How To Pick Your Breeding Dog(s)

In this episode, I will be talking about how to pick your breeding dog(s). I will be covering what standard breeders are looking for and what doodle breeders will be looking for. So please join me and let’s
 chat about how to find a good breeding dog.

Transcript

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Hey everyone! Welcome back to the show. I'm so glad you're here. If you're tuning in for the first time, welcome. And if you're a regular listener, you already know we keep it real here. No fluff, no gatekeeping. Just honest practical advice for people who are serious about doing this right. Today we're talking about one of the most important decisions you'll ever make as a breeder. How to pick your breeding dog or dogs plural if you're starting with a pair. If you haven't listened to the last episode, go back and do that first. We covered your why as a breeder and that foundation matters for everything we're going to talk about today. I also want to be clear up front. This episode is for everyone. Whether you're breeding purebreds or doodles, the standard matters just as much. The help testing matters just as much. The commitment is exactly the same. So no matter where you're starting from, this is for you. So let's get into it. Before you start looking at dogs, you need a framework. There are five things I evaluate in every potential breeding dog. One, health. Structure. Is this dog physically sound and well built? three. Temperament. Does this dog have the stability and personality you want passed on? four. Pedigree. What do you know about the dogs behind this one? Five. Fit. Does this dog make sense for what you're specifically trying to produce? We're going through all five, so let's go. Health testing is not optional. It is the baseline, the floor. If a dog or the breeder behind that dog can't produce documentations, you move on. Health testing means having your dog evaluated for the genetic and structural conditions known to affect their breed or cross. This applies equally to purebred and doodle breeders. Every breed, every cross has a list. Here are the main categories I look at and that most reputable breeders look at. Hips and Elbows Evaluated through OFA and PINHIP. This tells you whether your dog's joints are sound and whether they'll likely pass dysplasia on to their puppies. Eyes done by a bar by a board certified veterinarian ophthalmologist. Hereditary eye conditions are more common than most new breeders realize, and some develop over time, so annual exams are recommended for actively breeding dogs. Cardiac especially important for breeds like the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel with known heart concerns. A board certified cardiologist checks for murmurs or structural issues. Genetic paneling testing this is where the science has really advanced. A DNA panel screens for a wide range of inherited disease specific to your breed or parent breeds. For this I personally use and recommend Embark Vet. Their panel is comprehensive and I've had great experience with them. Paul Prince is another excellent option I'd point you to as well. I know several other breeders who use Paul Print and have said they really enjoy it, so that's why I would recommend that as well. Now passing health tests doesn't guarantee your dog will never have any problems, but it dramatically reduces the risk of passing known inherited conditions to puppies, and every puppy you produce goes to a family that is trusting you to have done your due diligence. Where do you find out what test your dog your dog needs? For purebred breeders, you will need to go to the National Breed Club's website, or you can check out the OFA Breed Specific Recommendation page. Doodle breeders, you need to test for both parent breeds. If you're breeding golden doodles, you're pulling requirements from both the golden retriever and the poodle. Both parents need to be tested, not just one. Do the research, know the list, and do not cut corners. Now for the structure. Structure means your dog's physical build and movement. And yes, this matters for doodle breeders just as much as purebred breeders. Purebred breeders read your breed standard. It is detailed, it is a detailed blueprint for what your breed is supposed to look like and move like. Doodle breeders, you may not have official standards, but you have the standards of both parent breeds, and those are the reference points. Study what good structure looks like in your parent breeds because those are the genetics your puppies are inheriting. Regardless of what you're breeding, you want dogs that are well built and physically sound. Good bone structure, a level top line, correct angulation, movement that is smooth and effortless. Structural faults are heritable. Poor angulation, a roach back, incorrect movement, these can show up in your litters and cause real problems for puppies down the road. Choosing a structurally sound breeding dog is one of the most direct ways you can protect those puppies before they're even born. And another thing to remember, if the people who get your puppies, if things start developing over time, they're gonna be coming back to you. And then when you're trying to sell puppies in the future, you're they will post things if you have it on Facebook, if you if you're doing word of mouth, even especially with word of mouth, because if their puppies are having problems, you think they're gonna tell others about your puppies. No, they're gonna not tell anyone about it, and they're gonna complain to others to a point your name will get out there as a breeder that people don't want to buy from. So the str more structurally sound dog and puppies you have, the better it is for you as a breeder, and you are making for happy new puppy owners. And so here I say this is more important than you might think because even experienced breeders can get dazzled by a beautiful dog and let their guard down here. Your breeding dog must be confident, stable, and predictable. They should handle new environments and unexpected things without falling apart, and they should have a temperament that is appropriate and desirable for their breed or cross. Some things are disqualifying no matter what. Unpredictable aggression, extreme fearfulness, severe anxiety. These should never be bred. Why? Because temperament is heritable. The genetic predisposition toward confident confidence or fearfulness is passed from parents to puppies. A nervous breeding dog can produce nervous puppies, and those puppies go to families. That's on you as breeders. And another thing, if you have a dog that is nervous and then the puppy's going to be nervous, and the family has children, or have children come around the puppy or dog, nervous dogs have a tendency to bite. So you don't want that to happen. So the best thing is just not to get a dog that has the nervous tendencies so that you know your puppies won't have that. Now for doodle breeders especially, families choose doodles largely because their reputation for friendly, easy-going temperaments. That reputation came from the parent breeds. Don't let it slip by skipping temperament evaluation in your breeding dogs. And remember, you want to do that when you're doing your doodle breeding, you're going to want to know the temperament of all the dogs that are going to be in the doodle. So if you're doing, say, a cavalio, which is what I have. So if you're doing a cavalio, you know the cavalier King Charles is great around children. It is very loving, loves to be with you at all times. The poodle is exactly the same way. They're both very easily trainable. So that is a breed that you would want. If you took, say, a poodle, standard poodle, and a rottweiler. And this rottweiler has tendencies, and you can tell it has tendencies to get nervous or to be very bite at things or strong-willed type of thing, then you know that is not what I need to breed. So look at both and see what their temperaments are before you decide. Alright, now for the pedigree and mentors. Your dog's pedigree is their family tree, and it tells you a lot about what to expect from their offspring. Pure bred breeders look for help tested and title dogs in the pedigree. Titles show that those dogs were evaluated by knowledgeable people. OFA's public database lets you look up health results by dog name. Use it. And OFA, their public database, is also free, so that's a good thing to know. Doodle breeders. Titles may be less common in your lines, but health testing behind your dog still matters. Ask about the breeders who produced your breeding dog parents. A golden doodle female whose golden retriever parents came from a serious health testing breeder is a much stronger foundation than one whose background is unknown. This is also where mentors are invaluable. Find someone who knows your breed or cross, has been doing it for years, and is willing to guide you. A good mentor can look a dog you're considering and see things it would take you years to learn to spot on your own. They can warn you about bloodline issues, help you evaluate structure, and introduce you to the broader community. For purebred breeders, start with your National Breed Club. Most have mentor programs. For doodle breeders, seek out communities focused on health and ethics, and consider connecting with reputable breeders of your parent breeds as well. Approach potential mentors with humility and genuine curiosity. Lead with your commitment to doing things right. The right connection is about worth finding. So the reason I talk about the mentors is because I know I have three or more mentors, and every single one of them have been wonderful help for me. And the ones I've looked at have had 10, 20 to 30 years of experience. So they know what they're looking at. If they looked at a dog immediately, they can know. They know everything about that dog, they'll be able to tell you if that's the right dog for you or not. And they know the correct questions to ask the breeders that you're looking at. So I highly recommend getting a mentor or two or three. Okay, you're actually looking at a dog. Here's what to do. See them in person. Photos can lie. And also videos, they're better than photos, but they can also lie as well. So visit whenever possible and watch how the dog moves and interacts in their real environment. Ask for documentations up front. Health results should be on paper or verifiable through OFA's database or embark platform. Verify independently. Don't just ask someone's don't don't just take someone's word for it. Meet the parents if you can. The parents tell you a lot about what your young dog will grow into in structure, health, and temperament. Watch movement. A well-built dog moves effortlessly. Good reach, good drive, a steady top line. Choppiness, crabbing, or even movements are worth investigating. Trust your gut, but verify it. If something feels off, don't talk yourself into it. And if you love a dog, make sure the documentation backs it up. Get a second opinion from someone more experienced if you're unsure. The right dog is worth waiting for. Picking your breeding dog sets the tone for everything that comes after. Start with health, build on structure, later in temperament, know the pedigree, build your community, and be patient. The breeders I respect the most are almost always the ones who took their time getting the foundation right. Whether you're breeding pure breads or doodles, the commitment to doing this well is the same. And the reward of producing healthy, happy puppies who go on to be wonderful companions, that's the same too. And it is absolutely worth it. If you found this helpful, please share it with someone just starting out. And if you're not already following me on Facebook, come find me. Search for of Hearts and Hounds. That's where I post every time a new episode drops. Share links to everything I mentioned on the show, like Embark Vet and Paw Prints Genetics and even OFA. I also post my newsletter link there. And you can send me your questions and comments there too. I love hearing from everyone. And until next time, take care of your dogs and take care of yourselves. See you in the next episode.