My AUnt wants to breed her beautiful puppy, for her children to "experience birth"?

Question

My aunt and her family have an Australian Shepherd puppy. She wants to have a litter for her children to "experience birth." I am SO against this. I have informed her that she will be teaching her children irresponisilbility, and for every puppy she is breeding there is a dog that dies in a shelter that could have gone to that home. SHe has absolutely No experience with dogs beyond a family dog and in the past she brought this up to me and I had convinced her not to.
Today she brought up the fact that she is adament and going to go through with it.
Money is not an issue for her, she wants to hire a vet to come to her house and help her deliver the puppies.
There was a video that I recieved by email that had innocents dogs and puppies dying in shelters because they have no homes, my aunt thinks that they only put sick animals down in shelters, does anyone know where to find this video, have any great points for my argument? lets hear from some breeders........

I love my aunt but I am going to stop her, she just doesnt know why it is wrong.
I have been training for years, yet have admitted that even I couldnt be a breeder for many reasons.
I will however at a last attempt help them with the littler if neccessary. I will have to do my own research as I know very little about breeding.
I would like to thank eveyone for thier answers.

Answer 1

Read her this!!! Print it out and make here read it!!

Often we get people writing to us talking about the joy of watching the miracle of birth of puppies. This is particularly disturbing to us, as try as we might, peoople refuse to believe that things can and do go wrong, and that in many cases, having children watching or involved in a ***** giving birth is not appropriate to either the child or the dam, and indeed can disturb the *****, and cause on-going trauma and nightmares to the child.
So, the best we can do is try to get the message across in this tongue in cheek account below which talks about the "joy of birth" video.

Note: this was emailed to me. Author unknown. If you know who wrote this, I'd love to get their recognition for this work.


Announcing "THE MIRACLE OF BIRTH" Videotape
Intended for all those who want to breed little fluffy in order to let their children experience the "miracle" of birth, this real-time video tape set can either substitute for home breedingor guide you in making the most of your breeding decision.

Experience the joys of seeing a live puppy pop effortlessly from its mother's body and see her consume the bloody afterbirth! (Most children will squeal with delight when seeing this for the first time - many will make a life-long commitment to celibacy then and there.)

Enjoy watching the frantic efforts of a breeder trying to resuscitate a still-born puppy.

See the hilarious actions of a ***** who searches for the puppy she thinks she just dropped but which was quickly tossed into the wastebasket because it was only a blackened, half-developed fetus.

Reserve a full 36 hours to see the entire set of tapes in one sitting to really share the drama, boredom, and exhaustion of the breeder as she labors to help her struggling ***** in extended labor.

Watch as a breeder tries to recruit several helpers to carry her dying ***** to the car for transport to the nearest animal hospital in a futile attempt at saving the beloved family pet (Seeing the children crying and asking what is happening is half the fun!)

Follow the fun as a breeder and his wife alternate duties during a full week of 4-hour bottle feedings with a fading puppy while also trying to keep 13 others dry and healthy!

And, as an extra added attraction:

Laugh with us at the madcap antics of a typical shelter worker as she accepts new animals while keeping a straight face as mom and dad assure little Kevin that the nice lady will take VERY DOOD care of 8-year floppy. Enjoy the thrills as she later shoves unwanted puppies and adult dogs into a gas chamber as she chokes back tears and goes home to try and explain to her children just what she does at work!

And, for a limited time only, we will include free of charge the video tape of a recent arrest made by the local animal control officer who discovered that someone had falsely declared his male dogs neutered (to save on license fees) and then discovered he was planning to do the job himself at home!

The second half of the same bonus tape shows the chagrin of a backyard breeder who was tracked down from her telephone number which was all she ever gave out. This wonderful person would arrange to meet people at local shopping malls where she handed over her 4-5 week-old puppies for $120 each! We were all amazed to find that those 20 puppies she was selling each year all came from the same single ***** and dog.

Yes, if you, or a friend, are considering breeding Fluffy to show children the "miracle" of birth, be sure to get this video and show them the miracle of death at the same time!

We have high hopes for this video, following as it does on the tremendous success of our first effort: "Do it yourself home vasectomy, featuring George "squeaky" Baker," and its sequel, "Do it yourself home explosives mixing, by Bob "lefty" Anderson."

!Special to the first five purchasers, one frozen still-born puppy - just wait until you take it home and see how the kids' eyes light up as the pup thaws!!

Copyright 1996, John A. McCormick, President and CEO, Nocturnal Aviation Videos.Reproduction and distribution of this advertisement in its entirety strongly encouraged.

Phone, e-mail, or postal orders NOT accepted, this tape is sold ONLY in person because I REALLY want to meet you.


Breeding Your Dog

Should your breed your dog?
Let's forget about "bettering the breed" and whether your dog is actually a conformation or field champion, having proven time and time again at dog show/trial after dog show/trial that he/she is an ideal specimen of the breed.

Let's forget whether or not your dog is a carrier of genetic disease which he/she will pass on to their litter. (See The Pure Bred for more on genetics.)

Breeding your beloved family pet is risky business.

Some dogs are actually carriers of venereal disease. Breeding your dog to one of these carriers could result in sterility or even death.

Should your pet survive the mating, and if your pet is the *****, there's a chance your family pet could die giving birth. (First time whelpings are always the toughest.)

Should your pet emerge triumphant and alive from the breeding and the whelping, there's still the possibility that your pet doesn't want to mother the puppies, which means either witnessing a slow and painful death of the litter as they starve to death or feeding every two hours 'round the clock.

Tragically, sometimes you get to feed the puppies every two hours and they STILL die/starve to death. One case of which I know, a lone puppy survived for two weeks before succumbing to death.
For those who want to have a litter to show their children the miracle of birth, contact a reputable breeder. Believe me when I tell you that a reputable breeder would be glad to welcome you and your family to witness the whelping.

For those who want to expose their children to dog conception, you may actually be able to find a breeder who will oblige you there too, though it seems most families want to shield their small children from the images therein that can damper even an adult's healthy desire.

When teaching the miracle of birth, expect the call in the middle of the night. Be prepared to get your children up and dressed anywhere between 2 AM and 4 AM. Then, you and your children can sit there for up to 24 hours as the litter is whelped. Believe me when I tell you, most breeders are more than happy for the offer of help.

More than likely, the lesson of birth will include death, as frequently puppies are lost during whelping. Often, the puppies who are born dead are horribly misshapen, however if you're really lucky, the mother will eviscerate or tear the puppy's intestines from it's body as she tries to tear the umbilical cord. Your children can then ride along as the puppy is taken to the vet for euthanasia.

Once you and your family have experienced the miracle of birth under an experienced breeder's tutelage you may decide you don't want to enter the ugly arena of dog breeding. If you're still willing to go ahead and breed your pet, you'll want to wait until either he or she is 2 years old and sexually mature. (Just as you don't want your 13 year old becoming a parent, you don't want your adolescent dog be so either.)

Please... Spay or Neuter Your Pet
For every human baby born in the United States each day, seven unwanted puppies and kittens are born. There will never be enough homes for them all.

But, there is one simple and effective thing that you, and anyone else, can do to help reduce animal suffering and to reduce the number of unwanted animals in the world:

Spay or neuter your own pets.

Every year at animal shelters in the United States, about 4.5 million dogs and cats must be euthanized (painlessly killed), simply because no one wants them. Animal euthanasia costs American taxpayers over a billion dollars each year.

The problem: only a small percentage of dogs and cats entering shelters ever get adopted, simply because there are far more available animals than there are good homes.

The East Baton Rouge Parish Animal Control Center must euthanize between 600 and 700 animals per month. No one, least of all the East Baton Rouge Parish Animal Control Center, is happy about this. This is the worst part of our job, and it could be prevented by simple spay and neuter surgery.

Sad as it is, we do recognize the importance of providing a humane end for animals who are diseased, aggressive, or simply unwanted.

Many people have great difficulty accepting this. They see the kindness in euthanizing an animal who is in great pain, or who is terminally ill. But they question why young, healthy animals must be destroyed simply because no one will take them home. They ask why the unwanted can’t live in the animal shelter indefinitely, to live out their lives in warmth and comfort, with plenty of food and good veterinary care.

Economically, this is rarely, if ever possible. Here in East Baton Rouge Parish we would have to build an additional 12,000 kennels per year, and hire enough staff to care for them, if every unwanted animal were to be placed in lifetime institutional care.

But economics is really a secondary consideration. Animals, like humans, need more than just food, water and shelter. They need affection and companionship, too. Without it, they suffer. A humane end is the only compassionate answer for any dog or cat who will never have a real home.

But this doesn’t have to happen. Through simple spay and neuter surgery, millions of animals would never have to be born in the first place, never be frightened and homeless, never have to be put to death just because they are unwanted.

The source of all these unwanted dogs and cats includes accidental pregnancies, amateur breeders who deliberately mate registered animals in hopes of making some quick cash, or misguided beliefs like, “I want my kids to see the miracle of birth” or “my pet won’t be healthy unless he or she mates.”

Whatever the reason, the end result is the same: far too many pets for the number of available homes.

There is simply no excuse for allowing your pet, either male or female, to cause even one litter to come into the world, unless you are willing to accept a lifetime commitment for every single animal your pet produces, and all their offspring as well.

If you refuse to spay or neuter your own pet, you must assume responsibility for your own animal. Never, ever let your pet run loose – it could become pregnant, or it could get other animals pregnant.

The answer to this tragic problem is really in your own hands. When it comes to animal overpopulation, you can be either part of the solution or part of the problem.

Answer 2

So she should get pregnant again and let them watch that baby come out.

Has she planned on anything beyond once the puppies are born? What is she going to tell the children if the ***** dies? Or if the puppies don't make it? Hopefully she is prepared to let them experience death as well as that is always a possibility when dealing with mother nature.

Is she prepared to get up every couple of hours and feed the puppies if the mother does not want to take care of them?

Is she prepared to screen prospective owners and find good quality homes for these puppies? Its easy to say now but when you have 6 or 7 shitting, stinky puppies all a lot of people care about is getting them out the door to whoever will take them.

Where is she planning on raising the puppies? She will need a large room and hopefully won't mind if all the trim is chewed off or there are holes left in the walls.

How does she plan on properly socializing the puppies? Will she give a health guarantee to the people she sells these puppies too? What if the kids get attached and want to keep them all? Is she prepared to upset her children when the puppies have to be sold?

All she is thinking at this point is the birth. There is a lot beyond that.

Answer 3

I want the number of the vet that will come to the house to deliver the puppies for a person that wants to "experience birth" I am sure that he will set your Aunt straight the minute she mentions, to him/her what she wants to do. Most Vets will not endorse this type of thing.You should be commended on your beliefs and your maturity, you sound wiser and smarter then your Aunt.
Breeders don't breed their animals for a demonstration of biology for their children. The animals have to be a certain age before they give birth, the health and welfare of the mother and her puppies should be the most important issue. My dogs are not just treated like a puppy mill. They are very precious and live with us not locked up in kennels all day. I don't give everyone that buys one of my puppies the right to breed it. I also give information on Spay and Neutering the puppy and I let the new owners know that I would rather have the puppy back if they find they aren't able to handle being a loving and good owner.

Answer 4

what does she want to do with the dogs after this birth plus the dogg has to be a sertant age and that messed up makeing that dog go throw pain just to watch and it is so much work to do this cuz if the dog needs help giveing birht and your aunt doesnt get it then the dog could die and the puppys to and if the dog will not allow the dpgs to feed then she has to feed every dog ever 4 hours plus having puppys is worse than having kids cuz there are like 3 or 4 at a time instead of one and they allways have to be watched and they are allways using the bath oom in the house pllus the puppys cant be removed from the mother till after 6 weeks is she ready for that and cant she just put the tv on some kind of baby birthing show and let them watch it so much easyer or she could have a kid lol oh and they put dogs down after being there for a week cuz they cant pay for food and space any longer but pet stores and other places keep them till they get adopted

Answer 5

Here are some links that cover it pretty well:

(Specifically check the second paragraph from the end on the first one)
http://www.italiangreyhound.org/aboutigs/breed.html
http://www.buzzardsbayvetassociates.com/Should%20I%20Breed%20My%20Dog.htm
http://www.dogsites.com.au/internet_library/before_you_breed_your_dog.html
http://www.delayrekennel.com/good%20Breeder.htm
http://www.petorphans.org/whyspay.shtml

Please don't listen to the idiot "former breeder" up there who compares asking your aunt not to breed her dog with not having children because there are orphans in Africa...that is probably one of the most foolish comparisons I've heard, on so many levels.

Keep working on your Aunt, hopefully she'll see the light. Of all of the reasons to breed dogs, the whole "miracle of birth" thing strikes me as one of the most selfish -- it tells me that the dog's temperament, breed type, and genetic health have played no role in the decision, and that the dog -- and its potential offspring -- are really nothing more than objects used to entertain the kids.

They show people having kids all the time on The Learning Channel -- tell her to sit them down in front of the TV with some popcorn and give it a go.

Good luck!

Answer 6

If your aunt is serious, I would encourage her to read everything she can about breeding and delivering puppies so she is well prepared. Make sure the dogs are healthy, vet checked, hips xrayed, all vaccines, excellent temperment, etc. Be prepared for expensive middle of the night C-Section just in case...it happens more than you know. Have her ask herself....am I OK if the Mom has complications and dies? Is someone home 24/7 to handraise the pups if the mom dies or her milk goes bad or she refuses to care for the pups? There will be deworming, health certificate and vaccine fees also. If she is serious, she will want to breed the best quality dog she can and improve on the breed. Health and temperment are everything.

Answer 7

Sadly some people just can't be dissauded. They should be neutered.
I would talk to your aunt and "help her" do the breeding correctly. Health checks on eyes, heart, thyroid, hips, etc. There is wonderful info on the net about what needs to be done first, and how old the dog should be before being bred.

And you can always remind her that whelping a litter is not without risk, and maybe her lucky children may get to experience the miracle of death, too!

Answer 8

You are absolutely right about the shelter thing. I work at one and we euthanize animals all the time because we can't find them homes. If she wants them to experience birth, a video works just as good. We have an animal problem in this world bad enough already, she doesn't need to add to it. If she doesn't have experience with dogs, then she doesn't need to be breeding them. She doesn't need to have dogs for that matter. I cry all the time b/c we have to euthanize perfectly good animals on the fact that there is no home for them.

Answer 9

why dont you talk her into getting two white mice to breed to teach the kids with? then they can set them free and experience that too? im a breeder and you have to work so hard and long for the mom and for the care of the litter. i sleep in the guest room (whelping room) with mom a week before delivery until the pups are old enough not to be stepped on or layed on . the box doesnt protect everything.about 5 weeks. and there are so many things that can go wrong the kids will see that too! .not a good reason to breed. at least have homes for all possible pups BEFORE you breed. so you dont add to this nations surplus of unwanted dogs. my pups are always placed or kept.

Answer 10

Your arguement restated is basically that because their are babies in Africa who are orphans I am being selfish by having my own children. Wow. I am a former dog breeder. She is raising children without any prior training either. By objecting to this you are doubting her as a parent and risk the possibilty of ruining a family relationship forever. Is this argument worth it?

Answer 11

Your auntie is .....words fail me. "IGNORANT JERK" to start.
"Experience" WHAT??? PAIN,fear,blood,& other fluids,death,deformities,mess,staying up for 24+ hrs.,running to vet inna panic for a section..taking care of the result(6,8,10,a DOZEN???!!!) for AT LEAST 8 WEEKS???cleaning,feeding,worming,vaccines,training...

First..take the kids to POUND & have em "experience" the misery of un-wanted dogs waiting TO DIE!! Watch em dispose of the CARCASSES!