About Pet Breeding

Pet breeding is a venture that takes careful planning, whether it is cats, dogs, ferrets or any other animal you may have as a pet. Many people breed their pets without taking into consideration the responsibilities that should be summarized before breeding, including birth problems, veterinary costs and especially genetics.

  1. The Facts

    • You should know your pet's genetics before breeding. If the pet has genetic problems, such as hip dysplasia in dogs, it should not be bred. Also, if you have a mixed breed, the animal should not be bred, as there are many mixed breeds available in shelters that are looking for homes.

    Significance

    • Breeding adds more animals to a world that already has too many unwanted pets. Breeding pets should be reserved to better a certain breed, such as the German shepherd dog or the Siamese cat. Breeding animals with a genetic dysfunction will only pass on the dysfunction.

    Function

    • Many people breed their pets to reserve a certain trait in that pet and do not consider the function of breeding. If you help bring an animal into the world, you should be sure the animal has a chance to have a healthy life, not one in which it goes to the vet all the time because of a disorder. Pets are supposed to make our lives happier and give us a purpose, not break the wallet, though healthy breeding can still result in sick animals.

    Effects

    • Pet breeding often gets out of hand, resulting in mills. The most common type of animal mill is a puppy mill. Puppy mills may start out as a legitimate breeding and kennel operation, but when the owners learn that it takes many puppies to make a profit, they get more dogs and keep them caged their entire lives. Eventually, there are more dogs than the owner can handle.
      Other negative effects of breeding pets include death of the female or her offspring should a problem with birthing occur. Though all breeders run into problems with breeding, especially working with the ultra-small dogs that may need an emergency Caesarian section or animals that have a breech birth, the inexperienced breeder will almost always lose the mother, the offspring or both, unless there is an emergency vet open and close by.

    Considerations

    • Different breeds, especially when working with dogs, have different genetic dispositions, including mental problems. Some dogs that are overly aggressive for no reason may pass this on to their offspring, creating a dangerous dog that cannot be sold to just anyone---and sometimes not at all. Physical disabilities such as hip dysplasia and bad elbows can be passed on to offspring. The tendency to bloat in large, deep-chested dogs such as the Fila Brasileiro is also passed on to offspring. Know your animal and its pedigree before deciding to breed.