There is a great story on NPR This American Life about a couple who had a Brahman Bull named Chance. They loved this bull so much, that they participated in a cloning experiment. Things didn't quite go as planned.

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/291/reunited-and-it-feels-so-good

Just because we have the power to decide whether to breed a dog or not, doesn't mean we should. Heck, I was 19 when I had my daughter and I didn't have to pass any home inspection or suitability test.

Please, please don't add more unwanted puppies to the mess we already have. The only thing we can do to change the current state of affairs vis a vis dogs and people is to make decisions that do not contribute to the problem. In all likelihood you will not get the dog you hope for by breeding your current dog. You probably have a better chance of getting a dog with the traits you desire by adopting a young adult whose temperament, physicality, and intelligence are well on their way to being fully formed.

Peter, could you please give your head a shake? Its very difficult to read your cavalier attitude toward pets. It is as if you, by virtue of being human, have the unearned privilege of deciding their fates without a thought for their rights as a living entity.

It is particularly galling when you spend an entire thread arguing that the use of e-collars should be curtailed because there are irresponsible dog owners causing suffering through their use, and then you speak so flippantly about having your own dog put down when you pass, causing injury to your horse by reckless riding, or putting down a litter of pups so you can have an offspring of your dog.

hi all don't take this as disrespect if i don't reply to every comment/concern individually - too time consuming. i do value anyone that bothered to give an opinion, esoecially Ingrid's post - you are one articulate person, what, you a lwayer or english teacher or sumthin??

firstly; please give me some credit for floating an out there idea in a public forum before considering doing it. MOST people clearly would not even bother. hell a whole bunch of people have not even given that much thought/planning into breeding their own kids - i wish that was an exaggeration, it's not.

secondly i wonder how many people that responded are commercial breeders, you folks seem intimidated by the idea on monetary grounds (or potential loss therof) that you as caretakers of your respective breeds have generally f*!#ked up n caused your breeds to degenrate. more of the public is getting savvy n you are being more widely despised for you greedy breed destroying actions. more people are getting eduacted n know what they want in a dog n are prepared to test for the traits they want n not bother with papers or pretty ribbons.

third although my dog is tecnically a mutt she is from an established line with a traceable history (the trace is a bit patchy earlier on, but better than a mal written record). n guess what WE COULDN'T CARE LESS ABOUT PAPERS N TITLES. our dogs only have to impress us n do what they were bred to do. in fact i pity the person that gets them FCI/AKC as they will prolly get a bounty put on their heads.

would like to repond to my plan for my dog should i go first but out of respect for the forum owners who locked that thread i won't detail it.

Peter, you're weird. JMO

Ingrid,

Excellent thoughts and I feel exactly the same. My very first dog was a springer that I loved to bits. When he passed I was very hesitant to get another springer because I knew he would never measure up to what Gus meant to me. I did go to a rescue organization and ended up getting another springer, my very beloved Josh. Several similarities, but very different as well.

My point being, each dog is unique and no matter how badly we want another just like the one we have, it will never happen - no matter how much we want it and how much we try to plan for it (breeding or otherwise). And I don't believe it should. Each dog should be loved and appreciated for it's uniqueness. Each one brings something different to our lives for us to appreciate. That is what makes having different dogs through our lifetime such a marvelous thing - IMO.

It has nothing to do with money or breeding purebred dogs. Its about responsibility.

Let's say she has a litter of seven. How are you going to find six homes for the puppies that you decide not to keep? Are you prepared to keep any puppies you can't place?

If you do find the homes, are you prepared to help the new owners with puppy problems? Do you know how to do temperament testing so that you can appropriately place the pups?

If not, guess what. At least half of them will stand the chance of being killed in a shelter by the time they are a year old.

Do you feel good about that?

Do you know anything about newborn pups? Do you know how important early socialization is to develop confidence? How to set up your whelping area?

How to deal with potential problems during whelping so that she doesn't die?

How are you going to find a male who will pass on good genetics so that the pups are healthy and have sound temperaments?

Not to be a jerk, but if after all that has been said here, you are still considering breeding this dog, you are out of your ever loving mind.

Sorry, but I can't give you credit for asking about a bad idea, getting good feedback and then continuing to consider the bad idea.

Roland yr not the first to say that. be interesting to know why you drew that particular conclusion just to see if it matches with all the other people that have said the same thing.

just remember everyone is someone else's weirdo

Lauren, idea has been shelved untill the points you make ahve been satisfactorily addressed. can we leave this thread now.

BTW can u not tell sometimes when there is a low-level n underlying teasing/baiting in play.

In the way you worded it, it doesn't sound like teasing at all. Baiting maybe, but that usualy goes along with trolling.

I'm glad you have shelved the idea, but I urge you to drop it completely. Its just so wrong to breed puppies when you don't know what you are doing.

I have a gorgeous female with a very nice WL pedigree, and I have a connection to the Boston Police Department and the Suffolk County Sherrifs Department. I could have bred her with some of the top police dogs in the Massachusetts if I wanted. The kind of litter that you could actually make some money on.

People say all the time that its a shame that I spayed her. I disagree.

It would be a shame to breed her without having any idea of what I'm doing.

 Quote: Peter Cavallaro

BTW can u not tell sometimes when there is a low-level n underlying teasing/baiting in play.

I almost posted first thing this AM that this post struck me as an attempt to get everyone riled up and wasn't a serious post. I wish now I had not talked myself out of doing so.

Peter, deliberately posting topics to tease and bait other forum members is truly in poor taste, childish and just plain rude. Keep this up and you'll find folks won't care squat about helping you... not knowing what is true and what might be fabricated.

 Quote: Peter Cavallaro

BTW can u not tell sometimes when there is a low-level n underlying teasing/baiting in play.

 Quote: Lauren Jeffery

Baiting maybe, but that usualy goes along with trolling.

 Quote: Lauren Jeffery

Its just so wrong to breed puppies when you don't know what you are doing.

 Quote: Peter Cavallaro

can we leave this thread now.

We sure can.