The AKC invites you to join us on May 1st as we celebrate pride, predictability and purpose of purebred dogs and promote the preservation of these breeds. This year, two Congressional resolutions designate May 1st as National Purebred Dog Day® (NPDD). Senate Resolution 144 introduced by Senator Thom Tillis and House Concurrent Resolution 46, introduced […]

Breeding dogs and producing puppies is a rewarding experience. Every litter is unique in some ways, and it takes many years to gain the experience to recognize signs of potential problems and know what steps can be taken to intervene and potentially save the lives of puppies. Breeders should be present when a dam delivers […]

By Cheri Rankin It all started when my daughter, Erin, wanted a "sled dog" for her fourth birthday (because she was enamored of sled-dog movies like Iron Will and Balto). I've been a dog lover all my life and had always had a dog growing up, but at that point we had not had a […]

Once again, I sit on the edge of the whelping box eagerly awaiting the new arrivals. How many boys? How many girls? What colors will they be? Will Carrie be a good mother? I am curious, and excited. I am soothing Carrie — who has no idea that she is about to embark on the […]

Breeding dogs takes time, patience, a great willingness to learn, the ability to be humble, and sometimes a little luck. Having a good eye for a dog does not hurt any, either. One of the most important things about being a good breeder is avoiding kennel blindness. It has been the undoing of many a good breeder. […]

  You didn’t want your lowlife cousin to come to the party, but he came uninvited with your sister. Dog breeding can be like that. Some relatives can’t be avoided. Genotype, the genetic makeup of a dog, involves the extended family. My mentors taught me that linebreeding, the practice of breeding dogs who are somewhat […]

Most quality breeders sell their puppies with contracts in regard to breeding, showing, and good management. The AKC allows breeders to limit registration so that certain pups may not be shown and any puppies subsequently bred from them may not be registered. That can be later changed by option of the breeder petitioning AKC, and this […]

So after the months of preparation in organizing and testing before the breeding, praying and crossing fingers that your girl “took,” fretting before, during and after the whelping, the constant vigil for weeks after the whelping, the 24/7 care of your girl and the litter, the vet visits, testing and evaluating your pick, it is time […]

  Looking at these ragamuffin little dogs, you have to ask yourself, why on earth would anyone consider a Löwchen? They have a funny clip, which certainly defines the breed and which we, as breeders, love—but to the general public who keep them in a typical puppy clip, they really don’t look like what people […]

From the Dalmatian Club of America breed column in the March 2016 AKC Gazette “I only breed for myself” is a phrase I’ve heard frequently over the years. It does sound rather noble: I’m not in it for the money, I’m not filling shelters with surplus dogs, and most importantly, I’m not a backyard breeder/puppy […]