Should I breed my dog?

Dr. Marie replied:

Unfortunately, you are probably not going to like the answer that I'm about to give you.

I would highly recommend that you do not breed Candie. Here are my reasons why:

1. Even if you have homes lined up for the puppies, there are so many unwanted puppies out there that get euthanized every day. I never recommend that someone breeds their dog unless they are a professional breeder that works hard to improve their dog's breed. (Being a professional breeder is hard work!)

2. There are many things that can go wrong when breeding a dog. Have you considered what would happen if it is 3 am and Candie needs a C-Section? A C-Section at an emergency clinic can easily run you $1500-$3000. And you likely would need to have that money up front. Also, most pet insurance plans do not cover C-Sections as this is considered a problem that is easily prevented by spaying your dog.

3. The whole idea of breeding dogs is to produce great puppies. You've mentioned that Candie has some socialization issues. These are likely to be passed on to her puppies.

So, to answer your question, it is possible to have a vet perform artificial insemination which means that they would collect semen from the male and then insert it into the female. This can be costly. You would be hard pressed to find a vet who would do this for a mixed breed dog, however.

I'm sorry for the bad news. I would highly advise having Candie spayed. This may help with her socialization issues. It will also help prevent serious issues like pyometra (uterine infection) and certain cancers.

Dr. Marie.

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