You
have a beautiful Bracco, in your eyes the most stunning
creature in the world. Wouldn’t it be lovely to have
a litter?
Breeding
dogs has been a passion of man for centuries, that’s
why we have such an incredible diversity of breeds, from
the tiny companion dogs through the energetic gundog and
herding breeds to the massive guarding breeds. The simple
procedure of mating dogs is not breeding it is reproducing.
To breed a pedigree dog you must start from a place of
knowledge, knowledge of the breed standard, the purpose
the dog was bred for and the history of the breed.
A
basic knowledge of genetics is a great asset. An understanding
of simple recessive genes, polygenic traits, knowing how
characteristics and health problems are inherited is key
to selecting a sire and a line that will bring the best
possible chance of improving on your bitch. Learn about
line-breeding, in-breeding, outcrosses and their implications.
To breed to type is not just a question of appearance;
it’s a mixture of individual appearance and ancestry.
It helps if you are familiar with the dogs/bitches siblings,
parents, grandparents and their siblings. Knowing the
familial traits will give a much better guide to the qualities
likely to be inherited. Ear set, bite, length of leg for
example are polygenic in their mode of inheritance. Hip
dysplasia is also a polygenic trait but with a high level
of inheritability, hence responsible breeders always hip
score. That said you cannot breed by numbers, you must
look at the whole, a dog is more than its hip score, head,
front etc. But you must work from a point of knowledge
and this is only gained by taking advantage of the various
health screening schemes. Kennels you may approach should
be open and honest about health issues within their lines,
keeping quiet only increases the chance of the problems
being passed on. This research takes time and is not always
simple, seeing a dog advertised at stud on the internet,
his owner proclaiming that he is the best thing since
sliced bread is no guarantee of his qualities or those
of his family lines.
There are absolutes in a breed, the Bracco breed standard
is clear in many points such as skull measurements, topline
but in other parts is open to interpretation and preference
such as ‘chest broad and deep’ or the range
in height. These are the things that make the dog world
so addictive and fascinating, you can never learn everything
in fact the more you know the more you realise there is
to learn. Becoming familiar with breed points and recognising
the good and bad in your own and others stock is crucial
and can only be done by taking part in seminars, competitive
events etc. There is no point in reproducing from stock
which is not of a standard to achieve a measure of success
in the ring &/or field, it has to be better than average.
Temperament is of equal importance to health and breed
quality, only dogs of good temperament should be bred
from. Gain knowledge from as many owners/breeders within
the breed as possible, listen, take in, but sort the wheat
from the chaff an opinion is just that, an opinion.
Producing
puppies is a risky business, not all matings result in
a healthy litter of future champions. You may travel hundreds
of miles to the perfect specimen of male Bracco and no
pups are conceived. There may be complications early on
and the pups do not survive, are reabsorbed. The bitch
may go to term and then have problems delivering the pups,
a mad dash to the vets for a caesarean, invariably in
the small hours, can be traumatic and expensive. Sadly
it is not unheard of for bitches to die producing pups,
are you prepared to take the risk.
Puppies
are expensive; they require a great deal of equipment
and feeding. They are also time consuming, are you able
to spend the greater part of your days at home for several
weeks, cleaning, feeding and socialising. If the bitch
rejects or is unable to feed the pups the time required
will increase greatly. There is a lot of paperwork involved,
pedigrees, diet sheets, contracts. Finding suitable permanent
homes with a rare breed is not easy; a responsible breeder
will have a waiting list before they consider a litter.
Could you cope if several pups remained unsold for weeks
possibly months?
A breeders’ responsibility does not end when the
puppies are sold, with a breed like the Bracco it is likely
to be a 12/ 13 year responsibility. Do you have the knowledge
to be a mentor to your puppy owners? A Bracco is very
complex temperamentally; owners new to the breed will
need guidance on socialising and training. Advice on feeding,
worming, inoculations will be required. You will be called
upon for support regularly; this can be either a pleasure
or a pain depending on the caller! Can you take back a
puppy or dog that is suddenly unwanted, maybe after several
years?
True
breeders spend a lifetime learning, they strive to remain
true to the breed, to leave only the merest mark on its
history. Their aim is to breed a healthy dog as close
as possible to the breed standard that is willing and
able to work in the style that has taken generations to
achieve. Rather like a master vintner who uses classic
grape varieties, he remains true to the grape and its
history but gives the wine his own unique interpretation,
so a breeders line will be true to the essential Bracco
but with qualities unique to them.
Breed only to improve your stock, not because it would
be nice for you/the bitch to a have a litter. Not because
it would be educational for the children and not for profit.
Rarely when a litter is raised correctly with all the
time, effort and quality feeding it should receive is
there any profit and if complications arise it can be
a very expensive experience. Many people think it would
be ‘good’ for the bitch to have pups, help
her to mature, settle the hormones. Not so, generally
in the wild only the alpha male/female reproduces so the
majority of the pack will never breed. Our bitches do
not ‘need’ to have pups.
The
above also applies to owners of male Bracchi. It is a
huge compliment to be approached by an owner and their
bitch but you are equally responsible for the quality
and welfare of the resulting offspring.
The
purpose of this article is to just make the potential
breeder think a little. There is nothing more magical
and rewarding than seeing a healthy litter grow and thrive,
but there are huge responsibilities behind that joy. My
hope is to follow on with further articles about Mating,
Whelping, Weaning and Socialising.
Kim
Parris
