you will fully understand the importance of this breed and maintaining the standard.

Lets just say you want to breed Puggy Sue because she is SO cute and you want cute puppies and you get lucky and have 4 puppies. You keep 1 and what is your intention for the other 3? Are you selling them in the newspaper? If that is the case, you do not value this breed. Or perhaps you have family members that want a pug too. Ok that is fine, but 2 years down the road when the now grown puppy ahs severe skin issues and your family member has no money to care for the issue and they give him to rescue. Ohh great so your breeding cute puppies has become my nightmare in rescue. And now I have to work my ass off to raise $500 to treat YOUR puppy that YOU brought into this world. That is a great breeder.

Tell me what would you do if you had a litter with cleft puppies? Do you know how to tube them, raise them and do you have the money for surgery when they are 6-8 months old? Or would you put them down? What if you have puppies with Hemivertabrea are you in a position to keep 4 puppies or will you make it someone elses nightmare? What if the puppy that you bred and raised went to a wonderful family and 3 years later died of PDE and the family wants a refund, are in a finacial position to refund them their money? That is what reputable breeders do.

If you contact me, and want to use one of my well bred, champion pugs at stud, here is what you need to be ready to provide me:

~5 Generation pedigree with at least 85% champions in all 5 generations
~AKC papers (NOT AKC limited papers)
~AKC DNA
~Copy of their show record, awards, and other winnings (basically I want a resume)
~Copy of your contract you plan to use when placing puppies in homes
~You will also be required to use my repoductive vet in Lakeland or Wildewood for the breedings. I DO NOT breed my dogs naturally. All bitches my be progesterone tested and will be Artifically Inceminated.

Girls v.s. Boys

I am in several outlets of the pug community from rescue, to breeding, and of course the pet world. As a member of the PDCA and a breeder referral for AKC, I get several requests a day for people looking for pugs. 95% of them are looking for girls (fawn girls). Although I have a house full of girls myself, quite frankly they are a bunch of bitches. Yes, that is right a female dog is called a bitch and there is a reason for it.

The girls tend to be bossy, stubborn, and down right naughty. I cherish my girls and all BUT 1 is spayed (thank god), the additudes sometimes are just a bit much to handle. The boys....ohh how I love thee. They have what I call the Eeyore syndrome. They walk around the house as if nothing is wrong and they dont have a care in the world. To me the boys are more "companion" like, than the girls. Boys also do well in homes with small children, were as Alpha girls can have problems such as humping, etc. Yes, the girls hump!! Ohh and I bet you didn't know that girls also mark, excpet they don't lift their leg to do it, they do it on your bath mats, bed and other types of fine linens. So you still want a girl....that is cool I understand. Patients is a virtue since most breeders don't sell girls unless they have an entire litter. And in rescue we tend to get 5 boys to every 2 girls!!! Again patients.

Another Spice Update...

They are almost 5 weeks old....

L-R Sage, Curry, Rosemary, Ginger, Saffron

Saffron

Curry

Sage

Rosemary

Ginger

Spice Update

The spices are doing awesome and getting very big. 4 of them are over a pound now and 1 is almost there! Here are some head shots of their lovely faces. They will be 3 weeks old this sunday. Pics were taken at 2 weeks exactly. I have fallen love with each one of them and it breaks my heart to think I can only keep 2. I want them all. This is really one of the best litters I have ever had! Thanks for looking


Curry

Saffron

Ginger

Rosemary

Sage