Should I breed puppies from litter sisters simultaneously?

Breeding from two bitches at the same time has advantages and disadvantages.

By Mark Whitehouse

Tuesday, 24 March 2009

Is it better to take one gun dog litter at a time?

MARK WHITEHOUSE SAYS: The advantages of having two litters at the same time are that you will have a greater number of puppies to choose from for yourself.

All the mess and inconvenience will also be over in one shout.

However, the main problem with this idea is space.

Both bitches will need separate whelping areas with no disturbances from other dogs for at least a four to six-week period.

With regard to choosing a stud gun dog, one that is a Field Trial Champion (FTCh) carries many advantages.

For example, when advertising puppies for sale they will always sell much quicker and for more money if sired by a FTCh.

Always use a gun dog that is proven.

When you are breeding you should always look at improving the breed with a view to breeding out faults such as hard mouth and squeaking.

A champion gun dog will have been tested for these faults and should show clear on both accounts.

Looking for the right stud gun dog is confusing at times.

It is wise to contact the owners of the stud gun dog and obtain a copy of his pedigree so that you can compare it with your own gun dog’s pedigree.

You can watch most field trial gun dogs in action when they compete in the annual Spaniel Championships.

Watching the dogs will give you a good opportunity to see which dogs appeal to you and which will suit your purpose best.

For more gun dog health advice click here

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Comments

michael sheridan

Mon, 15th Jun 2009 21:58:22

Yeah you could breed puppies from litter sisters simultaneously a friend of mine done it couple of months ago with litter sisters and was a very good move even do it does take up a substancial amount of time looking after maybe a dozen busy little springers although it is well worth it when you have them in field and working well

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